Silas and Otis gaze at the open page, heads bowed. I sense the solemnity of the moment, and also bow my head.
When, finally, everyone looks up, I say, “You have all been through so much horror. And none of us ordinary humans knew a thing about it. I’m so sorry my species has done this to you.”
“Don’t be,” Silas says firmly. “We understand that most humans have been in total ignorance of these events. Clem, you’ve been as much prisoners as we have.”
I frown. “But—but then, who is perpetrating this? Who is maintaining it? I mean, how can the authorities have this power over you—and over us Sparkle humans as well?”
“Maybe that’s a discussion for another day,” Otis says.
I almost stamp my foot with frustration. “Just tell me—please, I really want to know the truth.”
Silas clears his throat. “We believe that the humans in power have access to individuals who practice dark magic.”
“As in, non-humans?”
Silas nods. “We call them malefics. Evil sorcerers, witches and warlocks, who crossed over to work for humans many, many years ago.”
“And you think they’re walking around Sparkle City, feigning humanity?”
“Yes.” Silas nods. “They will look human and be in positions of power and authority.”
I inhale sharply. “How have they managed to do this?”
“Spells, most likely. A glamor cast over the population to keep you all in thrall and fixated on entertainment, to deaden your curiosity about the past. We’re pretty sure they’ve used supernatural means to hide what they’ve been doing for centuries.”
“Is that why no-one asks any questions? Why we’re addicted to having fun? Because they’ve put a spell on us? Like, we’re hypnotized all the time?” The questions tumble out of me.
“That’s the most likely explanation, yes,” Silas agrees.
“Oh… th-that’s awful. We have to stop these malefics.”
“We are working on it,” Otis says, his mouth a grim line.
I look from Otis, to Brody and then Silas, my eyes blazing. “We all need to fight this, together, above and below ground.”
“If we had more humans who were free of the glamor, that would help our cause,” Silas says. “But until then we have to work on infiltrating from below ground.”
I start wringing my hands together. “How?”
“That’s where the computers come in,” Otis explains. “Once they send us down information from Sparkle, we’ll know what we’re up against. Soon, we’ll be ready to trial the system I’ve devised.”
I clasp my cheeks, my head spinning. It’s hard to focus, like a cloud of cotton wool is taking over my brain.
I sense all three monsters exchanging glances.
Then Otis says firmly, “That’s enough for now. You’ve had a lot to take in over the past twenty-four hours.”
I want to know more, but Otis is right, I do feel like my head is about to explode.
“Now I get why the authorities don’t want us to find out about the Labyrinth,” I say, my voice cracking. “Because they’re worried we’ll like monsters better than humans.”
“Exactly,” says Silas, and he looks from me to Otis as if he’s already read the room.
CHAPTER TWELVE
OTIS.
On the way home in the jeep, I keep side-eyeing Clem to check she’s okay.
