Morgyn POV
I took the day off. Caleb was really upset and distraught over Ruby’s disappearance. Jade being on vacation wasn’t helping. Despite all that had happened, they were close. Not just for Orion, but as good friends. He found comfort in her.
Even more than he did in me.
Aidoneus came up to me. “Hey Morgyn. Have you seen Jade? She was here the other day and hasn’t been back. Marco isn’t here either.”
I shrugged. “I know she went on vacation. Loverboy probably went with her.”
Aidoneus crossed his arms. “To be fair, Morgyn, you really can’t be salty about her ending up with Marco. You didn’t talk to her about what happened. You just practically ignored her.”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “Yeah, I know. I was wrong. But it doesn’t hurt any less.”
He patted my shoulder. “Marco isn’t the enemy, despite the differences you two had. They explained several times that they didn’t even know the kiss happened. You just refused to hear it.”
“I was angry,” I said, justifying myself.
“That’s where communication comes in. But you didn’t do that. Sorry, Morgyn, but you kind of did this to yourself.”
I growled. Not at him, but at myself. He was right. “I know.” I clenched my teeth.
“When she comes back, extend an olive branch,” he smiled warmly. “Offer to be friends. She’s kind. I’m sure she will accept.”
I nodded sadly. “Yeah, I will.” I changed the subject. “How are your duties coming along?”
Aidoneus was Jade’s sage stand-in. He was well versed in the subject matter and stepped right up happily.
“Going well. Lots of training and lesson plans.”
I smiled. “Welcome to sage life.” I patted his back. “You’re doing well, buddy. Keep it up.”
He smiled. “Thank you.”
Jewel came in and rushed up to me. “Dad.”
I smiled warmly. “Jewel! Long time no see! How are you?”
As I pulled her into a hug, she only slightly hugged me back. “I saw Damien. At least, that’s who I think it was, based on your descriptions.”
I shook my head. “That’s impossible. He’s dead.”
She put her hands on her hips. “So was Marco.”
Okay, yeah. “But who would revive him?”
“Probably Marco!” She exclaimed. “It was only a matter of time when they’d find each other again.”
I shook my head. “Doll, Marco changed. Sure, I’m unhappy with him right now, but he has become a good man.” I put my hands on her shoulders and smiled. “I’m sure you just saw someone else.”
Aidoneus walked away quickly, as if he had something to say but decided against it. I watched him go, but didn’t say anything. I’d ask him later.
Jewel sighed and pulled me into a hug. “I’m scared, Dad. Everything is crazy. I don’t know what punches life will throw next.”
I rubbed her back. “I know, I know. I hope it’ll all work out.”
“What?” She pulled away.
I gazed at her. “It’ll all work out.”
“No,” she shook her head. “That’s what you usually say, that it’ll work out. But you just said you hope.”
I looked away. “I’m sure it will. Right now, that’s just hard to believe.”
She sighed. “We need Mom. You two can face anything.”
“She’s on vacation. She will be back in a week, and we will work out a plan.”
“I want to help.”
I smiled. “You can, my dear. Of course.”
She nodded. “I’ll go home for now. Please call me about this.”
I agreed. “I will.”
When she left, I sat down. Would this actually work out? I couldn’t help but think it wouldn’t. What if she did see Damien? At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised. If Marco revived him, I would banish them again.
And anyone else they had converted.
Aidoneus came back. “Morgyn.”
I lifted my head. “Hmm?”
“Jade saw the legend of Orion.”
“Huh?” What legend? What was he talking about?
“Orion is a spellcaster/vampire hybrid.”
The color drained from my face. That meant that he was the destroyer. Jade’s next child was the restorer. And Jade and Marco together…
“Oh God,” I whispered. “This gets worse and worse.” I was beginning to understand how Marco and Jade were so attracted to each other. If even the smallest bit of dark magic mixed with her power, it would awaken something truly horrible within both of them. Any shred of light magic would be snuffed out by the darkness. I couldn’t banish them. I would never do that to Jade. She wouldn’t be able to help it, and neither would Marco if it came down to it.
‘That will never happen,’ I tried to reassure myself. But I couldn’t be sure. Marco would never do that to her.
At least not willingly. But did he know about them? He had no way of knowing until the spell was cast.
I got up and paced. “This is bad,” I mumbled. “This is so, so, so bad.”
Aidoneus nodded. “We have to plan for the worst.”
“How?” I challenged. “They would rank higher than even the council! They could do literally anything they wanted, and we could never stop it.”
“You’re Morgyn Ember,” he grinned. “Figure it out.”
“I’m aware of my name, Aidoneus, but that doesn’t change their status.”
He shrugged. “You’ll figure it out.”
Sure. Okay. Alright. Figure it out, huh? I didn’t even know where to start.
Aidoneus left again and I called Caleb.
“We have a problem.”
—————-
Caleb POV
God dammit. I walked around the penthouse. I couldn’t believe this. My son? My love? Destroyers? No. I had only hoped Marco and Jade weren’t under some crazy curse. She seemed fine when she dropped off our son. She was herself, normal. Was she already gone?
The vacation was suspicious. Very suspicious. Why would she leave when she was one of the most prominent people to find a way out of this mess? Was the beach really that important?
Did Marco have plans for her?
I clenched my fist. “I’ll kill him.” I began to pace the living room. Orion stopped me.
“What’s wrong, Daddy?”
I smiled and knelt to him. “I just have a lot on my mind, buddy. I’m okay.”
“Is it about Mommy?”
I looked away. “This is far bigger than you can comprehend. I am concerned about her, but I know she’s having a good time.” I took his hand and stood up. “Come on, let’s go play.”
We played on the terrace for awhile, and as he bounded into his ball pit, I pulled out my phone and called Jade.
No answer.
I tried again. Nothing. So I texted her.
“Hey, call me when you can, please? I’ve heard some things and want to make sure you’re alright.”
I stuffed my phone back into my pocket, somehow knowing I would never get a reply.
“Come on, buddy, let’s go in.”
We went in and I sat down as Orion went into his playroom. Ruby was gone. Jade was gone. Possibly in a much worse condition than we thought. Maybe I was overthinking. The chances of that happening were slim.
I shook my head. Destroyers and restorer. The restorer was another child born to Jade. I knew it wouldn’t be my child. It had to be Marco’s. I looked down. Thinking of her with him was too painful. I couldn’t imagine them sharing a bed. She was my love. My heart.
My everything.
How could I screw this up? How could I push her away like that? Cheat with Ruby? What the hell was wrong with me?
“I need to save you, Jade.” But how would I? And I was just making assumptions. “No. I’m sure she’s fine. She’s on vacation. Stop overthinking.”
I got up and went to play with Orion again, getting my mind off of everything.
She’s fine.
Morgyn POV
It was hard to focus after all I had learned. I stepped outside for some air.
“This is crazy,” I muttered. “This is worse than the realm takeover. It’s creating chaos in our minds. What if Damien is alive? What if this is all his doing? What are we going to do? I need Jade. We need Jade. The realm needs Jade.” I stopped and looked into the vortex. “Jade, wherever you are, please be safe.”
“You know, talking to yourself could be a sign of mental illness.”
I turned around to see Aidoneus leaning against the building with an amused grin.
I laughed and stepped toward him. “I already feel like I’m going crazy, so why not?”
He smiled. “We will fix this. It’ll be alright. Right now, it just sucks.”
I nodded. “Damn right it does.”
“You’re worried about the legends.”
I nodded again. “Yes. All of it. The three destroyers and the restorer. So many factors are at play here. Has Jade been infected with dark magic? If she has, what’s Marco’s condition? If they don’t have a child, will there be a restorer? I just have so many questions, and I don’t want them to be answers by finding out the hard way.”
“You’d need to fight them,” he warned.
I looked down. “I am aware.”
“They could die.”
I nodded sadly.
“Would you revive them?”
I shrugged. “I would want to, that’s for sure. I couldn’t tell you if I actually would.”
He nodded, understanding. “Well I’m sure Jade’s fine. She’s strong and has overcome some of the worst things imaginable. She could fight the dark magic.”
“You’re right,” I agreed. “I’m underestimating her. Thanks. I’m sure she’s fine.”
He bowed his head with a smile. “Sometimes you just need an outsider’s perspective.”
I nodded again, but my expression shifted to sadness. “God, I treated her so badly. She probably thinks the worst of me. When she comes back, I’ll talk to her. Something I should have done when this started. Maybe we wouldn’t be where we’re at now.”
He patted my shoulder. “Hindsight is 20/20. You’re not doing yourself any favors by dwelling on it.”
I sighed. “I know. But I was stupid. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did.”
As I spoke, something began to cast a shadow on the ground in front of me. Almost like a cloud passing over the sun. But, we didn’t have clouds in the realm. I looked around, confused. I didn’t see anything.
Aidoneus looked up. “Impossible.”
I followed his gaze. Something was moving across the sky. Some type of space rock. That wasn’t entirely uncommon here, but the balance of power suspended these rocks in the air. None of them should be coming toward us.”
Aidoneus shook his head. “There isn’t a balance of power now that Jade is gone.”
I stared at him, confused. “She’s only on vacation, Aidoneus. There’s still-” as his expression changed and he tilted his head, I realized what he was saying. Jade had forfeit her position as sage. “Oh.” I glanced back up at the sky, then back at him. “Then, effective immediately, you’re the sage. If you accept it.”
He nodded. “Of course. Anything to save the realm from destruction.”
‘This time,’ I thought. The idea of destroyers still haunted my mind. I pulled out my wand and cast the spell to place Aidoneus in the position of sage of Alchemy. He closed his eyes and the rock immediately floated back up to its original position, freezing in place.
“Well done,” I smiled. “Thank you.”
“This is only temporary, no?” He asked.
I sighed. This wasn’t looking good for Jade. “We’ll play it by ear.”
I brushed past him and walked inside.
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