Descent from Anwyn

Genève stood in the alley, pouting. She looked into Talon's yellow eyes, trying to hold on to her resentment, but those damn eyes of his made it harder than it should have been. Talon leaned against a wooden fence. Taking a step forward, Genève adjusted his old leather jacket, and he placed a helmet over her hair with a sly smile. They were in the middle of a spirited argument, which was nothing new. She enjoyed how he got her blood boiling. Some would describe her as an eccentric person, yet few people understood her dark humor. That didn't stop her, though; it encouraged her.

She was always quick to laugh, joke, and have a good time.

There was another side to her. Although her father's blood ran strong in her, she carried pieces of her mother. Cursed with a stereotypical redhead temper, her anger burned hot as fire.

Through clenched teeth, Genève said, "I still don't see why I have to wear a helmet, and you don't."

Kissing the tip of her nose he replied, "My bike, my rules. Besides, I don't want to mess up my hair."

He took a step back. A look of fear replaced his silly, lopsided grin as two hands grabbed him from behind. He glanced over at Genève and realized the hands also had her. He just hoped she could keep her lip at bay and stay calm.

A deep voice growled, "We are the queen's guards."

Talon's mouth hung open, and he prayed they wouldn't hear Genève's obscenities under her breath.

"Queen Chandi requires your immediate presence. You won't be hurt if you don't put up a fight."

Genève and Talon both knew better than to disobey the monarch's patrol. Their fathers were the top two in the hierarchy, and they had heard stories from infancy about what happened to those who tried to escape the ruler's summons. Genève felt an icy chill run up her spine. Something must have gone terribly wrong, or their fathers would have been the ones ushering them before the queen.

The walk up the palace stairs and down the long corridor to the queen's chambers only took moments, yet each second seemed like an eternity. Step after step, the fear ran colder and more intense. Genève imagined that if someone touched her face right then, their fingers would freeze to her skin.

They walked into the room where the court was held. The guardian of the realm was sitting down, with guards on all sides, her eyes brimming with tears. Genève's mother, Oleander, Talon's mother, Anise, and Talon's father, Derik, were all chained on their knees in front of the ruler. Their faces were pale and covered with sweat. Genève's father was nowhere to be seen.

Before registering what, she was doing, her body automatically dropped her down to her knee so she could formally bow to the queen. Talon did the same. Genève's mother was not a kind woman, so Genève spent a lot of time with her father, who was the right hand of the monarch. She had always wished that the two of them were her parents. She knew that the queen secretly loved her father.

Her old friend smiled weakly and declared, "Rise my child. I've unpleasant news to deliver. Please, come closer." She drew a breath and reached out for Genève's long fingers.

Genève stumbled forward and grabbed her hand. "What has happened, My Queen?"

As her lip trembled, the queen answered, "My kingdom has been corrupted by lust and greed, and your father has paid the ultimate price for it. I am sorry to tell you, but your father has fallen. He sacrificed his life to save his queen."

Genève fell to the ground. For a moment, the world started spinning, and she could not breathe.

All she could feel was despair as the pain settled like a boulder in the pit of her stomach.

Genève pictured her father. Just last night he had taken her to the carnival. His grin was so goofy, just like it always had been. The moment was just a regular moment in time. Genève had been trying to win a trinket at the target practice booth. As her father held her hand in his, she couldn't help but notice how much rougher his hands were. He stood up, bowing deeply just to show off, and grabbed the bow. After winking at Genève, all three targets became memories in mere seconds. Just like him. Now he was just a memory too.

The memory wasn't over, and Genève never wanted it to be. She kept her eyes closed and continued to reminisce. There had been a glint in his eyes when the man behind the booth grumpily handed over the toy. That glint meant more to her than all the treasures in all the worlds. She could not accept that she would never see her father's smile again.

Barely holding it together, her eyes met the queen's. "How could this be, My Queen? The realm has been at peace for many years."

"That, my dear, was the first question I proposed. The next was, where was my second in command? If your father had not been guarding me alone, he would still live."

Talon looked up and asked, "Father, where were you when the queen and the father of my beloved needed you most?"

Anise looked up and, between gritted teeth, said, "Yes, where were you? That is the important question, is it not?"

Derik looked up with regret in his eyes. "I will admit my part in this woman, but his death is on your hands."

The queen stood and shouted, "Enough! I have had enough of this. Apparently, your father was too busy lying with Oleander to bother protecting his queen and his realm."

The queen walked closer to Anise and slapped her. "Wipe that smirk off your face. Derik has gotten one thing right–the part you played in this was far worse than the act of infidelity that they committed."

Genève looked at the monarch. "Please tell me what is happening. Why are they all in chains?" she asked.

The queen closed her eyes to regain her composure.

"Anise found out that Oleander and Derik had been having an affair for months." She paced back and forth, trying not to let the despair seep into her voice. "She discovered when they would meet, and she realized that he would be late to his duties, which would leave us vulnerable. She hired a group of thugs to attack our entourage as I made my way to court. They shot your father through the heart with a poisoned arrow. He now resides with the gods in Platonia. Fortunately, last week, when the Elders of Beimeni came to pay their respects, they gifted me with the capacity to perceive the truth in any situation. Your father was the only person who knew that I now possess the ability to make people tell me their deepest secrets. So, Anise thought I would have Derik killed for breach of duty, and she would go free."

Genève recognized all too well how these things were handled, so she asked, "My Queen, what will happen to all of us?"

Sadness overcame the queen. As much as she tried to stop it, her voice quivered. "If you only knew how many times, I wished I had met your father before he wed your mother. I treated you as a daughter because I have yearned for you to be mine. I would do anything to keep you here by my side in Anwyn, but I just cannot. It would send the wrong message and put the entire land in danger. I must kill Anise. Because of the affection I have for your father, I will spare your mother so that she can still tend to you. Because of the respect, I will always bear for you, I will let Derik live to take care of your one genuine love. However, you may not stay in Anwyn. Everyone in both clans will be banished to the human realm."

Genève was in shock. "Thank you, My Queen. I must ask, will we not lose our agelessness?"

A tear slid down the queen's face. Still, she remained in control. "Yes, my dear. After one hundred years, you will begin to age. A human lifetime will pass, and so shall you. I wish I could give you your life, but I can't. I can permit you time that no one else would have for this kind of treason."

Genève watched as the ruler raised her sword, reciting the words for the banishment of two clans of high-ranking fae. That's all they were–pretty, pretty words. The queen had always had a weakness for words. Genève kept staring as countless memories collided. She had spent so much of her life playing word games. Her father had always let the queen come out ahead–it didn't matter what game. Although he never once let Genève win, he knew that, if caught, he would have been the victim of her fury. Nobody wanted that.

Genève's thoughts shifted to how cozy her father's rough hands felt. It occurred to her that this was goodbye. Genève wished she had been given this luxury with her father. She tried to remember her last words to him, it was only this morning I saw his face. I spoke to him, and now he's gone.

Her mind wandered as she watched her twin flame, who stood helplessly, watching his mother's execution. Genève couldn't look away. She stared as his mother's head hit the ground, never breaking eye contact as it stopped in a crimson puddle. Still, she looked on as the skull emerged.

Chapter Two

Two weeks after they settled in the human realm, Genève ran out of patience. She'd been begging her mother and Aunt Adonis to let her see Talon since the day they had arrived. Every day, they asked her to give it some time. Her mother pleaded with her, "Derik must blame us for his fall from grace. He is hurting and angry. They will not protect you."

Genève knew he would not harm her. She also knew for certain she was secure with Talon. He would lay down his life to shield her and then use his last breath to mend her broken heart. She decided that to appease her mother, she would send him a telegram. She watched day and night, waiting for his reply.

While she waited, she searched for the ingredients to make her magical brownies. She had to go to multiple shops to find what was needed, but it helped to take her mind off things. On the fourth turn of the moon, when she had located all the elements but one, a reply arrived.

My dearest Genève, how could we ever blame you? Our parents bear this burden; the fault is theirs alone. My father spends his days sick with grief. He lost his wife, mistress, and best friend all in one day. He has tried more than once to reach out to your mother, but all the letters get returned. We are of no risk to you. I need to see you. Please come quickly, my dear. Your presence will make living bearable again.

Genève felt blistering anger when she realized that her mother had known the entire time that she was in no jeopardy. She understood now that her mother just wanted to keep them apart. The rage was short-lived, though, as Genève could not hide her excitement. She decided that she would set out as soon as she made a batch of her magic brownies. They were a perfect way to relieve pain, which was overpowering the very essence of the home of the man she loved. One bite would render someone incapable of feeling sad for hours. Genève remembered her mother keeping her magical herbs in the house, and she was sure Oleander had the last ingredient she needed, so Genève began a frantic search of the cupboards.

Her mother walked in just as Genève started panicking and asked, "What has gotten into you? What on earth are you doing?"

Genève sighed, handed her the telegram, and explained, "I am trying to find ground amber so I can make a batch of brownies. Once I finish making them, I will be leaving. His father does not blame us, and I cannot go another day without seeing Talon. I will forgive all of your selfish lies if you just help me find this last ingredient."

Oleander regarded her daughter with a weary look, which was tainted with another emotion that Genève could not figure out.

"Yes, I will assist you, darling. As a matter of fact, I have a whole jar of amber in my chamber. I will get it. You are right–it is time to settle this once and for all."

Oleander went into her room and began rifling through her herbs. She found one with a pinch of powder in it. Shaking her head, she picked up a second container. It was almost half full. She dumped the second one into the first and happily walked into the kitchen, shaking the spice as she passed.

Genève and her mother spent half an hour mixing ingredients and watching the wood-fired oven. She could not help but be surprised by how nice her mother was being. She thought that, just maybe, the human realm and losing her husband had finally brought her mother to her senses. Maybe coming face-to-face with reality was the only way to cure her narcissism.

Chapter Three

As Genève entered Talon's home, pure joy overpowered her. With her arms wrapped around him, peace overcame her. All was now right with the world. Genève scanned the compact house, searching for Derik. He was all alone, sitting in a darkened area. She signaled him over and hugged him close. Talon called for his two brothers, and they all sat down to have brownies and catch up. The bliss radiating through the chamber was almost instant; it felt just like old times again.

Suddenly Genève realized that it was getting late, and Oleander had told her to be home before nightfall. No one wanted to disappoint Oleander since it seemed like she was trying to be a good mother for the first time in her life. Genève got up to leave, but Talon would not hear of her walking home by herself. She reluctantly hugged everyone goodbye, and they set out on their way.

Outside the sky was gray, yet the moon was bright. Ten minutes into their journey, Talon's entire demeanor changed. His breathing became raspy, and it sounded as if there was fluid somehow trapped in his throat, trying to escape.

Genève wordlessly willed him to cough. She walked over to him and grabbed his hand, noticing that his skin had grown cold to the touch and his face had grown disturbingly pale. With a smile, she stared him in the eyes and only half-joked, "Does my gallant knight need to stop and rest?"

He looked at her. Unable to hide his fear, he simply nodded. His legs buckled, and he hit the ground. Within seconds, Genève noticed his chest was sinking in, and his ribs protruded a little more as he struggled to breathe. Genève's smile died a slow death as she fell to her knees, taking Talon in her arms. He reached out and touched her face, smiling weakly. Even now he tried his hardest to protect her from the inevitability of what was to come.

"You are my greatest treasure, my truest friend; alike in death, our devotion will never end. Our souls will one day meet again," he whispered as he closed his eyes for the last time, and one last tear rolled down his cheek.

Genève had never felt the level of pain and fear she had at that moment. She had thought nothing could hurt her more than the death of her father. Oh, but she was wrong. Adrenaline coursed through her body, and her heart suffered as if it were a rope bridge holding a thousand armies. The weight of it all would be too much, and she would surely break into a million tiny pieces.

Her thoughts were racing, keeping pace with her feet while running to get help. She told herself aloud, "Breath in, breathe out. Pull yourself together, Genève." There was no time for mistakes. They hadn't made it very far, and they were closer to Talon's residence, so that is where she ran as fast as her feet would go. As she ran, she repeated to herself, "He cannot be lost, there is no way. This is just a dream or a mean joke."

Finally, Talon's house appeared in front of her. She slammed open the wooden door, seeking answers but coming up short. What was now in her view stopped her dead in her tracks. She opened her mouth and screamed as loud as her voice would go. Genève was sure she would never stop screaming. The world started spinning, and her eyes closed as she slipped into sweet blissful nothingness.

Chapter Four

Genève slowly opened her eyes. Her head pounded, and the slight movement was excruciating. She quickly shut her eyes again. Trying to regain her composure, she remained still and concentrated on breathing in and out. She recognized she had no short-term memory. She didn't even know where she was. As she struggled to maintain focus and stay awake, Genève realized she was not alone.

She took a breath and tried again to open her eyes, focusing all her strength on seeing through the fog clouding her vision. When the other person came into view, she relaxed. It was her Aunt Adonis, so she must be at home.

As her surroundings became clearer, Genève became more and more panicked. She recognized Talon's living room, and the reality of the situation smacked her in the face. She opened her mouth to scream again, but Adonis walked over to grab her hand.

"Hush, my child. There was nothing to be done. You mustn't fall apart."

Genève looked into her aunt's eyes and cried, "Mustn't fall apart? First, I suffered the loss of my father, and now I've suffered from losing the best part of myself. Every man I have ever loved is gone. I will never be whole again. Yet you stand there with nothing lost and ask me not to slip into pieces? How could this have even happened? I do not understand. They were all fine when I left them."

Adonis took a step back, and Genève could not help but notice that she appeared nervous. A thought occurred to her.

"Aunt Adonis, not to appear ungrateful, but why are you here?"

"I have a terrible tale to tell you, and it is certain to break your heart. I have to know that you are strong enough to hear it," Adonis said, looking Genève directly in her eyes.

Genève straightened her back and returned her aunt's stare. "I am as steady as I will ever be. I give you a fair warning, though. If you had anything to do with this family's death, I will end your life."

Her aunt shook her head and replied, "I did not, but I know who did. If you think about it, you will recognize who it was."

Genève's back stiffened, and she could feel the anger boiling in her veins. "Are you telling me that this was the work of my mother? Why would she do this? How did she do it?"

Adonis began pacing backward and forward, choosing her words carefully. "I am sure that you are aware of the fact that certain flowers are deadly to most sidhe. It's one of the few things that can kill us."

"Yes, yes, we have been told that since infancy. What is your point?" Genève asked impatiently.

Adonis took a breath and gave Genève a meaningful look. "Your mother and I come from an ancient bloodline that has never been tainted with the blood of a lesser lineage. It is an extensive process to marry into our clan. One must not only be born into the right family, but they must also complete a medical screening, at which time blood is taken and examined for compatibility. Our bloodline enjoys the benefit of being immune to poison. This is the one thing that is scrutinized when the blood is drawn.

"We are not allowed to have children with bloodlines that dilute this favor in our blood. Your mother has always been stubborn and refused to get the analysis performed when she started a relationship with your father. Before our parents could force her hand, she was already pregnant. It was too late to do anything about it, so the test was never discussed again. If it turned out your blood was tainted, they would have stigmatized you in the community, and that would have been unacceptable. So, our parents arranged for it to appear like your father had the necessary testing done, but we never found out whether you carried the immunity."

Genève looked at her aunt with a confused expression on her face. "This is fascinating information, but I do not get how it applies to what is going on here."

Adonis watched as the look on Genève's face changed from confusion to realization to horror. Genève thought about her mother's sudden interest in helping her that afternoon. She remembered the time it took Oleander to go into her chamber to pick up the ground amber, and she became sick to her stomach. Before she could move, Adonis came close and wrapped Genève in her arms.

"I saw the empty jar of ground oleander in her suite, and I realized right away what she had planned. I got here as quickly as I could, but it was too late."

Genève's face was filled with horror, her voice tinged with sadness. "She poisoned them not knowing whether I would live or whether I would perish. She has never loved me. What will happen to Talon's soul? I know when we fall in Anwyn, we either become gods or demons, but what happens when we perish in the human realm?"

Adonis ran her fingers through Genève's hair, trying to comfort her. "His spirit will go to the world of dreams, the place where humans wait for all the pieces of their lifeforce to reunite before they are reborn. Unfortunately, because he does not have a human soul, he will be stuck in purgatory for eternity. Please do not let your guard down. Having mixed blood, you will need to stay on your toes. Just because you are resistant to oleander does not mean you are unaffected by every poison."

Genève started crying inconsolably, and Adonis waited patiently for her to quiet. She wiped the tears from her own eyes and looked at her niece. "You are correct about your mother. She is a ruthless woman without a shred of decency. I think you know what you must do. She needs to pay for this with her life. I will find you a place where you can begin again, far from here, once you have gotten your vengeance."

They struck a deal. As her aunt concocted a deadly plot for revenge, Genève shook her head and smiled. Nothing would please her more than ending her mother's existence. She stood tall, brushed herself off, and walked purposefully toward the woman who had given her life. Oh, what a pleasure it would be to take hers away.

When her mission was complete, she would plot her next move. Once she controlled every realm, she could go home. Who could stop her?

Thankful she was still alive. Genève tried to adjust to her current reality. She felt empty, and she understood that would never change.

As a child, she had woven tiny pieces of her soul into the essence of the realm. Few had ever seen Anwyn's spirit before, and no others had manipulated the energy. No one else realized it, but Anwyn was a living thing. The realm cried out for Genève, drawing her in. She knew if she could get back, she would feel Talon there. She didn't care what her aunt said. Adonis was not someone to be trusted. Genève had learned the hard way not to trust anyone.

Just a few weeks ago, everything had been perfect. She had been so naïve back then. Now, she had nothing. What goes up, must come down. They say your twin flame is the other part of your soul. This made perfect sense to Genève. The instant she lost Talon, she gave up the part of her capable of love, compassion, and trust. He had been good, and now all she had left was malevolence. The pain was too much to bear. In the aftermath, she slipped into survival mode. As her heart hardened, a deep rage began, constantly simmering on the surface. After losing track of her true self, she became darkness.

Finding a wizard became her obsession. It was the only plan that would help her return to Anwyn. She finally got the attention of a powerful wizard named Zeek. It took months to entice him to look up from his experiments, and look up he must–he was only three and a half feet tall. After that, it took Genève another two years to con him into proposing.

The kind of love she had for Talon spanned space and time. She had no intention of ever loving anyone else. Her chance of living happily ever after died with Talon, so she may as well marry someone who could help her get home. And maybe some of her brokenness could heal as well.

As a sidhe, Geneve possessed magical abilities, abilities that would surpass even the most powerful beings in the human realm. Unfortunately, losing her connection with Anwyn had weakened her powers significantly. She could still manage to implant suggestions into the average human consciousness--that was how she had built her vast army two years ago after killing her mother and leaving her aunt. The problem was, that otherworldly creatures, such as wizards, could not be affected by her mind tricks. It had to be the real deal. She had to make a master magician fall hopelessly in love with her if she wanted his help to complete her plan to rule the land.

Genève went to Zeek first thing the morning after he proposed and stood back, watching the tiny man with a mixture of revulsion and excitement. She put her palm on her stomach and sighed. When he had asked for her hand in marriage, she told him yes without hesitation. Now it was time for her to reveal to him that she was with child.

She sauntered toward him and kissed him on the cheek. Judging from the look on his face, Genève could tell that he was excited.

Before she could say a word, Zeek grabbed her hand and said, "I finally figured out how to do it, my love. I knew it was possible! All these years, everyone thought I was a fool. We will see who laughs last."

Genève forced a sweet smile and looked into his eyes. "That is wonderful, dear heart. Which theory have you proven?"

His lips spread into a childish grin, and he exclaimed, "I can now cross the threshold into the alternate dimensions! Try as I may, I could not persuade the world that alternate realities exist, and now I need not convince anyone. I can enter them!"

Genève's eyes grew wide, and her breath caught in her throat. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, "Other dimensions–do you know what this means? We will rule all the realms. We will have infinite power. All we would have to do is find the rulers in each realm and kill them. We will plan a siege–they will never even see it coming. I could finally go home..."

She found herself rambling, which was not like her at all. She turned around to look at Zeek and was taken aback by the disgust in his eyes. Things would never be the same. His rose-colored glasses had been ripped away with just a few renegade words.

"You never loved me. You conspired to use me to gain power. Leave my presence, dear heart. I never want to see you again."

Genève stood up straight and lifted her chin high. She was determined not to let him see that he had hurt her. When he had informed her that he could move between the dimensions, it had taken her by surprise, and she had let her mask slip. It was just for a split second, but it was too late. A tiny glimpse of her true self. That's all it took. He broke it off and ordered her to leave.