“Key?” I ask in confusion.
His smile only widens to show a full set of perfectly straight teeth. Wicked glee lights his eyes as he chuckles softly. “Don't tell me he didn't tell you.”
“Tell me what?” I ask cautiously, wanting to finally get some answers but already instinctively dreading them.
“My brother was the ruler of the Celestial Realm until I took it from him.” His mouth curls up into a sneer as he goes on, “He never should have been next in line for the throne. It should have been me, so I banished him to my kingdom in the Nether World.”
He shrugs. “We simply traded places, and everything's been fine all these years until you came along.”
“Me?” I ask incredulously. “What do I have to do with anything?”
Christopher’s eyes assess me coldly. “A child, half human, half celestial…one who would have the power to unlock my kingdom so that Julian can reascend to the throne.”
My stomach balls into a knot as the truth hits me. Christopher takes in the look on my face before he comments dryly, “Julian's not the only one with a powerful seer who can predict these things.”
My mind immediately goes back to Glenda and her curious words.Yes, I do believe I see it. I know what she was talking about now. She saw that I was indeed the key, whatever this key is. The key to Julian's kingdom.
My heart twists painfully within me. So that's what this was all about. Julian wanted me for his own personal gain. He never loved me.
Christopher's face takes on a false look of sympathy. “Oh, you didn't know that part either?”
He tuts at me like I’m a simple child, a silly little fool. “You didn't know that Julian was just using you?”
I look down, hating myself for the tears the sting my eyes.
“What I can't understand…” Christopher muses aloud as he takes a step toward me, caging me in between him and the refrigerator, “he had his most important pawn, so why did he let you go before he played you?”
My brow furrows as I absorb what he said. I'm the key, but Julian didn't use me. He let me go instead. That doesn't make any sense if he was only using me for his own gain. Why didn't he go through with it?
“If you touch one hair on her head, you'll die,” a smooth, velvety voice that causes my heart to race growls out.
“Julian!” I scream as I spot him across the room.
Christopher turns with a wicked smile and splays his wings out in front of me to shield me from Julian's gaze.
I gasp as they flutter in my face, black as night, hard and leathery. Christopher certainly looks like he was born to rule hell.
“Brother,” Christopher drawls in a bored voice, “your council meeting ran short this time, I see.”
“Step away from her,” Julian growls again. “I'm warning you, Christopher.”
Christopher laughs, an evil sound.
“What do you want her for?” Julian grits out.
“Why, she's the key to my realm,” Christopher replies jovially as if it’s obvious.
“And you had her within your grasp, yet you didn't use her.” Christopher cocks his head to the side as he studies his brother thoughtfully. “You set her free. Surely you didn't think I would let such a precious commodity walk free?”
“How do you even know about her?” Julian’s voice is angry, the frustration clear in it.
Christopher tuts at him. “Come now, brother. Surely you don't think you're the only one with a powerful seer? I've known about the prophesied child for a long time. It just took me longer to find her than it did you.”
Christopher shrugs. “And perhaps I was under the hopeful illusion that you didn't know anything about it.”
Christopher pauses to glance back at me with a wicked smile. “But it looks like I had nothing to worry about after all.”
He turns back to Julian. “Because let me guess.” Sudden comprehension dawns in Christopher’s eyes. “You took her with full intent of using her to regain your throne in the Celestial Realm, but then you fell in love with your little human and you let her go because you couldn't bear the thought of her having to rule the Nether World in your stead while you ascend to what you see as your rightful throne up in the heavens.”