Chapter 215: Caelan’s return

Post Summons

Caelan stood in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection.

They were in Lucius’ bedchambers, sealed since his death... thank the goddess for that.

Caelan leaned closer to the mirror, his eyes narrowing as he examined the burns covering half his face.

He touched the ruined skin and a sharp pain shot through him.

"My face." he began.

Miranda, who sat on the edge of the bed, let out a tired sigh.

"I will heal the burns as soon as I recover a little of my strength. Summoning you was not easy, Caelan."

He turned his head slightly, examining the damage from another angle.

"So Morgana is back," he said.

"You could say that." Miranda muttered. "She reincarnated. Surely the moon goddess’s idea of a joke. She is Ayla now."

"Which brings us to why you summoned me, Miranda."

She regarded him for a long moment.

"Amara is alive and she is planning something with the girl."

"I do not see how that concerns me." Caelan turned from the mirror. "I did my part, and I died."

"You did your part, yes." Miranda rose slowly. "But you never got what you wanted, remember? You should have been leader. Instead, you died."

"And who made it so that that poison was powerful enough to kill me?" he snapped, spinning around to face her.

"Caelan..."

"I should kill you for what you did."

Miranda barely had time to react before he stood in front of her, his glare pinning her in place.

"We had to make it strong." Miranda raised both hands in a plea. "It was the only way it would have taken down Morgana, and you know it. I did not think it would affect you that way. I would never have let it."

"And now you want me to do something again for you."

"I am offering you an opportunity to get everything you have ever desired, Caelan." Miranda lowered her hands slowly. "Tell me that you do not want that."

Caelan considered this.

He had been worth nothing in his life and that was the truth of it.

A man who had been chosen by the Omega Dualis as her mate.

That was the only thing he had ever been known for, the only thing he had ever been worth, and it had killed him a little every day.

When Miranda had come to him with her plans, he had already been resentful of Morgana.

She was the best thing that had ever happened to him and the worst, because the sight of her made him aware of his own shortcomings.

She was powerful where he was weak, feared where he was overlooked and admired where he was pitied.

Then the Moon Goddess had somehow put the sons of Lyriene in Morgana’s path. The three princes she was supposed to be mated to.

They were everything he was not, only Morgana had loved him beyond words and reason.

In his resentful, addled mind he could never understand why she would choose him above worthier men and so he had told himself it was because she thought him harmless... like a fly or maybe a pet she could have around.

He still thought the same even now.

"What do you need me to do?" Caelan asked.

"Nothing yet." Miranda’s shoulders relaxed slightly. "Lucius has a brother and he rules this pack now. His name is Alistair and I want you to take his place."

"His place?"

"They are identical brothers. When I am well and able to heal you, Alistair will be removed from the equation. He, however has a woman, Willow... she is his Luna."

"And you expect she would not know the difference between me and her mate?" Caelan stared at her incredulously.

"Don’t worry yourself about that." Miranda smiled. "By the time I am done, there will be no difference between you and Alistair.

"Even his scent?"

"Yes." Miranda held his gaze.

He believed her.

Miranda had always been a strong priestess.

The fact that she was still alive was enough to tell him she had survived against all odds.

"You will take his place until everything is in order. You will rule Emberfall, and you will make sure Willow has nothing to suspect until our plan is complete."

"What plan?"

"The Alpha council. Remember them?"

Caelan blinked.

"They are still alive?"

"Not the ones you knew. Their descendants. I kept the pact for a reason, and they have cut me out of it."

Of course. Caelan thought.

Of course it always came back to what Miranda wanted.

It had been that way when she was young and beautiful and standing in the shadow of the queen, and it was that way now.

Miranda had not changed at all.

"And where do I fit into all of this?" he asked.

"You will help me gain access to the council. They have a pact now with Lucius..."

"The man whose body I am in?"

"Yes. You will ensure that when the time comes, they will have no choice but to listen to me."

"And in exchange?"

"You will control Emberfall and you will have a position among those who will rule the new world."

"You expect me to trust you now?"

"I expect you to understand that we need each other, Caelan... like we did in the past."

He watched her carefully.

She was desperate.

He could see it in the tightness around her eyes, in the way her fingers kept curling into her palms.

She desperately needed him for whatever she had planned which meant he had the advantage.

"Very well," he said. "I will do what you ask."

Her expression softened with relief.

"Thank you."

He smiled at her.

He had been her tool once but this time, he would not be fooled.

He would do what she asked but he would build something of his own...one of personal world domination.

And if she thinks to get in his way...

Well, she has lived long enough.