Page 14 of Midnight Kingdom

Cambion steps forward and Morrigan immediately envelops him in a warm embrace. He returns it and his smile is broad. I can’t remember the last time I witnessed Cambion smiling. I notice that Revenant remains at the entrance of the room, making no motion to step forward. I glance back at him and realize his jaw is tight. His eyes are even tighter.

I face Morrigan again.

“How were you taken prisoner?” I hear myself ask her.

The Midnight Queen ducks her head in shame as she inhales deeply. “Theren and Variant. They used their magic to bind my powers.”

“Bind your powers?” Eilish repeats, her expression revealing nothing but concern and empathy.

Morrigan faces her then and nods. “I have no power left.”

“Then that’s how Variant has kept you here for so long?” I ask. I can’t help the suspicion in my tone. I just thought it impossible to steal magic from the Midnight Queen.

She faces me and nods again. “I am kept in this prison with no bars and no locks, save for the one guarding the door. I’m left to overlook the gardens and to dream of escape, but all the while realizing there is no escape when my magic has been stripped from me.”

“When were you taken prisoner?” Revenant demands from behind me. His tone is similar to mine—only more condescending and more suspicious.

Morrigan turns her attention to him and her smile is wide. “Revenant,” she whispers and takes a step forward. He holds up his hand to keep her at bay. She appears surprised at his less-than-friendly reaction to her. Her eyebrows arch as her eyes narrow and her mouth tightens.

“When were you taken prisoner?” he repeats, this time more firmly.

“Not long after Baron… not long afteryouwere killed,” she answers. “I thought... I’ve thought all of you were dead,” she finishes as she looks at each of us in turn and her expression is one of hope mixed with relief.

“Dead?” I repeat, unable to shroud my surprise.

She nods. “I had no way of knowing what was really happening beyond the walls of this… miserable place. Of course, Variant never informed me what the truth of the situation was.”

“But you knew of Eilish and you were able to reach out to her?” Revenant demands as he walks forward and stands beside the angel. “You spoke to Eilish in her mind, just like you’ve spoken to me, so wouldn’t it follow that you knew none of us was dead?”

“I have not been able to speak to Eilish for quite a while,” Morrigan answers, her tone suddenly firm. “I worried what had happened to her, just as I worried what had happened to all of you.”

“Why did you lose touch with her?” Revenant continues, spearing her with his gaze. He wraps his arms against his chest and regards her coolly.

“I can’t say for certain though I thought Silvanus had something to do with it,” she answers.

“Silvanus?” Eilish repeats but then I watch as she swallows down whatever was about to come out of her mouth. Instead, she glances down at her feet and I have the feeling she’s keeping something to herself.

“You seem upset with me, Revenant,” Morrigan says as she faces Baron.

“Upset is an extreme simplification of my feelings towards you.”

“Out with them then,” she says with a quirk of her brow. “You’ve never been shy about your opinions. No need to start now. I know you must have many questions.”

“We have no time for a game of questions and answers,” he responds icily before facing her again. “But I must admit there are a few topics I am curious about.”

“Such as?”

“Why did you allow Variant to kill me? And why don’t you tell Eilish why you wiped her memory?”

“Revenant!” Eilish whispers, her eyes becoming wide at Revenant’s audacity. But, he doesn’t seem interested in her surprise.

“Well, I can tell you that I didn’t allow Variant to kill you,” Morrigan responds.

“Yet you possess the gift of telepathy?” Revenant asks.

She nods. “It’s true that I can see the future, but I’m notall-seeing. My prophecies aren’t always clear and they constantly change. I did not know that Variant would stab you, or else I would have stopped it from happening.”

“And Eilish’s memories?” he demands.

---