The tremors subsided as quick as they came. Eva ran up to the windows and started watching. She didn’t want any enigmas sneaking around while they were talking. If some showed up, they needed to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Purple lightning crackled across the otherwise empty sky. Where the lightning touched, it stayed purple.
For a time.
The empty void fought back, Eva could see the purple slowly recede as the dark sky overpowered the streaks of purple.
Eva stared and gaped. She hadn’t wanted lightning in any way, shape, or form. She was fairly certain that she hadn’t had any subconscious desires for lightning either.
“Well,” Eva said as she found her voice, “even if this ‘doll’ isn’t going to attack you–something that I would not count on–” Eva gestured at the black and purple sky outside. “That looks like a perfectly good reason to accelerate our efforts to get you out of here.”
Both of the other two had managed to untangle themselves from each other, but by the time they made it to the window, there were only faint traces of purple left over.
It was enough for Shalise to give a light gasp. “That never happened before,” she said.
“The color is the same as enigma blood. Could be a coincidence…”
Lynn gave a light snort. “If only the world were that simple.” Turning away from the window, she put one hand on either of Shalise’s shoulders. She bent her knees slightly to level out their heads, though it didn’t take much bending. Lynn Cross was a tall woman, but Shalise wasn’t far behind.
Staring into her daughter’s eyes, they stood stock still.
Well, Lynn Cross stood still. Shalise fidgeted under her mother’s unwavering gaze.
Eva wondered just how it was that Shalise hadn’t noticed that Lynn was her mother. The resemblance was uncanny. Their hair was about the only thing different between the two. Shalise had shoulder-blade length wavy hair while her mother had her hair cut short–to better fit in her habit, most likely.
Then again, perhaps Shalise had noticed. That almost made more sense. Shalise had noticed and hadn’t mentioned anything because Lynn Cross had not mentioned anything. If her mother kept silent on the matter, then there must be a reason.
And that reason certainly wasn’t that Lynn Cross did not care for her daughter. She had come to Hell itself to be with and protect Shalise.
Though Eva may have forced that in part.
Eva’s speculation came to an abrupt end as white flames erupted from Lynn’s eyes.
Shalise jumped a good foot in the air, letting out a startled squeak as she flew.
Eva jumped forward with far more purpose than simple shock. She was seriously considering the notion that she had been grossly inaccurate in her assessment of Lynn Cross’ care for her daughter.
Before she could lay a hand on the older woman, Lynn released Shalise.
“I think,” she said slowly, “that it could work. A chance, at least.” She turned, her face drawing a disgusted countenance as her eyes settled on Eva. “But I will need assistance.”
“You’re going to have to be more vague. I almost guessed at what you are planning.”
“There may be a way to exorcise the demon inhabiting Shalise’s body.”
Eva gave her a flat glare. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? I’m not keeping her here because I find it fun, you know. If Prax gets out of her, she can go back to the mortal realm through Ylva’s domain, or even me carrying her while traveling back using my beacon. Arachne did the same–”
“Can I talk to you for a moment?” After a glance over Lynn Cross’ shoulder at Shalise, Eva looked the former nun in the eyes and added, “privately?”
Her frown twisted into a scowl. She hesitated for a moment, but eventually nodded.
Leaving a somewhat confused Shalise behind, Eva dragged Lynn off to her room. The moment the door shut behind her, Eva said, “I have just one question, with a small story before it.
“Back when you and your minions were strutting around the academy like you owned the place, one of your nuns came up to me one day. She started harassing me and ended up telling me that I should be… I believe the word was ‘cleansed.’ Immediately after, she said that I would die during the process, but should undergo it anyway despite that fact because it would be for the ‘betterment of the world’ or some such nonsense.”
Eva paused, watching for any reaction. Lynn kept her face as expressionless as she could.
With a sigh, Eva shook her head before continuing. “Are you planning on putting Shalise through a process that is likely to wind up with her dead?”
“Of course not,” she snapped. “There is always danger, but that danger can be mitigated. I would not put her through something that I thought would kill her.
