Queen of demons

Caspian P.O.V.

The people who says time is a construct, must have tried being captured in a divine meadow realm where time either moves really fucking slow, or ridiculously fast. It’s difficult to keep the number of days you’ve been captured, not by your own free will by the way, when you have nothing at all but a lake of visions to hold on to, and only when one particular Goddess, who is also your aunt, is the one keeping an eye on you.

I try to keep track as best as I can, and I feel my mate slip more and more every day. Her wolf has been here multiple times to reassure me Athena is still there, but she has buried her inside their own mind for their own peace, and sanity’s sake. I believe Alessa when she says that, but then I feel the glimpses of our matebond, and the Athena I know is nowhere near the same woman I feel through our bond right now. Alessa keeps telling me to give her time, and she’ll come back, but I’m also aware she might now. Even if I do, I might have lost my mate because of my own stupid decisions. 

One thing I’ve begun to do is visit my parents more often. But even that is not enough to satisfy me anymore, and what’s even worse is that my mother can’t find a cure for my curse. She has tried everything she can, asked about all of the ancient ghosts in her spirit realm, brought me to them to talk to them for myself, and they all say the same thing “the curse is very effective, and can only be broken if the curseholder is either killed or someone actively switches places with you.” 

My father, however, tries to keep my morals up by giving me assignments. Training if you will. I have to keep in shape, and by the time he told me, I was awfully out of shape. Now I’m back to being my fit self, and more because of him, and he even duels me with swords. Learning me the intricacies of sword fighting, dodging, stamina and breathing. When I told my mother she wholeheartedly approved, and started to teach me magic. Old magic, and when her friends saw what she was doing, they wanted to pitch in. It became so much that aunt Tilara had to step in and tell them off. Mom sulked for a week after that, and then began sneakily teaching me again.

My friendship with Ninhuin was the biggest surprise, to me and everyone else. My parents warned me against her one time, listened to my reason for being friends with her, cautioned me to be vigilant and smart about it, and let it rest from there. Aunt Tilara highly disapproved, but allowed our friendship for my sanity, and because Ninhuin has free hands to help me more than she has. Her sister on the other hand was pissed when they eventually found out. Raelyn especially was so angry she didn’t speak to me in months, and only started speaking to me because Drake needed my guidance and she was the only one who could defend coming and going in my coven, being the vampire Goddess and all. 

I’ve been walking between the blood oak and the vision lake every day now, Meep always by my side whether I’m here or in the spirit realm. He, I found out through Ninhuin, it's a boy, seems to have decided I’m his to protect and nothing is going to deter him from my side. Unless he sees something in the tall grass or under the water surface that's interesting. I kind of adore the little smokey creature, and he is a great listener when I rant about the unfairness of it all. He doesn’t talk back, and he always seems to know when I need some moral support. 

Today we’re at the lake, the surface perfectly blank when someone walks through the tall grass behind me. Meep, who has been chasing his own shadows on the water surface, makes a 180 turn, propels his legs and runs back to me in an instant, jumping on my arm, crawling to his preferred place on my shoulder, where he wraps his tail around my neck. He has grown larger, but now enough that he can’t stay on my shoulder, just enough that his body now covers my shoulder and his tail wraps around my neck and to the front of my throat on the other side.

I get up, feeling Ninhuin’s aura approach me, someone else following along behind her. I don’t know who they are, but they have a strong aura, and it’s not exactly pleasant, but not outright uncomfortable either. I brace myself as the Goddess walks through the last tall grass, coming on the sand where I’m standing, a tall beautiful woman following in her wake. 

“Ah, Caspian. I thought I felt you here.” Ninhuin says, smiling. 

Behind the woman follows a very confused Vulric, whose eyes widened at the sight of me. His jaw drops, and as he closes it, he looks around. 

“What is this place?” He asks, eyeing Ninhuin with suspicion. “If you have kept King Caspian as a..” 

“Relax, Vulric. I’m not the one keeping Caspian here. I’m trying to help.” Ninhuin answers, sitting down in a graceful gliding motion, the woman perfectly imitates. 

Vulric exchanges a glance with me before we also sit down. 

“This is a surprise, Ninhuin. You’ve never brought visitors to our little meetings before.” I say, watching the woman closely. 

“I promised you I would try to help, and I always keep my promises. It took me longer to persuade them to come out of hiding than I anticipated. For that I apologize.” She replies, giving the woman and Vulric a scornful look. 

“Why would we risk coming out of hiding for someone who has long before sworn to hunt us all down and erase our lineage, Goddess?” The woman asks, her voice calm and eloquent. 

“Caspian has done nothing to hunt anyone, and he should not be at fault for something someone way in the past decided. He has been a speaker and fighter for peace, understanding and acceptance no matter the species.” Ninhuin says, locking eyes with the woman, who doesn’t break their eye contact. 

I must say I’m impressed.

“That may be very well, but who is to say he won’t find that old habit again once he is done using me and my people?” The woman asks, looking at me for the first time. 

Vulric clears his throat. 

“May I remind your Majesty that King Caspian has done nothing to warrant this? As I’ve said many times, he has been a blessing to the High Council, and so has his mate, who is a hybrid being herself. As is his Majesty.” The Head Councilman says, bowing his head to the woman. 

“May I ask whom I’m speaking with? It seems impolite of me to be this ignorant, but as of recently I was unaware demons were actually still amongst us, and now I’m in the company of our Head Councilman, and a very powerful mystery woman he calls Majesty.” 

She lifts an arched eyebrow, a small smile hiding in the corner of her mouth. 

“You have a way with words, my King. My name is Queen Morgan, and I’m the ruler of all demons.” 

“Well, Queen Morgan, it’s truly a pleasure to meet you. I would have preferred different circumstances, but the faiths have their own way of playing the game of life.” I answer, bowing my head in respect for the Queen.

“Under different circumstances I would have never even considered meeting with you, so the circumstances is what brought me where, King Caspian.” She says, her voice kind of haughty. 

I give a smile and a raised eyebrow, Vulric seems to know what I’m about to say because he is slowly shaking his head behind his Queen, but that tone is not going to fly with me, especially not now. There would have been a time where I would have accepted her point of view, and her tone, but that time is way past, and if she is only here because she was told by her Goddess and do not actually intend to be sincere in helping, then she can fuck right off. 

“I hear what you are saying, Morgan, may I call you Morgan?” 

“No!” 

“Great! I hear you, Morgan. I really do, and I all have the sympathy in the realm for you, but excuse me if I don’t give a shit anyway.” She raises an eyebrow, her dark eyes sparkling dangerously. “But I really have more important things to worry about than a Queen scorn from something that happened, what, a century, more, ago. We do not hunt demons, just like we do not hunt vampires, witches or wolves anymore. Nor do we hunt dragons for their hide or abilities. We have way too many between species mate pairs, and many of my generation are some sort of hybrid. It would be absurd to hunt a species because you dislike them. So, if you're only here to complain, whine and insult me, then you can go with peace. I have nothing to offer you other than absolute indifference and a little bit of sadness for your sad miserable life built only to hate everyone who is not like you. I actually pity you.” 

The shore is eerie silent after my speech until Meep yawns on my shoulder. Vulric shakes his head, but the look in his eyes is one of pride. 

“Have you found a way to come back yet?” He asks, letting his Queen chew on what I just said. 

She looks deep in thought, and neither really angry or too happy. Just a middle of that carefully bland politician face I know so well from myself. 

“Yeah, and it’s not good news. What do you have for me?” I ask, and he sighs. 

“Nothing but bad news I’m afraid. Rumor has it that Athena is still not speaking, and seems to be completely lost to the outside realm. We do get a little bit of intel from Miriam’s headquarters, and it’s bad. Her grandmother is running things behind the scenes, and everyone who opposes her ends up dead - ally or enemy. It’s said she kills them despite what Miriam says, and that Miriam is only the front figure now.” 

“What about Alec and Maeve?” I ask, needing to know how they are. 

“Broken. Alec is still utterly defiant, but Maeve. She seems to be taking a page from Athena these days.” Vulric says, his voice sad. “We’re working on getting them out, but it takes time, and we’re going to lose men in that operation. The dragon people say they can reside in their lands, Vecura has been very forthcoming and welcoming, recognizing Athena and Tilly’s contributions to her being the Queen, but we’re not sure they can be safe even there.” He continues. 

“They can come stay with us.” Queen Morgan finally says, her voice more quiet, the haughty tone from before completely gone.

“What’s the catch?” I ask, watching her closely.  

“I want a written agreement banning all hunting of my people, allowing my people to work freely and be accepted members of the realm.” She says, her eyes blazing now. “I want it signed by the High Council, and all who are in it. Not just the Council members, but the leaders as well.” 

“Done,” I agree without hesitation. “I will personally make it happen. But we need to remove Miriam and her crazy family from power before we can move forward with it.”