The day after, I started going through my head all the possible ways of telling my friends about the curse. Unluckily, it isn't easy to find a solution to things like that --- I couldn't just spring it on them in the middle of a normal conversation.

"There's something I want you to do," Edgar told me the morning after. "I've been thinking about it for a while. You can't possibly be that powerful, but..."

I arched an eyebrow. "I helped you with your powers."

"Yes, but..." he sighed, nervously. "Okay, here goes nothing. You could try fixing what went wrong with the Aether and with the sky in this realm."

"But we don't even know what it is," I protested.

"That's why it was a stupid idea," he replied.

"No, no, let me try."

I meditated for quite a long time. When I felt ready for the spell, I tried a fixing spell.

It was easy.

It shouldn't have been so easy. Even with Set's curse, it still shouldn't have.

But once I was done, the sky returned to what apparently was its original colour, shimmering rainbow hues.

"You did it!" a voice behind us said. I was starting to feel really tired, and near the point of fainting, but I could still recognize the voice belonged to Nia.

And she didn't sound too surprised. I realized that she knew what was wrong with me, and I felt panic-striken.

"Do you know why it was so easy?" she asked, slyly.

I couldn't figure out whether she was talking to Edgar or me, so I started feeling very nervous.

"... No?" I feigned ignorance.

"Because," she said. "It's easier to fix something you have broken yourself."

"You can't possibly mean..." I said.

"I can recognize a healing spell when I see one. You... healed something you've broken."

I laughed nervously. "You don't believe her, Edgar, do you? I couldn't have done that."

"Well," Edgar said. "You changed the sky back to its original colour. I don't understand why you couldn't have been able to make it red in the first place."

"Alright, but if I really did it, I didn't do it on purpose!" I replied, offended.

"Nobody is saying you did it on purpose," Nia said. "Even though it is said a Hierophant on a dark path can change the course of natural events."

I did not think it was the right time to tell the truth to Edgar, not in front of the knight who could as well execute her Folly for being defective.

"I hope it hasn't come to that," I laughed.

Nia took the bait, and looked deep in thought. "Well, magic comes easy to hybrids when they're angry, or upset. You... unleashed a wave of black magic."

"Or he might have caused a blackout the way he used to do when he was young and inexperienced," Edgar supplied to Nia. "He has the power of the darkness, thanks to Set."

I opened my eyes wide. "Edgar, you're right! When I was young, every time I was upset, I would turn off the lights unconsciously."

"It's the very same thing, but amplified," Nia replied. "And since the realms are connected, it backfired. Our sky is rainbow because it's made of the colours of auras and magic. But, until a few minutes ago... it was red, like the color of the Summer family!"

I wanted to say that it didn't make sense, but colours were very important in magic, so perhaps it did make sense. It made me feel a little more helpless.

"Well," I said, trying to look collected. "I think I should probably tell my friends."

We gathered everyone in the hall of the castle.

"Too bad we can't communicate with Jeff and ask him whether the blackout in our realm is back to normal," Raegan said.

"I'm sure it is," Jurji replied. "Nia's explanation did make a lot of sense. I'm sure whatever Ryan has released, he has been able to fix it now."

"It makes me feel very awkward to hear those words, and know they're about me," I protested. I'd been an Enchanter for a few months and I had already messed up their realm in countless ways.

"Perhaps it would have been better for me to live amongst the humans," I added. "Maybe my grandfather really did the right thing, after all."

Edgar looked at me with a puzzled, and defeated, look in his blue eyes. I realized that he still didn't know about Set. In his eyes, I must have been acting erratically for months.

"Please, don't say it," Raegan said. "Of course, we are all starting to regret our previous quest. Perhaps life would have been easier if the Traditionalists hadn't kicked me out! But what's done is done, and at the end of the day, I'm glad I got to know you and Jeff."

I found myself wanting to tell Raegan that very moment about the curse. She and Jeff were my real family, and they would have never judged. Edgar wouldn't have either.

But I didn't trust Jurji enough. It was not personal, but what would a near stranger do if you told them you were cursed by the first black magician? Maybe he would only go as far as to use the Everto Stone on me, but I didn't want to lose a piece of my soul.

"We need a plan to break the curse," Edgar commented, out of the blue.

"Well, Jake is cursed," Raegan started thinking out loud. "So, we need to ambush Jake, capture him and force him to use the Everto Stone on himself."

"Jake is not cursed," I said, the words out before I could stop them.

Everyone turned their heads to look at me.

I needed to find a way to say it, and fast.

"The curse..."

I couldn't finish the sentence. I felt as if my tongue was stuck, and couldn't move. I knew what it meant. The part of my magic coming from Set was clearly was powerful enough to decide what I could say and what I could not say.

Raegan cocked an eyebrow. "Who, if not Jake?" she asked.

"I don't know," I could only say lamely. "But not Jake."

"What do you mean not Jake?" Edgar asked. "He has broken free of prison, he was able to do that distance spell to write 'Liar' on the mirror... he has never, never been able to accomplish these things before!"

"What do you have against Jake?" 

He looked at me coldly. "Except the fact that he's a bully who's been insulting me since we first met? Or that he has always treated you like crap, told you he hated you, and betrayed you?"

I didn't know what to reply to that. I hadn't realized it was about me as well.

"Well," I blurted out, trying not to look too cheerful. "I just came up with a way to prove Jake is not cursed!"

"So soon?" Edgar asked. While he was often the brain in our operations, I was the real multi-tasker... the one who always thought about more than one thing at the same time.

"Yes, I just hope the person we have to ask for information will be able to give them to us without having to use torture."

"It's creepy that you even thought about it," Jurji commented.

"What's the difference? I'd never do it."

Not too long after that, Nia found us horses to ride. Well, the animals weren't exactly horses, but the equines that I had seen on my first day in the realm.

At a closer look, their legs were longer and thinner than usual horses legs, and they had spots similar to leopards. They came in many colours, and my horse was the colour of honey with coffee brown spots.

"Do you ride them like you ride horses?" I asked.

"Well, duh," Nia replied.

"Sorry, but the last time I was on one of those, my hands were tied and I was almost naked," I replied.

Raegan raised her eyebrows and Jurji looked mildly green-ish.

"Well, you can't say your life isn't interesting," Edgar finally commented.

We traveled amongs the sandy dunes, the hooves of the animal sinking softly into the golden terrain of the desert. When we saw a row of houses in the distance, I realised I was probably going to find the person I wanted to talk to and I got down from my horse.

"Before we go in," I said. "I owe you an explanation. I want to talk to the leader of the rebels about Jake... as for why, you simply have to trust me."

Edgar looked at me coldly. "It's not easy, this time."

"I understand," I replied. I really did.

"Well, we trust you," Raegan said. When Jurji gave her a sideways glance, she blushed, and added, "at least, I do."

As soon as we entered the house, I looked at the man straight in the eye, and exhaled.

"You're under arrest," I said. I noticed he was a youth about our age, with a gaunt face, long hair and a bruise blossoming purple above his right eye.

He blinked a few times. "You're not from the Magic Law Enforcement."

"Well... I..." I stammered. "Wait. That is a term from the Aether Realm..."

"I'm from your world," the rebel smiled, and his teeth were stained in blood. "You don't recognize me?"

"Well... no..."

"Then, how can you arrest me?" he asked. "If you don't know my name?"

"It sounded good," I replied. "I've always wanted to say that. But don't worry --- after our conversation is over, I believe you'll be arrested."

The rebel raised his eyebrows, but did not say anything. 

"Let me start," I said. "I believe you helped Jake Kingston plot his revenge while he was in prison. I also believe you used your blood to write 'Liar' in the walls of the Academy."

"Thankfully, we already established I know everything you're saying," the young man said. "Or it would have been very confusing."

He pulled his long hair away from his face, and when I noticed his dark eyes my heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be...

"You're crazy," the boy added. "I haven't done such a thing. Nobody has done such a thing. I've been brought here months ago when I was kidnapped. I do not care about the Academy anymore."

"Sean?" I asked. My voice was breaking now. "I will never give you a trial if you're innocent! So, if I were you, I would admit the whole thing. You see, in this world, I do not know why, but they put a certain respect on me."

Sean shivered.

"But I'm the same seventeen year old misfit I ever was. I'm hardly anything important."

"What if I don't admit?" Sean asked.

"Well, the purple blood clearly does not belong to you. But I could check if your fingerprints match the ones on the wall," I said.

His eyes opened up wide.

"And then, the Aether realm will judge you for crimes against our realm," I continued. "You'll be judged by Daniel Johnston, and then he'll probably want to make an example out of you."

"Ryan, stop," Edgar said. "It's Sean..."

"Yes," I muttered. "And Jake was just Jake."

"No, not Daniel Johnston!!!" Sean yelled. He had a crazed and desperate look in his eyes.

We all looked at him puzzled. 

"Would you admit then?" I asked, hopeful. "In front of me?"

"You can't make me," he said. But he was between the devil and the deep blue sea. If he didn't admit, we would find a way to drag him back to the Academy to see if the fingerprints matched.

"I'll do you a favour," I said. "As hard as it is to believe, I don't think you've turned into a bad guy."

"Believe me," he mumbled. "To believe you haven't turned into a bad guy would be much harder indeed."

"I'm not nice," I agreed. "Doesn't mean I can't be kind. I'll be kind to you."

"Yes, please," Raegan said. "I cannot believe I haven't recognized him when we drank beer the last time. He owes me one more pint so we can catch up."

"But before that, he tried to murder Ryan," Jurji reminded her.

Raegan bared her teeth. "You're right. But if he's working with Jake, it's likely Jake has poisoned his mind and turned him against us. And if he's a bad person, I assure you he will pay."

"You didn't admit," I continued. "But you said you don't want to meet Thomas Johnston, so I'll act as judge and jury either way."

"What do you mean?" Sean asked. "You have no proves."

I smiled crookedly. "You think so?"

I handed him a piece of paper and a red pen I was keeping in my tunic. "Please, write the word 'Liar' on it."

Sean had to do it. It would be extremely suspicious if he refused.

"Now," I said. "Let's see if the writing matches."

"You... you took a picture of it, didn't you?" Raegan asked hopeful. "With your phone?"

"Vitaly told me not to bring my cellphone in the magic circle the first time I space-shifted," I said. "But do not worry."

I took another piece of paper, and wrote a Hebrew letter on it with my pen. I wrote Zayin, the letter for movement.

I put my hands on the ground, after I pinned the piece of paper to my tunic. I pushed on the ground.

Usually, I would never be able to do it. But in my peculiar conditions, I could.

On the ground, the word 'Liar' formed in what looked like purple blood. It was the same handwriting.

"What... what is this?" Sean shrieked. "This is dark magic!"

He pointed at me. "You're the devil! You're at least half Typhon already!"

Raegan looked at me. I feared she had guessed the truth. She was, after all, clever enough to. But she still thought too highly of me. She looked back at Sean, and growled, "What are you speaking for? You're guilty. Your own handwriting proves as much."

Nia kicked down the door in that very moment. She was holding that flowery rope she had used to tie my hands.

"I declare you under arrest," she told Sean. "And while I wouldn't charge you with treason, I'm not the one who needs to decide. The one who will make the decision is the Folly."

Sean opened his eyes very wide.

"This is why I joined the rebels, why I even founded them," he said. "I couldn't believe the new kid at school is hailed as a hero while he couldn't save me. I cannot believe he gets to space-shift to hide his dark powers, and here he has a castle. You call him a Folly... maybe you're right. He looks just like your usual scrappy orphan, but he has the chance and the power to turn into a mad fool."

I realized how it looked on the outside, to a person who had been manipulated by Jake. My heart ached for Sean and I realized that, this time, I wouldn't leave him behind.

"Find a way to contact Jeff and Agnes," I told Nia. "Tell them about Sean, and tell them he needs help. Then make sure Sean stays back in our world... free of charges. No one is to tell Thomas Johnston anything."

While we were riding back to the castle, Raegan told me, "Now you really need to tell me how you guessed the leader of the rebels was working with Jake."

"And what this has to do with the curse," Edgar added.

"We'll get to that part soon enough," I said. "But first, let me explain. When Raegan talked to the leader, she said he was furious that we were in this realm, so it was someone who knew us. He was also the person who suspected us of taking the whetstone. And Jake did have the help of someone from here, right? We had seen the blood. So, who better than him? He striked right after Jono Mitchell was murdered. And he was murdered because he didn't want certain people to find out about something. Sean must have thought the people was us, which means that he knew that we weren't here for a holiday, but that we were worth suspecting."

"You're gasping at straws," Edgar said. "Basically, it was just luck."

"No, wait a minute," I said. "The best part still has to come. See, while I was thinking through it and the idea was in its early stages, I realized something. Only a rebel could have helped Jake, because I found a petal of a red rose on the crime scene."

"But even amongst the rebels, I couldn't know it was him," I added. "I simply wanted to question him. I realized I was right when he made us understand that he was from our world."

"Now, the curse," Edgar said.

"Fine, ask him," I said, pointing at Sean.

Edgar raised an eyebrow. "You know he could tell you whatever he wants to, right?"

"Yes, it's called a lie, people do that sometimes," Raegan added helpfully. 

"Not if we tell him that if he helps us out, I'll be even more merciful. I could untie him, for starters."

My friends were looking at me, a little pale. Maybe I was becoming ruthless, but I realised we had no time to stop to think about that.

I waved an hand carelessly. "We don't know how much he helped Jake, but he tried to murder me, didn't he? Well, he actually tried to murder Edgar, which is worse."

"At least, we're giving him a chance," I added. "I doubt Thomas Johnston was going to be merciful if we didn't step in."

"Yes, please!" Sean said. "Ask me about the curse!"

"Besides, he will not lie," I said. "Because he does not know what it is we want to hear."

"That's true! I can say with certainty that Jake is not cursed. In fact, he wants to be! He wants to channel Set's powers, and he's looking for it everywhere."

"Really?" Jurji sounded incredolous. Sadly I remembered just how much Jake wanted to bond with Set.

Sean nodded. "In fact," he added. "He likes to make believe he's more powerful than he is. Have you noticed how the word 'Liar' was written in the mirror? I mean, the calligraphy?"

We looked at each other. "We were too busy thinking about the blood," Edgar said.

"Well, the calligraphy wasn't too different from the one on the wall, because it was me who did both things! The first time I used my blood, and the second blood Jake gave me from this world --- I do not know where he got it from. He also made me trash the house."

"Why the purple blood?" I asked.

"It was a threat. Jake wanted you to understand that it was him, he wanted you to know he had allies in other realms. Besides, he might have wanted you to understand what he did to me last year. He kidnapped me, created a magic circle casually and then pushed me inside. Without the right preparation, I could have died. The black magic inside almost devoured my soul, but then I got free of it."

Sean shivered, and I sympathized, because I too had felt it, in my dream.

"He didn't know where he was sending me, and I believed I would never be found. However, making me a foreigner in this world was what thinned the barrier between this realm and ours, and as I heard it, you've been receiving signals from here."

"That makes sense," Edgar said. "In that horrible kind of way sometimes things make sense. Why the word liar?"

"The word liar was meant as a message to one of you. I can't figure out why, but he probably wants something from you."

I couldn't help but feel as if everyone was looking at me. Jake knew that I was cursed. It was not weird, considering how obsessed with Set he was. He had called me out for lying to myself before. He wanted to expose the truth about me, and get to Set.

"But why?" Edgar asked quietly. "Why the surge of power, the allies?"

"He is that powerful because he has strong allies in the Aether realm," Sean said. "That's how he broke out of prison. He's looking to be cursed, yes, but in the meantime he's working for someone. His boss wanted to wage war against you, and I could have been the spy."

He looked thoughtful for a minute. "Can you not tell anybody about that?" he asked.

"His boss?" I reasoned out loud. "It must be Jinn! I don't know why he would want to fight us yet again, but if Jake is working for someone, it must be him for sure!"

I freed Sean from the flowery ropes. "You can go now," I said.

"What? You're setting him free just like that?" Edgar asked, bewildered.

"Perhaps you're not as bad as I thought you'd be," Sean admitted begrudgingly.

"Look at him, he likes us all of a sudden," Raegan laughed.

"If you don't go back to our realm and seek help for your trauma, don't think I'm going to go easy on you," I told Sean, resting my fingers on my temples. "My cousin taught me how to read minds."

When we returned to the hall of the castle, Nia was there waiting for us.

"I told Jeff and Agnes everything, and while they couldn't wait to meet Sean, they wish to cross back to this realm first. We've got news about your friend."

"Alice," Raegan said, in a sisterly tone. "What happened?"

"They found your friend alive," Nia confirmed. "But they need to tell you what they saw when they got the hiding place."