Syn

"Eve," I said dryly. "When hiding, it's best to not make noise." As soon as I paid attention to the area she was hiding, her aura make was suffocating. There was no doubt in my mind that it was her.

She stepped out of the shadows and crossed her arms as she walked towards me. I looked at the silver metal attached to a belt around her waist and I rolled my eyes. Whatever reason she was here, it wasn't for a friendly chat.

She stopped walking when she got a few feet away from me and I shoved my hands into my pockets. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't be here to see Cain?" She asked innocently. "My son has been looking rather...sad, you know?"

"Cut the bullshit," I said. "Why are you here?"

"My sister and my brothers are dead," she said. I remained quiet as I watched her and she raised a brow at me. "Aren't you going to say 'sorry for your condolences' or anything?"

"Oh right," I said in remembrance. "No."

"I guess I should've expected that," she said slowly.

"You did. You're not here for me to give you my best wishes. What do you want?"

"After their deaths, I went to the empty crime scene and looked around. There was nothing at all."

"Okay..."

"Except," she said as she held a finger up. "There was this strong and dark energy in the spots where they stood. One that didn't belong to an Upperworlder."

"Can you speed this up?" I asked dryly.

"You may be asking yourself, why would an unknown entity be at a festival in Heaven strictly for Heaven's beings?"

"I wasn't asking myself that at all."

"Well, I asked myself!" She snapped. "I tracked down that energy and you couldn't imagine my shock to find that it was here."

"Mhmm."

She stepped towards me and began sniffing and I looked at her in shock and disgust. "It's not you or any of your friends and family, so who is it?"

"I have no idea, but you sound insane," I muttered.

"I know you all had something to do with their deaths," she said through gritted teeth as she glared at me. 

"We know nothing about it, we were all home during the festival," I admitted truthfully. There was absolutely no lie at all when it came to our whereabouts.

"You're lying!" She yelled.

"You have no proof of anything so I suggest you leave the Underworld. Now."

"You're right," she nodded as she stepped back. "I don't have the proof right now, but I will get some. And when I do, you will have the full force of Heaven raining down on you."

"That's nothing new," I replied.

"Since I'm here anyway," she started as she picked up her blade. "I have a bone to pick with the Queen of Hell."

"Stay away from her," I seethed as I stepped towards her.

"Why? She killed me. It's only fair that I return the favor," she laughed. Before I could say anything or make a move towards her, she disappeared into thin air.

I turned on my heel and sped into the palace and back to the dining room where everyone was. They all looked up at me wide-eyed and I looked around the room.

"Where's Queen?!" I yelled.

"She went to hide the baby like you said," Cain spoke up as he stood up from his chair. "Is something wrong?"

"Eve is trying to kill her," I said as I rushed out of the dining room. I heard everyone began scurrying from behind me but I ignored it and continued my search.

"Queen!" I yelled as I ran through the halls. I checked every room on the first couple levels of the palace with still no luck and fear began to plant itself on my mind.

What if I find her too late?

That was a terrifying thought. Queen managed to survive after I died but I wasn't as strong as she was. There was no way I could live on without her, there was no way I even wanted to.

I ran to the section of the palace where our rooms were and when I turned a corner, I bumped into someone. "Ouch!"

I looked down to see Queen wincing and relief coursed through my body. I pulled her into my arms and relaxed. There was no telling how much danger we were still in but at least she was safe.

"What's going on?" Queen asked.

"Eve is here."

Her eyes widened and I ran a hand through my hair. My nerves were starting to come back because if Queen was here, safe with me. No one was with the baby.

"Where's Saint?" I asked.

"I hid him in Bezy's room," she whispered as she looked down the halls.

"We need to go there. Now."

She nodded and we rushed a few doors down to Bezy's room and opened it. His head snapped to us and away from his movie as he looked at us with a large grin. He waved his large hand in our direction and I closed the door behind us.

"Hey Bezy," I said.

"Hi," he said excitedly. He turned back to his movie and I turned to Queen.

"What now?" She asked.

"We make sure nothing happens to them," I said. "Where's Saint?"

"Closet."

I went into the closet to check on him and saw him laying in a pile of blankets. He was absentmindedly holding his feet and I smiled before closing the door and leaving him.

I looked back into the room and saw Queen standing worriedly by the table and I sighed. I walked towards her and she looked up at me as I neared. "Hey."

"Hi," she said softly. "What are we—"

Her words were halted when a laugh sounded from inside the room. I turned to see Eve standing in the room with us and my fists balled up. I stood in front of Queen and I glared in Eve's direction.

"The energy," she started as she sniffed. "It's in here."

"What is she talking about?" Queen whispered.

I knew, but I couldn't exactly tell her without giving up that we had Saint. I ignored her question and glanced at her before turning back to Eve. To my surprise, instead of us, her sights were trained on Bezy.

"You," she said as she pointed her blade in his direction. "It's you."

"He didn't do anything," Queen said as she moved from behind me. Eve turned to her and a chilling smile appeared on her face.

"It must be him. It's not the both of you and the entity IS in this room," she said. "That's why you're protecting him. It doesn't make sense that the both of you would be in here with him when you knew I was here. Unless he's the one I'm searching for."

She took a step towards Bezy and I lunged at her. She fell to the floor roughly and I wrapped my hands around her throat, hoping to squeeze whatever life she had out of her. Her eyes became red as I constricted her airways but my victory over her faltered when I felt a pierce in the skin of my abdomen.

I looked down to see her knife glowing as it sunk into my skin and my eyes watered. Blood dripped from my mouth and I felt my body get weak as I fell to the side. She pulled out the knife and a flame burned all through my body.

"Syn!" Queen yelled as she ran through my side. She quickly picked up my hand and what looked like relief passed her eyes. I looked in the direction of her eyes to see the silver bracelet on my wrist and she dropped my hand. "You'll be okay. Just relax."

That was easier said than done since I couldn't move at all. I was forced to be paralyzed as Queen stood up to face Eve. If she were to die by her hands right now, there was nothing I could do. That image in my mind was scarier than death itself.

"Now that it's just us," Eve said to Queen as she stretched.

"I've killed you before," Queen said. "I could do it again."

"I've had time to...evolve," Eve said with a wicked laugh.

How long does this shit take?! My body ached all over but if I could move, I'd ignore it and try to protect Queen.

"Ooh, I always forget this part," Eve said. She chanted and the walls around us glowed a bright red as symbols carved themselves into it.

"You can never fight fair, can you?" Queen asked.

"That's no fun," Eve answered as she walked towards Queen.

I easily recognized the spell and knew at this very moment that Queen was no longer able to use any of her powers. Everything that I feared was going to happen would come true in a matter of moments.

Instead of screaming that she was now backed up into a wall, Queen burst out into laughter. I along with Eve watched her as she continued laughing and I was left confused. Was I missing something?

Eve lifted her knife and Bezy stepped towards them. "No hurt Queen!" He yelled.

"Aww, your beast is trying to protect you."

Queen stepped in front of Bezy and looked directly at Eve. "Don't touch him," she threatened. "It's been four years, do you truly believe you're the only one that's 'evolved'?"

Eve laughed condescendingly and I watched as Queen began whispering and walking around her slowly. The incantations on the wall began seeping with a black liquid and Eve's eyes widened. "This isn't possible. What are you doing?!"

"Eve," Queen said slowly. "I've been hell-bent on revenge for years. I've studied and found solutions to every single spell that you Upperworlders use. There is nothing you can do to me, that I can't get out of."

Eve slowly fell to the floor gasping for air and Queen looked down at her blankly. After a few moments, she took a huge intake of air from the floor and began coughing up blood.

"I'm only not killing you because Cain should," Queen said. "But I will be taking your powers."

Black smoke began rising from the floor and went directly towards Eve. She screamed as it surrounded her and as she struggled, the smoke enveloped her more. It only became quiet when her entire head was trapped under the smoke.

Queen came to my side again and held my hand. "You'll heal in a bit. These blades have a poison in it that'll temporarily paralyze you."

Eve coughed when the smoke went away and took deep breaths to calm down. Queen glanced at her before turning to me and squeezing my hand.

"You no longer have your powers, Eve," Queen said. "I'll be holding you in the dungeon until further notice." Queen moved to my lower body to inspect the wound and my eyes widened as I saw Eve stand up with the blade in her hand.

I willed my body to move to warn Queen but I couldn't. "Queen, behind you," I warned in a hoarse and painful voice as I forced myself to speak.

She turned quickly to look up at Eve, but it was too late.

"No!"

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Author's Note
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