The Hush of the World (ONC 2024)

Chapter 12

The question was muffled by the cheers of the faerie crowd that reached a fever pitch as Haider held out a hand to me. His calculating glint had morphed into a triumphant smirk, and a cold dread washed over me.

Hesitantly, I took his hand, allowing him to pull me to my feet. My gaze darted to Rani, who stood beside me, a mixture of relief and confusion etched on her face.

"Well done, little human," Haider said, his voice dripping with a false sincerity. "You've retrieved what was rightfully mine."

"Sorry, please forgive me," I stammered, the words tumbling out in a rush. "But I kind of broke your hat… orb thing."

Both the King and Vael bark in laughter. Vael throws his head back and lets out a booming guffaw, clapping Haider on the back with enough force that would send a human soldier staggering. Haider, however, barely flinches – the blow registering on him like a playful swat on a much smaller creature. 

"That orb wasn't the hat, pet," Haider says, a hint of mirth flickering in his voice. 

"That was the cage for it— you broke it, now it's free!" Vael chortles, wiping a tear from his eye. 

"Which broke the witch's curse and allowed me to set foot in her domain. Thanks to you." Haider grins mischievously and waves his hand above.

The sky above the amphitheatre erupts in a mesmerizing display. A swirling cloud, a magnificent blend of thunder and ice, pulses with the colours of the stars. It's breathtakingly beautiful, the very essence of a storm captured in a celestial dance. 

This, I realise with a jolt, was the true Umbra Hat – not the smoky orb I had shattered. It was a weather pattern, a gift Haider had bestowed upon his deceased wife, and the witch, in a twisted act of revenge, had imprisoned within the orb. 

Guilt washes over me. In my desperate bid to free Rani, I had inadvertently broken into the memory of not just the witch but of Haider and his dead wife, a symbol of Haider's love for a woman long gone. 

A heavy silence descends, broken only by the rumble of distant thunder emanating from the newly freed weather pattern. 

The weight of Haider's words sink in, a cold dread settling in my stomach. The witch's domain was vulnerable, yes, but at what cost?  My freedom seemed further away than ever. But before I could voice my growing unease, a new wave of concern washed over me. Rani, who's eyes were glazed with a faerie high as she treated herself to the berries of the fey land; rumoured to be addictive to humans.

"You promised!" I blurted, my voice trembling slightly. "You said you'd release Rani in exchange for the… orb thing."

Haider's lips twitched in amusement. "And haven't I, pet?" he asked, his voice dripping with a false sweetness. 

He gestured towards Rani, who stood beside me, her brow furrowed in confusion. She appeared unharmed, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and apprehension. 

"But…" I stammered, searching for the right words. "She's not free."

Rani tilted her head, her gaze flickering between Haider and me. "What are you talking about, Ayina? I am free. Look, I can move around." She demonstrated by taking a few tentative steps.

"No," I said, a desperate edge creeping into my voice. "You don't understand. You can't stay here."

A flicker of anger sparked in Rani's eyes. "Why not? The light kingdom is my home! These are my people!"  

Haider chuckled, a low, humourless sound. "Not quite, little one," he said, his gaze never leaving mine. "You see, Rani, you are no longer simply a human from the other side."