Tea and Crumpets
Corbett’s phone sat on the coffee table, flipped open. And all the Watcher could do was stare.

A text message from Rhiannon, something that made Corbett’s blood run cold and sent a horrible shiver down his spine.

Elfleda de-throned. New Bride in town. ATIA. Research. Don’t engage,

One Bride of Leviathan was bad enough; Corbett remembered that much from the one time Elfleda decided to pay him a visit. He’d thrown up and slashed his wrists so much in an effort to rid himself of her corrupting influence, Corbett would’ve undoubtedly died were it not for the incredibly well-timed intervening from his Slayer.

But now there was another? One who apparently took the crown from Elfleda? That worried the Watcher most; that a being existed so powerful as to take control and power from one such as the Corruptress.

To Corbett, Elfleda was the worst being he’d ever been in the presence of. Desdemona was bad, but ultimately, she was just a vampire; fangs, sunlight allergy, an aversion to all things wood and Christian. But Elfleda? He still knew of no way to ultimately deal with her aside from never incurring her wrath in the first place.

And someone overtook her?

Corbett thumbed idly through one of his massive tomes, unsure what he was looking for. He had a name – Atia – and the assumption that she too was a Bride of Leviathan, but aside from that, he was momentarily in the dark. And considering how little he found on Elfleda – before she destroyed his research – Corbett wasn’t sure he’d have much more success this time around.

And what if Atia came by too? Decided to finish the things Elfleda couldn’t? The Watcher imagined the whole deal with the Defiler probably pissed off this Leviathan or whoever was pulling the strings in the background, and it would stand to reason the Big Bad would want retribution.

Was Atia that retribution? Corbett wasn’t so sure he wanted to find out.

Picking the phone up, Corbett pushed the Reply button before sending back:

“Hitting the books. Certainly not having Atia over for tea and crumpets.”