Just as their name suggested, Normalcy’s goal was to keep the world normal.

Their only rule was one which, on its surface, seemed simple: Do not reveal the Hidden World to anyone. However, as Dura and Bliss spent several days at the dining room table sharing what they knew, interviewing the rest of us, and drawing what conclusions they could, it became clear that there were intricacies to this rule not understood to anyone outside of Normalcy’s payroll.

For example, those who encountered the Hidden World usually had their memories erased and were returned to their normal lives. However, some were invited into the Hidden World and given introductions like the one Normalcy had given me. Dura theorized that this was for those whose encounters with the Hidden World had been too long or too life-changing for their memories to be erased.

The punishments for those who allowed these breaches varied greatly. Sometimes, people vanished entirely and were never seen again, other times they were thrown in prisons or cursed or altered in some way as to make repetition of their crimes impossible. Some received no punishment at all. Those who weren’t punished were, according to Dura, likely considered to be unwitting pawns. After all, Celeste and I were abductees, and Bliss was only punished after her complicity was discovered.

For those whose species or magical nature made them “of the Hidden World,” things were a little more complicated. The kidnappings Celeste had been involved with, for example, were likely illegal. However, vampires seemed to be permitted to assault and even kill people for their blood so long as they did not reveal that they were vampires. Those “of the Hidden World” were also granted a small amount of leeway in revealing the Hidden World to humans. This is why Anise’s vampire was permitted thralls and Celeste’s fairy was permitted to keep those who stumbled into her territory. However, my Queen’s plans were far too large for Normalcy to permit and most likely they had performed some show of force which had led to my Queen returning me to Earth and departing.

Hearing Dura come to this conclusion troubled me. On the one hand, it seemed like an easy way to excuse my Queen’s abandoning me. However, it also seemed clear that my Queen had the option to take me with her if she wanted. I felt myself bounce back and forth between being angry with her and being angry with myself for being angry with her. After all, she couldn’t be expected to take care of me for the rest of my life. However, she could have at least told me what was happening, and why she was leaving me behind.

My thoughts settled there, finding a conclusion for the first time since my return to Earth. She could have told me. I deserved better than what she gave me.

I said nothing of this to Bliss or Dura, instead waiting for them to decide what to ask me next.

“I think if nothing else, he proves that they have limits,” said Bliss. “He was up there for ten years plotting, and who knows how long the aliens were there before that.”

“We already knew that,” Dura replied. “Just from how long they took to uncover all of your plots.”

“Ah, you’re right.” Bliss winced slightly. “Sorry.”

Dura smirked. “Cringing worm.”

Bliss beamed. Since she had started working with Dura again, she was behaving so differently than I had ever seen before. Gone were her stoic manner and matter-of-fact solutions to problems. Now she was grinning all the time, and constantly scrambling to get Dura anything she asked for. It occurred to me that I was seeing the real Bliss for the first time.

“Still, it shows how long it can take for them to uncover a plot,” Dura admitted. “If we could get ahold of some method of time travel, we could take all the time we need to put a stop to them.”

Bliss made an uncertain sound.

Dura frowned. “What is it?”

“Well, ah, we don’t know anything about their history, so we don’t know how to find them in the past. Or how to stop them from forming. I don’t know, unless you’ve thought of something already.”

Dura gave her a haughty look. “I suppose you have a point. It’s not the most definitive action unless we can get more information, and more information will mean greater danger of being caught. We need something sudden and unstoppable. Something that hits them like a brick wall.”