Page 11 of The Nephilim's Finesse

Puriel smacked her hands on her thighs and stood up. “That’s fine with me. Give us a detailed report afterwards.”

A couple of days afterwards, the negotiations took place in a meeting room of a grand hotel in the City of London. Queen Tourmaline of Purpleglade came by herself, her guards positioned outside the room. Seraphina represented the witches, and Gerald the warlocks.

The four of us sat at a polished oak table with the fae queen on one side and Seraphina, Gerald, and I on the other. Gerald’s piercing gaze met Seraphina's as they studied Queen Tourmaline, mistrust written all over their faces.

"Your Majesty," I began calmly yet firmly, "we are here to discuss your recent actions. Would you care to explain yourself?"

Queen Tourmaline looked down at her slender hands, her immaculate nails painted in a light blue. Her dark skin seemed almost luminescent against the silver-blue strands of hair that cascaded down her back, leaves and flowers braided throughout. She lifted her head, her posture exuding the regality befitting her title, and bore the weight of guilt through her eyes.

"Raphael Blackwing, we must apologise for our betrayal." Her voice wavered slightly. "Our attack on you and your allies was unforgivable." She looked each of us in the eyes.

Seraphina leant forward, her scepticism evident in the furrow of her brow. "And what, may I ask, brought about this sudden change of heart?" she demanded.

"Victorija Flameheart," Queen Tourmaline whispered, her eyes narrowing as she uttered the name like a curse. "She manipulated us, clouding our judgement with her cunning vampire charm."

I really doubted that. Of course, Victorija had manipulated her into believing this would all be going down easily. However, the fae queen was no human to sweet-talk. She was a cunning, greedy woman who knew how to play power games.

“What did she promise you?” Gerald shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his fingers raking through his grey hair. He was the High Warlock of London, but I always wondered why. Seraphina and Gerald were both in their fifties, but here the similarities ended. Where Seraphina radiated authority and respect, Gerald was nervous and lacked confidence.

Queen Tourmaline sighed. “She painted a world where the fae and the vampires weren’t suppressed by the others.” Her glance was focused on the oak table, not being able to meet our eyes.

“By others, you mean witches, warlocks, and Nephilim?” I clarified.

She nodded. “Yes. The fae had more rights than the vampires. Yet, we were clearly shown that we don't belong in the same category as the other magical communities. Victorija manipulated us into thinking we could achieve a balance if we weakened you significantly. Even exterminate. Then the vampires and fae would rule, not the witches and warlocks.”

Seraphina shook her head. “Tourmaline, that’s nonsense. We treated you equally.”

I cleared my throat. “Sorry to point it out, but you didn’t. The punishments for an attack on a witch were much stronger than those of another magical species.”

“Just to have a chance against you! We can’t fight like any of you! That was our only chance to survive!”

“I see your point, Seraphina. But by suppressing all other magical beings, you have sown mistrust and envy.”

Queen Tourmaline bobbed her head. “Indeed. It became harder and harder to pacify our subordinate fae, not to dare rebellion.”

A heavy silence hung between us. This topic was the reason for endless discussions between leaders for centuries, and from time to time, it had escalated into wars. Luckily, it could be ended quickly, as only one faction rebelled at a time, and it was easy to deal with.

"Your Majesty," Gerald interjected, hoping to ease the atmosphere, "how can we trust you after all that has happened?"

"Trust is earned, Gerald Midnight," the queen said, her voice tinged with sadness. "We cannot undo the wrongs we have committed, but we can strive to make amends."

I studied her carefully, trying to discern the sincerity hidden beneath her arrogance. Was it possible that she was telling the truth? Could we really trust her after all she had done to us?

"If you are truly remorseful, we may be able to find a way to work together.”

“And end Victorija and her vampires," Seraphina added.

The fae queen inclined her head. "Thank you." Her expression shifted, the faintest hint of relief flashing across her face. "We promise you won't regret giving us this chance."

In my head, I heard Seraphina’s voice. Knowing that Seraphina could talk telepathically, I wasn't surprised. I think she speaks the truth. But I don't fully trust her. What do you think? Should we try it? I didn’t know if she could hear my thoughts, too, so I blinked once to signal my agreement to her.

Again, a tense silence hung over the room like a thick fog. At that moment, Queen Tourmaline's eyes seemed to hold a universe of pain and regret within them. She cleared her throat and spoke in an unwavering tone.

"Let us forge an alliance. The four of us united against Victorija and her nefarious vampire legion," she proposed, her eyes flicking between Seraphina, Gerald, and me.

Seraphina crossed her arms defensively, sceptically raising an eyebrow. "And how do we know you won't betray us again? Perhaps this is just another one of Victorija's schemes."

Gerald nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the queen, searching for any hint of deception. "She has a point. What evidence can you provide that proves your loyalty to our cause?"

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