Page 76 of Court of Aether and Shadows

"And what of the Void Court?" Kaelon asked, his voice dropping even lower at the mention of our most enigmatic and dangerous rivals.

"They seek to unmake reality itself," I replied, feeling a chill at the thought. "A being of Sparrow's power would be a formidable weapon in their hands. With her ability to traverse realms, to reshape the very fabric of existence... they could finally achieve their goal of collapsing all of creation into the primordial void."

Kaelon shuddered visibly.

"We cannot allow that to happen, my lord. The very thought of it..."

"Indeed," I agreed. "Which is why we must be vigilant. The Void Court operates in shadows deeper than even we can penetrate. Their agents could be anywhere, waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

"And the Elemental Court?" Kaelon prompted. "Where do they stand in all this?"

I paused in my pacing, considering.

The Elemental Court, with their command over the very forces of nature, had always been a wild card in the delicate balance of power between the realms.

"Divided, as always," I said finally. "But that makes them unpredictable. We can't discount them as a potential threat. Some factions within their court may see Sparrow as a way to tip the scales in the eternal struggle between order and chaos. Others may view her as a threat to the natural order they seek to maintain."

"So, in essence," Kaelon summarized, "we face potential threats from all sides. The Aether Court may seek to claim or destroy her. The Void Court would use her to unmake existence. The Elemental Court is a wild card that could swing either way. And all the while, her power acts as a beacon, drawing attention from every corner of the realms."

Put so bluntly, the magnitude of our challenge seemed almost insurmountable. But I had not waited centuries, had not moved mountains and reshaped the very fabric of reality, to falter now.

"What have you learned about the ambush in the human world?" I asked, changing tack. "The one that triggered her crossing? Understanding how she came to be here may give us insight into who else might be moving pieces on the board."

A flash of something —anger? Frustration— crossed Kaelon's face.

"It's... complicated, my lord. The attack bore hallmarks of multiple factions. Human criminals, certainly, but there were traces of Fae magic as well. It's as if someone was deliberately pushing her towards a breaking point."

"Or a breakthrough," I murmured, pieces of a larger puzzle starting to fall into place in my mind. "Tell me everything you've discovered. Leave nothing out, no matter how insignificant it may seem."

Kaelon nodded, gathering his thoughts.

"The initial attack appeared to be a simple human criminal operation. A hostage situation that Sparrow and her team weresent to resolve. But the intelligence they received was flawed, deliberately so. They were led into a trap."

I felt a surge of pride at the thought of my queen facing down human criminals, even as worry gnawed at me.

Strong and rebellious. My Queen has clearly made a mark in that mundane realm.

"Go on," I prompted.

"The attackers were more numerous and better armed than anticipated," Kaelon continued. "But that's not the strange part. Our agents report that some of the attackers seemed... confused. As if they weren't entirely in control of their actions."

"Mind control?" I asked, my frown deepening. "That's well beyond the capabilities of most human magic users."

Kaelon nodded grimly. "Exactly. And then there's the matter of the bullet that wounded Sparrow from weeks prior. Our analysis shows traces of a substance unknown in the human realm. Something that seems designed to... awaken latent abilities."

Oh?

The implications were staggering.

"You're saying someone engineered this entire scenario? Deliberately put Sparrow in harm's way to trigger her awakening?"

"It appears so, my lord. But the question remains — who? And to what end?"

I resumed my pacing, mind racing through possibilities.

"The timing is too perfect to be coincidence. Sparrow is on the cusp of her awakening, a carefully orchestrated attack designed to push her to her limits, and a substance that acts as a catalyst for her dormant powers. Someone wanted her to cross over, wanted her to come into her power here and now."

"But who would have the knowledge and resources to orchestrate such a thing?" Kaelon asked. "It would requireintimate knowledge of Sparrow's true nature, of the prophecies, and of the boundaries between realms."

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