"Hello Syryn Nigh'hart, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"Who are you?" Syryn replied with venom in his tone.

The poisoned apple in his hand tilted his head back and stared into Syryn's eyes. "You know who I am, Syryn. You just don't want to believe it."

"That's impossible."

"Really?" Lucien smiled and it was darker, more shadowed than it had any right to be. "It happened to you so why not me?"

He had a point. As strange as it was, Syryn had the Lord of Pain and Suffering in his arms, still weak and small. If he was allowed to grow powerful, what manner of havoc would he unleash into this world? Syryn had given Luci a chance but could he do the same for an already corrupt Lucien? More importantly, could Syryn find it in him to kill Lucien?

Slouched back in Syryn's arms, Lucien looked as comfortable as he would in a familiar armchair. "I suppose I owe you for jumping down a cliff for me." The red head's lashes hung thick over his eyes like moth wings against his pale skin.

"But it's goodbye from here on, big brother." The way his words rolled off Lucien's tongue was smooth and polished. Syryn hated that those words were coming out of Luci's lips. For the sake of both of them, he decided to deal with Lucien as he would another demon. There was no room anymore for kindness and patience.

The silence stretched between the two demons and Syryn finally spoke. "You have some real nerve, Lucien." Without so much as a flicker in his tone or expression, he continued, "You think I'll let you run away after all the trouble I went through?"

Syryn stared him down with the full weight of his displeasure. "Don't fuck with me Red." A name they were both familiar with.

A hint of anger bled through the curve of Lucien's lips. "Don't call me that." It was an understatement to say Lucien hated being called Red, a moniker used to mock him.

"You have no leverage for bargaining, Red. I can snuff out your pathetic life right here and now if I choose to do so."

"Then do it."

They were at an impasse. Lucien knew how much his younger self meant to Syryn.

"Fine," Syryn told him with a careless wave of his hand towards the door. "Go Red, walk out the door and get caught by Traxdart. You know of the prophecy, don't you? Congratulations, you're getting promoted from son-in-law to boy toy." Syryn then turned off his illusion. He needed to remind Lucien exactly who Syryn was.

Lucien's inhuman eyes were pinned to Syryn's face. The boy was taking his time to think, to mull over his situation and the reality of being captured once again by Traxdart. "How annoying." He replied flatly.

Syryn curled his lips up at the boy in a disparaging smile. His eyes, the colour of ink, smouldered with power. "Are you an idiot Lucien? Because I think you are." Syryn could only bully him like this while Lucien's power remained weak.

The redhead gave him an answering smile and brought his face close to Syryn's as if he was trying to occupy the same space as the dark-haired demon. "I guess I am an idiot." Lucien's lashes dipped and then he laughed, a sweet lilt of his childish voice. "I'll let you have him for now then, your dear Luci."

The child's body abruptly tipped forward and Syryn caught him with one arm. Lucien's fever had abated and his condition seemed stable for now.

"Syryn," alarmed red eyes blinked up at him. "I don't want to leave." It had been a shock for Lucien to find another presence inside him and then seeing Syryn for who he truly was. There was a desperation in the way Lucien drew his arms around Syryn's neck. "Please don't make me leave.."

With a heavy sigh, Syryn rubbed the child's back. Things had gotten infinitely more complicated with Lucien's return. But why did Syryn awaken before him? Why did Lucien awaken now? How was it that Lucien hadn't taken over Luci's consciousness but shared his body like a split personality? Would the other demons wake up as well? His thoughts went round and round till he heard the sound of gentle knocking on the door.

"Come in."

Alka pushed open the door and stood at the doorway with some hesitation. His eyes flickered over to Lucien who was still stuck to Syryn like a snake wrapped around its prey.

"The walls are not soundproof.." Alka spoke after clearing his throat.

Syryn nodded woodenly. "Where's Magnus?"

Alka dipped his head and studied the floor pattern like it was a rope he was grasping at to avoid looking at Syryn. "We hadn't intended to eavesdrop so we only heard snatches of the conversation."

"He just needs some time to clear his head." Alka's soft gaze turned back to Lucien, "Magnus truly cares about Luci. That's why he needs to figure out how to approach this.. development."

And Syryn was fine with that. The mages had never questioned Lucien's humanity but he knew they were all aware of how different Lucien was. And they had accepted that like how they'd accepted Syryn. Now all that was left to do was for Magnus to decide what he felt about his beloved Luci sharing a mind with a dangerous stranger.

Alka had made his stance clear with the silent support he was giving them. Syryn didn't deserve such good people, he thought to himself.

"Thank you, Alka. I've never said this before but I want to take this moment to let you know how grateful I am. Luci and I, we-"

Alka's eyes went wide and he shook his head. "Please don't say that. Magnus and I owe our lives to you. We wouldn't be here without you Syryn," he replied with an endearing softness.

"I just wanted to let you know, that's all," Syryn awkwardly replied. He wasn't very good at the art of exchanging sentimentalities.

"Luci has fallen asleep." Alka pointed out, effectively changing the topic. It seemed he was just as bad as Syryn when it came to such things.

Magnus had been away the entire evening. Syryn was rightfully worried about it and he paced the kitchen floor even as the moon climbed up to hang over the velvet sky. Alka had taken up babysitting and guard duty, and he was in the spare room with a sleeping Luci.

When a peaceful blanket of sleep had settled over the night, the door to the kitchen swung open without a sound. Magnus had returned.