Glass Souls

24

"Verruca?" Leann asks yawning out her tiredness. "You wanted to talk to me? Couldn't it wait until after we've gotten some sleep?"

Leann is still so tired that she doesn't notice that Verruca is packing her suitcase. "I won't be here then. I'll be leaving as soon as I finish packing. I have new responsibilities now that Kira is gone.

"But I didn't ask to talk to you for me. You carry the child of a concealer, you need to know just what that will mean for you. The baby is already stealing away your power, you will never reach your full potential as long as that baby is around you. If you keep that baby it will one day reach an incredible level of theft that we've never encountered before. He'll take everything from all the witches, we won't be able to stand against him."

"You keep calling the baby him, is there a reason?" Leann wakes up a bit.

"Concealer babies are always boys." Verruca hesitates then looks over at Leann, "Are you sure that the baby is Jared's?"

"The only other person I've ever had sex with is..." Leann's eyes open wide, "It's not possible for me to get pregnant from a demon is it?"

Verruca gives a short bitter laugh, "For any other person I'd say absolutely not possible. But in your case? Leann you are breaking rules left and right just by your existence. Go get Lance. We need to determine if he's the father. The chances aren't good though. I've never heard of an Incubus having a baby with a witch or human."

"What is it Verruca?" Lance says irritably as he comes to her room as she finishes packing.

"Watch your attitude Lance. Just because you're welcome back home doesn't mean you lose your manners here." Her words shock Leann and she turns wide, shocked, hurt eyes to Lance.

"I'm not leaving Leann, I already told the King that. I'm sending Jim with him though."

Verruca breaks in distracting Lance from his staring contest with Leann. "I need you both to come over here. Leann, I need you to drop your barricade so that I might do this reading."

"I don't know how." Leann says softly trying hard to not cry. Lance wants to gather her in his arms but he's still not sure what the hell is going on.

"Calm your mind and mentally think about the shielding to lower." Leann does as she's instructed and finds this far easier than finding her power had been.

"Very good now  Leann give me your hand. Keep you shields down until I tell you to raise them again. Thank you." Verruca turns to Lance, "I need your hand as well. Leann says that you are the only other person that she's had sexual relations with. We must make sure of who the father is before we can go any further." Lance's confusion is cleared with this.

He shakes his head. He doesn't think it's even possible what she's suggesting, but he gives her his hand anyway. Verruca closes her eyes and does the reading.

Her eyes fly open and she looks at the two of them, "This child must-"

There is an explosion not too far from them and drowns out her words. Verruca is thrown and knocked out. Lance grabs Leann and protects her as they fall. He is pleased to see that she had already replaced her barriers.

"Lance, we're under attack. You're needed, as is the witch." Jim says as he races back outside.

Lance looks at the two females in amusement. One unconscious and the other untaught. But then he looks at Leann again. There is a fire in her eyes, a fire he recognizes as the fire of battle.

"Come, Leann. Verruca is fine at this point and we are needed elsewhere." Lance holds out his hand and helps her up.

They go outside and find the court judges. They are all gathered and facing against something unseen.