The Order of Hecate

A Kiss of Betrayal

I awoke to Caliban's arms still wrapped around me and his nose deep in my hair, with his lips pressed against my ear. Trying not to wake him, I was met with his voice saying, "Good morning, my lady." My lips twitched slightly with a smile, but before it could fully form events of the previous day flashed in my mind. Pulling away from Caliban, I went to stand when e grabbed my wrist. "Selene.", he called in a sweet whisper. Pulling my wrist away, I spoke over my shoulder, "I need to freshen up.", he moved to get up with me, but I shook my head no and continued. "No, I need a moment. But stay here we should speak." With that I grabbed my midnight blue mesh robe and headed into my bathroom. Sitting at the vanity mirror I glanced at my reflection and was met with the faces of the Mother and the Crone as well as my own. "You look rough dear, last night was quite intense.", said the Mother softly. Nodding my head with my eyes cast down the Crone added, "What did you expect when trusting the puppet of the Plague Kings." "Crone! Can you not see that the maiden is in pain? Show some empathy." The Crone rolled her eyes then before she replied, "Oh I do see her face, I can assure you of that. However, Mother I see with more clarity than either of you. We all heard what the boy said. And we all know why it hurt as much as it did. Because there was truth there, we're all guilty of it. Being so desperate for love, and settling for the worst kinds of it." ."This was different Crone, Caliban is different than all the rest he meant it when he apologized. Why else would he stop me from facing the pagans, or why did he help "us" when we were injured by the Adamantine arrow. If he were like all the rest, he would've taken the bowl and left us to die. But he didn't he is different.", I replied looking at the Crone. She glanced from me to Mother, then back has she asked, "Are you willing to risk your friends lives, along with ours on it?". Stuttering a bit I asked, "What do you mean?" "Exactly what I said. Is your faith in Caliban so strong that you'd be willing to risk your friends lives or better yet ours?" I could see the challenge in her eyes when she restated herself, I glanced to Mother who had a look of doubt on her face. But I rolled my shoulders back in said with as much certainty I said, "Yes.". Crone looked to Mother than, and with an arched brow she replied, "So be it.", with that both she and Mother disappeared from the mirror. Has my shoulders slouched back down I heard Caliban outside the door. "My lady, we've been summoned to the throne room." "Summoned? By who", I asked as I snapped my fingers to change my outfit and freshen up. Opening the door, I saw that Caliban had changed to has he answered, "The Lord of Darkness himself." "Lucifer.", I added.

Pandemonium: Throne Room

"My lords and ladies of Disrule, rejoice. For I am returned. Kneel before me, and let's get back to business.", said Lucifer has he stood in front of his throne. "Kneel before you! Weren't you dethroned and imprisoned by your own witches?" shouted one of the Plague Kings, but no sooner had he spoke that his neck my snapped. Looking from the body on the ground to the crowd around him, Lucifer asked, "Any more questions?" That was when I felt Caliban squeeze my wrist before he step forward while speaking. "Lord Morningstar?" "Oh this should be good.", I heard Lilith say has she glanced behind herself. "Yes, and you are?", asked Lucifer. "Caliban, Prince of Hell." "How can you be Prince of Hell when I, who am Hell itself, know nothing of you?", asked Lucifer as if he were disgusted with the idea of a Prince of Hell. Then Beelzebub, one of the two remaining kings spoke up, "Respectfully, my lord Lucifer, we are in the middle of a quest for the three objects of the Unholy Regalia." "Yes, I'm quite aware, Beelzebub." "Infernal protocol must be followed. The contest must be seen to the end. Caliban and Sabrina have each found one item. Whoever finds the third, Judas Iscariot's 30 pieces of silver, will sit upon the throne of Hell. And not even you can interfere with that quest." I could see from where I was standing off to the side how tense Lucifer was getting the more Beelzebub spoke. Lucifer then turned to Lilith to ask, "Where, then, is my daughter?" "She'll turn up. She usually does.", Lilith responded. Has the crowd in the throne room began to chat amongst themselves. I could feel a pull to the Academy of the Unseen Arts. Backing up further I transported myself to the center of the Academy just out of the standing stones circle.