Chapter 11: DEMON GENERAL MORRIGAN

Morrigan arrived in Elmsford at dawn by crashing through Vael’s inn window.

Vael woke with one hand around her throat.

Old habits.

The woman suspended above his bed had crimson horns, black hair, gold eyes, and the expression of someone having the happiest near-death experience of her life.

"My King," she whispered.

Vael released her.

She hit the floor, immediately knelt, and pressed her forehead to the boards.

"After sixty-one years, your glorious aura has returned! Command me! Shall I mobilize the legions? Poison the wells? Burn the eastern—"

"No."

Morrigan looked up.

"No... poisoning?"

"No anything."

Vael pulled on his coat.

"I am retired."

Morrigan stared as if he had announced that gravity was optional.

"But you are young again."

"I look forty-five."

"You looked ninety when I last saw you."

"Ninety-seven."

"Exactly! A miracle! Clearly the dark gods have restored you so we may resume conquest."

"The dark gods never answered my letters."

"They feared the responsibility."

A knock sounded at the door.

"Vale?" Lyria called. "Breakfast."

Vael’s face changed.

Morrigan noticed.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Who is that?"

"No one."

[Lie detected.]

"Quiet."

Morrigan’s horns tilted slightly.

"You speak to yourself now?"

Another knock.

Vael looked at Morrigan.

"You are my cousin."

"I am a succubus general who commanded the Night Wing beneath your throne for thirty-two years."

"Today you are my cousin."

The door opened before either could move.

Lyria stepped inside carrying two paper bags.

She stopped.

Morrigan was kneeling beside Vael’s bed.

Vael was half dressed.

Silence acquired physical weight.

Lyria slowly raised an eyebrow.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Vael said instantly.

"Yes," Morrigan said at the same time.

Vael’s killing intent filled the room.

The System appeared.

[SOCIAL EMERGENCY QUEST]

[Introduce two important people in your life without threats, violence, lies involving secret marriages, or murder.]

[Reward: Emotional Maturity +1]

[Failure Penalty: Host cannot say the words kill, murder, execute, slaughter, annihilate, or massacre for 12 hours.]

Vael stared at the list.

"That is oddly specific."

[Experience.]

Lyria pointed at Morrigan.

"Who?"

"My cousin."

[Warning: Lie.]

Vael ignored it.

"Morrigan."

"My King—"

Vael looked at her.

She corrected herself.

"Cousin."

Lyria looked at the horns.

"Your cousin is a demon."

"My family is complicated."

That was, annoyingly, true.

Morrigan rose with aristocratic grace and took Lyria’s hand.

"And you are?"

"Lyria Valcrest."

Morrigan froze.

Her gaze dropped to the silver sword.

Then to Vael.

Then back to Lyria.

Her smile became terrifyingly polite.

"Valcrest?"

Vael stepped between them.

"No wars before breakfast."

Lyria blinked.

"What?"

"Family saying."

[Deception Skill +6]

Breakfast was a disaster.

Morrigan interrogated Lyria using questions disguised as small talk.

"Do you have siblings?"

"One older brother."

"Military service?"

"Royal Guard."

"Interesting. Fort assignment?"

Vael kicked Morrigan under the table.

She smiled.

"Pure curiosity."

Lyria interrogated Morrigan because no one believed distant cousins normally called each other My King when they thought nobody was listening.

"What side of Vale’s family are you from?"

Morrigan paused.

"The... infernal side."

"Excuse me?"

"Mother’s side."

Vael ate toast and regretted surviving the Black War.

Then Morrigan looked at Lyria’s sword again.

"Your ancestor put that blade through His—"

Vael’s hand clamped over her mouth.

The System flashed red.

[Threatening posture detected.]

"I am preventing disclosure."

[Host has also mentally considered homicide three times.]

"That is private."

Morrigan bit his hand.

Vael released her.

"Do that again and I will—"

The System chimed.

[QUEST FAILED.]

[Penalty activated.]

Vael’s mouth stopped.

He tried again.

"I will..."

Nothing.

Morrigan waited.

Vael pointed at her.

"I will aggressively reduce your future options."

Lyria stared.

Morrigan’s eyes widened with delight.

"My King has been cursed into diplomacy."

For the next twelve hours, Vael could not say a single violent verb.

This proved catastrophic when two drunk mercenaries started a fight outside the inn.

Vael stepped between them.

"Stop, or I will... inconvenience you permanently."

The mercenaries laughed.

Thirty seconds later they were unconscious in a horse trough.

Lyria folded her arms.

"You said no violence."

"I said no such thing."

"You couldn’t."

Morrigan laughed so hard she fell against the wall.

Vael decided the System had crossed a line.

Unfortunately, he could not say what he wanted to do about it.