Susan was in the comfort of her room, filing her nails when Jake left for the city with one of her cars. He had gone to find himself a job, and she knew today, he won't be so lucky because she had wished it so. She needed him to return, at least, for his own safety.

Beatrice on the other hand was supposed to be out by now, but the death of her manager and the incident of yesterday at Els Street came rushing back to her, making her eyes blurry with tears, and she considered not going to work today.

In a flash, Susan was before her door, she knocked.

Beatrice looked at the door and hastily wiped her eyes. "Just a second."

"That, sadly, has passed."

The door opened, Beatrice feigned to look normal.

Susan pointed to her room upstairs. "I could hear your cry from up there. No need to pretend," she slightly shook her head as she said that. "You're scared you would be next."

"Why doesn't one ever get familiar with death?" Beatrice asked.

"You're not supposed to get familiar with a dark pit. And so it's death. A dark pit. And we walk around her edges every day. Get used to life and enjoy it. I can tell you won't be joining death anytime soon." Susan turned to leave the room.

"How sure are you?"

Susan paused.

"Life is unpredictable, and death is inevitable," Beatrice said.

Susan turned to face her. "Well, the thing is you're a stranger to it and you call it as one would a stranger. I'm familiar with it. In fact, I'm so familiar that it feels like I'm part of it. I don't see death as a stranger as you do. I literally dine with it every day."

"You would have made it out as a good poetry student. You and cryptic words."

"Go to work, Beatrice. You're not needed here at home."

Home. That felt reassuring to Beatrice.

As Susan made her way out of the room, Beatrice said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Susan returned to her room in a flash.

Susan found Janice sitting on a cemented bench under a shade at the Square Park, she moved to sit next to her.

Janice looked at her, and returned her gaze to the road.

"You know, if you're having ideas of leaving home," Susan said, "I can give you a few tips."

"Not that," Janice said, looking at her sister.

"Well, I hardly see you worried. What is it?"

"It's the Hex Sisters."

"What about them?"

"They challenged mother this morning."

Susan arched both brows. "I guess it didn't end well for them."

Janice slightly shook her head. "No, it did not. But there's something else. Mother couldn't kill them."

Susan gave her sister a surprised look.

"Just when she sent the lightning of death their way," Janice said, "Hannah easily deflected it, and then vanished."

"Excuse me?"

"I am not joking. She literally used her hands to stop it. She said a new river had to be made, one that would challenge the blood sea of the Hills."

Susan gave a side head gesture. "Maybe I'll go there to drink after all, since mother has refused to lift this."

"You've been shot with the lightning of death before. How did you survive?"

"I had too many powerful personalities, then. The lightning wasn't aimed to kill me. It was aimed to kill them."

"We know what we saw. You survived. She proved you immortal, and unable to die and now you serve out your punishment."

Susan sighed. "Fine. I can't die. But I like to think I can, because mother wants me to believe I can't, and that, dear sister could lead me to pride, one that would make me challenge her, then she'll teach, and show me otherwise. A lesson that would be dreadfully learned. I can't test her. Not when human beings are my source of strength."

Janice looked forward. "I wish to be that powerful. I'll love to know what wielding true power feels like."

"Well, don't hurt yourself. Many seem to do that a lot. So, any idea where the Hex Sisters went to?"

Janice shook her head. "Mother can't find them. We're all waiting for them to strike, then we'll give chase."

Susan knew by then, it would be too late. "Alright, then. Have fun. I have some things to do. Be careful with your desire for power. Really, it could destroy you."

Janice nodded. "Vivian said she'll teach me."

"I hope she's right. Let me check out a new den to destroy. I hope earth doesn't run out of humans before I tame this furious control."

Janice smiled, Susan returned her smile and disappeared.

Susan appeared before a warehouse with lots of similarly built warehouses around it, she walked up to the one before her, the doors opened to reveal a thousand ladies, all in red gowns, their red hair distinctly brighter like the colour of blood, all seated on the cemented floor.

The warehouse was filled with indistinct chatterings which stopped as all eyes moved to the entrance to rest on Susan, sudden dread filled their hearts, they all took to their feet, ready to defend themselves, Susan smiled.

"That's very noble of you," Susan said. "I could easily take you all down in a second, but sadly, today is not that day, even though I do wish to kill you. However, I do have one interest. Where is Hannah? Where is the lady who stood against my mother and lived to tell the tale?"

A fair young lady with blue eyes and dazzling features made it out of the crowd and said, "I am."

"Know who I am?"

Hannah nodded. "You're the one who survived the lightning of death. The one the blood sea banished."

"Point of correction. My mother, not the sea, did banish me."

"We are all outcasts too. I put forward a motion to challenge Chadwick whom you destroyed some years back, and she sought to destroy me."

"I'm not here to hear your sorry tale, or know how you survived my mother. Why I may be totally locked out of the sea of blood, my mind isn't, and the heritage is an easy means for me to commune with anyone. My mother left it there to monitor me. Now, I use it to my advantage. It's how I passed the motion you put forward to my mother to you, and it's how I saved your lives from the lightning of death."

They all looked at each other, murmurs filled the room.

Hannah took some steps forward. "You saved my life?" 

"So you could save mine," Susan said. "I did hear you whisper the other day among friends that you knew how to get rid of any curse."

"I know a place. Your mother has sent me there before."

"Good. As payment for saving your life, you'll take me there."

Hannah nodded. "Okay."

Susan lifted the fear in their hearts, she moved further into the warehouse.