by Emma Savant
I dropped my hand down onto the paper, preventing him from refreshing the page again. I leaned over, trying to make out the small upside-down print. He handed the newspaper over to me.
My eyes raced down the page. Toddler was reported missing… Rumors circulated that the kidnapping was a domestic affair… With the recent Hum tensions… And then, there it was, new information.
The child was found in the custody of her aunt, Ms. Ruby Barnes, a muse who has long been vocal about her wishes for a visible Glimmering society. The muse was arrested by a special task force ordered by Her Majesty, Queen Amani Zarina.
“This kind of behavior is unacceptable,” said Queen Amani, speaking at a press conference this morning. “Glimmers have a right to hold and express their own beliefs, but when that expression turns into the violation of others’ rights or safety, the law must step in.”
Barnes will be held in custody until the date of the next Faerie Court, at which point she will face judgment.
I summarized the article for the rest of the table. Elle visibly relaxed. Kyle nodded, like he wasn’t that surprised. Lucas hung onto every word. I could practically see his thoughts racing, trying to absorb the details: Muses exist, the queen is Amani Zarina, there’s something called a Faerie Court.
The news was good. The toddler was safe. Queen Amani was protecting us all, as she always had.
But I knew, deep in the pit of my stomach, that this had been nothing. In just the past day, law enforcement had broken up three Oracle parties. More people than I could count had been sent to prison, and I’d heard rumors that more than a few had been transported to the Glimmering hospital.
It was only a matter of time before someone got killed.
A man walked by outside the front windows. He stopped and stared resolutely inside, but his eyes were glassy and unseeing.
Elle’s gaze followed mine.
“Ignore him,” Elle said. “I get one every few hours. They never see anything.”
“The thing is,” I said slowly. I bit my lip and pressed my fingertips against the newspaper. “The thing is, I wouldn’t be so upset normally. But Kyle’s right. This is spreading really quickly. And maybe there’s a reason for that. Maybe we do need to re-examine the way our worlds intersect. You all know how I feel about the Hums. I might even be in favor of all of this, except—”
“Except the movement’s being led by thugs?” Kyle said.
I shook my head.
“Lots of movements have thugs in them,” I said. “As leaders or members.”
My thoughts flitted back to my history classes. Every revolution or social change had involved some rabble-rousers. They’d had to, or no one would have listened.
“This is different,” I said. “Because I know who they’re appealing to. Maybe the goal is good, and we should integrate our societies. And maybe it’s going to take some pretty serious activism to make it happen. But not through the Oracle. They’re petitioning her, and they’re starting to call for her to take on the role of queen, and that’s the worst thing that could happen.”
“I don’t know,” Kyle said. “The Oracle definitely shouldn’t replace the queen, but she wouldn’t be the worst. She’s a good leader.”
I swallowed. It was hard to remember sometimes that not everyone knew what I knew. Under the table, Lucas reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze.
“I need to tell you something,” I said. “And it can’t leave this room. It can’t leave this table.”
Elle leaned forward. Her brown eyes lit up with interest. Kyle frowned, but he leaned in, too. Lucas nodded at me, giving me the courage to go forward.
I took a huge breath.
“The Oracle isn’t being harassed by all these people,” I said. “She’s done a good job of making it look like she is, but she’s a puppet master. She’s pulling the strings in the background, and no one can see it.”
Kyle kept frowning. Elle pursed her lips.
“I had an experience with her late last year,” I said, talking too fast. “She’s not trying to mix the Glim and Hum worlds so we can all have peace and eat s’mores and sing Kumbaya. She wants a war.”
“A big one,” Lucas said.
Elle whirled to stare at him. “You know about this?”
“I was there,” Lucas said. “Last year. I wasn’t as involved as Olivia was, but I saw enough.”
“I learned about it from my last case,” I said. “You remember Lily?”
And then, as the pumpkin-shaped clock on the wall ticked the seconds by, I told them what I knew: that the Oracle had been paying people to prank the Humdrums, that the Oracle believed Glims were superior, that she said a war was coming, that she’d asked me to join her, and that I’d said no. I fought past the lump in my throat to tell them that Imogen had made her choice and left Lucas and me behind to step into the Fountain. I told them that I’d been working with some friends to keep an eye on the Oracle’s activities for months before Aubrey had blown everything out of the water. And then I told them my latest theory, that perhaps all these Humdrums were able to believe so quickly because her sprites were enchanting them to.
“It all has to be connected,” I said. “And the sprites have been everywhere lately.”
The only thing I left out was my connection to Queen Amani. That secret was one I wanted to keep for myself.
Kyle let out a low whistle.
“Now we’re trying to figure out what to do next,” I said. “One of my friends has been watching the Oracle for longer than I have, but this has thrown all our work out the window.”
I hadn’t dared meet with Isabelle since the video had been released, but she’d found a way to communicate anyway. This morning, I’d woken up to find a single enormous leaf growing in one of my window boxes. On it, in pale green ink, she’d written, Our approach needs to be more direct now. I heard you were involved, so you lie low. H. & I will find a way to expose her to the masses. Destroy this leaf.
It hadn’t been encouraging.
What would “exposing her to the masses” do, anyway? Half of the Glims wanted the Oracle to reveal us to the world, and half of the Humdrums weren’t even going to be surprised to learn we existed.
But the scary part, the part that made my spine prickle, was the possibility that these people might want something Kelda hadn’t yet offered aloud: a conflict.
I could imagine a successful, slow integration of our worlds, overseen by the Faerie Queen and rational Humdrum leaders. But I could imagine a quick integration even more vividly, and I knew it would mean nothing short of a war. Too many Glims in this city were itching for change, and Humdrums were terrible at avoiding wars at the best of times.
Not everyone would be support a conflict, of course, but would that even matter? Those of us who wanted to keep the peace weren’t half as organized as the people throwing Oracle parties.
I took a long drink of tea and focused on the heat as it rushed down my throat.
I just wanted to go to a Hum university already and be done with all this.
Not that I could. If our world was exposed, there wouldn’t be a Hum world to escape to.
Kyle tapped the paper again while it lay in front of me. I caught the phrase RELIGIOUS GROUPS SPEAK OUT AGAINST WITCHCRAFT next to SKEPTICS ORGANIZATION WARNS WORLD NOT TO BE DECEIVED. I handed it back to him.
“This is beyond—” Elle started. Then she froze, staring down at the table.
Our mugs had started rattling on their pumpkin coasters like we were in an earthquake. The flavored-syrup bottles behind the counter tinkled and clicked together. A candle holder on the next table toppled over.
Before I had time to react, the shaking stopped. A voice cut through the café, smooth, clipped, and familiar. I couldn’t tell where the voice came from, only that it seemed to pervade every inch of the space.
The greater Portland area is in a state of general emergency, Queen Amani’s voice said. All Glimmers within the region are advised to remain in their homes
where possible. All Glimmers associated with the so-called Dark Forest movement are hereby ordered to cease and desist immediately. A special session of the Faerie Court will be held starting at eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Glimmers are advised to bring their complaints and petitions to the Waterfall Palace then.
Her voice faded, leaving behind an echoing silence.
I looked over at Lucas. He looked as shocked as the rest of us, which meant he’d been able to hear it even despite his Humdrum-ness. The Oracle really had thrown him headfirst into this world.
Elle stood up and went to the other table. She straightened the candle holder that had fallen and surveyed the café for damage. The Humdrum man still stood outside, oblivious to what had just happened.
“That’s… good?” Lucas said, looking around.
“That’s good,” I said. “The queen doesn’t make announcements like that very often. It means she’s taking a stand and every Glim in the area knows it.”
Kyle opened his mouth, but he was cut off by another booming voice. This one said Listen carefully, and seemed to come from the back of the building. Elle ran toward the kitchen. A second later, she returned. She held a glass of clear water at arm’s length and looked at it like the thing was about to explode.
I’d thrown blocking spells over all the clear water I’d seen since entering Pumpkin Spice. It was habit by now. But I’d completely forgotten to wrap a spell around the faucet in the kitchen in the back of the café.
I unite my voice with Queen Amani’s, the Oracle’s voice boomed. We must cease this violence immediately. My sprites are stationed in fountains across the city. As of this moment, they are under instructions to maintain order. They will punish wrongdoers. Those who obey our laws need have no fear.
Her voice faded. The water sat still, as if it hadn’t just played host to the thundering voice of the only faerie who could make my blood run cold.
I pulled out my wand and shot a blocking spell at the glass. The water fizzed white for an instant so brief it could have been my imagination, and then settled.
“What was that?” Elle said.
“She can see through water,” I said. “Any clear water.”
Elle’s eyes widened and she looked around the room. I waved my hand to catch her attention.
“This room’s fine,” I said, but I could hear my voice shaking. “I’ve been enchanting as I go. I forgot about the faucet.”
“I notice she didn’t define who wrongdoers are,” Lucas said.
Kyle tapped the paper again. A stream of new headlines spilled across the page: HUMDRUM GOVERNOR ADVISES SKEPTICISM AS CONSPIRACY THEORIES OVERTAKE POPULAR MEDIA.
I hoped people would listen. At this point, their skepticism might be the only thing that could save us.
Chapter Fifteen
I held my fingers inches from the rose stem and felt the air grow soft and hot between us. The magic siphoned into my fingers, smooth and sweet and sparkling. With my glasses propped on top of my head, the crystalline pink shone clearly in the late afternoon sunlight. When the magic was reduced to a thin pink dusting, I mentally clipped off the flow and gave myself a moment to absorb it.
“That looks great,” Isabelle said. “Thanks for your help, by the way. Pruning these babies takes me weeks working alone.”
She blew an air kiss toward one of the “babies,” a healthy long-stemmed rose bush almost as tall as I was.
“I love it,” I said. “Thanks for letting me keep the magic, seriously.”
“There’s plenty to spare,” she said.
She smiled. For the first time in days, the air around us was calm, and we both felt it. I took a deep breath and let it out, savoring the chilly fresh air and peace.
Maybe it was the energy of the plants making me feel better, or maybe it was just that Glims had stopped attacking Hums, which meant Hums were starting to think the whole video-Huntsmen-Dark-Forest thing was just some social meme that had run its course. Below the garden, the city gleamed in the sunlight.
Down the row of bushes, Lucas and Daniel sat on a bench warmed by the sun, both playing games on their phones. They seemed to be enjoying ignoring each other. Once in a while I’d hear one of them shout, “Take that!” or “Got it!”
I had a feeling Daniel had only come in hopes of seeing Haidar again. But Lucas was the real surprise.
The Oracle had used him. She’d roped him into our world just to bring the tension between Imogen and me to its boiling point. I kept waiting for him to throw up his hands and say it was too much, but instead, he seemed to be getting comfortable. He liked my world. And even though I’d always been glad he was a Hum, I was also glad he was here.
My ears starting ringing, like I’d been listening to music too loudly. I frowned and plugged one of my ears, trying to get the annoying whistle to go away. But Isabelle touched my arm and shook her head.
She leaned toward the bush she’d been pruning. After a moment, she reached in and touched one stem that looked like all the others. Instantly, a bud appeared. In mere seconds, it swelled and burst into a fragrant pink bloom. She crooked a finger toward me and we both leaned in.
There’s been an attack, Haidar’s terse voice said. Clear the garden of Glims and secure yourselves. I’ll be there in a moment.
Nausea pooled in the pit of my stomach. I’d been deluding myself to think this peace was going to last.
Isabelle stood up. A strand of her dark hair fell out of its braid. “Get your brother and your friend,” she said. “I’ll sweep the rest of the garden.”
I ran. Daniel and Lucas hadn’t heard a thing, and I had to say Daniel’s name twice to get him to look up. When he saw my face, he shut off his game. Lucas was already standing and next to me.
“Is everything okay?” he said. He looked down at me, and his eyes were too intense. He knew it wasn’t.
“I don’t know,” I said. Panic flooded me. “Daniel, get out your wand, just in case.”
He pulled his collapsible wooden wand out of his pocket and assembled it with a wave of his hand. Lucas watched in fascination, and then Daniel and I stood back-to-back with Lucas alert next to us.
“What’s going on?” Daniel said over his shoulder.
“Another attack,” I said. “I don’t know any details.”
The garden was nearly abandoned this time of year, but the sunshine had brought out a few visitors. Down the hill from us, I could see Isabelle walking down the rows, trying to determine who was Glim. She couldn’t see magic like I could; my gift was a unique one, even for a faerie. I sent a nudge of energy to her, and she looked up.
I pointed. Not too far from her, a single Glim in a long black coat took pictures of the dead-looking roses with a fancy camera. A staticky, sparking aura crackled around her. Isabelle strode toward her. I saw them talking for a moment, and then the woman tucked her camera into her coat and walked quickly out of the garden.
“Where’s Isabelle?” a voice demanded.
I jumped. Haidar stood next to us.
“I thought you were keeping a lookout,” I hissed to Daniel.
“He literally just popped out of thin air,” Daniel said.
“She’s down there,” Lucas said. He pointed to where Isabelle’s green hoodie and dark hair blended in with the scenery.
A final scan of the garden told me that the remaining visitors were Humdrums. I sent Isabelle another jolt of energy and waved her up.
Haidar watched her ascend the hill. His eyebrows drew together, making his already dark eyes seem shadowed. His gaze fixed on her and kept track of her every move as she came toward us.
“Some Glims attacked a group of Huntsmen,” Haidar said without waiting to be asked.
The ridiculous term rolled off his tongue like he’d been using it forever. I had a sudden flood of instinct that he’d been watching all this more closely and for longer than any of us.
“Three of the Humdrums were wounded, and at least one Glim is in the hospital. They haven’t caught
anyone.”
“So much for sprites punishing the wrongdoers,” Lucas said.
Haidar stared at him for a brief second, like he couldn’t place him and then couldn’t be bothered to try anymore.
“The Humdrum community is panicking,” Haidar said. “Just yesterday, only a small group of Humdrums was following this. It was something they only saw if they paid attention. Today, everyone will notice.”
An unexpected twinge of empathy rose up in me for my dad. Judging by how sick this made me feel, I figured he was going to have a nervous breakdown.
“This is—” Isabelle said.
This was the first attack, the Oracle’s voice boomed.
I flinched. The sound rose up from all around the garden. The water inside the garden was protected and stayed silent, but in the city on every side, her voice echoed and rang out from fountains, ponds, creeks—even the river.
My intelligence reports indicate there will be more, she said. All Glims are hereby ordered to return to their homes. Each home will observe a full lockdown until further notice. You have two hours to comply. Any Glimmers out on the street after that time will be considered allies of the Dark Forest movement and will be taken into custody. Protect yourselves.
“She doesn’t want to protect anyone,” I started, but Daniel elbowed me. I shut up and listened. My breath sounded almost loud enough to drown Kelda’s voice out.
But she’d stopped talking. The omnipresent voice was gone, replaced by the pounding of my heart.
“Her intelligence has nothing to do with it,” I whispered. “She’s behind this.”
“We know,” Isabelle said. She put a warm hand on my arm.
“She’s lying!” I said.
“What are you going to do about it?” Isabelle said. “She can lie as much as she wants. We don’t have enough evidence.”
“Meanwhile, she’s just given her Dark Forest allies permission to roam freely, and ensured everyone else will stay in their homes where they can’t defend the Hums,” Haidar said. His jaw tightened into a hard line.
Lucas tensed beside me. “Defend them from what?”
“What do you think?” Isabelle said. She caught sight of his face and winced. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it like that,” she said. “I’m stressed right now.”