Chapter 8: Secrets, Sisters, and a Plan
The fire in the living room crackled softly, casting warm golden light over the room. The grand fireplace was the heart of the space, its warmth inviting after a long day of unsettling news.
Regina sat in one of the plush armchairs, her posture composed, but the furrow between her brows deepening as she absorbed her daughters' words. Trina and Rebecca were seated across from her on the couch, their eyes alight with urgency and determination.
"So," Regina began, her voice steady despite the weight of the conversation. "You're saying Reina is stuck in a time portal?" Her gaze shifted from one daughter to the other.
Trina's hand gripped the armrest tightly, her voice laced with frustration. "I'm done waiting around, Becca. Reina's out there. Probably waiting for us."
Rebecca placed a calming hand on Trina's arm, urging her to stay composed. "We can't afford to act recklessly. We don't even know how we can track Reina if she's trapped in the portal. We need to be smart about this, Trina."
"Your sister's right," Regina said, her voice quiet but strong. "We need to come up with a plan, or risk all of us being trapped in the portal ourselves."
Rebecca nodded, her eyes hardening with determination. "We need to figure out what happened to Reina, and fast. We can't waste time. I'll do whatever it takes to find her, but we'll need help. There's one thing we can try."
Regina raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Rebecca glanced at Trina before continuing, her voice low and filled with concern. "Cora's tombs. There's knowledge there, magic that could help us—if it's the right kind of magic." Her words hung in the air, a reminder of the dark past that Regina and her family had struggled to escape. The tombs were dangerous territory, but it was their only lead.
Regina hesitated. She had lived with the shadow of Cora's dark magic for most of her life, and she knew firsthand the kind of power those tombs contained. But this was different. Her daughters were determined, and this time, Regina would do whatever it took to protect them and their family.
"You want access to my mother's vault?" Regina's voice was measured, though there was a flicker of wariness in her eyes.
Rebecca nodded. "Yes. We need to find anything that might give us an edge against the Freedom Fighters. Cora's knowledge might help us track them down, or at least understand how to open another portal to find Reina." She paused, her gaze softening slightly as she added, "I know it's dangerous, but I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was necessary."
"You already have access," Regina said quietly looking at Rebecca. "The vault is protected by blood magic. But we'll do this together."
Trina, who had been quiet for a moment, spoke up. "We need to act fast, mom." Pausing before looking at Rebecca who nodded at her for encouragement to continue. "If we don't, it's Emory... our baby brother. He's been kidnapped."
Regina's heart stopped for a moment as she absorbed the weight of Trina's words. There was so much to unpack in those two sentences. She had another child, Emory—her son, her youngest. Kidnapped. Her breath hitched in her throat, her chest tightening. All the memories of times when she lost Henry before, when she thought she had lost him forever, rushed back to her.
Her voice, shaky yet fierce, broke the silence. "What do you mean, kidnapped?" She stood abruptly from her chair, her emotions surfacing in waves. "How old is he? Who took him? Where is he? What—"
Rebecca quickly reached out, placing a calming hand on Regina's arm. "We're going to find him," she said softly, her tone gentle but firm. "We don't have all the answers yet, but we're not going to stop looking for him. The Freedom Fighters took him. They ambushed the convoy assigned to bring him back. Reina found out and sent the scouts to scour this land until she got here, but—"
Regina's mind raced, her heart pounding. "The Freedom Fighters... they took him?" Her voice was barely a whisper, fear and fury mixing in her chest. "How could they—" Her words broke off, her chest tight as the thought of her son being in the hands of these dangerous people filled her with dread.
Trina, looking more determined than ever, clenched her fists. "We can't just sit around waiting for them to hurt Emory. We need to move. We need to find them both."
Regina, still reeling from the shock of her son being kidnapped, looked at Trina with an intensity she hadn't shown in years. "We'll find them," she said, her voice firm with resolve. "We'll do whatever it takes"
As the weight of the conversation settled between them, the urgency of their mission clear, Regina looked at her daughters one more time, her resolve hardening. She would protect her family, no matter the cost. She would get them back.
"You're right," Trina said. "We'll figure this out. We'll rescue our baby brother. We'll find Reina. And we'll make sure the Freedom Fighters pay for what they've done."
Emma stepped into the room, up until now her presence a silent but reassuring. She looked between the three women, her eyes filled with concern but also with an unwavering trust in Regina. "You're really going through with this?" Emma asked, her voice soft but steady.
Regina nodded, meeting her eyes with a calm resolve. "I have to. For Emory. For Reina. For all of us."
Emma stepped closer, her hand brushing against Regina's arm. "We'll do it together. Every step of the way. Like always."