Even Nero, our former spymaster, was unable to detect our uncle’s plans, and by the time he did, it was already too late.
But I can see Enzo’s point too. Even though it sucks at the fringes, we built a life for ourselves. We had even hoped that Belle would return to us, and she did.
It’s the only good thing that has happened to us since we were banished.
We’re closer to the human realm now. We can hear them suffering. Some days, it’s just a buzz in the background. No more different than a hum in the wind. It’s easy to ignore most of the time, but then sometimes the buzzing gets too loud, it’s hard to think.
Too many humans are succumbing to the Abyss. They don’t even need a portal like the one Belle’s father built, and it truly is terrifying.
It’s the reason why we have so many wraiths these days. With the constant arrival of humans, they are breeding at a faster rate. But sooner or later, they will multiply to the point where they can no longer even sustain themselves, and we have to do something.
All that human suffering is fucking up our own ecosystem. Wraiths are naturally female. But they can change their sex depending on the environment. Male ones are cropping up these days to help balance out their disgusting species, but I heard that some males are even hatching eggs themselves.
It’s enough to give you nightmares.
They’re not like monsters. We’re all born male, and we’re not hermaphrodites. We need human females to sustain our species, and if they’re succumbing to the Abyss, then we have no choice but to act.
Belle is right.
“Brother...” I say to Enzo, and he peers my way. “Listen to our mate. She makes a valid point. We’re no safer out here than we would be if we returned to the castle. We need to act.”
All is quiet at the table. Nero and Madoc watch our elder brother expectantly, and I can tell they’re at odds.
But when it all boils down to it, we’re all going to die sooner or later.
The suffering in the human world is throwing The Abyss into chaos. Too much darkness. We need a balance of light and dark. That whole yin and yang.
Enzo knows that.
He gets up and leaves the room. “My decision is final. We stay here and create a life for ourselves.”
Well, it was worth a shot.
But I may have no choice in future; I may have to go on without him. I will not be a sitting duck and just wait to die. It’s a matter of when, but it
will happen.
Our own world will be destroyed.
And then there will be nothing left.
Chapter seven
Belle
IreallythoughtIhad Enzo for a moment there. He almost caved, but then he got up and left the table, and his decision was final.
We won’t do anything about the darkness spreading through the human world. We will just sit around and play house, and this is just
ridiculous.
How can he just be so complacent? My people are suffering, and no doubt the monsters of the Abyss will suffer too by extension.
We need to see the king at once.
At least Grey appears to agree with me. Maybe the both of us can convince him somehow. We’ll gang up on him together.
I try not to dwell on the negative as I now have Alice to take care of. She is still adjusting to life in the Abyss, but she’s still nervous and pretty jumpy, finding it hard to concentrate on things that make her happy.