Chapter 2259

As if on cue, the door to the chamber opened and Queen Titania with Bitty in tow, strode into the room. Grace and Oberon came to their feet at once and bowed their heads. Grace hissed at the others, and they rose to their feet and bowed their heads as well.

"Be seated," declared Titania, and they sat.Daniel shared a look with his witches and sensed their common desire to deal with Titania if given the chance.

Titania sat at the far end of the table. Bitty crawled up into Daniel's lap, grasped his hands, and rubbed his thumbs. Daniel smiled at her.

"I missed you, Bitty. Everything okay?"he askedher.

She nodded and continued rubbing his hands in hers.

"Despite having to use this annoying language,the gnome and I had the most interesting conversation," declared Titania."We spoke of many things. Mostly about the curse and how

and when it was applied. Fascinating conversation."

Grace glared at Titania."You need to release my friends. This has gone on long enough."

Titania glared at Grace."It goes on for as long as I say it does, Night fae."

"Fine," said Grace."Then tell me about Yanwey.What do you know about it?"

Titania's face clouded."I know nothing."

Grace squinted her eyes."That is falsehood. You know something."

Titania's eyes flashed with anger."You should ask your mother. She knows more than I,I would wager. The Light fae had nothing to do with Yanwey. I lost many close friends when Yanwey was destroyed. Friends I have had for eons. Gone in an explosion of phoenix fire. It is the Night fae who are responsible. You never wanted Yanwey and the neutral ground!"

Grace was angry now."Lies!We always wanted Yanwey!It was you who caused such a ruckus on

its establishment. Might I remind you we all lost cherished friends in Yanwey! It was a cultural centre for both our people. Our future was assured by that neutral ground. So much knowledge is now gone. The libraries, the museums, the..." Grave choked as her voice failed her."If you know anything, tell me!"

Titania glanced at Daniel as she replied."Other than your mother, I would suspect your human toy Daniel would know more than I."

Grace shook her head."That's nonsense. Daniel had nothing to do with it."

Titania continued to examine Daniel."And yet he carries some part of the essence of the female phoenix in him, you know this."

Grace nodded."Yes, we know this."

"Then ask the part of the phoenix that resideswithin him. It was the male that levelled Yanwey. The phoenix in Daniel should know intimately where its other half is. Together they are one. They yearn for one thing and one thing only. To always be united."

Daniel felt a strange heat rise inside him. And a strange longing. Bitty continued to massage his hands around the manacles. It felt good.

Grace shook her head again."The male has disappeared. We don't know where it went."

"Now, who is lying?I suspect you know wherethe male phoenix is."

Daniel snapped his head to look at Grace."Do you?"

Grace hesitated and then nodded."Perhaps. The egg you found on Eric. It was white and black. The female egg is black. The male egg is white. The egg you found on Eric was both colours. I suspect the male is inside the female egg. But I don't know for sure or how that could be. It sounds crazy. Even to me. I didn't speak of it because I can't prove it. And it shouldn't be possible."She looked at Titania."Correct?"

Titania laughed; the sound surprising everyone in the room."Shouldn't be possible? Of course, it's not possible! But where else would it be?”

"Where is the egg now?" asked Grace, glancing

sideways at Daniel.

"I have no idea," answered Titania."How aboutyou, Oberon, my faithful husband, and darling dearest? Care to reveal any secrets to Grace de Moroingi? The only half-breed to ever exist?"Titania batted her eyelids at Oberon.

To Daniel, Oberon looked uncomfortable. He shook his head and looked away from Grace. Daniel saw Grace look carefully at Oberon. Her mouth opened and then snapped shut. She frowned at some thought and then shook her head.

Titania laughed again."So much fun. Perhaps I understand Maeve a little more than I thought. But never mind all that. Grace de Moroingi, you must recover the egg. Then somehow convince one of the phoenixes to leave the egg and we all return to the normal cycle we all enjoy.

"Time is short. The glorious war returns,perhaps a little early but certainly not the first time this has happened. As much as I enjoy the company, I must prepare my army. I cannot abide this unknown loose end with the egg—specifically the destructive power of phoenixes.

It will interfere with my war efforts and that is all that matters to me. Find it. Sort it out. Then return the egg to the Wilds. Throw it in as deep as you can. Then everything will be done and dusted."

Grace looked at Daniel and the witches."And my companions?"

Titania looked at Daniel and the witches with disdain."Forget about them. They will never leave my realm. Witches and bound spell casters are far too dangerous to exist. They will remain here until they pass from the mortal coil. I will keep them powerless. The world cannot contain them so I will. I will do what the humans failed to do. They will remain here under my watch and supervision. They represent calamity. Unbridled calamity."

Grace rose in anger."Release them!They are trusted!They are good people!"

Titania rose and walked to the door and opened it. As it closed behind her they heard her response."That is what is always said about a circle right before they slaughter thousands..."

Chapter Nine

SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES away, Glenda Gables and Roger Rockstone sat beside their small campfire with their legs outstretched and sipped from their mugs of camomile tea and enjoyed the remains of the warm afternoon. The blue sky carried wispy clouds high above and a gentle breeze blew off the nearby ocean and carried the soothing smell of salt and the sea in the air. They were sheltered somewhat by a small grove of pine trees that hid them from the road a few hundred yards away.

They had journeyed from Whitehaven to the east coast of the realm but opted to remain outside the large fishing town of Eastwold rather than enter the town proper. It had been Roger's idea after he brought down a small wild pig earlier in the morning that had wandered too close to their camp. It now hung upside down from a distant tree to bleed out the carcass. Roger was a big fan of wild pig and Glenda had merely smiled at his enthusiasm and tried not to think about a hot bath and a luxurious bed so readily available in the town's main inn.

The tea is nice though, she thought, watching Roger glancing repeatedly at the hung pig. And Roger does do a wonderful job of preparing fresh pig. I'm already salivating thinking about it.

Glenda shifted and found a more comfortable place for her bum to sit on the pine needle covered ground. She felt anxious despite the serene location. She felt she was living on the edge of something terrible happening. The feeling persisted and over the past few months it had become almost a constant worry, but she knew better than that. Even before she had arrived at Whitehaven the feeling of impending doom swirled around her and made her feel unprepared and inadequate to whatever the challenge was going to be.

A couple of months ago, Glenda had felt Amanda Aine pass away. All those years ago, near the end of the Witches'War, she had placed a mark on Amanda to monitor her in Acron. She had noticed when Daniel and his circle had interacted with Amanda and knew the truths were all revealed. She had felt Amanda withdraw from the world and now, in a bright afternoon, she had passed.

She had stopped Roger and explained what had happened. Glenda took a moment to reflect on the poor woman's past before wiping her eyes and standing straight. Amanda had done many terrible things in her past. She had killed thousands of innocents. Amanda, she knew without doubt, was in Hades suffering unimaginable terror and pain. Glenda smiled and walked a little faster down the road east.

She deserved that and more, she thought with satisfaction. At least she raised her daughter correctly. Amber is a powerhouse.

Roger and she had spoken many times over the past months about her trepidations about how the world was at a crossroad. She couldn't pinpoint what the source was but knew everything centred around Daniel Davies and his witches. She had hated leaving him but knowing that Gwydion Bainbridge had possession of that horrible black grimoire was enough for her to head out east with Roger following the threads of evil the book exuded. Nothing was more important for her at the moment. The book was evil and needed to be purged from the world.

She could feel it now, stronger than ever. It was somewhere in Eastwold. Worse, the grimoire knew she was looking for it. It would try and find another host if it hadn't already. Some poor girls with a smattering of magic would be its victims. It would pull the poor souls in, possess them, and make them do unimaginable things. All with a promise of unimaginable power. It was a siren's song to many. And hard if not impossible to resist without proper training. To the uninitiated it would pull them in as sure as the sun would rise every morning.

Glenda sighed and set down her finished mug of tea. Roger stroked her back, lingering on where her tail bone was, knowing it tickled her, and finished his tea.

Roger glanced at the hanging pig."That's good enough, love. I'll break down the carcass and pick out some choice cuts for us. The rest we can sell in town."Roger shared a look with her that spoke volumes. They hadn't seen a single rising thread of chimney smoke over Eastwold, and the fishing boats were all tied up alongside.

Glenda nodded at the false hope in his voice. She felt lightheaded and so tired. So much had

happened over the past year to make all the years before seem tame in comparison. Even considering the massive tragedy of the Witches'War, she could sense something far worse was coming. It frightened her. The Witches'War had been unimaginable in its horror. Whatever was coming would make that war pale in comparison.