Chapter 23

For a moment, everything I thought I knew was real was upended. My lungs constricted as my eyes slid slowly from Greenbalm, to Luc, and back.

Greenbalm.

Adrius’s exiled uncle, tossed from Mythlandria by King Etienne for the treasonous act of falling in love with a human. And Luc, the human boy I’d casually dated, standing by his side. This was too much crazy.

“What are you doing here, with these fanatical humans?” Infusing calm into my voice wasn’t working, and the words came out high pitched and strained.

The question was meant for both of them, but it was Greenbalm who answered, while Luc hung his head and stared at his boots. Was there shame in the way he hung his head? Was he even capable of genuine emotion like shame? Lying, manipulative pig. I forced the disappointment out of my mind. He was nothing to me. Less than nothing.

“I belong here,” Greenbalm said plainly. “This was where I was meant to reside and where I was to stake my claim.”

My head reeled. He looked nothing like the being I remembered from my world. I’d only ever set eyes on him once, but he’d been regal and statuesque. Now, under the influence of mortal time, he seemed haggard and timeworn and apparently insane. “Your claim? On what exactly?”

He smiled patiently, and the hint of Adrius’s smile peeked through, giving me a shiver.

“On my life. On my vision. On those who believe they are superior to others. Like my brother, and most of the beings who live in your world.”

“It was your world, too, once. Remember?”

“Yes. As this one was once yours. But we are nothing if not the sum of our decisions, would you not agree?”

“Oh-kay. You spent way too much time with Wizard Hawthrin back in the day. He talks in riddles, too, and it’s only slightly less annoying. Just tell me what it is you want. In plain language, please.”

Greenbalm rose from his seat and paced a few steps, hands clasped in front of him. “I used to live in a false paradise, Venus. To the untrained eye, Mythlandria was a utopia. A land of endless possibilities and a surplus of everything you could ever require or desire. I was wrong. Gorging on lustful pursuits and hedonistic pleasures created a world of nothing but greedy, self-indulgent sloths.”

I stared at him wide-eyed, shaking my head. Had he been brainwashed? Had he lost his mind? What sort of Elvin royal, exiled or not, would hold his people in such low regard?

“It took being banished from my home and from my world to see the truth.” He gestured to the window. “And now, outside my window, I watch plumes of grey smoke rise up to pollute an already polluted grey sky. I see a place where the snow is stained with grey, and the summer rain carries the chill of melted ice.”

He smiled slightly, and his heavily-browed eyes creased. “I realized early on that my exile was not the punishment it was intended to be. What I believed to be purgatory was actually the true paradise. I abhor the magic that permeated me and my former home. And when your great aunt offered to assist us with creating a spell meant to strip it away from one's soul, well, it was the victorious moment I'd been waiting for.”

I briefly wondered what he’d been like before his brother had sentenced him to life and death in the human world. It was strange, really. I mean, royals were always bending the rules for their own. I lived it. So why had he been so severely punished for his misdeed? “What did you do, exactly, to tick off Etienne so strongly that this was your punishment?”

He gave a sad smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I had the audacity to fall in love with a human. But you see, without magic, we are all human. We are all the same. No more nonsense of us and them. The vehicle of descent ends here. With me at the helm.”

Definitely crazy. But being punished for loving whom you chose to love was just as crazy. Still, he had the eyes of a sane person, and they were eyes that I remembered. Not directly, but I could see random pieces of Adrius in his uncle’s gaze. They shared the olive color, the flecks of gold, but not the luminosity. Not the warmth. All of that was probably lost when he gave up his magic.

“Don’t you think it’s a little hypocritical to use magic to abolish magic? You're benefiting from the very thing you want to condemn.”

“I am not saying magic does not have its usefulness, but those benefits are far outweighed by the opposite. I would not expect you to understand this.”

I shook my head. I didn’t want to understand this. It was ridiculous, but I blurted, “Try me.”

His eyes sharpened and pinned me in place. “It is not on bitterness that I seek this, but I do personally hold magic responsible for many losses in my life. For instance—” He paused, “—it was a witch, your mother, who killed my beloved.”

My jaw dropped. “Whoa. Just a second here.” I pointed my pinky at him. “Are you saying that you and Adrius’s mother... had a thing?”

He nodded.

“Okay. I need to sit down. This is too much to swallow in one bite. Explain this again.”

His olive eyes glistened sharply. “I was not banished to this world for falling in love with just any human girl. I was punished for falling in love with Etienne's human girl. Aberdeen.”

“Aberdeen. She was your forbidden love? Queen Aberdeen of the Mythlandrian Court?” I was gathering the breadcrumbs, trying in vain to piece them into a cohesive picture, and they kept slipping from my grasp. “But she was your brother's wife. And Adrius and Julien's mother.”

“Yes, she was. However, Etienne was not Julien's father. I am.”

I staggered back a step. “Mind officially blown.” That explained the way Etienne treated Julien. Like he was unwanted and unwelcomed. The whole of Mythlandria knew how he favored Adrius. “So, let’s see if I’ve got this straight. You got caught taking something that belonged to your brother, and now you want to end all of the immortal world in payback? Seems a bit extreme, even by our standards.”

Callum moved forward, intending to put me in my place, but Greenbalm stopped him.

He pulled himself up taller. “Do not mistake my willingness to speak with you for compassion. I’ve no tolerance for your kind or any of those I left behind. Your coveting of your sister’s love led to a town in devastation. Mine shall lead to salvation.”

By destroying all Elves, Fey, and Witches. Boy, is he deluded. “But you're Elfkind, you said so yourself.”

He bristled, and his jaw twitched. “I was Elfkind.” Restraining his anger, he repositioned himself. “I no longer am. Now, I am here to sever the ties between this world and the other. To eradicate magic from the human land is the most benevolent thing I can offer.”

I rubbed my knuckle across my brow. “I’m confused. Who asked you to do any of this? The humans here seem pretty okay with magic. Most of them think it’s all make-believe, anyway. Why go to such lengths when magic hasn't inserted itself into more than a small fraction of the human population?”

“Because, like a noxious weed, it is already growing and spreading, choking out all that is good. Because of your sister's journey into the Nevermore, no one is safe. We have long suspected an uprising in their world. Now it is coming to pass. Plans are being made at this moment for an invasion.” He wove his way back to his chair and sat.

I threw my head back and laughed. “Has anyone told you you’re out of your mind? What are you talking about—an invasion by who?”

Even as the question left my lips, I remembered. The Shades. The demons of the Underworld. My time there had been brief, but I remember walking into a room where several of them were gathered around a table with maps. They were planning. Dark demonic plans, naturally. I’d suspected them when we met with Peterson. Now this confirmed it.

I lifted my gaze to Greenbalm, who was watching me with suspicious eyes.

“Do you know something of this? Something about the rebellion being planned?” he demanded.

“Of course not. Would I be asking you for details if I did?” I looked around. “In fact, I wouldn’t be here at all if I knew another war was brewing. I’d be home in Noctria, rallying Octăhvia’s armies to help eviscerate my enemies.” I gave him a pointed look.

There was a long pause before Greenbalm leaned back with a massive sigh. “Another war. Is that not always the way of it? One is never enough. They want more and more and continue to take until there is nothing left. I cannot allow that to happen to this world. To my home.”

I wanted to point out that war was not a stranger to the human world, but I didn’t bother. “Listen—” I pointed a finger at him, “—there are people here that I care about, you know. My mother, for one. She's endured enough suffering.”

“Most of it at your hand, from what I’ve seen. Oh yes, Venus, our organization is well aware of the destruction you caused in your quest to gain the attentions of my nephew.” He shook his head, giving me a pitiful look. “And look where it got you. All of that death and mayhem, for nothing.”

Against my will, I felt a sharp stab of guilt, but I quickly shook it off. “None of that matters now. I came here to make amends. So you can understand why I want to know what you plan to do to people like my mother.” And people like Abigail and her mother, and who knows how many others born into magic by blood.

He examined his nails then glanced up at me. “I am not here to answer to you,” he said stonily. “My days of that are over. You are here for a reason.”

I shifted my weight, my hands balled at my sides. “Is this where you try to strip away my magic? Because I promise that won’t end well for you.”

“Does it surprise you to know that we have no intention of taking your magic? We plan on restoring it once you’ve served another purpose.”

Another purpose? Curiouser and curiouser. I was both eager for and dreading what he was going to reveal. “Then let’s get to it already.” I said, jutting my chin. “I’m on a tight schedule.”

He chuckled. “Yes, I believe the Shades will be expecting you to pass back into your world soon. I cannot imagine what bargains a witch as destructive as you made on the other side to allow such favor, but given your reputation, I can only imagine they were... lascivious.”

Screw him and his insults. One flick of my unshackled hand and he’d be a human torch. I licked my lips as my gaze slid to the knife resting next to him on the table. How quickly could I get to it? Not quickly enough with his henchman standing behind me, armed with all sorts of human weapons. As if he’d heard my thoughts, Callum moved closer to me.

Smart. Come closer still, said the spider to the fly. I wanted him to stand right next to me. If I get my arms around his neck... But he stopped a couple of feet behind me.

“I see you haven’t entirely given up your heritage.” I pointed to the knife. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s an Elvish blade, isn’t it? I’m surprised that someone who claims to detest magic would hold on to something so... magical. Why not replace it with something mundane and unimaginative, like a gun? Any idiot can wield a firearm.” I glanced over my shoulder to smile at Peterson. “Or buy a nice switchblade. You know, like a proper human thug.”

Once again, Callum was motioned to stand down. Peterson cleared his throat, readying to lecture me on proper decorum in front of his exiled prince, but Greenbalm didn’t give him the chance.

“I have tried being civil, but I’m done playing games with witches. Time and time again they have crossed me, revealing none of you can be trusted.” His gaze raked over me. “Question is, which side will you serve? The Shades are deadly—you know this. And sooner or later you will come to realize that you and I, we’re on the same side.” He tapped a brooding finger. “You must do something for me, Venus, and in exchange, I will return you to your world.”

Just like that. They were going to send me home? Right. I frowned. “And what’s the super-huge catch?”

“I need you to return to your home in order to deliver a message for me. One meant for a very specific audience.”

“A message. You want me to be your errand girl?” I choked out a laugh. “All of this smoke and mirrors and espionage for a piece of paper?”

The smile that spread across his face was dark and menacing.

“It is not a paper that will convey my message. It is you. The MBD is my kingdom, you are now my subject, and you will bend the knee.”