It was time.

That much was obvious.

On opposite sides of town, the Hensons and the Church of Night prepared for a battle neither one of them were truly ready to fight.

From the North, Abigail paced in her bedroom, an anxious Nicholas Scratch watching her every movement. It was clear the girl's head was somewhere else at the moment but Nick knew if he didn't open his mouth now he may never get the chance to say-

"I don't think I can do this," Abby suddenly spoke, shaking Nick out of his mini-daze.

He looked up to meet her nervous brown eyes and admired the way they resembled pools of honey underneath the sunlight peaking through her closed curtains.

"Of course you can," Nick tried to encourage.

Abby shook her head. "No," she persisted, "I can't." Nick opened his mouth to speak again, but the girl cut him off. "Don't you dare try to convince me again, Scratch," she all but growled. Nick took a small step back. Abby sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just-" she couldn't find the right words.

"You're scared," Nick said, taking both of her small hands into his big ones. "You're not the only one, you aren't alone. I will be with you the entire time," he promised, resting one of his hands on Abby's cheek lovingly.

The smaller girl nodded. "Okay," she whispered.

The two stood in an embrace for a little while, thoughts running through both their minds; him punishing himself for not blurting out those damn three words and her wondering whether it was the right time to tell him about her vivid dreams.

•

"And you're 100% sure we have to do this?" Casey quietly asked her dad as the two, along with the rest of the Church of Night made the trek to the woods.

Daniel sighed in frustration, tired of the question his daughter asked him about 15 times in the past hour.

He opened his mouth to repeat the same answer he's given her, but the Dark Priest - whom the two forgot about - made his appearance.

"Is there a problem here," he asked, scaring Casey so bad she jumped.

Daniel shuffled uncomfortably. "None at all, Father Faustus," he said, smiling nervously. The older man nodded in approval and walked faster to lead the rest of the group. Daniel released a breath he didn't even realize he was holding.

"Man, that guy scares me," he whispered to his daughter.

CJ gulped and nodded.

Daniel got caught up in his own thoughts, so Casey took this time to look around her. There wasn't much. Trees, trees, trees, oh look, another tree. Sky? Nope, just trees.

It was going to be a very long (and dark) day.

(note!)
these are so short im sorry😭😭😭
we're so close to the end of As She Pleases, though my dudes!!

it's so hard to write the end of books lol cuz i want to make sure im not leaving any holes or unanswered questions that would be annoying

anyways im sorry I'll try to update more often (I want to finish this book this summer fingers crossed)

ALSO
I PUBLISHED A NEW BOOK AND ITS A DANIEL SEAVEY ONE SO IF YOU LIKE WHY DONT WE GO CHECK IT OUT

ALSO ALSO
I entered As She Pleases into the Wattys!! If you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoy writing it then be sure to vote!