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She glanced up at Ornan looming over her. He raised clawed hands. “That was not me.” Though a curiosity lit his eyes. “Care to explain, your majesty?”
Badb sneered up at him. “I am not the queen.”
Ornan froze. “Wait.” His head tilted toward her as he breathed in. “Wait—you—you are not Morrigan. By the blood, who are you?”
“Perhaps you have heard stories of Morrigan and her sisters. Of the deal struck with the bog witch and of our bondage tying us within Morrigan's power.”
Ornan’s eyes grew wide. “Yes, yes, I recall hearing such stories… But I thought those days were long past.”
She straightened, pushing her weariness aside, and squared her shoulders. “Those days have returned.”
He studied her. “So what? You have appeared to rescue her from my retribution?”
Badb laughed. “I am not here to save Morrigan.”
“I shall not leave until our bargain is fulfilled.”
His gaze challenged her, but she stared back, unbent by the threat in his expression.
“Hear my proposal,” she said, “and you may leave here not only with what you desire, but a bargain that will deliver much, much more.”
He left the bookshelves and plopped into a chair. “I am listening.”
She gazed off through the towering stacks, stilling, making sure they remained alone before turning to face the demon lord. “In less than two weeks’ time, on Samhain, Morrigan will go to the bog witch to renew the bond that was made. The same bond that bound Macha and I to her.”
“You are pretty certain of this,” he observed.
“She must go, or Macha and I will consume her.”
“So not much choice. Continue.”
“She will fail.”
Ornan steepled his fingers. “And how do you know she will fail?”
“Morrigan herself has foreseen it.”
His eyebrows rose. “That is interesting indeed. What has Morrigan done?”
“Nothing. She has told no one. Not even dear King Dagda. Though I am sure she is thinking about using that last wish to undo our bond altogether.”
“Hmm. That does sound likely.”
Badb’s fingers itched for a weapon in her hands, not because she feared the demon in front of her, but the weight of a blade settled her. “If Morrigan undoes the bond before Samhain, it is Macha and I who will disappear forever.”
Ornan tapped his claws against the table, boredom twisting his mouth. “Why should I care about that?”
“You said that only a faerie of royal blood could loose the demons from their prison in the Dark Woods.” Badb spread her arms. “I reside in Morrigan’s body. Even if that were not the case, Morrigan and I are sisters, born of the same blood.”
Ornan sat up straight. “You could free the demons.”
“Morrigan had one more vision. Of an open battlefield filled with faeries, elves, and demons.” She left out the part about them all being dead. The fact that Morrigan saw the demons upon a battlefield, mixing with fae and elves, should be enough.
“That is…” A ravenousness mounted in his expression, but he quickly hid it. “What do you receive from the bargain?”
“It is not what I get, but whatweget from it. Mutual support and protection. The faerie court is on the verge of fracturing. One little push and war will erupt. You fight alongside me to defeat my enemies, help me keep my control on the throne, even after Morrigan is gone, and I make sure that your kind are free to move about the Otherworld and dowhateveryou wish.”
Shadows cast from the lanterns hanging from the shelves played off the unabashed hunger on Ornan’s face. “I like it.” His eyes flashed to Badb’s chest, where the last token hid. “Except… do you plan to use the token to seal the deal?”
