Cursed Lycan's Scarred Mate
Chapter 91: Council Gathering [1]

Chapter 91: Council Gathering [1]

~An hour earlier, when Lady Morgana departed from the dungeons~

Having contacted the aid of sister covens to deal with the direty of Vivian’s cursed situation, Lady Morgana arranged for a council meeting amongst herself and her two most trusted Wickan brethren.

The gathering was arranged in the Council Hall of Sabre Coven’s Estate. It was a spacious chamber built from stone from the old ages with glowing runes embedded into the walls surrounding it.

In the middle of the hall, there was a round table carved from blackened oak and above it were magical light orbs hovering to light up the area.

When Lady Morgana arrived, she sat down in her reserved cushioned seat, flicking back her coat. Her midnight blue hair, which seemed to dazzle like starlight, cascaded over her shoulders and her deep magenta eyes seemed to glow from the light cast down from the magical orbs.

Arriving a moment later was a tall and broad-shouldered man with iron-grey hair and sharp hazel eyes. He appeared to be tough and formidable, with a deep scar running across his left eye down to the right. Dressed in black and a dark rich brown leather tunic and pants, topped off with a black coat, he took his seat across Lady Morgana.

"Eldric," Lady Morgana addressed the Coven Master of Ashenhold Coven, a cult of Wickans connected to elemental magic. Bearing the banners of a phoenix cradling an obsidian orb, they were renowned for their experimentation in curse stabalization. "I did not think you would heed my summons."

Eldric folded his arms across his broad chest and spoke in a rich and commanding voice, "As insufferable as you are, Morgana, I do not turn allies away in times of need."

Lady Morgana snorted in amusement and nodded gratefully. When she summoned Eldric two days prior, she did not expect that Ashenhold Coven Master would offer his aid. This was due to the fact that he was usually an aloof man who refused to intervene in the unfortunate circumstances that befall others outside his circle of allies.

Awaiting their last ally, the silence between Lady Moragan and Lord Eldric seemed to become almost palpable. The Ashenhold Coven Master was sparse in speech and never spoke unless necessary, thus it always made for an awkward interaction with him. Although most did prefer to avoid any form of communication with him, lest they provoke a reserved beast.

And fortunately for Lady Morgana, who resorted to drumming her fingers on the table to keep the tension light between them, the second ally arrived quite bombastically.

Orion Fellspire, the second ally, was a tall and wiry figure. He was adorned in extravagant silver and white garments with an expensive belt around his waist. His boots echoed as he walked noisily, one hand on his hip and the other twirling the tufts of his black hair streaked with silver. He arrived with a wry smile, his daring lavender eyes holding much secret and mischief.

Known for his classy presentation, he elegantly flicked back his coat and seated himself on the left of Lady Morgana. He crossed one leg over the other and chuckled in amusement.

"Ah, Morgana, Eldric, what a pleasant delight to meet with my two favourite Coven Masters," Orion, the leader of Starlight Grove Coven, greeted sarcastically, his wry smile never leaving his face.

As the youngest Coven Master in all of Wickan history, he was notorious for his unorthodox methods in magic, often rewriting runes and spells of the ancient past. Some declared him a genius prodigy, while others deemed him a reckless, flashy brat.

And Lady Morgana, hailing from the faction that deemed Orion a reckless flashy brat, was willing to take the risk due to his genius alterations of magical spells in general.

Unfond of Orion, Lord Eldric shook his head and glared at the young Coven Master odiously.

Lady Morgana was well aware that their council would only erupt in chaos, especially when you placed a Wickan Master staunch in the old aways beside a youngster who abandoned tradition.

"Let us get straight to the matter at hand, Orion," Lady Morgana stated curtly with a warning glare in his direction. "I do not quite have the time for your antics today."

"As you wish, Milady," Orion complied with obedience as he respectfully bowed his head and placed a hand over the region of his heart to show his earnesty.

Fortunately, Lady Morgana informed them in detail about the situation prior to their arrival, so no time would be wasted discussing the specifics.

Time was of the essence and she was unwilling to allow Vivian to suffer any longer at the brutal hands of the curse.

After all, if a cursed Lycan’s mate of significant importance were suddenly to die through unnatural events, it would tip the scale and balance of everything.

"Lady Morgana, altering a curse as potent and vile as the Umbrafyre is no small feat. This is ancient magic we are meddling with—a magic that was meant to enslave and corrupt. Are you certain that binding the magic is the only way?" Lord Elric questioned, his gaze narrowing.

Morgana’s gaze remained firm and steady as she addressed his concerns. "Eldric, you know as well as I do that this curse cannot be removed. If left unbound, it will consume Vivian, forcing her shifter side into servitude. Binding the curse to her body is the only way to ensure her survival while keeping its effects under control."

Orion leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table. While he didn’t completely disagree with Lady Morgana, he was sceptical of the approach she was willing to take.

"Survival, yes. But at what cost? Binding such a curse means she’ll always carry its shadow. Do we even know if her body can handle the strain of such a ritual?" Orion posed his concerns, studying Lady Morgana’s expression. Just from a glance, it was easy for him to decipher that she was very undecided.

Indecisiveness? A highly rare trait for a wicked woman like Lady Morgana

"Her shifter nature makes her strong," Lady Morgana argued in her defence. "Stronger than most shifters could ever be. But that strength must be tempered. That’s why I’ve called this council. We must decide on the binding method, and we must ensure it’s done correctly."

Based on her observations of Vivian thus far, Lady Morgana knew very well that the she-wolf was resilient if she needed to be. She didn’t need to test her physical shifter capabilities to know that Vivian wasn’t an ordinary omega.

Vivian was determined and resilient. Perhaps Ronan had taught his sweet, fiery-mouthed mate to be resilient.

On the other hand, Eldric, who was tied to the old ways, cast a sceptical look in Lady Morgana’s direction. "And you propose we use the Triune Circle? That is what you stated in your letter to us."

Lady Morgana nodded without hesitation and Orion’s brows creased tensely.

"The Triune Circle is the most stable ritual we have for binding curses. The three of us will channel our combined energies, creating a seal that integrates the curse into her essence without overwhelming her."

Orion snorted, leaning back in his chair. "Stable? The Triune Circle is only as stable as its participants. If one of us falters, even for a moment, the backlash could kill her—or worse, unleash the curse’s full power."

While Orion was not one to ever doubt Lady Morgana’s decisions, this time he was unsure whether she truly understood which direction she was headed in

"And do you have a better suggestion?" Morgana asked sharply, struggling to remain composed. If it wasn’t for her limited options in trusted allies, she reckoned she would toss Orion out of the Council Hall for his snarkiness.

Orion shrugged with a heavy sigh, knowing very well Lady Morgana might burn him to a crisp if he didn’t choose his words wisely.

"The Binding Chains of Aetheris," Orion suggested. "It is a single-caster ritual. More dangerous for the caster, yes, but it removes the risk of multiple channels breaking the flow of magic." He was firm in his decision, his eyes dark with insistence.

Shaking his head vehemently, Lord Eldric replied, "The Chains of Aetheris are too volatile. The strain could kill even the most experienced caster. And... forgive me, Fellspire, but do you truly believe you or any one of us could survive such a ritual?"

Eldric always detested Orion’s unorthodox ways. The youngster tested his patience to no end even when he wasn’t trying. The Ashenhold Leader was aware he knew little of Vivian to make his judgements, but he was steadfast in his methods.

Orion’s methods wouldn’t do

And as expected, Orion’s lips twitched into a sly smile. "I’m willing to take risks if it means a higher chance of success."

And Lady Morgana wasn’t fond of the confidence in his voice.