Marked By The Unseelie

Chapter 30 Griffin Ash

Chapter 30

When I got to the Unseelie Kingdom, the first thing that I did was consult Grignel and tell him about what I had dreamed about. Grignel, on the other hand, has been very diligent and has identified a secret compartment under Klovis's study table. According to him, a personalized incantation would be needed to open the compartment, and that incantation is most probably in Klovis's diary.

"Were you able to open the prince's diary?" Grignel starts to ask after I take a seat in his office. It's worse compared to the last time that I was here. Papers are stacked everywhere; I am afraid to even breathe in case I might disarrange some of them. The only clearance that his office has is the chair that's sitting right in front of his desk.

"I was able to open it, but I have a problem." I confessed and told him how every time I open the diary, I start to feel a little drowsy. I tested that theory while I was riding Jade while heading here, and it happened about three times. "Klovis is making it impossible for me to check the diary."

Grignel starts to snort, which surprises me in return since I have never seen the elf crack a smile the last time I have seen him. "That doesn't seem like that big of a problem. Though if the prince has his full powers, I doubt that a simple sleeping spell is what he is going to do to stop you. Which brings me to the conclusion that he is weakening." His smile quickly vanishes upon the realization before he quickly rummages through his drawer to fetch something. He brings out a bottle filled with black dust before walking towards me. "This is Griffin ash. A small amount can prevent any spell when applied to the skin. I'm pretty sure that this would be enough to repel the sleeping magic that he is casting on you."

I turn to the bottle of ashes with a grimace before looking at Grignel. "If you had that, then couldn't you have used it to open Klovis's diary?"

"Like I said before, if the prince has his full health, his magic is powerful. Not even the griffin's ash can negate it. The protection that he cast on the diary is when he was healthy." His thumb gently caresses the bottle as if he's in it, though. "With his magic right now, I think the ashes would work. Do you want to try?"

Have a mythical beast's carcass on my skin to open a fairy's diary? Sounds very criminal, but if it is for the sake of my friend, then I guess I would have to agree.

"Sure. Whatever it takes." I nod.

"For a human, I admire your dedication." Grignel starts to remove the cork from the bottle and sticks his finger inside to get some of the black powder on his long fingertips. "Since it is your mind that's being attacked, I will place this on your forehead."

The urge to make a disgusted face is so intense that I have to bite my bottom lip hard before I nod once again. Grignel begins to glide his finger across my forehead. I can feel him drawing something—probably a symbol that I cannot see. I feel my mark heat up before a small gust of wind tries to push Grignel away. Compared to how this gust of his usually pushes my attackers away, it was comparatively weaker. I don't know if Klovis is that weak or if he just doesn't want to hurt his royal adviser.

"This is for your own good, your highness!" Though he was temporarily surprised by the wind, Grignel kept his position. We just want to read the incantation. If there's anything that you do not wish for her to read, just give me a sign and I will stop her. Please, your highness. It's for your people as well!"

The wind slowly dies down, like Klovis must have heard his reasoning and considered it viable. Grignel lets out a breath of relief before turning to me. "How do you feel?"

"Um...nothing?"

"Try opening the diary." He commands. I did what he said and starts to open the leather bound book. "Well?" Grignel looks at me curiously. "Do you still feel sleepy?"

"No. I feel completely fine."

"That's good." The elf gets up and moves to get a chair and sits next to me. "Let's start close to the end page. I feel like we might find more important matters there." He suggested.

I start to flip the pages. My brain is going into hyperdrive as I silently translate fairy language in my head and try to look at keywords that I think might be a clue. It just occurred to me right now that I have become fluent in reading their language, which is appalling to me. Although I have become fluent in reading, my speed is still no match for Grignel. He's the one telling me to skip a page or keep reading for a little bit longer.

"Not that one."

"Don't read that. His highness would not want you to read it."

"Nothing here."

"Skip."

"Turn it."

At this point, I feel like a page turning rather than Grignel's partner in looking for clues in Klovis's diary with the way that things are going.

You know what!? It's fine. I am still learning fairy language and being able to read a word or two before Grignel tells me to skip a page is already a huge accomplishment enough!

"Wait. That one. Stay right there!" My hands begin to freeze while I keep the diary wide open for Grignel to see. I see Grignel's eyes moving rapidly as he reads passage per passage before getting up. "I got it...I got it! I got the incantation!" He exclaims before running towards the door. His movement is so brazen and unlike him that it causes his movement to knock down several papers on the floor. He is so in a hurry that he doesn't even seem to care that he is stepping on some important looking document before rushing out of the door.

Well, I am certainly not going to stay here and get potentially blamed for ruining his office. I thought before running to follow him. Thankfully, Grignel isn't as quick with his feet as he is with his reading, so I manage to catch up to him.

I got curious about what he read in the diary, so I decided to check it while following him to where I assume Klovis's office is. Grignel is already inside and trying to open the secret compartment of Klovis's study desk while I stayed outside, pausing at the door frame when I notice a small pocket at the last page of the diary. There's a small parchment inside that looks like a sketch of a mirror. In front of the mirror is a fairy, who seems to be a Seelie based on the way that she dresses—fine sheer silk, flawless curled hair with flower decorations, and seemingly gentle features. On the other hand, the reflection of herself in the mirror is an unseelie fairy—long horns, dark hair decorated by vines, and sadistic eyes and a smile.

At the back of a sketch is a writing in fairy language, which I soon start to translate: Make one become what they are not.

"Hey, Grignel, I found something—" I was starting to say until I saw the elf advisor hunching over a piece of paper that was probably what was in the secret compartment. His gaze swiftly reads over the contents of the paper, and the more that he does, the more his eyebrows furrow.

What is he reading?

"This is...this is all messed up." I can hear Grignel whispering. After seeing how pale the elf is and how he sat down and looked dazed right away, I am a little afraid to ask. I headed over to where he is sitting while still holding the piece of paper that looked like it was torn out of a book. I could not read what was in it because Grignel was holding it face down.

"...Grignel?" I manage to call for him. "Is something wrong?"

"Everything." He answers, which is making me confused further. When he finally looks up, I can see his unfocused eyes like there's still a lot more that he is thinking about. "From the planes to the sky, everything is a lie. It's all...wrong." When he moves, I can just make out a few words from the paper he's holding. I see a title and a heavily inked drawing that I somehow recognize is similar to the picture that I found in Klovis's diary.

"Did you find something?"

"Yes." Grignel nods and lets out a shaking breath. "The thing that Prince Klovis discovered is something great that the Seelies have hidden him to keep him quiet." He stands, walks towards me, before showing me the paper that he has in his hand. "The reversing mirror. It has the power to swap everything, even the identity of the lands."

"In...other words?"

"This world's essence has been reversed." Grignel sighs. "Where you stand right now is not the Unseelie Court, but the original Seelie Court."

*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER~*~*~*~*