8 Chapter 8

Abigor relaxes in his chair as the royals waited for his answer. He gave a slight shrug. "I cannot tell you until the throne is open and the contract is ended. That will happen only when you marry me, ending our contract. When the throne is empty a new contract can be made."

"Excuse me, King of Demons and Darkness, but if the throne is vacant, who would you make a contract with?" Hagger asked with a laugh.

"Oh, I really can't give any details away." Abigor shook his head sadly. "The most I can say, I have said. Once your mother becomes my wife and the throne is open, then a new contract can be made." He smiled "And we do so hope that a third contract will be agreed to. Your family is always a pleasure."

Davian frowned. "So you can't tell us which one of us will be the next ruler."

"Afraid not, dove." Abigor winked at Davian. "Not until your mother is my bride."

"It seems a bit late for a priest." Cora chimed. "You have brought no one with you, so I assume your marriage to her majesty will be different then our weddings."

"You are correct. To become my bride Regina must commit her soul to me with a simple kiss. It is fairly less dramatic then your weddings, with the same end result."

"Once I have then will you be able to tell us about the next contract and ruler?" Regina could imagine a worse way to marry them a simple kiss.

"Yes, we will." Abigor nodded.

"Then I will." Regina stood and walked the short distance to Abigor. He stood and waited for her freely given kiss. Regina took a breath and refused to look at her children before she lifted herself up on tiptoes and kissed the demon before her.

"There, not so bad," Abigor smiled. He hooked an arm around Reginas waist, pulling her to his side. She moved almost like a rag doll. Her eyes glossy as she stared into space.

"Mother?" Orion called, running for her before Ambrosia could stop him. "Mother, are you alright?"

"She is fine, I assure you young one. She will perk up when we arrive at my kingdom." He patted the boys shoulder. "The ride can be rough, it is easier on her this way."

"Can I come as well?"Orion asked. His eyes flickering between Abigor and his mother.

"I am afraid, young one, that you can't." Abigor sighed. "You are needed here, with your siblings."

"I want my mother though."

"Unfortunately we can't always have what we want." Abigor turned to the other children of Regina. "Our contract has ended. I will take my wife and leave you to your grief."

"Wait, who shall rule now? What of another contract? You said that you wanted a third contract with us." Cora moved forward.

"I did say we do, and we do." Abigor smiled. "My contract is completed. One of my brothers will be here shortly."

"Which brother?" Sebastian asked.

"The Emperor of the void and Abyssal." Abigor replied as he waved a hand and dissolved taking Regina with him.

The children watched in horror as their mother transformed into a cloud of black smoke that dissolved almost instantly. Cora held tightly to Remus. Amabel and Ambrosia held Sebastian. Davian and Hagger moves towards the place their mother had been, checking for any signs or, well, anything.

The children were relatively quiet as they waited. It wasn't long before the doors opened and another handsome man entered the room. He was tall, with pitch black hair and eyes that changed colors- easily going for teal to black to emerald green with no none reason, his skin was pale with an almost rainbow shimmer to it. He was dressed in blues and greens with edgings of black. A platinum ringlet rested on his head with a design echoed into it of three circles in a line and each circle held another three circles inside it.

"I am Emperor of the Void and Abyssal, I have come to decide the next ruler of this kingdom, and offer forth a contract to them." The mans voice easily carried over the distance. It was strong and filled with power, but not unpleasant or frightening.

"I am Davian, oldest son of Queen Regina, your brother told us you would come. He also stated he could offer no insights into the next ruler or the contract you would offer. My siblings and self are all in shock of the recent evens and knowledge, bestowed to us."

The demon nodded slightly and took the humans in front of him in. He noticed the sets of twins. "This will be the third contract with your bloodline. The first was made with a single soul, as was the second, as this one shall be." His eyes lingered on Cora, then Remus. "Twins share a soul. As such a contract may involve a set of twins acting as one. While this is rarely accomplished, it is done." He moved forward, his body like water that glided with purpose, and took the empty throne.

"So will you pick a set of the twins to rule?" Astrid asked moving to stand in front of the demon.

"I will not pick the next ruler. The next ruler must be one of you, Reginas brood, bloodline of Olivia, by the next full moon. All others from Reginas line must be deceased."

The silence returned as the children looked at the demon in confusion. Cora pulled Remus with her as she made her way in front of the demon. "Emperor of the Void and Abyssal, am I correct in the assumption that the next ruler must murder his or her remaining siblings?"

"Quiet correct."

Hysteria broke out in the room. Shouts at the demon and each other over powered everything. Doubt and fear filled the demons senses. It took a few moments before the siblings were calmed enough to speak.

"You must be jesting. Surly we aren't expected to kill our sisters and brothers. Orion is 6, how would he be expected to kill all of us himself?" Davian asked, glaring at the demon.

"Yes, it would be difficult for him to win the throne. You could kill him now and end his prolonged pain, or he could ask another for help- perhaps a demon. If I'm not mistaken my brothers scent is on him. If Orion offered a well thought out trade another demon, such as your new father, might agree to take your lives for him."

"So in that way... we could all seek the aide of demons." Cora mused. "If you are all so powerful how would it end if each of us had a demon sponsor."

"That is unknown." The demons eyes changed from teal to black. "The last contract was completed when the second son made a pack with a human. The human killed off the siblings. There were only three siblings then."

"What happens if we don't agree to this? If we say we won't kill each other and a contract is not made." Astrid asked looking at her siblings.

"If a contract is not made with your bloodline it will be made with another. If that line wishes to be the rulers of Lanercost then war will most likely begin and they will win, since they will have the demon armies on their sides and magic. You will all likely die, be enslaved or worse. The choice is in all of your hands. If you want to sign the contract then only one of you, or one set of twins, can be alive by the next full moon. If this requirement is not met you will no longer be eligible."