25. Hope

25

Hope

Morgana

M y mind won't settle. There is something going on and Death taunting me as he did means that it is going to happen soon. I didn't tell Alistair what Death said to me, I simply mentioned he was there for someone, but I didn't know who. He didn't think twice about it. I spent most of today making sure I could snoop on Sierra and Alistair, even skipping a class to overlook Sierra in the gym to make sure she didn't die from collision with a basketball. It wasn't until we returned to Sierra's home to see a note taped to the door.

To the Princess of Darkness, her Man-Servant and new friend. We invite you to dinner with us to discuss your recent decline to humanity. The dinner will be at 7:00pm sharp. We look forward to serving you.

"This is creepy." Sierra mutters.

"Yes," I agree, ", someone knows who I am, and who you both are, and instead of hiding have invited us to dinner." My thoughts trail to the possibility of demonic possession of a human who then potentially stabbed me with a magical power-sucking dagger, but I shouldn't jump to conclusions.

"We shouldn't go." Alistair adds.

"I've never declined a formal invitation."

"There's a first for everything."

Sierra interjects, "You behave really well for someone raised by the Devil." The concept caught me off guard. I've heard hundreds of rumors about the Devil, how evil he is meant to be, including weird stuff about goats…but I've yet to hear one that's true.

"What do you mean?" I ask her, curious to hear her thoughts.

"It's just that people always say that the Devil and his worshipers are a bad influence, they are satanic bad decision makers that strive for evil and all that. But your dad was really nice and not scary at all…well I mean the horns are a bit freaky but I can pretend that's just a costume." Her face lights up with a spark. "Alistair! You had horns too! Where do they go?"

"Uh," He looks at me a little confused, probably not sure how to answer. "I have two forms, a human one and a demonic one."

"That's pretty cool."

"Anyway," I bring the conversation back. "Yes, there are lots of stories about how evil the Devil is, but just because someone rules hell, and punishes bad people, does that make him a bad person?"

"No, I suppose it wouldn't."

"Exactly. So be assured that the Devil, my father, is not evil."

Alistair snickers, "Morgana, on the other hand is a different story." I do my best to glare at him but the smirk finds a way to my face.

"Alright, alright. Let's just go. It'll take us about that long to walk there anyway."

"Wait, we're really going?" Sierra asks, following me back down the driveway and towards the address of an unknown sender.

We're early, but I'm too curious about whomever invited us to this creepy as all hell manor. The barricades and gutters covered in rust were all but falling off. The trees out the front were overgrown but quite dead, their branches finding their way across the rooftop and seemingly into the house's shutters as well. As I approach the door, Alistair pulls me back by my elbow and gives me a look. Clearly, he wants to go first, just in case. Not wanting to argue, I allow him to take point as Sierra and I follow him up the path to the house. Sierra jumps beside me as the front door swings open before we have a chance to knock.

"Welcome!" A voice chimes—it's the goth girl from the store? I almost didn't recognize her with her hair put up in two high buns at the top of her head with purple extensions curled around them. "I thought you might be a bit early. Come on in, meet the gang." The gang? Alistair turns to me and looks just as bewildered as I probably do. Cautiously we enter the home, both occupied by the idea Sierra could also be in danger. "Come on, gosh so slow." Following the goth into the living room we come across a table full of food and two others sitting on the opposite side of the table from where we stand. "This is my mother, Belladonna and my cousin Jasmine—twice removed. She's staying with us to understand this unique situation." As the three of us walk around the table and take seats where they are available, I find myself sitting at one head of the table with Alistair at the other. The young redheaded girl she referred to as Jasmine moves a glass of wine in front of Alistair.

"Probably more to your taste." She smiles. As he picks up the glass and smells it, a look in his eye changes. I suppose it isn't wine but a mixture of that and blood, a preference for demons and previously, myself.

"We never caught your name." I state.

"Very true, apologies Morgana." The gothic confusion grins. "I am Carmen. But eventually I think I'll change it to Selena. What do you think?" She questions, turning to Sierra who took the seat by her side. If I had my powers I'd know her deepest thoughts, but for now I'll have to rely on gut instinct. "I'm in training to be a Grim." Although, people can be surprising.

"A Grim?" Sierra responds, "Like the thing that attacked in the fairgrounds?"

"Not quite." I say, "That particular Grim lost sight of who they were, started to enjoy seeing life and death in their hands and took it too far. They start to decay like that when they no longer possess humanity. A Grim usually looks like the everyday person." Sierra nods, clearly pretending she's understanding my words but they appear to be going right over her head.

"Either way, we're very fortunate to have you here with us today, Morgana." I turn to the woman now sitting closest to me who was previously introduced as Belladonna. The gold flower studs in her ears might suggest she's a little different from her daughter, but the odd grown streak of white in her hair rolling from her fringe and backwards makes me wonder if she's faced death's door herself. It's a common trademark to see. "You see, a friend of Jasmine's contacted her and mentioned we should introduce ourselves since you will be here for a while and may need someone to turn to in the future." Eyeing Jasmine, the freckled redhead simply smiles at me.

"My friend is a Seer." She simply adds, turning to the plate of food in front of her and continuing to eat.

"Morgana, we are not the only coven in town but you are welcome to depend on us at any time. We simply wish to aid you in your times of need. The transition you are facing must be quite difficult."

Picking off my plate with a fork I look up to her to respond, "You could say that."

"The truth is we can sense something big is happening and we fear you're too young to face such trials on your own. That being said we have no issues if you wish to come to us and require magical assistance."

"I don't know what trials you're referring to but-"

"What is important to you, dear?" Rude to cut me off but whatever.

"What do you mean?" The woman smiles at me with such pity, but I don't feel the same sting I usually would, or anger for that matter. No, inside I feel that if someone that knows my future pities me, then my feelings of fear are valid.

"Don't worry dear. Everything will happen as it should. Just don't fight against it."

"Against what?"

"Yourself. Who you are." Cryptic. The last thing I needed was for some crazy witch to tell me that I shouldn't fight myself. "And stay close, Alistair. You're the last reason to fight, after all." My eyes dash right across the table and meet Alistair's. A small glint of the red that would otherwise be there surfaces his brown eyes.

"Oh, they're not a couple. They're just weird close." Sierra snickers, a grin on her face that drops immediately upon looking at me. "Unless…circumstances have changed recently."

"That would be interesting." Carmen comments, "Wouldn't that be a little hard if your powers return and your expectation is to be Hell's Heir once more?" It's true, but I also don't expect to get my powers back from a missing dagger. "You should start walking home. And we promise, we will be close by and there whenever you need us. Just call. Our numbers are already in your cell." Unsure if I let my face flinch to her statement or not, I stand from the table and head directly for the front door.

I don't need someone to tell me that they're there to help me. I am Morgana. My name is feared by the demons in hell. With my powers I can crush minds without lifting a finger.

…With my powers.