The Council chamber fell silent after the vision faded. The chalice in my hands still hummed faintly, its silver light dimming to a soft glow that reflected off the stone table and the faces around it. Linnae, William, Philip, and Mary watched me — waiting. Dad leaned against the pillar, breathing shallow but steady, his eyes fixed on mine. Jade stood close enough that I could feel her tension. Kira remained near the door — sword sheathed but hand resting on the hilt, ready.
I looked down at the chalice. The ring on my finger pulsed once — hot, insistent, almost impatient.
Three paths had appeared in the vision. Three futures.
Evacuate Mom. Hide. Buy time. Safe — but the Elves would tighten their grip. One week would shrink to days, then hours. Barrett's chains wouldn't hold forever. And the Hellspawn sightings — succubi, worse things — would only grow.
Use the chalice's full power. Compel silence across Medb's entire force. End the immediate threat permanently. But the chalice itself had warned me: that path twisted the user. Power like that didn't just change the world. It changed the one who wielded it. I could already feel its weight — not just in my hands, but deeper. In my thoughts. In the way the ring burned when I considered it.
Or confront Medb directly.
Go to Nevergreen Terrace. Face her on home ground. Force the truth — not just from her, but from the situation itself. Risk open battle. Risk Mom. Risk everything.
But it was the only path that didn't run. The only one that met the threat head-on.
I lifted my eyes.
"I'm going to Nevergreen," I said. "I'm confronting Medb. Tonight."
Silence stretched — thick, electric.
Jade exhaled sharply. "Raine—"
Dad cut her off gently. "Let him finish."
I looked at Kira. "You with me?"
She didn't hesitate. "Always."
Linnae stepped forward — voice measured. "Confronting an elven ambassador on your own property is an act of war. Medb will take it as provocation. She'll have forces waiting. Likely already there."
William nodded grimly. "And if you use the chalice to compel her — even to speak truth — the Elves will see it as an attack on their sovereignty. They'll retaliate. Hard."
Philip leaned on the table. "But if you don't go… they take your mother. Use her to break Robert. Then they come for the chalice anyway."
Mary looked at Dad. "Robert?"
Dad straightened — pain evident, but voice firm. "He's right. Running only delays the inevitable. Medb wants the chalice. She wants the order broken. She'll keep pushing until she gets both. Better to meet her now — on ground we know — than let her dictate the terms later."
Jade's voice cracked. "But Mom—"
Mom's face flashed in my mind — standing on the porch, defiant, telling us to run. I swallowed.
"Mom told us to go. She bought us time. I'm not letting that time run out while we hide here."
Linnae studied me for a long moment. Then nodded once.
"Then you'll need support. Not the full order — that would escalate too quickly. But a small team. Kira. Two of our best — Linnae and Philip will stay here to coordinate. William will monitor Barrett's cell. Mary will prepare fallback portals if things go wrong."
Kira stepped closer. "We leave now. Portal to the edge of Nevergreen. Approach on foot. Quiet. If Medb's already there, we assess. If she's not — we wait."
Dad pushed off the pillar. "I'm coming."
Jade and I spoke at the same time. "No."
He looked between us. "I'm not staying behind while my family faces this."
Kira shook her head. "You can barely walk. You'd slow us down. And if Medb sees you — alive — she'll know the chalice worked on Barrett. She'll escalate immediately."
Dad opened his mouth to argue. Closed it. Looked at me.
"You're the key now," he said quietly. "The ring chose you. The chalice answers to you. Whatever happens tonight… it happens because of you."
I met his eyes. "Then trust me to handle it."
He exhaled — long, shaky. Then nodded once.
"Bring your mother home."
Jade hugged him — quick, fierce. "We will."
Kira moved to the chamber doors. "Portal's this way. Five minutes to gear up."
We followed her through winding corridors — past armories where Templars nodded silently as we passed, past rune-lit halls where the air felt thick with old magic. Kira led us to a small circular room — stone floor inlaid with silver sigils, walls bare except for a single arched doorway that shimmered like heat haze.
She placed her hand on the frame. The shimmer brightened — portal opening.
"Nevergreen edge," she said. "Backyard tree line. Quiet exit."
We stepped through.
The transition was smoother this time — brief cold, brief vertigo, then grass underfoot. Night air — cool, damp, familiar. The backyard of 247 Nevergreen Terrace stretched ahead — porch light still on, Mom's car in the driveway. But the house felt wrong — too quiet. No Templar guards visible. No movement behind the windows.
Kira crouched low. Motioned us down.
We scanned the property line.
Figures in shadow — tall, slender, cloaked. Elves. At least eight. Weapons glinted — curved blades, bows. Medb stood at the center — silver hair catching moonlight, face calm, almost bored.
She raised a hand.
The front door opened — Mom stepped out onto the porch. Alone. Hands empty. Expression defiant.
Medb's voice carried across the yard — cool, clear.
"Hilda Chapman. Grand Master's wife. You will come with us. Quietly. Or we burn this house and everything in it."
Mom didn't move. "You'll get nothing from me."
Medb smiled — thin, cold. "Then we take it from your son. He's close. I can feel the chalice. The ring. Bring them out, Hilda. Or watch us take them."
Mom's jaw tightened.
I gripped the chalice box harder. The ring flared — hot, urgent.
Kira whispered. "She's stalling. Buying time. We move now or we lose the advantage."
Jade looked at me — eyes fierce. "Your call."
I looked at the house. At Mom. At Medb.
At the chalice in my hands.
And I stepped forward — out of the trees.
Into the open.
"Medb," I called.
Every elven head turned.
Mom's eyes widened — fear and relief flashing across her face.
Medb's smile widened — slow, satisfied.
"Raine Chapman," she said. "The new key. And the chalice. How convenient."
I lifted the box. Opened it. Chalice gleamed in moonlight.
"You want it?" I said. "Come take it."
The ring blazed — silver light flooding the yard.
Medb's smile faltered — just for a second.
Then she raised her hand.
Water surged from the ground — thick, coiling, alive — rushing toward me.
Kira moved — sword flashing, cutting through the first wave. It parted — harmless.
Jade stepped up beside me — dagger raised.
Dad's voice — weak but clear — from the porch.
"Raine… truth… not force…"
I lifted the chalice higher.
The ring screamed — light exploding outward.
The chalice answered — roar shaking the earth.
Truth slammed into Medb — undeniable, unyielding.
Her own voice tore from her throat — forced.
"I serve the queens… to claim the chalice… to silence the Templars… to control Neverwhere… forever."
Elves froze — horrified.
Mom stepped forward — unafraid.
"You heard her," she said. "Stand down. Or face the consequences."
Medb staggered — eyes wide with rage.
"You dare—"
The chalice flared again — brighter.
More truth poured — her plans. Her orders. Her fear.
The elves lowered their weapons — slowly.
Medb screamed — fury, desperation.
Water exploded around her — tidal wave rushing toward us.
Kira dove — sword slicing through the wave. It parted — harmless.
I stepped forward.
The chalice's light surged — wrapping around Medb like silver chains.
She dropped to her knees — gasping.
The elves backed away — weapons down.
Mom walked to my side.
"It's over," she said.
Medb looked up — eyes burning.
"Not yet."
She smiled — cold, final.
A portal ripped open behind her — black, jagged.
Hellspawn poured through — shadows with teeth, eyes glowing red.
The war had arrived.