She was not sure how, but the rays of the sun still found their way to nearly blind her eyes even as she kept them closed. She moaned in discomfort for a few seconds, then finally decided to open them. She flickered them open and her long curled lashes cast a shadow over her brows. She spent long minutes staring into nothing, trying to collect the pieces of her mind together, not sure how they had been scattered in the first place.
It took a while, and she only managed to recover one important thought: she was Sheba, the Enchantress Supreme.
At that thought she rose from the bed slowly, then began trying to discern her environment for the first time. She sighed at the sight of the morning light still spilling through the tall arched window she had only just noticed. It was pale and gold, cutting across dark stone walls and setting dust motes aflame.
"You have done enough," she snapped, and with a single glance at the curtain they drew quickly over the window, denying the light entrance at once.
She breathed, and the trimmed candles on the magnificent sittings around were lit immediately. Feeling much more comfortable, she began to look around the room once more.
The room was huge and quiet. A thick fur rug lay before a hearth where low flames crackled without smoke, taking the chill off. By the bed stood a carved table with a silver pitcher, a cup of water, fresh bread, and honey.
"Tsk," she scoffed. The whole place gave off a very familiar aura, but she did not want to make peace with the thoughts flooding into her mind. Moreover, she had spent too much time here and must leave quickly. Her Hexing Spire gave her more comfort than this odd place.
She stomped her right foot hard on the marble floor and her broom appeared in her right hand. She drew the curtains and outside the glass, black towers cut the sky. The towers looked too familiar to her, but she shut her mind once more and simply left.
Flying upon her broom, she kept her head straight, refusing to look down or look back. Her gaze remained forward as she sped through the thick clouds, sailing south toward her coven.
She arrived in no time; her gaze met all the witches of the coven, who bowed deeply before her with their faces to the sand.
As her foot touched the soil, their voices rose in praise to her glory, their echoes in one accord.
"FROM SILENCE TO SONG, THE CIRCLE BINDS.
BY SHADOW AND STAR, THE PATH UNWINDS.
THE HEXING SPIRE STIRS, THE OLD NAME SHINES.
STEP FORTH, REINCARNATED—YOUR THRONE YOU SHALL FIND.
ALL OF CULLEN IS YOURS. THE NIGHT IS THINE.
WELCOME BACK, ENCHANTRESS SUPREME."
The chant kindled pride within Sheba and now she had her awareness completely. She had been gone for so long; it felt so good to be back.
Her lips curved into an evil smile. "Oh, how I have missed you all—my despicable witches and warlocks. You all look as wicked as ever!"
Her words led to a loud uproar, and with a single wave of her hand they fell silent. She noticed a lot of new presences within them and absence of some familiar ones. Of course, it has been so long. The witch or a warlock's lifespan depended on the level of the sorcery, no fixed lifespan. The more powerful they were, the longer they lived. The new presences were all witches born in her absence. She knew this and was even more delighted to realize that the additions to the witch race did well not to forget who the enchantress supreme was.
"I sense a high level of sorcery in the air, far out of proportion, I must say," she paused a bit, "What happened?" she asked finally.
Nyx stepped forward immediately.
"Your Supremacy, we spent all night wiping out the humans that converted witch territory in anticipation of your return. We could not have them about, annoying you with their senselessness while the coven remained subdued."
"The coven was subdued?!" Her fists clenched.
"Yes, Your Supremacy," Denna added. Elisha had set her free not long ago; she had no use keeping her anymore, since she already knew where she was.
"Who would dare subdue my coven?!" rage echoed in her voice.
"It was the human goddess, Your Supremacy," Shyla answered.
"Moist?!" Sheba felt overwhelming anger as her chest clenched in fury. "How could she?!"
Her rage was very visible to them all and they fell silent, waiting for the next word or action, but before it came Nyx already spoke.
"Rest easy, Your Supremacy. We already reclaimed the coven and struck greatly against the human nation. With your return, I am sure the human goddess will think twice before attacking the coven again."
She exhaled. She calmed herself. She had just returned, and she had another reason to destroy Moist, aside from her grudge against her for sealing her in the amulet. Her beloved sister sure had ways to infuriate her at every single opportunity. Good—she was back now; sooner or later she would settle the score with her. For now, she needed a steamy bath.
"Your Supremacy must be tired and weary. How about we escort you back to the Hexing Spire?" Denna spoke, as if reading her thoughts.
"Just right, Denna," Sheba nodded.
"Return to your abodes at once, my wicked witches and warlocks. By nightfall I shall host a banquet in the Hexing Spire. All are invited and all are expected to come. You despicable beings have surely gone through much in my absence—no more of that! I am back and our race shall rise to the top once more, a thousandfold more glorious than it was before!"
Their uproar filled the air again. They were beyond excited—powerful, dreadful, and more than ready to conquer other races and rise to the apex. Their Enchantress Supreme was back, and her power was unfathomable.
She left them at once, escorted by the witches of the First Order as she made her way to the Hexing Spire, her glorious abode.
She found her inner chambers immediately and was elated to find everything in place, just as she had left it. They had truly awaited her return with high hopes and she was not going to fail them again. With this second chance, she would bring other races beneath her feet and absolutely nothing would stop her.
She catwalked to the bone mirror that stood glamorously in the corner of the room, staring intently at her reflection. She kept her gaze fixed for long seconds, unable to shake the feeling that she was forgetting something.
She racked her memory, trying to remember, but her efforts were futile. Giving up, she decided to take her soothing bath first. Her maids-in-waiting had already gone to draw her a steamy bath the moment she graced the Hexing Spire with her presence, under Denna's order.
Denna was the most thoughtful and witty of the three witches of the First Order, and her strengths always came in handy for Sheba. The other witches had their strengths too, where they excelled Denna did not. Only that, right now, they would be of less use to Sheba than Denna's.
Exhaling deeply, she conjured a basic hair ribbon and made to put her long wavy hair up in a bun. As she lifted it, handful by handful from her neck, she uncovered a strange mark imprinted on the delicate skin of her throat.
She drew closer to the mirror to get a better view of the mark and immediately she saw it. Her heart sank.
"Mating mark," she whispered in terror. "The demon mating mark!"
Her vision became blurry; her head began to spin as strong migraines struck her skull.
"Arghh!" she cried in pain, and a flood of memories rushed into her mind—memories she so wished had never happened but were hers. The last words came, piercing her heart like a thousand spikes.
"I love you too, Nathan—now, always, and forever."
She had really said that. Her heart wrenched as she cried in anguish. What had she done? Was this really true? Was she indeed Lucifer's mate?
The thoughts and pain overwhelmed her. Darkness greeted her like warmth, clouding her sight. There it was: solace. She accepted.