Page 18 of Their World

Jol scowled and said nothing in reply.

“The family I was adopted into, there are a few who have visions, they are not able to tell when it will happen either. Perhaps … perhaps the battle he sees won’t happen anytime soon. Perhaps, we, you and my family, could be allies. Perhaps it is your descendants who quarrel with mine?”

He gave no reply, but his brows seemed to furrow deeper, if that were possible.

We ate in silence and just as I finished, Jol straightened with a start and growled. “Come with me.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Zoman found Dhun. He’s done something bad.”

Dhun had done something bad? The pup seemed like he followed the rules as much as he could.

Jol lead us down to the garden where we found it destroyed, dug up and dirt flung everywhere.

My hands went to my mouth as I saw the sprout that I had started regrowing torn to pieces. Dropping to my knees, I felt tears fall down my face and onto the blackened dirt beneath. My hair glowed, a stark contrast to the bleakness before me.

It really was impossible. This world and its people would never be able to regrow crops. They were doomed.

“What have you done?” Jol roared at Dhun. His voice and anger caused the ground to quake.

Dhun cowered in the corner with his tail tucked between his legs and whined.

“What do you mean you don’t remember? You don’t remember destroying the sprout?” Jol demanded.

Dhun shook his head, whined, and curled up smaller.

“I don’t believe you!” Jol bellowed. “Take him to the cells.”

I wanted to object, but as I picked up one of the pieces of the sprout, the words died on my tongue, and fresh tears sprouted.

“Come, let’s go back inside. I don’t know what’s going on in this castle, but I intend to find out.” Jol helped me to my feet and back into the castle. “You can use my bathroom to shower. I’ll stay in the living room so you have your privacy, but I don’t want you to be alone right now.”

“Okay,” I agreed with a nod, feeling numb at the death of the sprout and Dhun’s behavior.

The following day,the Grand Advisor returned to meet with me. Jol wanted to stay in the room, but I assured him it was okay. Reluctantly, he agreed to leave.

“You’ll have to forgive him,” I said softly, “we had an incident yesterday and it put him on edge.”

“An incident?” the Grand Advisor asked with a scowl and stroked his beard.

“So, you said you would provide me more information on this power and what you meant about me being a goddess,” I reminded him.

“What do you know about hybrids?” he asked.

I frowned. “Um, everything. Or at least everything that we know so far. My parents have been working hard to learn as much about our people as possible. How do you know about hybrids?”

“I’ve had the ability to see your world for a while now,” he admitted. “I’ve been specifically following up on information about hybrids when our people go into your world. I have them grab newspapers and such.”

That did make sense, but there seemed to be something else. Something at the edge of my mind …again. Just out of reach.

“Hybrids are more powerful than full-blooded beings as they can combine their powers from the different races that they are born from,” he explained. “The spell that was used against you, it seems to have contained bits from mages, sirens, and demons.”

My eyes widened, and I gasped. “What?”

He nodded. “The darkness, the smoky power you use, is a demon power.”

“Are you …” I swallowed hard. “Are you insinuating that I am part demon?”

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