1.55 The Other Lover

Cordelia didn’t have a lot of experience with heartbreak. Weeks went by in a grey haze. When would it feel better, Cordelia wondered? She and Morgyn hadn’t really dated that long… No, they never really dated at all. So why was it so hard to get over whatever it was? Why did she feel so empty? People got over much longer and much more serious relationships much quicker than this.

But how could she think about anything else? It was New Year’s Day. This time last year, her and Morgyn shared their first kiss on that balcony at Von Haunt Estate. She still remembered how magical that felt.

But it was the beginning of the end. Because it was also this time last year when Morgyn met Micah. As soon as that happened, she’d already lost them. Stupid Micah and his stupid perfect face and the stupid perfect way he acted, always so stupidly considerate of her…

And yet, she still felt guilty about how she went off on him after Morgyn ended things with her. Kicking him out of his own home, even though he’d always treated her with nothing but kindness. He did not deserve that. And in a way, she missed him too.

It was definitely not normal to miss your ex’s other lover after the breakup. But this was no breakup, and Morgyn was not her ex. They were never anything at all.

Cordelia had been invited to the magic realm for Winterfest – she had received both an official invite from Morgyn through the post, and had been asked by Dandy to come join him as his guest. But how could she go? See Morgyn and Micah together and happy. Face L Faba’s satisfaction at the sight of her misery. No, the idea of being alone with the sprites seemed more appealing. Except this year, even the sprites didn’t come to see her.

There was a knock on the door, forcing her to temporarily withdraw from the gloom of her thoughts. It was probably Dandy, she thought. But she didn’t want to see the elf. She didn’t want to see anyone.

The knocking was persistent. Typical Dandy, Cordelia groaned inwardly. She forced herself to get up.

It was the evening already, and she hadn’t even mustered the energy to get dressed. Luckily, Dandy wouldn’t care that she was just in her PJs. Not that she’d be asking him to come in anyway, hopefully, she could keep the visit brief.

She opened the door. “Dandy, I told you I-”

“Good, so you are alive.” Morgyn invited themself in.

Cordelia couldn’t even protest. After all, the house technically belonged to the sage. As do you, a little voice at the back of her head reminded Cordelia. It wasn’t wrong. It was the first time she’d seen Morgyn since that awful talk, and just the sight of the sage somehow still made her heart weak and her hopes unreasonable, even though Micah was with them.

“Everyone in the magic realm was worried when you didn’t show up for the Winterfest celebrations.” The sage continued.

Cordelia highly doubted that. L Faba would probably consider it a gift from Father Winter himself if Cordelia was found dead in a ditch, and Simeon made it perfectly clear that he considered her an inconvenience, a stray, as he’d put it.

“I… I’m fine.” She said weakly.

The sage made themselves comfortable in the armchair by the door.

“Have you made any new year’s resolutions, Cordelia?”

“What?” Cordelia stared at them. She didn’t dare glance Micah’s way, the vampire hadn’t spoken a word to her either.

“You should consider making one.” Morgyn told her brightly. “You look like you need some direction.”

“Anyway, personally, I did make a resolution this year, one of great significance.”

“Oh?”

“While I do not age, as you are aware, the events in Selvadorada have made it abundantly clear that there is still a possibility I may not live forever.” The sage informed her.

Cordelia wasn’t sure where they were going with this. “So… your resolution is to change that?”

“In a sense,” Morgyn affirmed. “I detest complying with convention, but I keep coming back to the same conclusion – the conventional way mortals ensure they live on would still be… appealing.”

What was that supposed to mean? “I don’t understand,” she admitted.

“I desire an heir. A child.”

Cordelia could feel her jaw dropping. “I… why are you telling me this?”

“I think you know.” Morgyn looked into her eyes. “For obvious reasons, I am not able to have a child the traditional way. But that doesn’t mean I can’t have an heir regardless.”

She still didn’t know where this was going… or perhaps she did.

“How would you feel about having a child, Cordelia?”

This couldn’t be real. How could it be real? “But… why me?”

“Contrary to what you believe, I do consider both you and Micah special. So when it comes to who should be the mother, I can’t think of anyone but you.”

Cordelia’s head was spinning. Morgyn called her special. She did not see any of this coming when she answered the door. I can’t think of anyone but you. She knew Morgyn didn’t mean it that way. And it hurt like hell. But it was what she’d wanted to hear for so long… Of course, Morgyn wasn’t just speaking about her.

“Me and Micah?” She realised, looking at the vampire. He just stared at the ground, his eyes avoiding her.

“Micah has already agreed.” Morgyn confirmed casually, as if all of this was a trivial matter. “It’s your call now.”

Micah agreed? He was looking anywhere but her direction. “Can vampires even have children?” Cordelia wondered out loud.

“I suppose we will find out.” The sage shrugged. “Well, we will find out if you agree, that is. So what do you say, Cordelia? Will you do this for me?”

Morgyn said she was special, special enough to have their child… she’d never dared to dream they would say anything like that. Not that she would have dreamed of it happening like this. But still…

“Yes.”

Micah stopped avoiding looking at her, turning to her abruptly with a stare of disbelief. “Wait, what? You’re not actually-”

“Perfect, everyone’s on board then.” The sage interrupted.

“How does this work, exactly?” Cordelia asked. “Some kind of spell?”

“Yes. Some kind of spell.” Morgyn nodded, standing up. “I must admit, this is one I am borrowing from L Faba’s repertoire, but I promise it won’t be unpleasant. Infatuate!”

A beam of light enveloped her briefly.

And then Cordelia saw Micah.

Of course, she’d seen him countless times before. But somehow, this felt like the first time she could actually see him. His perfect face. The way he acted, so considerate of her. The way he always treated her, with nothing but kindness.

Perhaps she’d never truly seen him at all. Not until now.

Now he was all she could see.

Felt like everything but him had disappeared. The two of them were the only people in the world that mattered. She wasn’t sure if anyone had ever looked at her the way he was now. But he still tried to do that whole sensible thing of his…

“Cordelia, I don’t think this is a good… idea.”

His conviction seemed to have died mid-way through the sentence.