Chapter Fourteen
Arach and I flew back to Castle Aithinne, where faeries were emerging from their chambers looking a little dazed while the children were heading inside, finally worn out from all of their play (though not as worn out as the adults). The Red Caps and wayfarer ended their kingdom inspection once they felt the shift in the realm. The wayfarer was certain the raths were all closed. It wasn't a complete win but I'd take it.
While our sons went to their beds for a nap, Arach and I mirrored the High King and reported the events of the last few days.
“But Faerie believes the magic will fade eventually?” King Cian asked after we filled him in.
“She does but she's not certain,” I said.
“Neither am I,” Cian said with a grimace. “The magic jumped from several raths; that shouldn't have happened. It shouldn't be able to survive on its own.”
“Mallien said it was powerful,” Arach noted. “I assume that the magical explosion gave it a charge.”
“Explosion... like the big bang,” I said in revelation.
“The big bang?” Cian asked.
“My wife is referring to a human theory that their universe was formed after an explosion and that the reason the planets move through space as they do is that they are expanding from that initial release. In other words, it is a creation myth.”
“There are a lot of facts to support it,” I argued. “I don't think it's fair to call it a myth.”
“Myth or theory, they're the same.” Arach shrugged. “It doesn't matter how the galaxies were born or why the planets move, only that they were and they do.”
“It does matter in this case,” I insisted. “Because if it's true that the Human Realm was born of an explosion, then doesn't it stand to reason that it could be reborn in another explosion? Or that another realm's explosion could alter it?”
“Reborn?” Arach asked with a scowl.
“Well, this isn't physical matter or even dark matter that we're dealing with,” I pointed out. “It's magic. I would imagine that a magical explosion would have more options than one that sends rocks barreling through space.”
“Instead, it sent magic barreling through the Aether,” Cian mused. “But it stands to reason that such momentum—magical or otherwise—will eventually cease.”
“Not necessarily,” I said. “Human scientists have been studying the galaxies and they've noticed that they've gotten further away.”
“What does that mean?” Arach asked.
“It means that instead of slowing down, as one might expect, given gravity and all that, the universe is accelerating.”
“Why?” Cian asked.
“No one knows. They're not sure if it's always been accelerating or if it's a recent phenomenon,” I said. “But that just goes to show that even non-magical things can behave in unexpected ways. Life takes leaps and speeds up when it shouldn't. It rebels.”
“And fey magic has just anchored itself to your rebellious, misbehaving planet,” Cian mused. “That doesn't bode well.”
“I'll be returning with Vervain to Earth,” Arach announced. “We'll work with the Gods and see if there's a way to destroy the magic.”
“Magic cannot be destroyed, only redirected,” Cian argued.
“That's not true.” I started to grin as a plan formed in my head. “I know a god who can destroy magic.”
Arach blinked, then said, “Torrent.”
“Torrent,” I confirmed. “He'll be able to unravel the magic like computer code. Maybe you won't be needed after all.”
“No, I'm going,” Arach insisted. “I want to be there in case anything goes wrong.”
“I think that's wise,” Cian agreed. “Take my son with you as well. You said he'll be returning right when you're planning to leave, correct?”
“Yes,” Arach confirmed. “We'll meet the High Prince and his escorts at the Great Tree and take them with us.”
“Good.” Cian let out a long sigh. “I have to admit that I'm unsettled. Now that the chaotic magic has been diffused, I can see my past behavior clearly and I'm shocked by it.”
“You still did right by the realm, High King,” I reminded him. “Your sense of responsibility must be too ingrained for you to ignore.”
“Thank you for saying so, Queen Vervain.” Cian inclined his head to me. “But I hope I shall never have to prove myself in such a manner again. If it weren't for my son and you, things may have gone horribly wrong.”
“It's not over yet, King Cian,” I warned him. “Don't go tempting fate like that.”
Cian laughed. “Faeries make their own fate, Queen Vervain.”
A chill ran down my spine at his words. I'd scoffed and railed at fate often enough to know what a mistake it was to anger it. Destiny was fickle, mischievous, and easily offended. I just hoped she didn't make all of us pay for what King Cian had said.
Chapter Fifteen
We bid our sons farewell again and took a carriage to the Great Tree. Along the way there, I decided to use my ring to return instead of going with Arach. I realized that I hadn't noted the exact time I'd left the God Realm. I was fairly certain that we'd be arriving after it but that wasn't something I wanted to risk nor did I want to leave Odin sitting in my dressing room waiting on me and worrying. Arach agreed with me. He'd meet me at Pride Palace with Lugh and the others.
I asked my ring to take me back to a minute after I'd left the God Realm, in the same spot that I'd left it from. It didn't matter that I was currently in a moving carriage, the magic pulled me through time and space, back to where I'd started. I reformed in front of Odin with a shivering rush.
“Did you take care of it?” He immediately asked, not at all startled.
“Partially.” I made a wincing expression at his muttered curse. “We discovered why it happened. Back when Faerie and I formed the Dark Kingdom, we lowered the ward around Faerie—the one placed there by Faerie herself. But she forgot to reform it around the ring of the new kingdom. The ward, among other things, protected the realm from magical build-up. Without it, severe changes in the realm produced sparks that eventually became a chaotic cloud that exploded.”
“Great Scott,” Odin whispered.
“Yeah but guess what? The Trinity Star came through for us.”