Part Thirty-Four

Agathea ran up to her daughter who sat straight up in bed, face beaded in sweat, a frenzied look on her face. "Aiyana," she said sitting beside the younger woman, "are you all right?" Her hands gripped the blanket, and her mother touched her hand which twitched at her touch. Agathea pulled her hand away.

Devon walked in, his mouth open to speak but when he saw his sister, he dropped the sack he was carrying and rushed to the bed. Standing before the bed, he looked down at his sister. "Aiya," he said. She didn't move. He repeated her name. She looked up at him. They stared at each other for a few moments before her face changed, relaxing into something less angry and more sad.

Her mother patted her hand, and Aiyana released her grip on the blanket and placed her hands in her lap. "I worry for you, my child."

"I worry about me, too," replied her daughter faintly.

Devon stepped to the other side of the bed and sat down. "We are here for you," he said.

"I know," she replied.

Devon exchanged a glance with his mother before turning back to his sister. "Aiya... we need to talk about that place." She slowly turned her gaze to him. "We need to talk about where you were."

"Why?" she said. "I already told you."

"Not really," said Agathea. "You just said it was someplace dark."

"You said someone put you there," said Devon. "A woman." Her hands twisted together, each hand squeezing the other tightly. "Aiya-."

"Her," Aiyana growled. "It was her."

"Who is she?" asked Devon.

"She is evil," said Aiyana, "and she must be stopped. I will see to that."