Morgan's breath caught, "Why would Hunter have come here of all places of his own choice?"

"I don't know," Cal responded tightly. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"

Ciaran's voice rose over the din before Morgan could reply, "This is Giomanch, former seeker of the Council. And you should all know my daughter, Morgan, future priestess of Amyrath."

Morgan's eyes caught Hunter's across the crowd, his gaze was guarded and determined, hers despairing. Former seeker? What had he done?

"Let the circle convene," Ciaran's voice continued.

There was about a score of witches there, to Morgan's estimation. Now all of them immediately formed a circle with well-practiced ease around Morgan and Hunter.

"You who stand before us, do you still wish to enter our order?" Ciaran's voice rang clear.

After she had nodded, Morgan's eyes snapped to the side to see Hunter doing likewise. Oh goddess, what was he doing?

Morgan's eyes glanced over at Cal to see her shock clearly mirrored in his face. This was not part of the plan he knew of.

The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur and after Morgan found herself alone in a room with Hunter.

"Why?" Morgan asked quietly.

Hunter sighed, "I could never leave you alone. Perhaps you have more control, but I will gladly follow my siren to the depths of darkness."

"You know I'm with Cal," Morgan hissed.

"I do," Hunter nodded.

"Then why?" Morgan asked again, collapsing into a padded chair in the corner of the study.

"Morgan, I am not asking you to love me," Hunter replied softly. "Just let me be wherever you are. That's all I ask."

"Hunter," Morgan said tearfully trying to maintain composure, "You don't know what you're doing. You just quit the council and joined Amyrath, the coven that you have spent years trying to destroy, for a woman that is carrying your brother's child, a woman who can not be with you!"

"Someone has to look out for you," Hunter replied, looking slightly hurt. "And I can not stop caring for you, even if you were carrying the spawn of satan, which I suppose, you are."

"Hunter," Morgan said with exasperation.

"Can't we at least be friends?" Hunter asked huskily.

"No," Morgan swiveled to see Cal advancing into the room, "You can't be anything."

"Sgath," Hunter nodded stiffly, as if to stop the torrent of vile words striving to be expressed.

"I don't know what you hoped to get from this," he paused and looked at Morgan, then amended, "well, I suppose I do, but you need to leave her alone. She is mine."

Cal stepped behind her, placing a possessive arm around her waist.

Hunter tensed slightly but smirked, "You're not afraid are you? Don't you trust Morgan?"

"I trust Morgan completely. I just don't trust you," he sneered. "Still sore she chose me over you?"

"I'm still not convinced she really had a choice," Hunter replied. "Are you really so insecure that you had to impregnate her just to make her stay with you?"

"You're just upset because you didn't think of it first," Cal retorted.

"I'm still here," Morgan reminded them as it became difficult to draw breath due to Cal's tightening grasp.

"Right," Hunter cleared his throat bashfully. "Sorry about that."

"You can keep arguing if you wish," Morgan said coldly as she slipped from Cal's tense arm. "But don't expect me to stay as your audience."

Outside the room, which she could hear the fight ensuing in, was a smirking Liam.