Legendborn Oneshots

BreeSel-I Knew You Were Trouble

A/N: I have no idea what this is gonna be. I have one quote that I thought of in the middle of the night and a wild prayer. Let's see where my brain decides to go.

...Where am I?

My mind's hazy, and the nagging feeling of missing something tugs at me until I realize why and push away the fog, forcing my eyes open.

Mesmer. Someone stole my memories, wiped my mind. I'm in the Lodge, but I have no idea how. Someone is playing with me.

And given the cinnamon scent still lingering on the air, it was probably Sel.

Sel, who's succumbed fully to his blood. Sel, who sees me as no more than heartache and guilt.

...Wait, when did he...? I've heard him say that, say those words in an unfamiliar, cruel voice. I can't... I don't know when. I don't know what he's done since then. Now that I think about it... when did he succumb? I can't pull a single memory of Sel even acting like a real demon, much less that being permanent. And yet I'm still petrified by the idea that he could be nearby.

For all I know, he could be ready to kill me.

I'm only partially surprised when he steps into my room.

I'm very surprised by his eyes-everything about him, honestly, but I notice his eyes first. They're back to normal-or as close to normal as cambion eyes get. Golden, with a hint of glittering orange and a faint glow. Nothing like the bloodred irises I expect.

"...Hey, Bree." He's quiet. Uncertain and even a little scared. "Welcome back."

I won't play these games. "Drop your mesmer."

He's genuinely surprised. Or he seems to be, at the very least. But I know how convincing his illusions can be.

He hesitates before responding-planning how to trap me in his web of lies, I'm sure. "...I don't what he's convinced you of, but I'm not casting any illusions."

"Very careful choice of words," I hiss. "Maybe you aren't casting an illusion. But you've mesmered me. Don't you dare deny it."

Once again, there's that pause. He sighs and looks away. "You would have killed me. Can you really-all I did was break his spell on you, but I had to... get under the armor. Find the weak spots." Something isn't adding up, and suddenly I'm not so sure that Sel's the one to blame for anything. Who's he? And what spell-what Merlin would mesmer me besides the one standing beside me?

"You'll forgive me for being a little suspicious of the cambion I last saw full-demon, wanting to feed from my pain, now telling me he's on my side and defending me from some unspeakable evil he can't bother to describe at all." There's no reason to hide the venom in my voice, nor the plea I leave unspoken. Tell me what's going on. I don't know where these accusations came from, but I know they're real. Sel said these things, did all this, even if I can't remember when.

Sel presses his eyes shut with a groan-I recognize the expression on his face. That 'oh no, I completely forgot about this possibility' look. "...I hate it when he's right."

"When who's right?"

"Erebus. You don't recognize the name, do you?"

I shake my head, eyes narrowing. Does he think I'm an idiot now? "No, of course I do. He's a Mage Seneschal, he's been hunting us-hunting me-for weeks, of course I know who he is-"