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"Then why were you so easy to curse?!"
The words slipped out, unbidden, echoing against the walls of the now silent courtyard. Lilith's hand closed over her mouth, as if trying to take back what she just said, take back the curse, take back everything.
The staff in her hand shook, and Lilith suddenly felt as though she might collapse. She'd spent so long keeping the truth from Eda, to the point where she'd almost started to believe the lies herself. And now it was out, and whatever happened now she'd never have to lie about it again.
So why did it feel like a burden had been placed onto her shoulders instead of being lifted? Why did it feel like there was something in her chest, twisting tighter and tighter, a burning in her throat and pain behind the eyes? For a moment she felt like a kid again, crying under the covers with Eda's laughter ringing through the house, desperately wishing that someday she might be enough.
No. She was weak back then, and she couldn't afford to be weak now, not with the Emperor watching. She forced herself to look across the bridge. At the end of it, Edalyn was standing, shock, anger, and betrayal written all across her face. Edalyn had always worn her emotions on her sleeve. The thing in Lilith's chest twisted itself tighter, curling inward. I tried to help you, don't you see? I didn't have a choice.
They locked eyes. And with a sudden burst of fear running through her, she realised that there was no light behind her sister's gaze. Eyes that had once been alive with endless love and laughter were now staring at her cold as ice.
Lilith's breath hitched, and she clutched her staff. Twisting, folding in on itself, fear and hurt, love and hate, magic coursing through her veins, old jealousy reawakening and something else, something deeper -
Words spilled out of her mouth before she could stop them, some pitiful reassurance about how the curse could still be removed that she knew would do nothing. Her arm reached out, begging. I'm sorry.
Eda's lip curled. Before Lilith could say anything else, Eda drew her staff and charged straight at her in a ball of flames, knocking Lilith backwards into the wall. Her head spun, but she barely registered the pain. She opened her eyes and saw Eda saying something to the human, not even looking at Lilith.
The thing in her chest twisted one final time, and shattered.
Lilith stood up, still shaking, but all previous hesitation gone. This is for your own good, Edalyn. Lilith stepped forward, a cold sort of nothing in her heart and a grim sense of satisfaction for what she knew would happen next.
A smile danced across her lips as she raised her staff in the direction of the human.