Six Guardians of the Underworld

Chapter 30

Lost in thought, I hadn't realized that Jared had started talking again until someone yelled something from the audience.

Dardennes stood and held out a hand. "We know you will all have some questions, but if you could save them for the end of the explanation, that might allow us to hurry this along. As you know, we do not have the luxury of unlimited time."

The fae in front of us calmed a little as Jared continued. I pushed thoughts of Tony aside temporarily so that I could participate in this process, it being the only hope we had of winning the war against these evil beings who I was going to blame for what had happened to my friend. If it weren’t for them getting those demons all riled up and into the Overworld, we never would have fought with them and Tony wouldn’t have ended up in the Gray. They were going to pay and pay dearly.

"We did just a little bit of research, and it has not yet been verified by the gray elves, but what we found seems plausible," Jared explained, sounding still doubtful. "A worldwide concert given by a group of musicians that will be broadcast on various media at the same time."

A gray elf stood in the middle of the room, and I recognized him immediately. Gregale. "If I may, I believe I could shed some light on this for you?"

Jared gestured to him. "By all means." He sat, waiting for Gregale to continue.

"Honorable Council members, fellow fae, I am Gregale for those of you who do not know. The information relayed to Maggie the witch by Spike the incubus was gathered by our members and immediately discussed…"

I tried to catch Spike's eye out in the audience, but he was too busy frowning at Gregale to notice me. He looked just as confused as I was about how that old bag had managed to get Spike's information back to the compound in time for it to lead anywhere. Maybe I'd been wrong about that brew she'd been cooking up. Maybe rat turds were the basic ingredients of a communication spell.

"And although we did not find anything specific, the data that Jared has shared with us aligns perfectly with the scenario that we determined was the most likely to be followed by the Forsaken." He paused and became more animated. "The idea that millions of people could be tuned in to the same musical broadcast is fascinating, and would actually be perfect for what they want to accomplish."

"Which is what, exactly?" I asked, before I could think to stop myself. I hadn't yet heard the official gray elf line on what was happening in detail, other than the Forsaken wanted to get to me and destroy the world.

Gregale turned to face me directly. His words were soft, almost as if he were speaking only to me. "The Forsaken wish to use our Mother's elemental powers to help them bring natural disasters, disease, and pestilence to the human population to such a degree that it all but ensures their extinction. What the elements do not accomplish, these mass musical broadcasts could, by sowing the seeds of discontent, anger, racism, bigotry, isolationism, mistrust and general hatred toward others. And as the humans disappear from the earth, so will eventually all the fae. The fae who do not depend on humans for survival will perish later, but they will indeed perish. Because we do not merely need humans for their meat or their energy; we need their humanity. They feed not only our bodies, but our souls." He bowed his head when he was done and seemed to be waiting for a response from me.

"Oh. Well…" My voice rang out around the vast room, bouncing off the walls. "That's definitely epic." I sighed in frustration with myself, knowing these fae were looking for something bigger and better from me than that. I decided to add to my thought, trying to make it better. "But just so you know, I'm not planning on helping them out with that gig. I'm not cool with natural disasters or…pestilence or whatever. I won't help them."

"You might not need to," said a voice from the back. I recognized it immediately.

"Come forward, Sam," I said. I checked right after with Dardennes, hoping I hadn't overstepped, but he nodded at me, his brows furrowed. He looked as worried as I felt.

Sam pushed through some witches and ogres to show herself near the center aisle. "We've seen her children. The Forsaken are using her children. Or they plan to."

Tim looked up at me, somehow sensing my nerves getting the better of me. "Chill, Lellemental. Hear her out before you lose your shizzle."

I hadn't even realized I was getting hot around the collar until he said that. I was definitely sweating. Was this what it had been like for Ben, to always have to watch his temper so he didn't light anything on fire? I took a deep breath and willed the heat away as I exhaled. A little steam came from my mouth. I clapped my hand over my lips to stop it.

When I looked to my right, Aidan was staring at me. I shrugged and tried to smile through my fingers. He grinned back, slowly shaking his head. I was happy to see he at least had a sense of humor and could laugh at a girl almost accidentally setting herself on fire.

Sam was talking again, and all eyes were on her. "They have been planning this for a very long time. They knew about Jayne's arrival into the fae world before any of us did. Before anyone on the Council did."

Céline's voice rang out. "Torrie?!"

There was some shuffling to our left, and the former demon stood in front of a seat one row back from the front. "Yes, my lady?"

"Were you aware of this when you were a resident of the Underworld?" Her tone was accusatory.

I couldn't remember ever seeing her pissed, so this was fun. Couple's drama. I leaned forward to put my elbows on the table in front of me, lacing my hands together and resting my chin on them. Yes, Torrie, you turd master…do tell. And while you're at it…why don't we discuss what you did to me when I was totally drugged into unconsciousness, hmmm? I had a bone to pick with that former demon, and it was going to be totally on between us when this meeting was over. He was going to answer for his actions, and I was not going to promise to keep my elements to myself, either.

"I was never aware of the Forsaken when I was residing in the Underworld. The only non-Underworld inhabitants I interacted with on a regular basis were your sister Malena and her friend Leck." I wasn't sure if that mention of Malena's relationship to Céline was supposed to sting, but she reacted as if it did, flinching at the words. Poor Céline. She'll never have a life untainted by those who were supposed to love her but didn't.

"Did you know of their existence?" Dardennes asked.

"I did not, outside of the myths we all learned when we were young."

My internal lie detector was not pinging, but since he wasn't talking directly to me, I had no way of knowing whether that meant anything.

"You may be seated," Dardennes said.

Torrie wasted no time in sitting down. He was probably very happy to not be reminding the world that he'd been a demon not that long ago, intent on seriously messing up everyone in that room. I noticed that the seats on either side of him were empty, even though it was standing room only in the auditorium. Good. Turds like him don't deserve to have friends.