The Lover's Cost

Devil's Growth

Violet slowly stood, having sunken darkness and death into the world of Sallrine itself. All began to turn gray and wither, even the sky. Her desire to stay and watch the power of her animosity was strong, but she knew the world wouldn't last long, and that she wouldn't without an atmosphere. With one last look at her bloody work, the dark mage teleported off the crumbling planet and into her royal quarters.

Once she returned and the high of dark magic released her, Violet fell to staggering weakness. She collapsed to the floor and again vomited, shaking and struggling to get to her bed. Hot and cold berated her in the form of a wicked fever as she finally managed to lean over the bedside. Her wings dragged behind her; she lacked the strength to hide them.

What was happening to her? She felt as though a parasite had rooted itself deep inside of her, sapping her strength and intensifying her emotions, making her ill. When she heard the door open, she felt happiness the first time today. She looked over her shoulder. "Cassius...come here..." she rasped.

He needed no order; the Sulfeeran rushed to his queen, but paused to examine her wings with wide eyes. "They're...incredible, my lady. I've never had the pleasure of seeing them before..."

"Enough about that," Violet said, "please help me."

Cassius leaned in and wrapped his arms around her, then lifted her comfortably into an embrace. "Your majesty, I'm so sorry. Are you feeling sick again?" He glanced at the vomit on the carpet. "You are. What can I do?"

Violet hugged her lover tightly, running her fingers across his blank neck. "I'm so happy you're unbranded..." She breathed. "I love you so much. I don't know what I'd do..."

"I love you too, my lady," Cassius hummed. He stroked the witch's hair. "Please, tell me what happened."

"Sallrine..." Violet said softly. Her voice twisted into a hiss. "I killed all of them. The whole planet. It's dead. It's dead, Cassius!"

"Excellent..." The advisor praised, showing an approving smirk. "Ah, your power is so...beautiful..." He boldly stroked one of her wings, his fingers brushing the raven feathers.

Blush flushed Violet's freckled cheeks. She leaned into him and dug her fingers into his coat longingly. His compliment and his touch excited her and sent chills cutting through her fever. Yet his dalliance did nothing to diminish her worries. She sighed, "Cassius, I shouldn't be sick...this shouldn't be possible...and the soul I keep sensing..."

"Yes?" The Sulfeeran tilted his head.

Violet shut her eyes, trying to ignore the presence of the nearby soul. It flickered weakly, but stronger than it did yesterday. Cassius was unmarked, but she needed to be certain. "Tell me now," the reaper rasped. "Tell me if you're immortal due to Jawavah's potion."

Leaning back, the Sulfeeran nodded. "I am."

Violet shook her head, muttering to herself. "Then...how?"

"How what?"

"I..."

"Your majesty," Cassius soothed. He held the queen firmly and stared into her eyes. "Tell me what's going on."

"Stop that...stop with the formalities!" The sorceress begged. Tears assaulted her as her emotions ran high and her body shook, threatening to vomit again.

Cassius's gaze softened. "I'm sorry, Violet." He rubbed her back between her wings. "Tell me what's wrong..."

Squeezing her eyes shut, she clawed into the fabric of her lover's coat harder. When she found the strength to speak, she opened her icy-blue eyes and looked at him. "I...I think I'm pregnant..."

The words felt like sticky acid in her mouth. It should be impossible.

Eyebrows furrowing, the advisor maintained eye contact. "You...very well could be."

"I could be!?" Violet snapped. "You just said you were taking that potion!"

Cassius tensed. "Forgive me, but...how is that related?"

"He must have told you the side effects! It shuts down the reproductive system! It shut down his wife's when she took it!"

"Violet..." Cassius sighed. "I – how do I tell you this? It..."

"It what?"

"It only does that if a female is the one drinking it. It shuts down the female reproductive system."

Horror swam through Violet's insides. It ate her organs and left her an empty shell. Wide eyed, she stared into nothingness, unable to swallow her mistake. "I...assumed..."

"I'm so sorry...I would've said something but I figured you knew," Cassius softly explained. "You seemed familiar with the potion. I thought..."

The dark mage shook, her voice a whisper. "No. It isn't your fault. I'm the one who assumed otherwise. I should've known," she rasped.

"Violet..."

"I don't want this..."

"You should rest, if you really are pregnant. You'll need your strength."

"I...don't...want this..."

Cassius eased her panic and helped her to change into her sleep robe. He tucked her in and wiped her tears. With his telekinesis, he closed the ebony curtains and hid light and the snowfall outside. Stroking her forehead, he hummed a lullaby.

Weak, Violet began nodding off despite her fear. Yet she saved energy to speak. "Conception happened here," she whispered. "The magic of the world where conception occurred...it decides the offspring's species. It's that way for every world."

"I know," Cassius replied.

"Then...our child..." The dark mage rasped. "Will be Mystearlian."