A True Witch. True motherfucking Witch!
Color me shook, bruh. That's absolutely nuts. Yes, we all thought Merelda was one but it made sense. She is an old as fuck woman who seemed to be the most powerful in all the realms. It's why she was placed in such a position of power... or was she?
"Elsie, what happened to the Elders?" I ask as Drug looks at me like he already knows and it doesn't look like it's a pretty story
"How about I tell you from the beginning?"
Her voice is strong and filled with so much wisdom even as she says the simple words. I feel like I'm in the presence of someone to be respected. Hell, I almost want to dust the seat off for her or throw my jacket down on the seat so she doesn't get dirty.
Maybe it's just because she's Drug's sister and I definitely want to be good with her... nah, it's the magic. Witches are no joke and the power rolling off her is palpable. I am not fucking with her. I'd be afraid she'd turn me into a giant hairy boar if I told her a dirty joke or some shit.
Elsie sits down with her back to the VIP area. The club is empty but I know Mayfly will be down here soon to see if I brought whatever the fuck it is he seeks most. Just as I suspect, the Nymph comes out of the room and stops dead in his tracks with his mouth going slack.
I mean, I know I'm covered in blood but damn, rude much?
Elsie begins talking so I ignore the weirdo and focus on her tale, "Obviously, I don't remember being a baby or any of the moments with you guys and our parents but for as long as I can remember, I've been with Merelda. For years, I was kept in the tomb because she said it wasn't safe for Witches. Little did I know, she was siphoning my magic." Elsie opens and closes her fists and I can imagine the feel of her power being used against her will.
That's like rape. At least in my mind it is and I will murder the old bag. I reach out and grip Elsie's hand with my own, squeezing it to let her know she's no longer a victim.
Her smile is instant and so fucking sweet that I want to hug her. She has to have some sort of enchantment allure or something cause I want to buy her a teddy bear too. The fuck?
"As the years went on, I started to notice her face and body changing from the grandmother I grew up with to the young girl you saw today but I never changed. I was twenty five and I still looked like a child. Merelda said witches grow at slow rates and one day I'd bloom but she claimed to use magic to keep her young. I suspect now," Elsie says as she looks herself over, "that she was using me in that aspect as well."
Mayfly slowly makes his way over to us but he doesn't interrupt Elsie.
"Then one day, I tried to leave the tomb. She caught me and used her influence on me. I had no idea how to use my magic. She refused to teach me because it was too dangerous, at least that's what she claimed, therefore I couldn't fight back. Once I was under her spell, she went from protective grandmother to abusive and hateful."
She stops speaking and looks down, her chin trembles but she doesn't let her sobs break through.
"Shh, Elsie, you don't have to continue." Drug coos from my side and I agree, this story can wait, she doesn't need to relive her trauma.
"No, I'm okay. I just need some water. You need to know this, the world needs to know it."
Mayfly comes to her side and hands her a glass of water and she nods her gratitude but she doesn't look up. She wipes her eyes and takes a drink before continuing, eyes cast down to the table’s top.
"One day, I fought the influence enough to follow her. She met with a handsome man, a Nymph. He was very good with getting her to talk." All of our eyes jump to Mayfly who just leans against the table with a smirk.
"He made Merelda so mad when he made fun of her in one way or another. He called her anincompetent womanand she exploded. She boasted of killing the Elder's when they gave abilities to the Blood Crows. She said they deserved to be killed and she ran the witches off her territory when they wouldn't acknowledge her as the True Witch. She boasted of her grandsons being Hell's beasts and having the ultimate power in her grasp. Soon though, she clammed up once more and left the Nymph before he could get more out of her."
We're all quiet and absorbing her story. How in the hell did she manage to kill the Elders? That should be an impossible feat.
"How did she kill the Elders?" Rory asks kindly
Elsie shrugs, "I don't know but she would leave often to check on herpets, as she called them.”
“Pets?” I ask in confusion.
“I’m not certain what she meant but I do know they are not furry creatures. She said they were her special made weapons.”
What the hell could that mean? Did she have minions or clones? I wouldn’t put it past her.
“I was never able to fight the influence again after that she caught me once more and beat me so badly that I could do nothing else but fall into her trap. Later, in one of her vain boasting sessions, she told me that my brothers were nothing but guard dogs in hell, a fate they deserved for siding with mother."
"God, this fucking broad is such a twisted bitch, isn't she?" Roxy says under breath as she wraps her arm around Drac's waist.
"She is," Elsie says. "She had our parents believe I was killed so that she could steal me away. I wrote the journals when I was older. I began to receive visions of three sisters who would be the mates to my brothers. Their souls would call out to their other half throughout the years and when the time was right, no matter where you all were, my brothers and their souls would answer the call."
Elsie smiles brightly and if this had been a week ago, I would have snorted at the hope in her voice, but now? I look at Drug and see everything I want in life. He's it for me and no matter what I do, I can't get over it.