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LAUDON'S POV

"You're distracted."

Lila climbs off Laudon and lies next to him in bed, feeling more concerned than disappointed by the blank expression on his face. Mentally, Laudon appears to be in a whole other world. Lila cups him by the chin, turning his head so they are facing one another. She calls his name several times, gently slapping him on the cheek to regain his attention.

Seconds later, Laudon blinks, slowly registering where he is and who he is with.

"I... What happened?" Laudon mutters, confused. He looks down at his naked body, then looks over at Lila's naked body, and he suddenly realizes what they were getting ready to do before he zoned out. "Oh. Were we...?" Laudon chuckles, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I was..."

"Not here with me," Lila says, teasingly. "I've noticed that you haven't quite been yourself ever since that battle with Jicha. I want to know why that is, and I also want to know where your mind has been taking you every time you slip away and detach from the present." Lila places a hand on Laudon's chest, her dark eyes glued to his. "Please talk to me?"

"Yes, of course. I was..." Laudon starts again but pauses.

He knows Lila isn't the jealous type, never has been, but still, he is unsure how she would react to the news about the puzzling visions that he has been having, visions and blurry daydreams of a woman that he has never met. Laudon is also unsure how Lila will process his complex feelings towards Maggie Brumfield, the human girl that he cannot stop thinking about.

Lila, being part of his inner circle, knows the basics of Laudon's arrangement with Maggie—knows how she summoned him via the ritual, knows how she is something more than human, and how she must find Laudon a replacement soul due to him not being able to claim hers. Lila knows as much as Zul does, but what Lila doesn't know, however, is that Laudon has been off his game way before the fight with Jicha.

Laudon's problems began after his first interaction with Maggie. If anyone is to blame for him acting differently, it is her.

"Laudon? Stay with me, darling." Lila leans in to kiss him, hoping it will be enough to keep him grounded. "Don't zone out on me again. I get so frightened when that happens."

"I'm sorry," Laudon says. He grabs Lila by the hand, kissing it before kissing her again. He sighs when they part. "I think Zul might be right."

"Tell me everything," Lila pleads. "Right about what?"

"Maggie. I believe she might have actually broken me," Laudon confesses. "She struck me on the night we first met, and at the time I thought nothing of it. She didn't kill me; I healed a few hours later. But not long after that is when I began having these strange visions of a woman I've never met. I'm certain it has something to do with Maggie and her powers, but I've yet to find a connection that links us all together. I..." Laudon pauses, taking in Lila's worried face. He shakes his head, chuckling humorlessly. "I sound like a madman, don't I?"

"Not at all," Lila says, sweetly caressing his face. "I'm in agreement with you."

"You are?"

"Of course. It makes perfect sense when you think about it." Lila offers him a comforting smile, sitting up in bed to place his head on her lap. "You were fine, mentally and physically, before you met and were attacked by the human girl—"

"Her name is Maggie."

"And she is part-human, is she not?" Lila rolls her eyes after Laudon closes his, her fingers lightly running through his hair. "Whatever you prefer to call her, the point is that you were fine before her, and these visions didn't become a thing until after her, so evidently she's the problem. We simply have to uncover why if ever we wish to resolve it."

"Her blood. I was certain the answers would lie there," Laudon says. "But after Myrlande's tests... it left me with more questions than answers. Maggie isn't entirely human, nor is she part angel or deity."

"She definitely isn't one of us," Lila adds. "So what are the other options?"

"I'm not sure. But my father always preached about staying two steps ahead of your enemy, so he would have already found out if God had been working on creating a new race of humans, though that's still a possibility." Laudon sighs in frustration, opening his eyes. He finally cracks a smile after Lila makes a silly face at him, sticking out her tongue. "You were right, you know."

"I'm always right, my darling." Lila winks, teasing. "But do tell me about what, specifically?"

"Me needing you after that fight with Jicha," Laudon whispers, one hand absentmindedly playing with one of Lila's bright red curls. "I tore him apart during our battle, but it hadn't been enough to calm the storm he'd started within me. And to make matters worse, I..." Laudon pauses, briefly reflecting on the impromptu visit that he had paid Maggie that night. "I met with..."

Maggie had been out at a party when her bracelet had indicated that the soul of an innocent was nearby. Laudon felt the calling and wasted no time traveling to Edreial to learn more about Maggie's target, her replacement soul. But of course, Laudon's meeting with Maggie had gone absolutely nowhere, mostly having consisted of her shouting at him, and him threatening her to uphold her end of the deal that they had made.

For the most part, Laudon had remained in control of himself until Maggie tried to touch him, having noticed the bruises on his neck. Laudon stopped her before she could, his reflexes quick as he captured her by the wrist. That's when he felt it again. Maggie's vibrant energy. Her intoxicating power. It wrapped around him tightly, almost felt as if he was being embraced by the sun. His adrenaline had been up since his fight with Jicha, but Maggie's touch made it soar twofold. Laudon's desire to bring Maggie close and do things that he had only ever done with Lila was nearing the figurative roof above his head. He was grateful that Maggie's friend had interrupted them, giving him a few seconds to center himself before he retreated to Hell.

Days have passed and Laudon has yet to part from Lila, the only drug strong enough to mellow him out.

"Met with who, darling?" Lila questions, giving his hair a gentle tug. "If you space out again, I'll bite you."

"I'm already covered in your bitemarks... what's one more?" Laudon chuckles, forcing himself back into the moment. He sits up to pull Lila back onto his lap, his hands slowly sliding down her body and under the sheets. "Let's go again." He leans forward to kiss her, making a desperate attempt to ignore how his brain malfunctions for the umpteenth time, Maggie's face taking place of Lila's.

"What is it? Why are you hesitating?"

"I'm so sorry. I..." A knock at the door saves Laudon from having to lie. He excuses himself to answer it, relieved to see Myrlande standing on the other side. "Took you long enough to find me."

"If not in your bedroom or office, you are most likely shacked up somewhere with the redheaded mistress." Myrlande smirks, briefly waving at Lila. "My apologies for not being able to come to you sooner. I have been reading every bit of ancient text that I could get my hands on, trying to uncover more information regarding Maggie and her powers. Sadly, many of the questions that we have been asking remain unanswered."

"Thank you for trying, nevertheless. But I assume you're here to tell me that you're ready for our appointment?" Laudon asks.

"That is correct, so get dressed and meet me in your office in twenty."

"My office? Why not your place instead? Won't you have to run tests on me or something?"

Myrlande flashes a smile that does not quite reach her eyes. "Do as I say, my prince. I will explain more later."

"But—" Myrlande disappears before Laudon can utter an objection.

. . .