Chapter Twenty-One: With a Shuvani on Top
The tension in the attic of Halliwell Manor was palpable even to the mortal senses. Piper shoved the cover of the Book of Shadows shut, unnerved that it would try to distract them at a time like this – it kept opening to the entry about the Nexus.
"Piper," Phoebe said gently, well aware of the frustration, tinged with fear, of her older sister. "We'll find something."
Paige crossed the room and peered out the high, stained windows at the slowly setting sun. "It's been a week, and still we have heard nothing of it. Phoebe, are you sure -?"
Phoebe nodded grimly, "Date's today."
"You really can't see anything else, can you?" Piper asked.
The Empath winced at the reminder. "Except for Ava murdering all those people, Gypsy style, from today on? No, I can't. How this can be, I have no idea, but I can tell you my private channel is totally awry on the subject. Still, we've done pretty good without any visions before."
Piper nodded, even though the news were not joyful. She hid her face in her hands, allowing the Book to open of its own volition on "The Nexus" once more. She heard the shuffling of pages and her bellow came out muffled by her palms, "Oh, for Christ's sake!"
Afraid of what she might eventually do to the antique heirloom, Piper headed for the other corner of the room; Phoebe followed.
"Honey, none of us is happy about the possibility that we might need to vanquish her. Paige and I both know how she's helped you with your first pregnancy."
"I always thought the Evil Eye was called that way for a reason," Paige said. "Guess it got to her head, like most evil powers do."
Paige stopped her banter at a look from Phoebe. Piper snorted and pointed at the dismissed crystal and map on the short-legged table. "Before we can kill her, we need to find her."
Paige, now silently gazing out again, suddenly fidgeted. "We don't need to worry about that anymore." Her blank tone alarmed her sisters. They joined her at the window.
Ava, her eyes green and her stance proud and dangerous, somewhat evil, advanced at a casual pace in the twilight.
"Gee, like we don't have enough on our plate already, now we have to deal with a crazy Shuvani on top," Paige mumbled.
As if she had heard her, Ava looked to the side. A neighbor was getting his garbage bag out. Two green rays shot out of the Gypsy's eyes and hit the man square in the chest, piercing gaping holes in their wake. He dropped dead, his eyes popping out of their sockets in shock.
"Oh, my God." The three sisters' faces turned deadly pale.