“How do you know that?” she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.
I shrugged. “I just do. But I need to know what’s going on and where Chrome is, as well as Forest’s plan now that he’s gone.”
“Forestmademe do that to King Jonas, but I didn’t rape the man for fuck’s sake. Forest said…” Amethyst leaned her head back and transfixed by the ceiling. “It’s such a long story, Slate.”
“I have time.”
Amethyst bit her bottom lip before meeting my gaze again. “Fine,” she agreed. “You must understand, I am by no means innocent in everything I’ve done. I’ve had to play a role, and that role has required me to get my hands dirty. But at the end of the day, all I want is for Forest to die. It’s just not that simple,” she sighed, defeated. Now, seeing her at this angle, her puffy, reddened eyes showed all the weight she’d been carrying on her shoulders for so many years. Alone.
“I know,” I said, still hesitant to give away too much information about the insurgency. Amethyst needed to give me more before I divulged anything. “Start from the beginning. I’m listening.” I wasn’t sure if I was prepared for the details my aunt was about to reveal, but I’d do my best to appear nonjudgemental in her confession.
“Forest has the favor of the Kinetics worldwide. He’s got his hands in deep with human corporations and the US government, particularly the military-industrial complex. Hepays off congressmen and women to pass bills that will benefit him, all while spinning it publicly to appear as if it’s for the good of all Kinetics. He’s started a war with Elementals by framing them in order to turn public opinion in his favor. Chrome and the princess have been part of the plan since before they were born.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “When we kidnapped the Elemental king and queen—”
My eyes widened, and I was unable to stop myself from interrupting her. “You kidnapped them? That’s what happened to them?”
“Yes. Forest wanted to knock out two birds with one stone. Destabilize their monarchy while cross-breeding with them to produce hybrids with the most powerful of both races.”
“For what reason?” I asked.
Amethyst puckered her lips, staring at an empty spot on the wall. “There is another realm, Arcadia, where other beings and magic exist. Right now, its magic is being drained by a dark species. However, there is an ancient object that is protected and hidden within that determines whether light or dark magic rules the realm. Forest was promised this object, but he’d need a way to open a portal. Apparently, only royal hybrids can do that.”
Valik.
Clearly, he was a being from another world. I remembered Chrome telling me about his ability to slip between the two. I kept that information close to my chest, working to keep a straight face while waiting for Amethyst to continue.
“In order for him to obtain the object, he has to uphold his part of the deal he made. The woman from Arcadia wants Endarkened. As many as possible. She’s never elaborated as to why, but Forest has been catching them to hold in the prisons.” Amethyst then snorted, shaking her head. “Of course, Forest saw the opportunity to exploit the Endarkened by setting themloose in populated human areas knowing that they’d deplete someone.”
I schooled my features, relieved to finally have this theory proven right.
“Anyways,” my aunt continued, “Forest was also expected to create these specific hybrids to open the portal, to which then he must complete a very time-sensitive ritual. It’s so fucking clear he’s being manipulated, but Forest is too egotistical to see it, despite my protests. The moment he accomplishes all the tasks, he’s dead…or worse.”
My mind spun, untangling Amethyst’s bits of information and what I already knew to form the closest thing to the truth. The Endarkened that were being held deep within the prisons—Forest’s bait to kick off a Kinetic-Elemental war—were also serving as his payment for his ultimate prize.
“But if Forest is holding a bunch of Endarkened, he’s breaking the accords, rendering him a traitor. Surely, that’s enough to bring forth to the Lords of the other domains?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Amethyst sighed. “I’ve thought of that. I have the evidence to prove it. But then what? Who will lead the Kinetic monarchy, then? There is no heir ready to step in.”
My face contorted in confusion. “Uh, the princess?”
“That the king has deliberately isolated and turned the population against? Imagine the uproar if he was taken from the throne and replaced by a fourteen-year-old that most people can’t stand, Slate.” Amethyst’s eagle-like stare speared through me. “We would destroy ourselves. Then, humans would inevitably discover our existence. And you see how they freak out about the conspiracies of aliens, right? Imagine the warfare if they learned of us. Not only do we have the humans to worry about, Elementals would most likely seize the opportunity to attack…” Amethyst sighed, her exhaustion sinking her further into her chair. “Let’s not forget about Arcadia. There’s a darkforce there waiting for her payment. Who knows what hell she’d wreak here if it was snatched from underneath her nose by removing Forest from power.”
My aunt had her points. Valid concerns. At least right now, we could buy the time to figure out a long-term solution. “So, what about you? What’s been your role? You’ve been very convincing in your loyalty to the king,” I said, trying and failing to keep the accusation from my tone.
“That’s true. I was loyal to him a long time ago. Until he forced me to get pregnant by King Jonas. When Chrome was conceived, Forest wanted to sculpt him to become the ultimate weapon to strike fear into every Elemental and potential future foe. But he despised Chrome at the same time because he was half-Elemental.” Amethyst clenched her jaw, and her lip curled at the edges before she went on. “Regardless of his lineage, he was my child. I loved him. The moment he was born, I hugged him to my chest and pressed a kiss to his forehead. Forest had been present in the room to ensure his ‘viability,’” she spat. “He snatched Chrome from my chest, passing him off to a healer. Then, he backhanded me across my face, his metal rings gashing me deep, and said, ‘He’s an experiment. Don’t even think about getting attached. Otherwise, you’re considered compromised, and the child will be terminated. Then I’ll be forced to start over with someone else a little less emotional.’”
My eyebrows lifted to my hairline. “Fuck…”
Amethyst continued, “For the first two months, I tried to be discreet in my affection toward Chrome, but Forest always knew somehow and made me pay for it. That’s when he recruited Grim to be my handler. From that point on, I had to pretend to hate my own child just to keep him alive. I made up my mind to bring Forest down from within so I could free Chrome.” A tear rolled down the corner of Amethyst’s eye. “A year after Chromewas born, Peri followed. And because she wasn’t an experiment, I was allowed to show my affection toward her.”
The rage I felt on Chrome’s behalf seared through my bloodstream. My currents zipped wildly up and down my arms and neck beneath my jacket, and my palms buzzed again, wanting to unleash this new wave of magic I harbored. My fingertips dug into the fine leather armchair as I fought to glamour the silver glow I knew would soon appear around my hands.
“I did what I could.” Amethyst sniffled again, her jaw trembling. “Seeing as Smokey had been present for Princess Gray’s birth, I had him send word to Jonas’s brother about the children’s well-being. Queen Lillianna had given the princess a Kinetic name, Aeran. She’d sensed her daughter’s element during childbirth and, as is their ancient custom, gave her a name based on it. It was the least I could do.”
That answered my questions about Orion coming back for Chrome. I laced my fingers together across my stomach, running my tongue across my teeth as more and more pieces began to click. But I wasn’t prepared for what Amethyst revealed next.
“I thought if I made Forest believe Gray was weak, yet still held some future potential, that she’d be spared from him treating her like a weapon in the way Chrome was. I didn’t expect him to take his disdain for Gray as far as he did considering she was his child.” Amethyst shook her head as she revealed the past. “Now, he sees her value, thanks to you, and intends for her to become an Assassin. I only hope she doesn’t suffer Chrome’s fate in the end.”
My stomach twisted as my aunt spoke about Gray, my heart leaping in panic for what was in store for her. I needed to protect her more than ever now.
