“We must hurry,” Natasha’s brows furrowed as she continued to watch Finn restrain Carmen.
“I hear you are in need of help?” A melodic voice drifted up the beach, as a tiny woman with long silver hair made her way over to us. She greatly resembled what I would categorize as a gypsy.
She wore a long, black dress with an equally black shawl draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were a reflective gray, swirling with all the colors of a summer storm. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings boasted an impressive array of vibrant stones.
“Elina!” Natasha rejoiced and embraced her lovingly. “Come. There is much to be done.”
They walked up to Carmen, who was continuing to struggle against Finn’s grip. To my surprise Elina walked right up to her nonchalantly, tapped a finger to Carmen’s forehead and mumbled something under her breath. Carmen’s body suddenly fell limp, throwing Finn off balance and making them tumble backwards. Carmen landed on top of him, awake but very lethargic. Her dark eyes were unfocused and her movements were sluggish. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was drunk.
“Now, where shall we begin?” Elina regarded Natasha with a bright smile. Finn untangled himself from Carmen and left his mother and Elina to prepare for the purification ritual. I had no idea what a ritual like that entailed, but I was intrigued to find out. I allowed the sand wall to dissipate, since Carmen was too out of it to notice Ricker now. He was still sitting in the same position, hanging his head in defeat.
“Walk with me to the store up the road?” Willow asked him. I knew she just wanted to get him away from Carmen. He could use some time to clear his head a little bit.
“I think that’s a good idea,” he murmured. He slowly raised himself from his sitting position and eyed Carmen, before he stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed Willow back up the beach.
My heart broke for him. Watching Finn be tortured for just ten minutes ripped me apart - so I couldn’t imagine witnessing the slow destruction of his psyche for an entire five days.
“I don’t know how much more he can handle,” Phoebe commented, mirroring my own thoughts.
“You’d be surprised,” Finn inserted. He threaded his fingers through mine and gave me a warm smile. “Love brings out the fight in all of us.”
“You should write Hallmark cards,” I teased him gently. He wrapped his other arm around my shoulder and pulled me close.
“I don’t think the world’s ready for the romantic muse I keep hidden beneath this strong, virile, manly exterior,” he joked back, puffing his chest out.
“We may need that manly exterior of yours to assist in subduing Carmen once the ritual begins,” Natasha interrupted Finn, shooting him a stop-joking-around mom look. “We can’t be sure what effect it will have on them.”
“Them?” Phoebe asked hesitantly, looking at Finn.
“I sensed multiple beings in her, all with the same agenda.”
“Who...are they? Charon said they weren’t evil, so what do they want?” she pressed.
“I’m afraid Carmen has been sentenced to be judged.”
“For what?”
“I’m not sure.” He ran a hand through his hair, “In the Underworld, Persephone decides the fate of the souls - in other words, which part of the Underworld they belong. However, Persephone is not perfect and she sometimes needs assistance. Certain souls are sentenced to be judged for crimes they may or may not have committed. It is the job of the three Erinyes to figure out if they are guilty or not.
“The Erinyes?” I asked.
“Also known as ‘The Furies’,” Finn continued. “The word ‘Erinyes’ means “the Avengers” in Greek. They reside in the Underworld and once the soul’s fate is in their hands, they have the choice to pardon or damn it for all of eternity.”
“But Carmen’s alive! She shouldn’t be judged yet!” Phoebe cried out.
“Unfortunately, if given the instruction they will judge any soul. I’m afraid someone had to give them the instruction to judge Carmen.”
“Nadia,” I spit out without thinking.
“That was actually my hypothesis. The Erinyes serve Persephone, which means they will also listen to the demands of Hades as well as Nadia.”
“The next time I see her…” Anger flared in my heart as I contemplated how to subject the same amount of pain Nadia had inflicted onto her.
“It would appear that Nadia must know something about Carmen that we do not. She would have had to instruct the Erinyes to judge her once she entered the Underworld. They can’t travel to this realm unless they are within a soul. I’m afraid that is who has taken her mind hostage.”
“But Nadia doesn’t even know her!” Phoebe shouted. She stomped a foot, sending waves of sand rippling outward. “How does she know what Carmen has or hasn’t done?”
“I wish I knew. Unfortunately, having Persephone as your mother gives you the opportunity to obtain information others cannot.”
“This is bullshit!” Phoebe shouted. The sand beneath us quivered and I suddenly wondered how mad she would have to be to incite an earthquake. “Why are they torturing her!? If they’re supposed to judge her, why don’t they just get it over with and stop doing this to her?”
“She must be resisting,” Finn sighed. “She’s not giving them the answers they require.
They’ll do anything they deem appropriate to get their answers; injury, disease…madness. That’s their only intention: to find the truth.”
“What do you think the purification ritual will do?” I asked, curiously watching Natasha and Elina unload small glass jars from a small burlap sack that Elina must have brought with her.
“Hopefully dispel them from her body.” He contemplated, “But whether or not that will send them back to the Underworld and release her from judgment, we have no way of knowing.”
“All three of them are in there?” Phoebe’s eyes widened. “No wonder she’s been screaming like a lunatic.”
We continued to look on, as Natasha and Elina began their ritual by running their hands above Carmen’s body. Something dripped down from their hands onto her skin as they chanted in hushed voices with their eyes closed. Carmen was watching them with amusement, and a feeling of foreboding fell upon me.
“Foolish witches,” Carmen hissed. “We have decided that the time for redemption has passed. She will come with us.”
“No she won’t!” Phoebe howled. She lunged toward them, but Finn stopped her.
“You cannot take her. Her body lives,” Natasha retorted calmly, eyes still closed.
“We are the Erinyes!” Carmen bellowed with renewed conviction. “How dare you presume to know what we can and cannot do!” She sat up abruptly, somehow throwing Natasha and Elina several yards down the beach.
As she grinned in satisfaction at Natasha and Elina, who were slowly being helped to their feet by Finn, I crept silently toward her. She snapped her head around at me when I was only inches away. I froze while she stared at me blankly, seemingly trying to decide if I was a threat.
“Carmen!” I whispered loudly to her. “Carmen! I know you can hear me! You have to fight them! Don’t let them take you!”
“It would be to your advantage if you’d leave her be, and allow us to do our will. This does not involve you,” she/they commanded; the voice layered and forced.
“Carmen-“ I started, and quickly stopped when her eyes met mine. A wall of judgment slammed into me, crippling my resolve and taking my breath away. I discerned a snaking fire of molten lava surround my body and press at my mind. I quickly pushed it away and mentally blew it back outward. I glared back at her, or more specifically whatever was inside of her.
“You will not penetrate my mind or my body,” I growled at them. A fire raced through my body and I felt the sand beneath me stir with my energy.