Hellfire

Final Interval

Lucius gazed down at Morrigan beneath the brim of his trilby - a small sleeping face swaddled in cloth and tiny horns protruding from her forehead. Even in Eva' dreamscape, her crib was unpleasant smelling, the stink of witch blood lingering from the metal it was crafted from.

Eva was beside him, tilting her head curiously. 'I've had no problems keeping her asleep. As she grows, I should be able to begin talking to her and, hopefully, glean something useful from returning memories.' She sighed. 'If I find anything, I'll let you know.'

Lucius didn't utter a sound, but his bats hissed softly. 'Are you sure you want to do this?'

'I've got no choice. I can't kill her. She'll ignore me if I tried.' She sighed and coiled a lock of silver hair in her fingers. 'However, this is for you and Susan too. I want to understand what happened that night. All we know is that you released your archon nature, and it didn't consume you because Susan let you use her hellfire, something that would kill any immortals. Combine this with how Susan's bomb has been diffused because you shared yourself, and is still diffused despite a near year having gone by, and it's left me with so many questions about Brights and the high chances we've been lied to. Those answers I don't think I'll get from the witches. It won't matter how I approach them or what argument I come up with, they'll simply shut me out. Morrigan could be the only means to get them. She knows something, that's clear by how Susan knew things for just a brief moment.' She breathed out with a soft nervous sigh. 'She'll be under my wing. She'll be controlled. She'll be watched. Do you still agree to this?' She hesitated.

He rumbled fiercely. 'If anyone can keep Morrigan in a cage, it'll be you.' He glanced about the grey bedroom deep beneath her house. 'However, she's dangerous, Eva. You should keep her in the Cauldron, not your home.'

'I thought about it, but I need to be close to her at all times. I have Vincent too. I'm sure he'll cause her trouble if she wakes up properly.' She said confidently and smiled softly. 'But I don't think it'll come to that. Yourself and Susan boiled her magic to a crisp and the mortality plague still hounds her. She's heavily damaged. It'll be a long time before she's fully restored to her old strength. Because of that, I'm fairly confident Morrigan won't be as lost as you last saw her. I might actually get a reasonable conversation out of her.'

Lucius' gaze flicked to her. 'Fairly confident?'

'Fairly confident.' She repeated with a brighter smile. 'You agreed to this, Lucius. You told me you saw worth in this research attempt. You want to know what Brights are and what Morrigan knows, and this is the only way.' She touched his flexing arm. 'Trust me with her.'

Frost slid up his jaw. He wasn't happy with this. He wanted Morrigan dead, but there was no killing an archon that didn't want to be dead. It's why he still lived from that fight against Morrigan. It's why he'd always live so long as Susan was by his side.

'You tell me everything.'

'I promise. Nothing will be hidden. I need your help with this.' Eva said gently. 'Now, you had best go. Remember, tonight you announce Susan. It'll be...interesting.' She observed him. 'A high number will be watching this. Everyone wants to know who you've chosen.'

He flashed his teeth. 'And likely wanting to see if the rumours are true.'

She shifted her weight. 'Is she ready?'

'She's anxious, so her temper is short and she's irritable, but she's ready.' He smiled ruefully. 'She's burned every request for me to attend Gatherings, which has increased considerably since word has spread Morrigan was slain by myself. She wants to put a stop to it.'

Eva's expression told him she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

'I'll be there tomorrow then. Hopefully, it'll go without issue and no one demands a right to challenge her.' She laughed awkwardly. 'Susan won't go easy on them.'

Lucius also hoped it would also, but as he woke to early whisps of dusk with Susan coiled against his chest – her warm skin melting his, her slight body coiled with strength – he quietly wished someone would challenge her for the position of Lady Vortigern. If Susan displayed her strength and put the Lords and Ladies in their place, the quicker they'll leave them both alone and the safer she'll be.

He curled around her, pulling her close, and brushed his mouth against hers, taking in a warm butterfly kiss.

'Put them in their place, Susan.' Lucius purred to her.

She was Susan Vortigern now, Lady Vortigern – earnt rightly by loving him and taking Morrigan head on – his soul and life. Nothing would take her from him, not the laws or the Court. He would fight to the death for her and, now he had control of his archon, he doubted anyone could.

She was Lucius' until they no longer breathed. His soul. His bride.

His witch.