The Seed || A Madam Spellman Story

Queen of Cups

"A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace" 

-Ecclesiastes 3:8 

__________

Zelda sipped curiously through her straw wondering when this dreadful meeting would be over.

The rugged face of Orion, a member of the most Unholy council, sat across from her in a booth at Dr. Cerberus', the man himself as well as her sister standing by the door in false nonchalance. Vigilant, dangerous, ready to act at any obvious threat the man posed.

And what a big threat that was.

His attitude did not scare Zelda, nor did the rest of the council. But war was war, and that's what they were in: these were the politics of it, the eye before the storm, the desperate attempt to right what couldn't be righted in time before the match was inevitably blown.

"High Priestess Zelda," Orion began with all the contempt written across his face, pedaling his voice, "how the heaven did you manage that?"

"Quick wit and a charming personality."

"Not so charming," he rolled a french fry disdainfully between his thick fingers, "where has Blackwood run off to? I am sure you know as you decided to piece together the remnants of the Church of Night at his absence."

"I am sure you know," Zelda pointed back at him, "that he tried, almost successfully, to murder the entire coven by poisoning, and then ran like a coward from his punishment. We are looking for him."

"All the more reason you should be aware of his location if he is such a threat..." If. How dense could he be? Of course, Blackwood was a threat... but so was Orion in Zelda's eyes, and the High Priestess remained unconvinced the councilman was impartial to the fugitive.

"If you see it my way as you just suggested, why haven't you looked for him at all? There's a Church that needed rebuilding, children to look after," religion to be remade, she didn't add, "a little assistance would go miles... but you aren't here for that, are you?" Orion licked his lips unattractively, ready to spew his speech of self observed superiority.

"This Church of Lilith is blasphemy. Your passion project is going to crash and burn and the only reason we do not stop you is that this duty lies with the Dark Lord himself."

Zelda leaned in closer, a treacherous little smile appeared on her face, impishly as if she held all the secrets of the universe in her mind, all rolling around behind puzzling grey-green eyes.

"Your Dark Lord has abandoned you, Orion, you just do not see it yet. You call my Church blasphemous when your institution is crippled in it. It's poetic how mind-numbing anecdotes of his greatness and the brainwashing of his followers have left you complacent in your wrongs, and complicit in unspeakable crimes including, may I remind you, the poisoning of the members of the previous Church of Night. Now members of my Church, and I don't like overbearing men trying to strong-arm me into doing what they want me to do. That's not the precedent I intend to set."

"You walk a thin line, Ms. Spellman. Do not cross it with me!"

"It's High Priestess Spellman now, and I believe it is you who should watch their steps." She stood herself up from the booth, settling again on the edge of the table to look down at the man before her.

"You were all so afraid of my niece when she questioned your rules and rebuked your traditions. It was funny, you all being terrified of a sixteen-year-old," Zelda smirked at the thought, even at her own stupidity to herd Sabrina closer to the Church of Night, "Did you know Satan wanted to make her his queen? To rule over all of you, in case that message escaped you. That is why Blackwood ran away, because of his cowardice to change. Do you still believe in Blackwood? Do you still believe in your false god?"