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THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA CHAPTER 21-RETURN TO BLACKWOOD MANOR

THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA

CHAPTER 21-RETURN TO BLACKWOOD MANOR

NEW INFORMATION COMES TO LIGHT; BOTH ON EARTH AND IN HELL

Cousin?! The single word rang in Cordelia’s head like a bell. Why? How? The word that had been reserved, rather affectionately, all her life just for Ambrose and Sabrina, could not possibly apply to Sara. The first person 12-year-old Cordelia considered an enemy.

“Please…please h-help us.” Erin’s voice was strained and growing weaker. A direct result of the hanging.

Suddenly, who Sara really was and her relationship with her was the very last thing on Cordelia’s mind. Her friends were in dire danger and right now, nothing else mattered. “It’s okay, guys. I’ll have you down in a sec.”

However, when Cordelia raised her arm, Sara grabbed her wrist. “No, don’t save them!”

“Why?!” Cordelia demanded. “They’re innocent, they’ve done nothing to you!”

“They’re mortal! The only good mortal is a dead mortal!”

Cordelia yanked her hand free. “You’re crazy!” She turned back to the tree.

“No!” Sara screamed and jumped on Cordelia’s back, knocking them both to the ground.

The 2 witches rolled around on the ground, battling for control.

“You’re a complete psycho!” Cordelia screamed as Sara slammed her into the ground and got on top of her.

Sara got her hands around Cordelia’s throat. “If you don’t want to watch your friends die, maybe you should die with them.”

Cordelia had just enough room and strength left to head-butt, Sara. Dazed, Sara stumbled back a little. Cordelia sat up, and then, as if acting on autopilot, made a fist and punched Sara in the face, as hard as she could. Sara, now out cold, simply fell over.

For a second, Cordelia could do nothing but stare in stunned silence. Up until today, Cordelia had never even slapped anyone, let alone punch someone so hard that they passed out. Weaken and breathing hard from the struggle, Cordelia turned her head towards the tree, raised her arm, and finally said “down,” in Latin. The branches went back to normal and all 3 triplets fell to the ground. Cordelia’s heart jumped into her throat. None of the triplets were moving and Cordelia feared the worst. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Erin, who lay in the middle of her sisters, moaned and turned her head toward Cordelia’s direction.

“Erin!” Cordelia cried out, both from joy and desperation. “Erin, if you can hear me, please open your eyes.”

Slowly, Erin opened her eyes.

“Good, now I know we’re in a weird place right now and you must be afraid and confused about what’s happening right now, but I need you to do something for me. I need you to take a hold of your sisters and don’t let go. Can you do that for me?”

Erin gave a faint nod.

“Good.” Cordelia grabbed the triplet nearest to her, as well as Sara’s pant leg, and transported them all away.

“Hecate, I’m such an idiot.” LJ buried her head in her hands. “Why am I so stupid?”

Zelda frowned. “My daughter stupid? Poppycock! LJ, you are still the same woman who studied mortal and witch medicine at the same time and you began your internship before you were 30. Don’t tell the others, but I consider you the genius of this family. Plus, you’re so lovable.”

“Peter doesn’t think I’m so lovable,” LJ muttered.

“Bah,” Zelda dismissed as she put an arm around LJ, pulling her closer and causing the younger witch to fold her legs, put her feet up on the sofa and let her upper body hover above Zelda’s lap. “Then the boy is nothing but a fool,” Zelda said before planting a kiss on LJ’s brow.

Just as it seemed that LJ was starting to relax, her eyes bulged, she gasped and sat up. “Oh no! All my stuff is at Peter’s! I sold my apartment and now I have nowhere to go!”

Zelda was, as ever, the calm mother. “We will make arrangements to collect your things. Until you figure things out, you can stay here. Your old bedroom is just waiting for you.”

LJ sighed and let her head fall back onto the back of the sofa. “Moving in with a guy I only met 7 weeks ago.” She sighed. “You would never make such a mistake.”

“Don’t be so sure. Everyone has their own love problems. You acted too fast and I acted far, far too slow. It took me over 3 and half centuries to admit, even to myself, that I Iove your father. I lost count of the times I looked at your father and thought about how easily I could have lost him.”

LJ gently patted Zelda’s arm. “You would never lose Dad. He adores you. We all do.”

The mother and daughter were only able to smile at each other for a few seconds before a white light flashed and Cordelia appeared in the room with the other 4 girls. “Help me!” Cordelia cried anxiously as she collapsed under the weight of holding the others up.

Her doctor’s instincts instantly kicked in as LJ jumped up out of her seat and went to check on the now passed-out triplets.

Zelda was right behind her. “What on earth happened?”

“She happened!” Cordelia hissed as she turned her head to look at Sara, who was currently groaning and prompting herself up on her elbows.

“Oh, you saved the triplets,” Sara said as if it was a bad thing. “You Spellmans are so weak!”

“I’ll deal with you later.” Cordelia used her magic to force Sara to sit in a nearby chair.

Zelda was shocked. “Cordelia Spellman, do I really have to lecture you about not using magic in front of a mortal?”

“No, Mom, you don’t,” Cordelia answered. “Because Sara is not a mortal. She admitted to me that she was a witch while she was busying hanging my 3 best friends!”

This statement just gave Zelda a million more questions, but it was LJ who spoke next.

“I think I don’t like how slow these pluses are.” LJ looked up. “I think I should get the triplets to the hospital ASAP.”

Cordelia nodded. “I’ll be right behind you.” She called as LJ teleported with the triplets.

“Well, if you’re all busy, I guess I’ll just show myself out.” Sara sneered and got up out of the chair.

“YOU AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE!” Cordelia thundered and forced Sara into the chair so hard it nearly fell over. “Does Ambrose still keep rope down in the morgue?”

A still confused Zelda nodded and Cordelia ran down to get it. She started to tie Sara to the chair when-

“Ow! You don’t have to tie it so hard, you know.”

“I know,” Cordelia muttered with a fake smile and then pulled the ropes even tighter on her wrists and ankles. “I have to catch up with LJ and check on the triplets. Can you watch her, Mom?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks.” Cordelia hugged her. “I love you. Be careful, she’s sneaky.”

Cordelia started to leave when something inside her made her turn around and ask. “Mom? Do you have a 3rd sibling you never talk about? Someone other than Auntie Hilda and Uncle Edward?”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so.” Cordelia threw 1 last dirty look at Sara and then left, leaving her mother in front of the fireplace, still not completely understanding what was happening.

“How are they?” Cordelia asked her sister as she found the hospital room where LJ was tending to the triplets.

LJ sighed. “Not very well, I afraid. I'm sorry, Cordelia, but I can’t seem to get them to stable. All 3 are in comas.”

Cordelia frowned. “My poor girls. What are you doing now?”

“I’m just magically removing the red marks from their necks. I doubt we could explain it away to their parents or the other doctors.”

“Let me help.”

As both sisters worked their magic, LJ questioned her sister about what she didn’t understand. “So, if Sara has been a witch this whole time, what does she want with mortal triplets?”

I’m here for you, Sara’s hateful confession pulsed in Cordelia’s ears but until she understood what exactly what meant, Cordelia would keep it to herself. “Who knows?” she said out loud. “I’m more worried about what the triplets heard when Sara and I were discussing being witches.”

“Oh, Cordy.”

“Well, it all happened so fast!”

Once they had removed all the marks, the sisters came up with a convincing story to tell other people, Cordelia called Mr. & Mrs. Warner to tell them about the triplet’s condition. Unlike LJ, who left shortly after she made Erin, Emily, and Erica comfortable and got them stable, Cordelia stayed at the hospital all night with Mr. and Mrs. Warner. Because the parents last saw their daughters at the play with Sara, Cordelia felt the need to make a fake call to Sara and stated that she couldn’t get in touch with her. Cordelia couldn’t help but notice that the Warner parents were treating her nicer than the girls had in weeks.

1 hour past dawn, Jake drove his twin to work and while he was there, he picked up their sleepy, groggy little sister and bought her home.

Once they got home, Cordelia immediately looked into the sitting room and frowned when she didn’t see Sara. She found Sara, who was still tied to the chair, was in the kitchen while the family was having breakfast. Faustus and Zelda had called in backup, for Hilda, Dr. C and Sabrina were there too. They took turns trying to get information from Sara but she was not talking. That made Cordelia furious. She marched into the kitchen, placing her hands on the armrest of Sara’s chair, bringing them face to face.

“TALK!” Cordelia demanded. “Who are you? What do you want? Where did you come from?”

The smug smile on Sara’s face was maddening. “I’ve already told you who I am, cousin.”

“Cousin?” The others looked at each other in confusion and talked.

“Bah!” Cordelia dismissed as she drew herself up to her full height. “I don’t believe you. You see, I had a lot of time to think in that waiting room with the impossible to sleep in chairs and the only sound you can hear is Mrs. Warner weeping for her children. I thought about how great a lair you are and I remember how you said how all us Spellman were weak. No, Sara, you are no cousin of mine!”

“Is your head so far up your ass that you truly believe that Spellmans are your only bloodline?” Sara asked.

Jake looked up, shocked. “Are you saying that you’re a Blackwood?”

Sara nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

Cordelia, who finally calmed down enough to sit down, was still angry. “Now, I know you’re lying. Dad’s an only child.”

Sara rolled her eyes. "Just because Faustus is lord Liam’s sole legal heir does not make him an only child. Why half the village are his bastards. The oldest being my father.”

“And did he put you up to this?” Sabrina asked.

“Hades, no.” Sara laughed bitterly. “He’s too weak to think up such a plot. I did this on my own.”

Hilda was confused. “But you’ve been here for a few months, where do your parents think you are?”

“You mean they’re not always out of town on business like you told the triplets,” Cordelia muttered, crossing her arms.

“I told them that I was accepted into the Academy of the Unseen Arts.”

“But you’re too young to attend.” Zelda pointed out.

“Actually, I could go to that school, because I’m not 12. I’m 17.” When the glamour spell fell away, Sara looked the same, only taller.

“Wait a minute!” Faustus was the first to recover. “You said your surname was Reed. As in the wild reeds that always grow on the riverbank beside Blackwood Manor?”

Sara stared at him. “Why, Uncle, you surprise me. This is the 1st time in the months that we’ve known each other that you’ve proven yourself capable of intelligent thought.”

Faustus ignored the insult because he needed more answers. “If you were a witch the entire time, why the need to say you were Wiccan? Why suggest the play? The trip to Salem?”

Sara smirked. “Oh, that was a…experiment. I thought that if I put enough pressure on both you and Cordelia that you would crack and admit that you were witches. Get rid of your shame.”

Cordelia slammed the table as she stood up. “I have never been ashamed of being a witch! The only thing I’m remotely ashamed of is being related to someone like you!”

“So you believe me now?”

“At this moment, I don’t know what to believe,” Cordelia confessed honestly. “The only thing I know for sure is that my 3 best friends are in the hospital because of you. So, cousin or no cousin, you can go straight to heaven!”

Shortly after Cordelia stormed off, the others went their separate ways. Thinking it would be a good idea to keep Cordelia and Sara apart, Faustus, Hilda, and Dr. C took Sara back to the bookstore for further questioning. Not that it mattered, for after a few hours' sleep and a quick sandwich for lunch, Cordelia returned to the hospital and was dismayed to learn that there was no change in the triplets’ condition. She stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Warner all day again. Cordelia didn’t want to leave when Zelda showed up at 10 PM to take her home. But all 3 adults could see that Cordelia was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. So, they coaxed her into leaving, Mrs. and Mr. Warner even promised to call if there were any changes with the triplets. Thanks to the foxglove Zelda left under her pillow, Cordelia fell right asleep. Zelda kissed her daughter and tucked her in before retreating to her own bedroom. Zelda had bought some paperwork home with her from the academy, so after changing into her nightclothes, Zelda made a makeshift desk out of her vanity table. She got so wrapped up in her work that she didn’t notice the next 2 hours pass and only looked up when Faustus came in, sighed deeply, and laid across their bed. Zelda immediately went to him, knelt on the bed, and gently took Faustus’s head into her lap. She kissed his cheek before she whispered in his ear, “Penny dreadful for your thoughts, my love?”

Faustus opened his eyes and looked up at his wife. “It’s true, Zelda, it’s all true! As you know, we took Sara to the bookstore to talk-okay, to question- her for hours. The girl had an answer for everything. Then Dr. C came up with the brilliant idea to call her bluff. We gave her the phone and told her to call her father, which she did. The phone call she made was to a man called Brutus, her father…and my brother. Can you believe it, Zelda? I have a brother! And to hear him tell it, there’s many, many more than 1.”

“Are you sure that you can trust him?” She asked cautiously.

“I asked myself that very same question,” Faustus answered, getting up and looking at his wife in the eye. “But the more we talked, the more convinced I was. He described the village I grew up to a tee and he said things that only a Blackwood would know, even a bastard one. I also got some insight into what Sara might have wanted here. You see, the village has fallen on hard times. Months of drought have ruined a lot of crops and some people are even starving. I felt so guilty that the next thing I knew; I was agreeing to hop on a plane early tomorrow morning with Sara. It was so entirely in the heat of the moment and I’m so sorry I didn’t call and tell you about it.”

Zelda wasn’t concerned with that; her mind was elsewhere. “You say you feel guilty, why so?”

Faustus reddened. “You see, dearest, problems like this has happened before but it has always fallen to Lord Blackwood to attend to it. Since my father is dead, I’m technically Lord Blackwood, but in the 13 years since I took the name of Spellman, I’m afraid I’ve not spent much time thinking of the manor or the village.”

“That’s not surprising,” Zelda said gently. “Given your rough history with your childhood home.”

“Indeed, and since I have no intention of taking back the Blackwood name, I decided to give the name, the manor, the fortune, and the duties to the oldest bastard of my father’s, which just happens to be Sarah’s father. That’s the whole tragedy of this whole situation. I was willing to give Sara what she wanted all along. She didn’t have to torment Cordy, or whatever she did to those poor triplets. Maybe she would’ve come at all if I wasn’t a moron and forgot to check in!” Angry now, Faustus got off the bed and went to the window.

Zelda too got off the bed and joined her husband. On her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. “Didn’t you once tell me that your father just mentioned that he had other children only in passing?”

Faustus sighed. “Once or twice, I suppose.”

“And have you ever met any of these people face to face?”

“Hecate, no!”

“Just as I suspected. As usual, my darling, you’re being too hard on yourself. Surely, no one expects you to be responsible for people you didn’t even know existed.”

Faustus sighed, turned to his wife, and took her hand. “You understand why I have to go. I can’t do all this legal stuff over the phone.”

“I understand. Do you want me to go with you?”

Faustus shook his head. “I couldn’t ask you to that. Feasts of feasts is almost upon us and we both know that’s the start of your busiest season. I mean, you were working when I came in here.”

“I can change things around.” Faustus gave her a look that ensured his wife that he wouldn’t be changing his mind. “Okay,” Zelda continued. “Well, the least I can do is give you a proper goodbye.” Zelda then kissed Faustus passionately and led him off to bed.

Early the next morning, before driving to the airport in nearby Riverdale, Faustus and Zelda made a fast stop by the academy. It was there, Zelda soon learned, that Sara spent the night under the watchful eyes of Prudence. Turns out that Prudence didn’t like the idea of her father returning to his hometown anymore than Zelda did. With the aid of her stepmother, Prudence managed to convince her father into taking her with him. At the last moment, Ambrose decided to go too, to lend support to his uncle and girlfriend. By the time Zelda dropped the group off at the airport and went back home, it was late morning. As soon as she opened the front door, Zelda was hit by all the pleasant smells coming from the kitchen.

“Mmm, sister, when did you get here?” Zelda called from the hall while taking off her coat.

However, it wasn’t Hilda who was laying the food on the table. Zelda entered the kitchen and was greeted by a smiling LJ.

“Hey, Mom. I thought you might be hungry after your long morning and it turns out I can cook!”

Zelda returned LJ’s smile. “This looks wonderful, thank you.” The kettle started to whistle, and Zelda turned but LJ stopped her.

“I will get the coffee. You sit down and enjoy your food.”

However, Zelda only had time for 1 bite because she heard a coffee cup smash to the floor. She looked up to see that LJ was staring at something on the kitchen island, and she was shaking.

“LJ, honey, what’s wrong?”

LJ pointed. “What’s that?”

Zelda got up and went to her daughter’s side before answering. “Why, that’s just Cordelia’s new class picture.”

LJ nodded. “And, um, who is that?” Her voice sounded odd, strained as if she was on the verge of tears.

“That’s Nina Robinson.”

LJ looked up sharply. “The schoolteacher who keeps trying to seduce Father away from you?!”

Puzzled, Zelda nodded. “LJ, what am I missing here? Do you know her?”

LJ swallowed her breath sharply. “We weren’t formally introduced, but this is the woman I caught Peter sleeping with 2 days ago.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“That’s it!” Zelda growled. “That woman has gone too far!” Food now forgotten, Zelda turned to go.

Yet, LJ knew that look on her mother’s face. “Mom, I know you going to do what you have to do, but, um, don’t kill Peter.”

Zelda nodded and was gone.

20 minutes later, a furious Zelda was knocking on Peter’s front door. When there was no answer, Zelda turned to go, but then she remembered the listing she had seen in the lobby. Not only did Nina live on this very floor, but she was only 4 doors down. So, Zelda walked down and knocked on her door. At this point, Zelda was so angry, she didn’t even have it in her to be surprised when Peter opened the door.

“Mrs. Spellman! Um, I was going to call LJ later, I swear.”

“Can it, lover boy. Save it for someone who might actually care.” Zelda swept past him and went straight to the bedroom when Nina was naked under her sheet and was looking the other way.

She must have heard the door open for she started to speak. “You left me alone in this bed for far too long. Come here, big boy, and make it up to me.”

Without saying a word, Zelda walked across the room and ran the back of her hand against Nina’s bare arm.

“Mmm, that’s nice. Now, why don’t- “Nina turned around and gasped when she saw Zelda, who was folded her arms.

“You really are a whore. Tell me, for I need to know, was this a random thing or payback for Faustus?”

Nina had a blank look on her face. “Who are you?”

Zelda was confused, but only for a moment. “Oh, that’s right; I spelled you the last time we met. Well, I did come to talk to you.”

Zelda snapped her fingers and it was like a light went on in Nina’s brain as she tried to cover herself. “Zelda?! What the hell are you doing here?”

“And we’re back to our regularly scheduled program,” Zelda muttered and looked away long enough to allow Nina to slip into a robe. “So tell me,” Zelda continued, “do you really care for Peter or did you do this to spite us?”

Nina raised an eyebrow. “Who’s Peter?”

Zelda’s jaw dropped. “You don’t even know his name?! For your information, Peter is the half-naked young man in your living room. Also, before you came along, whenever that was, he was happily dating Faustus’s daughter.”

Nina’s eyes widened. “If he’s sleeping with a 12-year-old, what are you doing in here, yelling at me?”

“It’s not Cordelia, your idiot!” Zelda snapped. “Just so you know, Faustus has 4 children, 3 daughters, and a boy! I love all my stepchildren as if they were my very own, but you hurt 1 of them, which means that now I must hurt you!”

“Calm down, will you? You can tell your stepdaughter that she can have her boyfriend back. He means nothing to me. I’m just having some fun until my man comes to his senses and leaves you for me.”

“You’re never going to give up, are you?” Zelda said slowly as if she just realizing her own statement. “You’re never going to leave my family alone. I mean, I wiped your memory clean and you’re still bothering us.”

“I think it’s time for you to just accept that Faustus and I are destined to be together.”

The entire situation was so absurd that Zelda couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry but you bought up destiny and that brings up the concept of forever and you don’t have that kind of time. Even when mortals die of ‘old age’ it barely lasts a century. Mortals are so, so…” As Zelda talked, she came closer, seized Nina by the back of the neck, and squeezed until she heard Nina’s spine snap and watched the dead body fall to the floor, “fragile.”

It was only then that Zelda noticed there was something on the nightstand. It was the plane ticket that Zelda had ordered Nina to get when she was bewitched. Zelda picked up the ticket and magically spread some blood around Nina’s head and left the room. Peter jumped up as soon as he saw Zelda and he opened his mouth but Zelda spoke first.

“I think your girlfriend fell in there and if I were you,” she slapped the plane ticket against his chest, “I would leave town.”

Faustus looked at his wife. “You killed her?” The past few days had been an emotional rollercoaster for

Faustus. He had been nervous and didn’t know what to expect when he, Prudence, and Ambrose arrived in England. Brutus was found at the exact address he had given to Faustus. Brutus had, of course, been very angry at his daughter, Sara, but he couldn’t have been nicer to his guests. Although they had been strangers when they first met, the 2 brothers liked each other instantly. Faustus and Brutus were always together, talking about everything and anything. Brutus introduced Faustus to their other siblings, (all 687 of them!) Lord Liam had once joked that he had fathered half of the village. It was only now that Faustus realized that he wasn’t joking at all. The brothers also worked well together with their business. As the oldest illegitimate child, it made sense to make Brutus the new Lord Blackwood, meaning he would be responsible for the village and its people but there were other things to consider. First, they asked the others if wanted to be recognized and which ones wanted to take the Blackwood name. They also set about trying to divide the family fortune and Brutus decided to reopen Blackwood Manor. He offered to let Faustus stay there but Faustus preferred a hotel room. What surprised Faustus the most was just how kind and gracious Brutus was. Oddly enough, it was Sara’s mother who came across as angry and entitled. Faustus told all this and more to Zelda when he called her nightly. One night, he called and said that Markus badly to meet the rest of Faustus’s family. Zelda, who wanted to join her husband in this from the very beginning was thrilled and agreed, as did Jake, who was hungering for a new adventure. LJ was happy to go anywhere that she could get her mind of Peter for a while. The only 1 who didn’t want to go at all was Cordelia. For the past few days, Cordelia’s life had revolved around the hospital. She would go and visit the triplets every morning before school and return after class, where she remained until visiting hours were over. Although LJ said that Erin, Emily, and Erica were all stable and were getting stronger every day. Yet they still in their comas. It didn’t seem right to Cordelia to leave them to fly halfway around the world only to see Sara get everything she wanted. Zelda told her that this trip wasn’t about Sara. Zelda explained to her daughter that they would only be gone a few days. They would attend a public signing of papers which would make some of the siblings official Blackwoods on Friday and a grand ball on Saturday to reopen the manor and celebrate family unity. On Sunday, they would fly home. It wasn’t until Hilda and Sabrina both agreed to look in on the triplets that Cordelia finally agreed to go. Yet, it was midway through their Thursday flight, Cordelia had a panic attack. What if the triplets woke up and she wasn’t there? Would they think she abandoned them?! Fortunately, LJ foresaw this and bought along a sleeping spell. The sleeping spell was more powerful than LJ realized, so much so that no one could wake Cordelia when they landed. That’s why when Faustus picked them up from the airport, he saw that while LJ and Zelda handled the bags, Jake carried his sleeping baby sister in his arms. After they settled Cordelia in her hotel room and left a note on the bedside table, the family went down to the lobby for dinner. After dinner, the kids went to a pub down the street while Faustus and Zelda when up to their room. It was here that Zelda told Faustus the whole story about Nina and Peter. Faustus wasn’t upset about Nina’s death. After all, mortals died all the time, and witches murdering them was not unusual either. If anything, Nina’s death was more good news in Faustus’s already amazing week. But it did leave him with 1 question.

“Why didn’t you kill the boy, as well?”

Zelda shrugged. “LJ asked me not to. But I did give him the plane ticket to New York. Now, when the police found the body, who do you think they suspected? The wife of a co-worker, or 1 of her lovers who fled the state only 1 day after the murder?”

“You’re as brilliant as you are beautiful. What else could a man possibly ask for?”

“No one betrays our daughter and gets away with it.” Zelda declared before surrendering completely to her husband’s kiss. They made love all night long and most of the morning. They almost missed the signing ceremony.

What am I doing here? I should have never agreed to come here. I should be at home. It was Saturday night and despite being dressed to the nines and attending the grand ball at Blackwood manor, Cordelia Spellman was in no mood to party. Out of respect for her father and his family, she had agreed to come, but Cordelia had been miserable ever since she woke up from the sleeping spell yesterday. She was still insanely worried about the Warners. Both Hilda and Sabrina had sent her numerous texts but they have yet to speak in person. In fact, Cordelia was just coming down the stairs, having tried and failed to reach her aunt and cousin, because of time zones, Cordelia wasn’t even sure what time it was in Greendale. Cordelia was thirsty, so she made her way to the punch bowl. However, she barely had time to fill her cup and take a sip before:

“Hello, cousin,”

Cordelia closed her eyes. 1 of her biggest worries about this trip was coming face to face with Sara. Faustus calmed his daughter’s worries by telling her that he hadn’t seen Sara since the day they landed. Cordelia was pleased to hear that Markus saw fit to punish his daughter by basically putting her under house arrest for the past 5 days. Cordelia guessed correctly that Sara was only let out for the ball. “What in Hecate’s name do you want, Sara?” Cordelia snapped angrily.

“I wanted to talk to you. I was hoping we could start over. Let bygones be bygones.”

Wordlessly, Cordelia put her cup down, then quick as lighting, she grabbed a knife off the table and pushed her cousin out of public view. Sara’s back was against a pillar as Cordelia held the knife to her throat. “First of all, I need you to know that the only reason I’m not shedding your blood all over these marble floors is out of respect for our fathers,” Cordelia whispered evenly. “Second of all, have you gone mental, witch? You want to make peace after you made my life torture for how many months? My friends are still in the hospital because of you!”

“They’re just mortals!”

“They’re still my best friends! And I want you to remember what you did to them because if I ever catch you in Greendale ever again, I will bury you under the hanging tree. Understand?”

A shadow passed by the girls, reminding them that they were not alone. Cordelia sighed as she backed off. She rounded the corner and tossed the knife back on the table. Sara could have walked away at this point but she chose to follow Cordelia.

“You know what? I don’t understand you. All this fuss and worry about 3 mortals, while your father was the high priest who murdered half his coven.”

Cordelia was too shocked and confused to respond and that’s how Faustus found them.

“Are you girls okay?”

“Your niece is a real piece of work, Dad. After all, you’re done all week for Sara and her family, she still sees fit to slander your name.” Cordelia finally spoke. “Well, according to her lying mouth, you’re a high priest who murdered his coven.”

Sara looked from Cordelia to Faustus and gave a short laugh. “She doesn’t know? How can she not know?! Everyone in the world knows! You’re like a legend, but not in a good way.”

It was only then that Sara felt the floor move under her feet, like a tiny earthquake.

Meanwhile, Cordelia stared at her cousin. “You know what? I’m getting so sick of you!” Cordelia went forward and tried to grab Sara, who stepped backward and noticed the floor was steady again, with 1 arm while Faustus led her away by the other arm.

“Cordelia, I need to talk to you.”

They ducked into a nearby room then Faustus let go of his daughter’s arm.

“Look, Dad, I’m sorry that I lost my cool and lunged at Sara but we have to get back out there. Who knows what other lies Sara could be telling about you.”

As Cordelia spoke, Faustus got a chill up his spine when he realized that they were in his father’s old study. He glanced over to the fireplace to that old painting of Lord Liam and his cold, harsh, unforgiving eyes. Faustus hated that painting. If it was up to him, he would get rid of all of his father’s things. Yet, during the course of the week, he learned that his siblings saw Liam as the village’s distant overseer, not the abusive parent he had been to Faustus. This room was the site of all Faustus’s childhood confessions. How fitting that it was about to witness his most important one.

“It wasn’t a lie,” Faustus whispered, his eyes filling with tears.

“What?”

“Before your mother founded the Order of Hecate, I was Greendale’s high priest, and 1 day, I poisoned some of the others.”

Cordelia shook her head. “No, it can’t be true. You’re not the type to kill your fellow witches without remorse.”

Faustus fell to his knees in front of his daughter. “But I do feel remorse! I think about those we lost every day and there are not enough words to express how sorry I am.”

“Then, why kill them?”

“Because he had no control about it.”

Faustus and Cordelia both looked up to see that Zelda had joined them. After Zelda helped him back to his feet, she gave him a tender kiss on to cheek, and then led Cordelia to a nearby sofa. “We didn’t plan to tell you this way but I think it’s time you knew about the insanity curse.”

For over 2 hours, the trio talked, with Faustus and Zelda telling their daughter everything about the curse. It was near the end that Cordelia had to ask,

“Why didn’t you say ever anything to me about this?”

Faustus looked at the floor. “I was afraid, afraid that you wouldn’t look at me the same way. That you wouldn’t love me the same way.”

“Oh, Daddy! It wasn’t your fault and it wasn’t as rare as you think. I mean, isn’t it an actual law issued by the council that no witch or warlock can’t be held accountable for their actions while under a curse?”

Zelda smiled. “It’s certainly is.”

Faustus looked at his daughter and then to his wife before declaring, “I’m the luckiest man in the universe.”

Later, Faustus was looking out of the motel window when Zelda came in after settling Cordelia in for the night in the next room.

“What are you looking at?” Zelda asked.

“Come here, dearest.”

Zelda took his outstretched hand and he spun her into him. Now, her back was supported by Faustus’s front and he draped an arm around her front. “Oh, Faustus, it’s beautiful. The stars are so big, they’re like diamonds and it’s like there are so close, you can touch them.”

“Yes, this village has always been famous for its stars. When I was a boy, Magda and I used to wish on stars all the time.”

“Oh? And what did you wish for?”

“A great many of things when I was younger, yet as I got older, it was more of a single wish. Namely, you in my arms.”

“So, your wish was for me to be where I’ve always belonged.”

Faustus’s only reply was to cupped her chin, turning her head toward his, and kissed her passionately. They were both naked before they got to the bed, 4 feet away.

At 3 AM, Zelda tried not to wake Faustus as she got out of bed and slipped into a robe on the way to the bathroom. On her way back to bed, she heard faint crying. Zelda opened the door between her room and Cordelia’s.

“Cordy? Are you alright?”

“Oh, Mom, did I wake you?”

“No. What’s wrong?” Zelda sat down on the bed beside her child.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I tried to call home,” Cordelia explained, “and I got to talk to Aunt Hilda and there have been no changes in the triplets’ condition.”

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. But LJ said that all 3 are stable and should wake up really soon.”

“LJ been saying for days. It’s been over a week. I’m getting scared.”

“Oh, baby. As far as I know, LJ is only giving them mortal medicine. How about when we get back to Greendale, we see what magic can help.” Zelda suggested.

“We can do that?”

“It won’t hurt to see our options. Now, try to rest. We need to be at the airport in a few hours.”

Zelda returned to her room to discover that Faustus was awake and he was worried that Cordelia was upset about the curse. She set him straight and they went back to sleep.

The next day, on the plane, Zelda took Faustus’s hand. “Darling, I’m so proud of you. I know it wasn’t easy to spend a week in your old village.”

Faustus smiled. “I learned 2 things this week. That I am so proud to be a Spellman and that my home is where you are.” Faustus smiled and kissed his wife. Yet, mid-kiss, he couldn’t feel Zelda’s lips anymore. He opened his eyes to see that she was no longer on the plane. “Um, Zelda?”

Zelda was just as confused to find herself transported to hell.

“Oh, thank god that worked!”

The redhead turned to see Adam holding a heavy spellbook.

“Zelda, I need your help. Lilith’s in labor.”