Page 45 of Winter Goddess
"Maybe," I agree. "What now?"
"I'm not here to kill you," he says calmly, dropping all pretence. "I've been sent to deliver a message."
"Why were you talking to Magnus?" I ask, ignoring what he just said.
The clone shrugs. "He's my contact here. I was to deliver a message to him as well, but he got called away before I could."
"Liar," I hiss. "Your conversation wasn't as private as you thought. I know you want to kill me."
He laughs coldly. "Want? Yes. Allowed to? Not yet. I just told that old man that to make him trust me."
"Why wouldn't he trust you?"
"Not everyone is able to tell whether I'm real or not. I needed to convince him that I'm the Morrigan's."
"Why are you working for her?" I ask, even though I know that he's likely too far gone to be swayed. "Don't you know what she's doing?"
"She's creating a better world, and once her vision is complete, I'm going to be at her side, looking down on our new creation together."
I laugh and he frowns at me. "Seriously? The Morrigan doesn't dotogether. She'll discard you as soon as you're no longer useful to her, just like she does with all of her allies. She's not interested in anyone but herself."
"You're right about that." The smile slips from my lips. The clone's voice has changed, it's higher now, almost shrill. His face is blank, looking even less like my Crispin. "Hi, sweetie. It's so nice to finally talk to you." He giggles girlishly. "Nice crown. It will go well with my other one."
"Morrigan?" I ask, even though I know it's her. The blackness in his eyes is the same I've seen in Crispin's memories. Somehow, the Morrigan is possessing her creation.
"Just the same." She giggles again and I'm tempted to slap her. What did Crispin say about giggling girls earlier? No wonder he doesn't like it.
"What do you want?" I don't even try not to sound hostile. If I knew I could kill her while she's possessing the clone, I'd do it in a heartbeat. She killed my mum. Sparks are dancing before my eyes as I try to hold back my anger and hate. She's not really here. I can't hurt her. Well, that's what I think at least. To be honest, I have no idea how she's doing this.
"I thought I'd come for a little visit. He did tell you that he was bringing you a message, didn't he?" She grins and looks down at her male body. "He's so handsome. I remember his body, how he felt when he was touching me... So talented, that boy, so very talented."
I shudder in disgust and erase the image of her and Crispin from my mind. He was forced to do it, it wasn't his choice. First, he was brainwashed, then she kept him under control by threatening a baby's life.
"What do you want?" I repeat coldly.
"To send a message. You'll understand in just a moment. I'm glad you got us outside, the view will be so much better from here."
I have no idea what she's talking about.
"Just give me your message and be done with it," I growl, tightening my grip on my magic.
"So impatient," she cackles. "Your mother would be disappointed. Well, she might be, for a few more seconds. Then she won't be able to anymore."
"What?"
"Oh sweetie, you're rather stupid, aren't you?"
She's smiling at me with Crispin's face and it makes me want to throw up. She's planned something bad, and it's about to happen.
The view... I look up. I can see several of the highest towers from here, including that which houses my mother's quarters. Oh no. She's going to attack Beira. What's the point though? My mum's already weakened and I'm now the one in control. Getting me out of the way would make so much more sense. Unless... she's the Morrigan. She likes to make people suffer.
Beira.
I spread my wings and jump into the air, flying towards the tower as fast as I can. Down below, I still hear Crispin's high-pitched laughter. I throw a fireball in his direction and beat my wings even faster. I need to get a better idea of the situation, and I can't get that by teleporting into my mother's quarters. I doubt the Morrigan would be doing something in there where nobody can see. No assassins this time. No poison. She wants everyone to know how we're not safe even in this Palace.
I pull on the bond connecting me to my Guardians, alerting them to danger, then spread out my magic to feel for threats.
Find whatever's endangering my mother,I beg it, hoping that for once, she'll do as I ask. She quickly races through the walls into the tower, exploring the rooms. I send her into my mother's bedroom first. There are no other people in there besides Beira, sleeping in her bed. Maybe there's some kind of magical artefact hidden in her quarters?
