Page 42 of Fallen Angels

“If she deserted us, it’s owing to the fact that Variant forced her to become his slave,” Cambion responds, rather testily.

“So, you assume Morrigan’s played prisoner to Variant for lo, going on one hundred years?” I ask. No one responds and I continue. “I doubt Morrigan would have been able to wake me from the grave were she a ward of Variant’s and stripped of her magic.” I pause and allow that thought to sink in, before continuing. “Is it thus safe to say Morrigan was free at the time of my awakening?”

“Pyre, shouldn’t you be able to answer that question?” Eilish asks.

Pyre nods. “When Baron,” he begins.

“Revenant,” I correct him with a growl. How fucking difficult is it to remember my fucking name?

“Revenant,” he corrects himself. “When Revenant was called from death, Morrigan was free.”

“When was she taken prisoner then?” Cambion asks.

“And how was Variant able to do it in the first place?” Eilish adds. “I thought the Midnight Queen was all powerful?”

“I don’t know,” Pyre answers.

“Youdon’t know?” I repeat, my tone accusatory.

“While the truth in some situations is very clear and transparent in the Veil, such is not the case for all situations. And this one, I must admit, appears quite opaque. I am not certain of the variables behind the Midnight Queen’s disappearance. All I can tell you with full conviction is that she is currently located within Variant’s palace.”

“Then we have to go after her,” Eilish says.

“Why?” I demand as I face her and then the others. “Have any of you considered that if Variant overcame Morrigan with his magic, then she’s not as powerful as you assume her to be?”

“There’s no telling what Variant subjected her to,” Cambion says.

“We need the Midnight Queen,” Dragan adds, nodding. “We need her not only for her power but also for the people.”

“And why do the people give a rat’s ass about her?” I demand.

He faces me in anger. “You must not remember, or you’d be able to answer that question for yourself. Morrigan was an instrumental reason why the four of us took power when we did. The people know her, and they believe in her.”

“If we’re able to say we’re united with the Midnight Queen once again, against the evil of the False King, it will be a battle cry to the people,” Cambion adds. “They will see we have strength on our side, and they will remember what the realms used to be like before Variant took control.”

“And they’ll wish for the realms to be like they used to be,” Eilish says.

Cambion nods. “Dragan is correct.”

“Then I see I’m the only voice of opposition,” I say as I face Pyre and shrug, granting him a smile I don’t feel. Truthfully, I think they’re all fools. I just hope their foolishness won’t get us killed.

Pyre looks at me and nods. Then he snaps his fingers and instantly, everyone and everything surrounding us freezes. I blink a few times as I glance around and notice Flumph’s lips in a fish-kiss expression. Cambion frowns in his customary way. Dragan stares angrily at Eilish, who gazes at Pyre with unmasked desire. Her interest in the Necromancer amuses me. I’m quite certain it’s simply a matter of time until Pyre has her, as his interest is quite apparent as well. Strangely enough, I find myself wishing I could be present when that situation eventually does unfold.

“What was the purpose in causing time to stand still?” I ask as I bring my gaze back to Pyre.

“You and I need to have a discussion, just the two of us,” he responds.

“Why is that?”

“Because you need to believe in this cause,” he answers with a shrug. His expression is harsh.

“Who says I don’t believe in this cause?”

“This cause being freeing Morrigan from Variant’s clutches.”

“Ah,” I nod. “That cause. Yes, I can’t say I do support it.”

“And, on that subject, we have a problem.”

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