The bus dropped them off three blocks from Lacey’s Boutique. And Mina had just explained about the Grimoire and the curse.
Nan frowned, “So does it strictly deal with the Grimm tales?”
Ever nodded her head. “Most of the time, yes. They’ve gotten harder over time, though, because they morph as they unfold. Truthfully, I’m not sure even if Mina finished the tales that the quests or demands would stop.”
“Why would you say that?” Mina asked, feeling sucker punched. She hadn’t expected someone to come right out and say there was no way to beat the curse.
“Well, because I remember where I come from. I know what it’s like on the Fae plane. I knew him before he was—” she made a splitting motion with her hands. “When that happened, I chose to follow his good side here.”
“Ever, can you tell me about it?” Mina asked.
Her teary eyes flashed in anger, and she shook her head at Mina.
“Pretty please with pixie dust,” Nan begged. Mina was irritated when Ever gave in to Nan’s request.
“Back then he was just Teague. He was betrayed by someone he cared about. The betrayal tore him apart on the inside. It brought out the worst in him. He was extremely powerful, and the Fae feared for their lives. He was obsessed with opening gates to the human world and sending the Reapers. Then he turned them on his own people.”
Nan shook her head. Mina wondered if this was hard to believe.
Ever’s eyes looked sad. “Even the Fates didn’t know how to make the pain stop. Truthfully, I think his heart was already in two before the sprite split him.”
“Well,” she continued, “all this happened right before the Grimm Brothers made their appearance on the Fae plane. The King and Queen had their hands full with keeping Teague from destroying the kingdom and then to add a portal between the two worlds? It spelled bad news for both sides. They just came up with the quests to distract the brothers from their larger problem: what to do with Teague and Jared.”
“So they never intended to keep their promise,” Mina deduced.
“I don’t know what they intended. I’m not a Royal, okay? I only know this…because I was living at the palace at the time.” Ever was clearly irritated, rolling her eyes. “I just know that the sprite split him into two parts and bound them to two books or something. They sent the Grimoire and Jared to the human plane with the Grimm brothers, without them ever knowing what they had. And they kept Teague in the Fae plane. Teague and Jared could travel back and forth between the worlds, but only a Grimm could return the book to the Fae plane.”
“I didn’t know that’s how it happened,” Mina said.
“Of course you wouldn’t know. You’re not a Fae, and even most Fae don’t know all of the deets, okay? But Teague figured out that the more quests the Grimms did, the stronger he became. He’d make the Grimms fail on the quests, so the curse would move on to the next one. As much as he loved power, he loved revenge even more.”
“How does Mina stop him?” Nan asked.
“Now that he’s whole again, his anger burns with a vengeance. I’m not sure there’s anything Mina can do to stop the curse. He is deadly on both planes.”
“Unless I kill him,” Mina said the words softly. They hurt like gravel coming out of her mouth, but she had to say them.
“Yes, I’m afraid so.” Ever stopped walking and leaned against a building for support. “And I’m scared, because I’ll think you’ll do it.” Her shoulders started to shake silently.
“You love him,” Nan said, a bit dumbfounded.
“Duh! And this gimp here ruined it for me.”
“But I don’t understand,” Nan said softly.
Ever launched herself away from the wall. Her fingers flew to erase the tears from her eyes. “Because back then, I wasn’t what he wanted. I thought he loved me like I loved him. When he was split, I followed Jared, thinking I’d have a chance here. And sure, we dated for a while. But he wasn’t happy with me. He was always looking for something or someone. He doesn’t love me on this plane either.”
“You don’t know that.” Nan tried to soothe Ever.
Ever sniffed loudly. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t matter. I see that now.”
“What an awful thing to say about yourself,” Mina said.
“Naw, it’s the truth. I can’t compete with you. Never have been able to, never will,” Ever mumbled.
Mina’s mouth dropped open at the melancholy compliment.
“Unless you die in a horrible accident. Then I may have a chance,” Ever quipped.
“Ever, what a horrible thing to say!” Nan turned to face the girl, her hands in balled fists on her hips. “Y-you…you are not a nice pixie,” she stuttered out.
“Who said pixies are nice? You have a lot to learn about our kind. Pixies are never nice.”
Mina, used to Ever’s barbs, intervened. “Nan, it’s okay. She doesn’t really mean it.”