Mortal Queen | CALIBAN |

F O U R

The bell jingled quietly when we walked into Pop's, only a few people littered the booths. I glanced over at the cashier and grinned. He looked up from washing a tray and waved us over, with a curious glance at Caliban.

"Harvey! What are you doing here? Aren't you working in the mines?" I asked.

He shakes his head, "No, not anymore.. after what happened. Ice cream is much simpler, and uh," He glances up at Caliban again with caution, "Less scary."

Caliban is glaring at him, and I glanced in between them. I knew they had met before, during Sabrina's attempt to find Lilith, but I wasn't well versed on much on what went on. Was there an issue?

"Okay," I drawl out awkwardly, "Well I think that mint swirl looks good, can I have that Harvey?" I ask, pointing up at the picture of the yummy ice cream.

"You should never ask for anything." Caliban growled in a frustrated tone, and I looked back at him with confusion. "Everything in the mortal realm and hell, and all in between is yours."

Rolling my eyes, I grab my wallet from my pocket and pull out my debit card. "Yeah, well, here in the 'mortal realm' humans like this crazy thing called money," I say and give Harvey my card, "and when you want something you can't just demand it. So unless you've got a billion dollars hidden around, shush, and tell me which ice cream you'd like." I giggle at the way Caliban glowers a bit, grumbling to himself before picking the triple chocolate brownie sundae.

I put my card away after everything is paid for and take the delicious looking ice cream and sundae from Harvey with a thank you. We find a booth in the back of the ice creamery, underneath the low beats of the music and settle in.

"Caliban, I have a sort of weird question." I say as I sort the chocolate chips out of the ice cream.

He mumbled something with his face stuffed of chocolate and brownie. I couldn't understand a word he said but I laughed at the ice cream smeared on his cheek.

"How did you know that we were soulmates? I wouldn't have ever even known if you hadn't said something." I asked, taking a quick spoonful of the minty goodness.

He wiped at his face before speaking, "I just had to look at you. I saw it, in your eyes and you may not have recognized it but your soul did. When I looked at you the first time— it was as if your soul had opened from your chest to call out to me, and mine called back."

I hummed at the words and thought on it. No, I hadn't felt anything, certainly not my soul coming out my chest. But his touch was like shock waves, I felt that otherworldly feeling beneath my skin at first touch. It wasn't as strong anymore like when I held his hand or he touched my waist, but it never faded completely either.

"I have another question if that's okay.."

"It's always okay, so ask away." Caliban said and I smirked, wondering how I could use those words to my advantage one day.

"Why did you cheat to win the challenges? Did you really want to be King that bad?" I asked quietly. I had wondered about this one for a while now.

He laughed as if I had honestly said something funny, and I glared at him. I was serious! I wanted to know. "What exactly is so funny about my question?"

"You, and your silly mortal ideas. I did not cheat at the challenges. I won it righteously in the eyes of the law." He said and I looked at him with obvious disbelief, "I did! Playing fair is a mortal belief. Hell is, well Hell, there is no fairness." He shrugged nonchalantly.

I guess I could see the logic in his words. Two different worlds, two different cultures. Hell was amoral in comparison to the beliefs humans grow up on. "I guess.. in your world you won through and through, right?" I asked and he nodded, "And being king— Why did you want it so bad?"