Beyond the Fairy Gate

Chapter 31

Nyline

Nyline didn't look over at the queen as she walked the few steps towards her then sat matching her, letting her legs hang over the side. After a moment, she realized that Queen Alice was holding something out to her.

"What's this?" She asked reaching out her hand out as the queen dropped the small grain of sand into her hand.

"This is the last time I saw your mother. You do not understand what I am saying with words so I think just showing you the memory will be best." Her voice was solemn as she spoke

"But why?" Her brows creased together.

"Because you have a right to know what's going on. Yes, there are parts that I cannot tell you without the risk of losing my life. A blood oath is binding. If I go against the agreement my blood will turn against my own body and Nic and I will die." Nyline raised her brow at the queen.

"Wait, what?"

"Blood oaths are only used in very serious situations. Situations in which there can be no error or slip of the tongue. The rules are clearly stated, written down on a special piece of parchment, then each person signs the agreement in their blood, and then the contract is burned. Not only are the people involved bound by their blood not to speak of it, but they also cannot attempt to tell another person in any other way. Then, if someone who has agreed to that blood oath breaks their oath, then it is their life that is the price. Loopholes are not a thing in this type of agreement."

"I don't understand, weren't you friends with my mom? Why would you even have to make an agreement like that to begin with?"

"Yes, we were friends. Best friends, act- ually. Stephaney and I were glued at the hip for most of our teens and into our late twenties. It was only when we started ruling our over separate kingdoms that we saw less of each other." The smile that had started to creep up her face faltered and faded.

"However, with what we had in mind and ended up going through with, everything had to be perfect. We would all get in, get out, and then everything would be as it should be." She shook her head, "We all agreed. Nori, Stephany, Nic, me, and all of our scouts decided that a blood oath between all of us was the best way to take what we did to the grave. We wouldn't speak of it. No one would know, and we thought that we would get off scot free without any consequences. However, we couldn't have been more wrong. Everything that could have gone wrong, did. We all ended up with punishments that were fitting to the role that we played."

"So, if you tell me what all of you did, you'll just end up dying?" the queen bowed her head.

"We never took into account that there might be a day when we would have to explain this to you. You were never supposed to be a part of this problem and should have never been involved, because of our actions you and Gabriel have suffered much."

"The both of us?" She nodded.

"Like I said, each of us got our punishments." Nyline's brow rose.

"Thaul?" She asked on a jerk. Alice nodded.

"Thaul was the punishment for Stephaney."

"Just mom? Then what about dad?"

"Nori?" Alice's face fell further. "We don't know what happened to him, we just know that their punishments were separate because..." Alice paused before she let out a long breath, "For reasons."

Nyline looked down at the grain of sand in her hand. Her mind was spinning. The more she learned the more confused she was. She could tell, now, that Alice wanted to tell her more and that it killed her that she wasn't able to. This memory, though? Maybe it held some deep dark secret that could help her figure out more. So, without another word she held the memory up to her eye, her mind being pulled into it.