Maddie sat slumped against the wall, her cheek pressed to the cold wood. Her breaths came shallow and uneven, but she forced herself to look up when Serena shifted her weight. The witch stood near the boarded‑up window, arms loosely folded, her silhouette framed by the faint blue shimmer of Piper's frozen form.
Damien had stepped out only minutes ago, but the cabin still felt full of him — the sharp tang of his magic, the echo of his unsteady footsteps, the metallic scent of Maddie's blood lingering in the air.
"Why are you helping him?" Maddie asked. Her voice cracked, dry from crying and fear.
Serena didn't answer immediately. She tilted her head, studying Maddie with eyes that seemed to see far beyond the room — beyond the moment — as if she were reading invisible threads only she could perceive.
When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but carried a strange weight.
"Everyone has a fate."
Maddie swallowed, her throat tight.
"No matter what their future is," Serena continued, "or what anyone does to change it… no matter what path they follow… they will always end in the same place."
She stepped closer, her boots whispering against the dusty floorboards.
"My job is to ensure that every fate is followed."
"How?" Maddie whispered.
Serena's expression didn't change, but something in the air shifted — a faint hum, like distant strings being plucked.
"I am a Moirai," she said. "A witch of fate."
Maddie blinked. "Like… the three from the stories?"
"Usually," Serena replied. "One who spins the thread. One who measures it. One who cuts it." She lifted her hand, fingers tracing a line in the air. "But this time, only I was born. One Moirai where there should have been three."
A flicker of something — loneliness, maybe — crossed her face before she smoothed it away.
Maddie's voice trembled. "Is this what's supposed to happen? Is he meant to lose his mind and become the tribrid and… destroy the world?"
Serena's gaze drifted toward the door Damien had disappeared through. For a moment, she looked almost human — uncertain, troubled.
"There is only one person who can truly determine that," she said.
Maddie let out a shaky breath. "Let me guess. Seraiya."
Serena didn't nod, but the answer was clear in her eyes.
Maddie's fingers curled weakly against the radiator pipe. "Can't you at least help her find this place? Can't you twist fate just a little bit?"
Serena exhaled, a long, weary sigh that made the lantern flame flicker.
"There are forces watching me," she said quietly. "Forces older than gods. Older than fate itself. If I interfere… they will know."
She crouched down so she was eye‑level with Maddie. Her voice softened, almost gentle.
"But I wouldn't worry too much if I were you."
Maddie frowned. "Why not?"
Serena's eyes glowed faintly — not with magic, but with certainty.
"Because it won't be much longer now."
The floorboards creaked in the hallway.
Damien was coming back.
And Serena didn't look afraid.
Damien suddenly entered and Serena turned to him. "How are you feeling?" Serena asked. "It didn't work" he told her. Anger filling his voice. "Whatever is in her blood the effects are only temporary" he added.
Suddenly Serena felt a shudder of power.
"She's close" Serena whispered. "How, there no way she could have found us so quickly" he added. "Don't worry" Serena said. "The triad found her first they will stall for time" Serena said turning to Maddie than back to Damien. "Maybe we should head out of here why we can" Serena said. "Your afraid" Damien said with slight surprise.
"Im smart, your sister isn't exactly weak and if you two fight because you kidnapped a child a for see many things destroyed" she replied. "So what should we do?" He asked. Serena turned to Maddie. "The girl will be fine here alone for the moment while we transport your mother to the next place, since you chose to froze her in time we have to work together inorder to not kill her while we transport her" Serena explained.
"Fine than let's begin" he said as they walked to piper.
They both close their eyes putting their arms up towards Piper and began to chant. But Maddie couldn't tell what they were saying, she could only watch.
The air around them almost seemed as if it was beginning to Glow the more they chanted. Then suddenly in the blink of an eye they both vanished from Maddie's sight.
Maddie was finally completely alone. She tried to pull her hand out of the magic cuffs that still bound her to the radiator. "Come on come on" she said the harder she tried to pull. But she was stuck. Finally she saw a hammer just a few feet away from her. Could she reach it? Would it work? She thought. The chances were low, she knew that. But it was worth the risk, or the attempt.
Maddie begin to try to reach for the hammer that was just out Of reach. She stretched her baldy as far as she could. Even trying to kick the chair in front of her to knock it off the table. But nothing worked. Maddie remained stuck.
Meanwhile Seraiya treked through the woods in her wolf form. Taking her time, trying to follow any scent she possibly could.
But suddenly a new scent entered her nose, one she had never smelled before one that smelled dangerous yet familiar. But it couldn't be Damien right? How could his scent change in such a short time.
Seraiya suddenly came to an empty field and transformed back into her human form.
This was taking to long. She thought to herself as she slowly walked across it. It had been 10 long and grueling hours since Maddie had last been seen.
But deep down Seraiya could feel she was close. She felt they were both close.
Seraiya stopped for a moment before taking a deep breath in. Concentrate, she thought. where does the scent lead? They were close, but how close? Where were they?
TO BE CONTINUED