Page 31 of Ignited Spirits (Haunted Magic #3)
The walls are bare, and the curae milling around are dressed in simpler clothing, like they don’t have to care as much about their appearance here.
They’re still in button-downs and slacks, but I don’t see anyone in the intricate guard uniform.
Everyone here looks surprisingly white collar—if I ignore the wings, tails, and bright hair of all colors, of course.
He barks out a laugh. “You won’t hear any argument from me. I do what is necessary to maintain order and ensure the citizens of Infernus have what they need. More often than not, that requires me to be an asshole.”
Once again, I’m struck by how lonely his job sounds.
He’s not king so that he has power or riches or fame. Hades is king because he cares about the people and realm he rules over. Yet, he can never really be a regular person or even that likable if he wants to keep his throne.
“What happens when you don’t wanna be king anymore? Do you just fuck off to a seaside retreat somewhere?” There must’ve been other kings before Hades, so I wonder if they’re still alive somewhere, living their best lives.
“No.” His lips curve up into a smile with a bitter edge to it. “There’s no retirement for this job. My only options are to continue working or be killed off by someone who wants my throne.”
My eyes widen. “That’s… depressing.”
“It’s the cycle of life, earthling.” He shrugs like it doesn’t bother him, but I see a hint of vulnerability in his gaze. He quickly shutters it and flashes me a biting smile. “Don’t worry your empty blonde head about it. I’ll be around for longer than you’ll exist.”
I roll my eyes but don’t push the subject. He’s clearly done talking about it, which I can respect.
As we’re walking through a simple black doorway into what looks like a conference room, something occurs to me. “Wait. How long will I live?”
As I wait for someone to answer my question, I look around the barren conference room.
A large oval table that looks like it was made out of a tree trunk dominates the room.
It’s big enough to seat around thirty people, if the number of simple black high-backed chairs surrounding it is anything to go by.
A whiteboard decorates one wall, and walnut wood cabinets are dotted along the other walls. Other than that, it’s just empty space and matte black rock.
“We… don’t exactly know,” Levi answers. “You’re half cura , and I’m fully cura. Curae have shared lifespans with their mates, so there’s a good chance you’ll live as long as I do and won’t die of natural causes.”
“I don’t think anyone expected me to die of old age, Levi.” I give him a droll look as I try to ignore the way my heart is beating frantically against my rib cage.
I don’t want to live forever. I want to be dead and gone by the time the sun eats the Earth and all of humanity dies. I have no plans for my life in ten years because I thought I’d be killed by then. What am I supposed to even do for billions of years?
I hear an eerie growl behind me and whip around to see Archer’s eyes glowing purple. “Can we not talk about you dying? Please? The hydra sharing my body really hates that topic,” Archer forces out through gritted teeth.
I shoot him an apologetic look. While I didn’t mean to rile Legion, it’s clear I did.
Hades jumps up from his spot at the head of the table. He turns his disbelieving gaze on Archer. “You’re a hydra now?”
“Yep.” Archer’s eyes are still glowing purple, but his voice doesn’t sound as strained. “His name is Legion, and he’s kinda terrifying.”
When Archer mentions Legion, Hades’s mouth drops open. He opens and closes it a few times, trying to figure out what to say before turning accusingly to Levi. “When the fuck were you going to tell me Legion—of all the fates-damned hydras—was reincarnated into your mate group?”
Levi shrugs, not flinching in the face of his brother’s anger and disbelief. “We just found out. It’s not like I had an opening to tell you that Izzy somehow put the king of hydras into the young wolf.”
“I did what now?” I squeak, reeling from the overload of information.
It’s bad enough that I put a mythical being into Archer, but apparently the being I chose is powerful enough to freak out Hades, which is not a good sign.
Sighing, Levi walks to one of the chairs opposite Hades and sits down. “Come here,” he orders. I want to know what’s going on more than I hate being told what to do, so I listen without protest. When I reach him, he tugs me down until I’m sitting on his lap.
“Legion is the king of the hydras. He hasn’t been seen for almost as long as I’ve been alive. Legend has it that he’s only brought forth in times of extreme need, which I think fighting Lua Mater qualifies as. During the healing process, you must’ve called him, and he answered.”
“What does that mean for Archer?” I ask. “And why does Legion refer to me as ‘mate’?”
“It doesn’t mean that much for Archer. He’s stronger and harder to kill than he was before, and he has to share his body with Legion.
But because he’s your mate, it doesn’t mean anything for his lifespan.
” Levi pauses to consider his words for a moment before continuing.
“As to the mate part, well, hydras, like other creatures of Infernus , have a life mate. You’re his. ”
“The cura is correct, mate. I will not harm your wolf, and I will make his animal stronger when he is finished healing.” I turn around to find Legion standing right behind me, his gravelly, otherworldly voice sending shivers down my spine.
“I have searched through many, many lifetimes for the match to my soul, and I found it in you.”
I only barely register him saying that Archer’s wolf is alive because I’m still shocked by the whole mate situation. “What does that mean for me?”
He bends down so that our faces are level. This close, I can see that his eyes darken to almost black next to his slitted pupils. “Nothing that you do not wish it to mean, mate. What happens between us is up to you. Simply finding you and having the privilege of knowing you is enough for me.”
Legion reaches out his hand to touch my face. When I don’t flinch away, he cups my cheek tenderly. He brushes his thumb along my cheekbone as he stares at me with wonder. After a moment, the purple starts to fade away, leaving the aquamarine eyes I know so well.
“He seems… nice?” Archer’s voice gets high at the end, turning his statement into more of a question.
I can’t help my laugh, and Archer rewards me with a heart-melting grin. I sober and duck my head, feeling horrible every time Legion seizes control. “I’m sorry you have to share your body with Legion, sunny boy. I swear I didn’t mean to.”
“I know you didn’t mean to, and stop apologizing, sunshine.
You heard Levi. Having Legion along for the ride isn’t going to hurt me.
It might actually make me stronger. And I’m gonna get my wolf back eventually, so there’s nothing to be sorry about.
” Archer leans in to press a short and sweet kiss to my lips before stepping back.
I swallow down my words of protest because right now really isn’t the time to talk about feelings. Instead, I ask the room, “What are hydras, and why did Hades freak out that Archer is one?”
Hades scoffs. “I did not ‘freak out.’ And hydras, or anguia as they’re known here, aren’t confined to one realm or bound by the same laws of space and time as we are.
Some say they formed with the creation of the universe, while others say they created the universe.
Regardless of how or why they came to be, anguia have magic older than anything I have encountered and are so rare that most think they’re a myth.
If they wanted to, anguia could easily take over all the realms in existence and wipe all of us out. ”
That’s terrifying. I could tell that Legion was old and powerful from the energy pouring off him, but I didn’t think he was quite as old as time itself.
“I still don’t understand how I put him into Archer.”
“ Anguia manifest when someone calls out during a time of great need. Your desperation to save your mate and your need to stop Lua must’ve spoken to him. He might’ve also recognized your soul. Who knows?” Hades shrugs. “You’ll need to ask him if you want a definitive answer, earthling.”
I worry my lip between my teeth. “Could he take control of Archer and never give it back?”
“He could, but I don’t think that’s likely. I doubt he’d want to upset his mate, so count yourself lucky. The rest of us have little protection against the whims of anguia . Fortunately, they’ve shown little interest in ruling, conquering, or interfering in our affairs, for the most part.”
“Why are we talking about hydras?” a random cura who walks into the room asks.
His lime green eyes narrow on my family before settling on me.
He shoves his ash gray hair out of his elven face as he tries to figure out something before turning to Hades.
“Why is there a gaggle of Earth dwellers here, and since when does Leviathan employ whores from that planet?”
My eyes widen at his insult, and I barely have time to think oh shit before Archer’s eyes turn the vibrant purple of Legion.