Chapter 10
Paige: WOW! Was that not a rush or what?
Everyone had finally started to calm down after the last few moment's excitement. As Piper, Paige, and Phoebe sat down, Psyche walked over to where Lance still laid on the floor. Leo sat by Piper, while Cole went to stand next to Phoebe. Simon took a couple of steps toward Psyche and then hesitated.
Simon: Psyche?
Psyche: How is this possible? How could two witches have been fooled into marriage? Like father, like daughter, daddy used to always say. I should have known he was too good to be true.
She suddenly turned and faced Cole.
Psyche: Are you positive that it's him, Cole?
Cole: I swear to you it is, Psyche. I'm sorry. I wish I could be wrong.
Eros: Would someone please explain to me what is going on here?
In all the excitement, his presence had been forgotten. He still stood near the doorway where they'd left them in their fight against Cronos.
Psyche: First, you can explain to me why you are not dead. I saw the demon kill you.
Eros: No, what you saw was my astral form destroyed or at least it looked that way.
Psyche: And you couldn't have let me know, somehow?
Eros: No. I would have been risking your life. I would not have been able to live with myself if something had happened to you.
Psyche: You mean before you knew that I was half-demon, don't you?
The hurt in her voice from Eros' earlier comment was evident. He stared at the floor and fidgeted.
Eros: I did not mean that, Psyche. I was very angry. Your father told me many years ago that you were both.
He looked up at her then.
Eros: That fact does not change how I feel about you.
Paige: I hate to interrupt this reunion but Lance is not going to remain unconscious forever. What are we going to do about him?
Psyche: I'm going to marry him.
Everyone stared at her in shock. Then suddenly everyone began talking at once.
Cole: Are you insane?
Phoebe: You can't be serious...
Piper: He'll destroy you...
Paige: That sounds pretty insane to me, Cole.
Leo: Simon, say something...
Simon: Psyche, you are under some kind of spell...
Eros: No! You can't!
Psyche raised her hand and everyone stopped talking.
Psyche: No, I am not insane or under a spell. It's the only way to find out what the key is.
No one knew what to say. There was a low groan from the floor and everyone stepped back as Lance slowly woke up rubbing the back of his head.
Lance: Ooooh. What happened?
Psyche: Lance, are you o.k.?
Psyche went over to him and knelt down, a look of concern on her face.
Lance: I think so.
Cole: Psyche, I think we should talk more about this...
Psyche: There's nothing more to say, Cole. I think you should all leave.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige: No way!
Leo: We are not leaving.
Lance slowly stood up and faced the room.
Lance: So all of you still believe that I'm a demon.
Cole: We know it.
Lance turned and looked at Psyche.
Lance: And do you believe this nonsense, too?
Psyche: Of course not, darling. Would I ask them to leave, otherwise?
Eros: I'll kill you before you think you can have her.
Lance: Take your best shot. This time I'm ready for you.
Eros looked ready to attack when Psyche stepped between them.
Psyche: That is enough, both of you. There will be no more fighting in this house.
Lance: Psyche, you spoke of a key. What were you talking about?
Cole: As if you didn't know.
Lance: I believe she asked all of you to leave. You know what. I have a better idea. I'll leave.
Psyche: What?
Lance: I'll be back later, after they are gone, to pick you up for dinner. I'll be here at eight.
Lance suddenly wrapped his arms around Psyche, nearly picking her up, and bent his head to give her a very passionate kiss. This time, Psyche did not refuse and instead, kissed him back. The look on Eros' face was murderous while everyone watched with disbelief. After a moment, Lance broke the kiss.
Lance: Is that all right with you?
Psyche: Yes. That sounds perfect.
Lance: Great. I'll see you then.
With that, Lance turned on his heel and left. After the sound of the door closing could be heard, Eros walked up to Psyche and shook her.
Eros: Are you out of your mind?
Simon: That is enough, Eros.
Simon came up behind Eros and pulled him away.
Psyche: Of course I'm not out of my mind. Now we have until eight to figure out what to do.
Phoebe: What's to figure out? We vanquish him.
Psyche: Before or after the wedding, Phoebe? Remember, nobody knows how to vanquish him.
Nobody knew how to answer this. Psyche nodded in acknowledgement that her point had been taken then walked over to her father's book. As she sat down and began thumbing through the pages, a look of frustration crossed her face.
Psyche: Father, if only you were still alive. I need some help here.
Suddenly, the pages of her book began turning of their own accord and then stopped abruptly. The Charmed Ones looked skyward.
Phoebe: Thanks, Grams.
Psyche: Grams?
Piper: Yes. She sometimes helps us find what we need in our book the same way. What did she show you?
Psyche looked down at the page, read, and then looked up with a scowl on her face.
Psyche: Something I already knew.
Eros came into the room, finally, and sat across from her on the couch.
Eros: What do you mean, exactly?
Psyche: It says that the only way to defeat him is by releasing a soul that he has captured and the poem he told me before he died.
Eros: What poem?
Psyche: The time will come when I will be gone,
My soul taken and my life here undone.
The only key that exists I have hidden,
But you are the one who will find it and it must be within.
I have gone over everything father taught us for years, Eros. I can't figure it out. I've searched and searched and I've haven't found a single key that is out of place.
Eros: That's because you are looking for an actual key, Psyche
Paige: What do you mean by that?
Eros: It's not an object. It's really quite simple.
Phoebe: Then what is it?
Eros stood and went to look out the window at the gardens that he had not seen in years.
Psyche: Eros, if you know what it is then you must tell us. Otherwise, I will have to ask Lance, I mean, Lancelot, after we are married tomorrow.
Eros: Do you love him?
Simon: Eros, why are you being so evasive?
Eros turned then and stared at Simon.
Eros: Because she is the one who is supposed to figure it out, Simon. Patrick told me so. However, he did say that should the need arise to inform her of the truth then tell her. Unless she loves him and wants to be married to him, that time is now.
Psyche: Hello? I'm still in the room. You can quit talking about me as if I'd left.
Eros turned to look at Psyche, a guarded expression on his face.
Eros: Do you love him?
Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited for her answer.
Psyche: Honestly, I don't know.
Cole: What do you mean you don't know? He killed your father.
Phoebe: It's not that simple, Cole, and you know it.
Cole: Yes, but I never killed anyone you loved, Phoebe. I couldn't.
Piper: No, but you tried to, Cole. That doesn't matter now. It's in the past.
Paige: Psyche, you have to decide.
Psyche threw the book on the coffee table and rose suddenly to stare at her father's portrait.
Psyche: Don't you think I know that? It's hard, though, when you've spent the last six months falling in love with someone to just let go. He was everything I thought I wanted. I mean, there were things that I didn't like about him but overall I loved him enough to say I would spend the rest of my life with him, didn't I?
She turned to look at everyone.
Psyche: So you see, Cole, it's really not that simple.
Eros: That may all be true, Psyche, but look at how quickly you got over me.
Without hesitating, Psyche walked right up to Eros and smacked him hard across the face.
Psyche: How dare you! You have no idea what I've been through believing that you were dead!
Simon: I knew it!
Leo: Knew what?
Psyche: Simon, you don't know anything. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go take my anec--medicine before it gets ugly in here.
With that she spun on her heel and left.
Cole: What exactly is this anecdote she keeps taking?
Simon: It's to control her lust to kill.
Piper: I beg your pardon?
Simon: She's a woman, which means her mood swings during her menstrual cycle make it easier for her demonic half to show itself. She has to drink the anecdote every 6 hrs. during that time or else it's harder for her to control and an accident may happen.
Phoebe: You mean she may "accidentally" kill an innocent?
Cole: In anger, it's possible. As a lawyer, I learned a few things and cops very seldom use pregnant women or women on their cycle for psychological surveys and tests because at that time they are considered legally psychotic due to hormonal changes. That on top of her demonic half could become overwhelming.
Piper: But it hasn't been six hours since she last took it. We haven't been here that long.
Simon: No, you haven't.
Leo: It was an excuse to leave and search for the answers we need.
Psyche: Very perceptive of you, Leo.
Unseen by anyone, Psyche had returned and heard the last of the conversation. She slowly walked into the room carrying another goblet like the one before only this one was filled with a blue liquid that wasn't steaming.
Simon: What is that, Psyche?
Psyche: A truth potion.
Piper: Truth potion?
Psyche: Yes. I need to know if I'm under a spell. There have been too many clues to his identity that I've somehow missed in the last six months. I shouldn't care about him for other reasons as well. I need the power of three spell to help me. Will you?
Phoebe: Of course.
Paige: You didn't need to ask.
Piper: What do you want us to do?
Psyche: Say this spell over the potion and then I'll drink it. After I do, Eros, you can ask your question again.
Psyche handed them a piece of paper and Piper took it while Phoebe held the potion and Paige joined them to read the spell aloud.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige:
Your cousins three now need the truth
To help you regain peace from your youth.
Of these guessing games, we've had enough.
Are you under a spell by the demon you say you love?
As the others looked on, Psyche took the goblet from Phoebe and closed her eyes, then drank the potion.
Simon: Psyche, are you under a spell conjured by Lance?
Psyche opened her eyes. She seemed to be in a trance and didn't answer.
Simon: I don't like this.
Leo: It's all right, Simon. The potion should wear off as soon as she answers the question.
Eros: Psyche, are you under a spell conjured by Lance, also known as Lancelot, The Soul Catcher?
Not a sound could be heard as they waited, even holding their breath, for her answer.
Psyche: Yes.
Suddenly, she collapsed. Eros caught her before she hit the floor, picked her up, and then carried her over to the couch. As he laid her down, she stirred.
Psyche: What happened?
Eros: It doesn't matter until you rest and then we will sort everything out.
Psyche: For a second there, I thought you were still dead and I was seeing a ghost.
Eros: No, Psyche, I'm real.
With that, Psyche gave him a hug, then lied down and closed her eyes.
Paige: Now what do we do?
Piper: We have to figure out how to break the spell.
Phoebe: Simon, two of your charges in the past have been under a spell just like this. Any insights?
Simon: No. As far as I know, the only way to break the spell was to kill either the demon or the victim.
Cole: So we vanquish Lancelot.
Eros: It's not that easy.
Leo: What do you mean?
Psyche: I think it's time you told us what my father said, Eros.
Psyche had sat up and was now holding her head in her hands.
Eros: It can wait until you've recovered.
Psyche looked up then and focused her attention on Eros.
Psyche: No, it can't, Eros. We don't have time. I'm getting married in less than twenty-four hours to a demon who has murdered my father as well as cast a spell on me that is driving me to allow him to claim me as his own. I see a large problem with this. So, please, help me figure out how to break this spell before I make the biggest mistake of my life.
Paige: I don't understand. Why don't you just call off the wedding?
Simon: It is a very powerful spell, one that pulls her into the marriage. It doesn't matter if she jumped in the car right now and drove all night. At some point, she would turn around, come back, change, and still be at the altar on time. Why do you think Cole's father was unable to resist after finding out who his bride was?
Psyche: Eros, please.
Eros walked over to the fireplace and stood staring at the portrait of Patrick.
Eros: Do you love him, Psyche? Has it been the spell talking or have you truly fallen in love with him?
Psyche: I have been in love with only one man my entire life and it's not him.
Eros turned then and gave her a measuring look.
Eros: The key is...you.
Paige: WOW! Was that not a rush or what?
Everyone had finally started to calm down after the last few moment's excitement. As Piper, Paige, and Phoebe sat down, Psyche walked over to where Lance still laid on the floor. Leo sat by Piper, while Cole went to stand next to Phoebe. Simon took a couple of steps toward Psyche and then hesitated.
Simon: Psyche?
Psyche: How is this possible? How could two witches have been fooled into marriage? Like father, like daughter, daddy used to always say. I should have known he was too good to be true.
She suddenly turned and faced Cole.
Psyche: Are you positive that it's him, Cole?
Cole: I swear to you it is, Psyche. I'm sorry. I wish I could be wrong.
Eros: Would someone please explain to me what is going on here?
In all the excitement, his presence had been forgotten. He still stood near the doorway where they'd left them in their fight against Cronos.
Psyche: First, you can explain to me why you are not dead. I saw the demon kill you.
Eros: No, what you saw was my astral form destroyed or at least it looked that way.
Psyche: And you couldn't have let me know, somehow?
Eros: No. I would have been risking your life. I would not have been able to live with myself if something had happened to you.
Psyche: You mean before you knew that I was half-demon, don't you?
The hurt in her voice from Eros' earlier comment was evident. He stared at the floor and fidgeted.
Eros: I did not mean that, Psyche. I was very angry. Your father told me many years ago that you were both.
He looked up at her then.
Eros: That fact does not change how I feel about you.
Paige: I hate to interrupt this reunion but Lance is not going to remain unconscious forever. What are we going to do about him?
Psyche: I'm going to marry him.
Everyone stared at her in shock. Then suddenly everyone began talking at once.
Cole: Are you insane?
Phoebe: You can't be serious...
Piper: He'll destroy you...
Paige: That sounds pretty insane to me, Cole.
Leo: Simon, say something...
Simon: Psyche, you are under some kind of spell...
Eros: No! You can't!
Psyche raised her hand and everyone stopped talking.
Psyche: No, I am not insane or under a spell. It's the only way to find out what the key is.
No one knew what to say. There was a low groan from the floor and everyone stepped back as Lance slowly woke up rubbing the back of his head.
Lance: Ooooh. What happened?
Psyche: Lance, are you o.k.?
Psyche went over to him and knelt down, a look of concern on her face.
Lance: I think so.
Cole: Psyche, I think we should talk more about this...
Psyche: There's nothing more to say, Cole. I think you should all leave.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige: No way!
Leo: We are not leaving.
Lance slowly stood up and faced the room.
Lance: So all of you still believe that I'm a demon.
Cole: We know it.
Lance turned and looked at Psyche.
Lance: And do you believe this nonsense, too?
Psyche: Of course not, darling. Would I ask them to leave, otherwise?
Eros: I'll kill you before you think you can have her.
Lance: Take your best shot. This time I'm ready for you.
Eros looked ready to attack when Psyche stepped between them.
Psyche: That is enough, both of you. There will be no more fighting in this house.
Lance: Psyche, you spoke of a key. What were you talking about?
Cole: As if you didn't know.
Lance: I believe she asked all of you to leave. You know what. I have a better idea. I'll leave.
Psyche: What?
Lance: I'll be back later, after they are gone, to pick you up for dinner. I'll be here at eight.
Lance suddenly wrapped his arms around Psyche, nearly picking her up, and bent his head to give her a very passionate kiss. This time, Psyche did not refuse and instead, kissed him back. The look on Eros' face was murderous while everyone watched with disbelief. After a moment, Lance broke the kiss.
Lance: Is that all right with you?
Psyche: Yes. That sounds perfect.
Lance: Great. I'll see you then.
With that, Lance turned on his heel and left. After the sound of the door closing could be heard, Eros walked up to Psyche and shook her.
Eros: Are you out of your mind?
Simon: That is enough, Eros.
Simon came up behind Eros and pulled him away.
Psyche: Of course I'm not out of my mind. Now we have until eight to figure out what to do.
Phoebe: What's to figure out? We vanquish him.
Psyche: Before or after the wedding, Phoebe? Remember, nobody knows how to vanquish him.
Nobody knew how to answer this. Psyche nodded in acknowledgement that her point had been taken then walked over to her father's book. As she sat down and began thumbing through the pages, a look of frustration crossed her face.
Psyche: Father, if only you were still alive. I need some help here.
Suddenly, the pages of her book began turning of their own accord and then stopped abruptly. The Charmed Ones looked skyward.
Phoebe: Thanks, Grams.
Psyche: Grams?
Piper: Yes. She sometimes helps us find what we need in our book the same way. What did she show you?
Psyche looked down at the page, read, and then looked up with a scowl on her face.
Psyche: Something I already knew.
Eros came into the room, finally, and sat across from her on the couch.
Eros: What do you mean, exactly?
Psyche: It says that the only way to defeat him is by releasing a soul that he has captured and the poem he told me before he died.
Eros: What poem?
Psyche: The time will come when I will be gone,
My soul taken and my life here undone.
The only key that exists I have hidden,
But you are the one who will find it and it must be within.
I have gone over everything father taught us for years, Eros. I can't figure it out. I've searched and searched and I've haven't found a single key that is out of place.
Eros: That's because you are looking for an actual key, Psyche
Paige: What do you mean by that?
Eros: It's not an object. It's really quite simple.
Phoebe: Then what is it?
Eros stood and went to look out the window at the gardens that he had not seen in years.
Psyche: Eros, if you know what it is then you must tell us. Otherwise, I will have to ask Lance, I mean, Lancelot, after we are married tomorrow.
Eros: Do you love him?
Simon: Eros, why are you being so evasive?
Eros turned then and stared at Simon.
Eros: Because she is the one who is supposed to figure it out, Simon. Patrick told me so. However, he did say that should the need arise to inform her of the truth then tell her. Unless she loves him and wants to be married to him, that time is now.
Psyche: Hello? I'm still in the room. You can quit talking about me as if I'd left.
Eros turned to look at Psyche, a guarded expression on his face.
Eros: Do you love him?
Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited for her answer.
Psyche: Honestly, I don't know.
Cole: What do you mean you don't know? He killed your father.
Phoebe: It's not that simple, Cole, and you know it.
Cole: Yes, but I never killed anyone you loved, Phoebe. I couldn't.
Piper: No, but you tried to, Cole. That doesn't matter now. It's in the past.
Paige: Psyche, you have to decide.
Psyche threw the book on the coffee table and rose suddenly to stare at her father's portrait.
Psyche: Don't you think I know that? It's hard, though, when you've spent the last six months falling in love with someone to just let go. He was everything I thought I wanted. I mean, there were things that I didn't like about him but overall I loved him enough to say I would spend the rest of my life with him, didn't I?
She turned to look at everyone.
Psyche: So you see, Cole, it's really not that simple.
Eros: That may all be true, Psyche, but look at how quickly you got over me.
Without hesitating, Psyche walked right up to Eros and smacked him hard across the face.
Psyche: How dare you! You have no idea what I've been through believing that you were dead!
Simon: I knew it!
Leo: Knew what?
Psyche: Simon, you don't know anything. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go take my anec--medicine before it gets ugly in here.
With that she spun on her heel and left.
Cole: What exactly is this anecdote she keeps taking?
Simon: It's to control her lust to kill.
Piper: I beg your pardon?
Simon: She's a woman, which means her mood swings during her menstrual cycle make it easier for her demonic half to show itself. She has to drink the anecdote every 6 hrs. during that time or else it's harder for her to control and an accident may happen.
Phoebe: You mean she may "accidentally" kill an innocent?
Cole: In anger, it's possible. As a lawyer, I learned a few things and cops very seldom use pregnant women or women on their cycle for psychological surveys and tests because at that time they are considered legally psychotic due to hormonal changes. That on top of her demonic half could become overwhelming.
Piper: But it hasn't been six hours since she last took it. We haven't been here that long.
Simon: No, you haven't.
Leo: It was an excuse to leave and search for the answers we need.
Psyche: Very perceptive of you, Leo.
Unseen by anyone, Psyche had returned and heard the last of the conversation. She slowly walked into the room carrying another goblet like the one before only this one was filled with a blue liquid that wasn't steaming.
Simon: What is that, Psyche?
Psyche: A truth potion.
Piper: Truth potion?
Psyche: Yes. I need to know if I'm under a spell. There have been too many clues to his identity that I've somehow missed in the last six months. I shouldn't care about him for other reasons as well. I need the power of three spell to help me. Will you?
Phoebe: Of course.
Paige: You didn't need to ask.
Piper: What do you want us to do?
Psyche: Say this spell over the potion and then I'll drink it. After I do, Eros, you can ask your question again.
Psyche handed them a piece of paper and Piper took it while Phoebe held the potion and Paige joined them to read the spell aloud.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige:
Your cousins three now need the truth
To help you regain peace from your youth.
Of these guessing games, we've had enough.
Are you under a spell by the demon you say you love?
As the others looked on, Psyche took the goblet from Phoebe and closed her eyes, then drank the potion.
Simon: Psyche, are you under a spell conjured by Lance?
Psyche opened her eyes. She seemed to be in a trance and didn't answer.
Simon: I don't like this.
Leo: It's all right, Simon. The potion should wear off as soon as she answers the question.
Eros: Psyche, are you under a spell conjured by Lance, also known as Lancelot, The Soul Catcher?
Not a sound could be heard as they waited, even holding their breath, for her answer.
Psyche: Yes.
Suddenly, she collapsed. Eros caught her before she hit the floor, picked her up, and then carried her over to the couch. As he laid her down, she stirred.
Psyche: What happened?
Eros: It doesn't matter until you rest and then we will sort everything out.
Psyche: For a second there, I thought you were still dead and I was seeing a ghost.
Eros: No, Psyche, I'm real.
With that, Psyche gave him a hug, then lied down and closed her eyes.
Paige: Now what do we do?
Piper: We have to figure out how to break the spell.
Phoebe: Simon, two of your charges in the past have been under a spell just like this. Any insights?
Simon: No. As far as I know, the only way to break the spell was to kill either the demon or the victim.
Cole: So we vanquish Lancelot.
Eros: It's not that easy.
Leo: What do you mean?
Psyche: I think it's time you told us what my father said, Eros.
Psyche had sat up and was now holding her head in her hands.
Eros: It can wait until you've recovered.
Psyche looked up then and focused her attention on Eros.
Psyche: No, it can't, Eros. We don't have time. I'm getting married in less than twenty-four hours to a demon who has murdered my father as well as cast a spell on me that is driving me to allow him to claim me as his own. I see a large problem with this. So, please, help me figure out how to break this spell before I make the biggest mistake of my life.
Paige: I don't understand. Why don't you just call off the wedding?
Simon: It is a very powerful spell, one that pulls her into the marriage. It doesn't matter if she jumped in the car right now and drove all night. At some point, she would turn around, come back, change, and still be at the altar on time. Why do you think Cole's father was unable to resist after finding out who his bride was?
Psyche: Eros, please.
Eros walked over to the fireplace and stood staring at the portrait of Patrick.
Eros: Do you love him, Psyche? Has it been the spell talking or have you truly fallen in love with him?
Psyche: I have been in love with only one man my entire life and it's not him.
Eros turned then and gave her a measuring look.
Eros: The key is...you.