Chapter 10

Silence swept over the table, stealing our voices. Even the constant chatter of the other patrons' voices around us seemed to grow unusually quiet. The clink of glasses and dishes faded away as if the brewery strained to hear the Unseelie King's forthcoming revelation. The wooden chairs felt hard and stiff, amplifying the tension that crackled through the air.

I risked a glance at the others gathered around the long oak table. Justice's jaw had clenched, and the lines around his eyes and mouth were hard. On the other side of me, my brother sat taller in his seat and gripped his knife as if he were going to use it as a weapon.

At the head of the table, Chelby leaned forward, her face a porcelain mask that barely concealed the apprehension beneath the surface. The unease in her eyes left my skin prickling.

This was bad. Falling down a rabbit hole bad. A one-way ticket to the Unseelie Realm bad.

Garrick commanded the room. He lounged in his chair like a sleek panther poised to pounce, all coiled grace and lethal beauty. When he finally spoke, his voice was a razor blade wrapped in honey, mesmerizing and dangerous.

"I suppose you're all wondering about the painting. To satisfy your curiosity, it is called ‘The Covenant of Shadows.'" He broke out in a slow predator's smile that made me shiver. "More important is the library it depicts. It's known as The Archive of Shadows. An ancient trove of secrets, forgotten by most but not by me. Never by me."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. I exchanged a nervous glance with Justice, seeing my questions reflected in his dark eyes. What was so important about this library? What game was Garrick playing?

"That library is located in the Veil of Shadows," Garrick continued. "It is built upon an ancient ground where the Unseelie and the Fae had a bloody battle. Its purpose is to keep those dark days of the battle alive so we can remember the pact of peace. Now, evil has descended upon it, and the souls of the dead have been stolen."

I swallowed the lump of dread in my throat, my voice quivering as I asked, "What evil?"

Garrick's eyes glittered dangerously in the candlelight. "The Seven Deadly Sins had penetrated the realm before we could cast them out, and they left a guardian, a Grimoire Warden, for the library. It's a spectral entity bound to the library, crafted from the ink and parchment of the library's tomes." He paused, letting his words hang in the air before continuing. "This warden interrogates all who wish to enter, demanding they sacrifice memories or secrets to pass."

The tension ratcheted up another notch as he leaned forward, his obsidian gaze sweeping over us. I held my breath, both dreading and desperate to hear what he would say next.

Suddenly, glasses crashed behind me, and I jumped, my heart pounding. Behind me, a waitress had dropped a tray of empty pilsners onto the floor. The shattering sound echoed through the room. With trembling fingers, I rubbed beads of sweat off my brow, the clamminess of my skin betraying my unease. I didn't like where this was going.

Brody met Garrick's gaze, his voice steady and firm as he demanded, "Garrick, you need to be clear about what's at stake here. How exactly did these Demons of the Seven Deadly Sin get into your realm, and what is required of us to ensure they do not cause further harm in your realm or on Earth?"

Garrick took another swig of ale. The tankard clunked heavily on the table as he set it down before answering, "I believe a portal was opened for them. To ensure this doesn't happen again in my realm or yours, you'll have to steal the key that opens the portals. This war happened many years ago, so it wasn't Maci. It could be someone else. Someone who had access to portals and was in league with dark forces."

Brody drew his brows into a deep frown. "Is that what you and Maggie discovered? Is she pursuing this possible league?"

Another shadow fell across Garrick's face. "No. She's following something else, and I haven't heard from her yet. As soon as I do, I'll let you know."

Chelby leaned back in her chair, the wood creaking under her weight as she crossed her arms. Her brow furrowed in thought. "So, you and Maggie think someone else is pulling Maci's strings?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps. I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine."

Damon shook his head. "Too many characters, dude. Who is this Maggie?"

"She's a wolf shifter and part of the Paranormal Mercenary Corps," Chelby explained. "And a friend. She went back to the Unseelie World with Garrick to help him re-establish his rule after Baka stole his power." Something in her voice said it was more than that. Did Garrick and Maggie have an entanglement going on?

I placed my palms on the table, the rough wood grain biting into my skin as I leaned forward. "I have a question, Garrick. What exactly did you mean that this Grimoire Warden interrogates you and demands a memory before it allows you into the library? It sounds ominous."

"Because it is," Garrick replied, his voice as cold as the stone walls surrounding us. "The Grimoire demands your most precious memory. Once given, you can enter the library, but you'll never get the memory back. It's lost forever."

Damon pointed his finger on the table, his eyes flashing with determination. "Look, nobody's sacrificing anything until we figure out what we're up against. We've handled our fair share of cursed objects and vengeful spirits. So, first things first. How do we get in, and what's going to try to stop us?"

Garrick's body stiffened. He narrowed his eyes, his jaw clenching as if he didn't like being challenged. "Like I said, the only way in is through the Grimoire," he growled. "The library is cursed. If you try to get in through other means, your soul is forfeit, and your body turns to dust. This is why none of my people have tried to get into the library. The price is too high."

"I know no one wants to hear this, but someone has to get into the library," Chelby stated grimly. "I believe Sawyer's vision is true, and we need to find out how to stop these demons before the people in my world and yours turn on each other."

Scott scratched his head. "I don't understand. Why would the demons do this?" His voice was small and uncertain.

Garrick gave him a sneer, his lip curling in disdain. "For the collections of souls," he spat. "The demons want whoever goes into the library or attempts to break into it to fail. It's much easier than for them to collect their souls."

Chelby chuckled softly. "Is that why you've never ventured into the library?"

He locked onto Chelby's gaze. "Damn right. I have no intention of losing my soul and being sold to anything from hell. Definitely not my style."

Brody stood, his chair scraping against the brewery's wooden floor, drawing the group's attention. With a firm tone, he remarked, "I believe we need to divide our efforts strategically. Some of us should head to the library to uncover more about these curses directly from the source."

My stomach sank at those words. If we went there, what would happen if we couldn't get back?

Brody rested his palms on the table. "Meanwhile, another team should investigate Glenraith to determine if the curse has spread beyond our initial understanding. Lastly, we'll need a group to return to the Court of Blossoms and assess the full extent of the impact there. Let's not forget, we also need to locate Maci along with the missing phoenix and shepherd. Each task is vital, and coordination will be key to our success."

Damon leaned back in his chair, cracking a wry smile as he picked up his beer. He took a swig, then set it down with a decisive clank on the wooden table. "Well, Cap, sounds like you've got us all playing soldier pretty neatly. I'm all for splitting up. More ground covered, less chatter to listen to."

He glanced around the group, his expression turning serious. "Let's get one thing straight, though. If any of us run into something we can't handle alone, we regroup. No heroics. We're here to get the job done and get out. So, who's heading where?" Damon's tone made it clear. While he respected the plan, he was always prepared to adapt as needed.

Brody turned his gaze to me. "Since you had the vision, Sawyer, I think it makes sense for you to head to the Unseelie realm with Garrick."

I bit my lip as the blood drained from my face. The last thing I wanted to do was skip into the underworld with the Unseelie King. What if I ended up stuck there or something much, much worse?

Justice put his hand over mine, his warmth seeping into my skin. "You won't go alone." As if reading my mind, he added, "I promise you'll return here the same as you were when you left."

Garrick broke into a sinister smile, his eyes glinting with a knowing look that seemed to say As if that's possible. A chill ran down my spine, and I couldn't help but wonder what horrors awaited us in the library and if Justice's promise was one he could truly keep.

"I won't let my sister go to the Unseelie world alone," Damon growled, his fists clenched at his sides. He glared at Brody as if he had just cast a death sentence on me. Maybe he had.

Brody met his glare with equal intensity, his voice low and measured. "Grady and I will be investigating the town of Glenraith. Scott will be returning with Jonas and Chelby to the Court of Blossoms. And that means Lisa goes to hunt for her phoenix and dog by herself." He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing, "Do you think it's wise for Lisa to investigate this alone?"

Damon eyed me skeptically, his face hardening as he leaned closer. He knew me too well to buy the reassurance at face value. "Look, I get that you want to keep Lisa out of this, but don't do the lone hero thing. If things go sideways, you're gonna wish you had backup you could trust." His voice was low and earnest.

He glanced at Justice and Garrick and added, "I'm not only talking about having bodies there. You need people who will drag you back by your collar if things get too hot. So, are you sure you're covered, or are we pretending everything's gonna be fine?" Damon's concern touched my heart, and he wasn't about to let me dodge the real risks involved.

Justice put his hand over his heart. "I promise I'll protect her with my life."

"You'd better," Damon promised. "Because if you don't, I'm staking yours." His words hung heavily in the air, a stark reminder of the fragile truce and the high stakes of their uneasy alliance.

Caught in the middle, I felt the weight of their stares, like two gnashing wolves ready to rip each other apart. Fear coiled in my stomach, not only for my own safety but for the explosive fallout that could tear apart whatever shaky peace we'd managed to build.