The next day, everything turned to normal in Goodharts. The employees returned to the mansion and their work as if nothing had happened. As if all the horrors, all the pain, and suffering that filled the maze just one night ago were just a bad dream. The guests had left the mansion long before the employees returned. The last room on the third floor was empty.

And yet no news came from Tenalach. No one knew anything about their fairy friends or Ben's sister. And that was the last day before the door between the worlds closed.

Ferry spent the entire day lying in his attic room, his eyes to the ceiling. His father told Ol' Joseph he would not come to work because he was ill. He tried to sleep a few times. But every time he closed his eyes, the image of Kian dying came to his mind, again and again. He looked at his hands. He still couldn't believe his magic finally emerged. That it was so strong, unpredictable, and dangerous. Instead, he knew what that meant. Ferry let out a deep sigh. It meant his departure from Goodharts was close. And that he had to leave behind everything and everyone he knew and loved, and fight for a place and people he didn't even know.

His thoughts were interrupted by knocks on the door. Who could it be? He received greetings from Matilda and Ben through his father who insisted he needed rest, not visits. He went down the stairs, leaning against the walls. His father was right -- he did need rest.

He opened the front door and his heart skipped a beat when he caught sight of Billy. He was pale and had dark circles under his eyes. He didn't sleep after last night either, Ferry could tell.

"Can I come in?" Billy asked. "Is your father home?"

Ferry let him in, and went to call his father from the workshop. Peter came in and looked at Billy as confused as Ferry.

"Master Pride ... How can I help you?"

Billy handed him an old paper. "I talked to my father," he said in a low voice. "He said you should read this."

Peter frowned and began to read. As he read, his hands began to tremble.

"What is this?" 

"Look at the date," said Billy.

Peter checked the date and the paper fell out of his hand. "It's the year my son was born ..."

Ferry picked up the paper and read it, too -- it was Billy's certificate of adoption.

Billy lowered his gaze. Peter stepped closer, and looked at his face. Tears filled his eyes.

"How come I haven't seen it before?" he whispered. "You look just like her ..."

Billy looked up at his father. In his sky-blued eyes, Peter could see Eileen. He reached out and wanted to stroke his son's hair. But Billy retreated from his touched, took a few steps back, then left the house in a run.

Ferry ran after him. He managed to catch up with him. Billy stopped and leaned against a tree on the side of the street, barely breathing.

"Billy, what happened?"

"I'm sorry, Ferry. I just can't," he said.

"You need more time," Ferry said softly. "You both do ..."

Billy shook his head. "It's not that. It's just-- I don't care that my father isn't my real father. That I'm not blood from his blood. He's always going to be my father. I'm always going to be a Pride, Ferry. And you will always be a Donovan, even if you're a-- fairy... " Billy said softly.

Ferry felt his heart break again. He swallowed hard at the lump in his throat. "I didn't kill Kian, Billy," he finally said. "I need you to believe me."

Billy didn't look at him when he answered, "I know ... I've seen the spear lowering in your hands. He-- He died to save me. I didn't deserve his sacrifice," he added with clenched fists.

"He died to save you and his world ..."

Billy smiled bitterly. "We were both cursed from the beginning, anyway. In this world and the other. No one would've understood what was between us. Everyone would've seen it as something wrong ..."

"Love is love, Billy. It's never wrong."

Billy nodded and his jaw clenched, but said nothing.

"You know, it's okay to cry," Ferry said. "I didn't cry too much before, either. I thought no one and nothing deserved my tears. But when my mother died, I cried so much that I thought my tears dried. Then I cried some more ..."

"Kian didn't kill your mother, Ferry," Billy said, looking him dead in the eye, this time.

"Billy ..."

"He couldn't have. He wasn't like that. I knew him. Maybe I didn't know who he was and where he came from. But I knew him. And he couldn't have killed anyone. He only saw the good in people. He saved me when I didn't think it was possible anymore or that there was anything left to save ... It's weird , you know," he added, "he was called Prince of the Voids when he did nothing but fill the void in me ... "

For a few moments, neither of them said a word. What else was there to say? Ferry knew it might be the first and last time Billy opened his heart to him.

"I have to go," Billy said, eventually. "Dad is waiting for me."  Then he looked Ferry  in the eye. "Please, don't let him have died in vain ..."

Ferry nodded slowly. He stared after Billy for a while, then decided it was time to go home. He found his father sitting on the couch next to his mother's chair. He was staring  blankly.

"Dad, are you alright?" he asked.

"You know ..." Peter said, still staring, "I've always known you weren't my son. I don't know when and how it happened or who brought you into this world. In this house. My mind was too small to understand it. He couldn't be my son, I was telling myself. My son would have grown strong and bold. He would have joined me in fishing. He would've eaten beef steak and drank beer with me when he was growing up. He would've handled the hammer and the chisel. But you were none of those..."

Ferry breathed hard. He's always been a disappointment to his father.

"And yet, she loved you as if you were her own blood," he continued. "She saw you no less than other children. She always saw what you really are. What you have always been--her son."

Ferry felt that warm lump in his throat again. "Dad..."

His father finally looked at him. Then, he buried his face in his hands and wept, his whole body shook by sobs. Ferry let him cry in peace. 

Peter looked up at him.  "Forgive me, son. Forgive me for not seeing what was in front of me all along. I don't need another son. You've always been my son. And now-- Now I know it's too late to change something. Too late to be your father ... I'll understand if you'll never forgive me."

Ferry blinked to stop the tears from falling. He went to his father and put his hand on his shoulder. "It's not too late, Dad ..."

*

Ferry returned to his attic room and just lay in bed. He didn't want to sleep. He couldn't. Maybe because he had gained her fairy powers and fairies didn't need too much sleep, anyway. Or maybe because he still felt a heaviness in his chest that grew heavier every time he thought it was all over.

He fussed in his bed a few times. The mattress had become gnarled. He got up and wanted to arrange it better. And then, he discovered the missing pages from Mrs. Cobbs' diary. With all the events that happened over the last few days, he had completely forgotten about them.

He unfolded them carefully, and began to read. Now, he understood why Albert Pride Sr. had hidden them in his safe. He understood why she had called him a Monster. Because she had learned about the horrors that had taken place at the mansion. About the fairy blood. About the deal with Saraid. About Poppy's disappearance.

Mrs. Cobbs then mentioned S. It was Samantha, the Monster's wife, and Albert Pride Jr.'s mother, and the guilt she felt every time they met. The friendship that had brought them closer and the man who bound them by invisible threads. The terrible accident at the mansion when she died. And her suspicions that Albert Pride Sr. was no stranger to it.

Ferry read the missing pages and shuddered. After the terrible night he had gone through, he was beginning to understand how dangerous the Monster was to him and his friends. And now, his plans for power and revenge were gone with the Moon's Tear being lost again. Where was the Moon's Tear? Who guarded it so well?

But most of all, Ferry was intrigued by the contradictory feelings that Mrs. Cobbs had for that man. She locked her husband on his advice. She isolated herself from the people of the village. She became recluse and lonely. Mrs. Cobbs loved him and hated him at the same time. Probably as much as he did. Because Ferry had no doubt that the woman the Monster loved was Mildred Cobbs. But did being capable of love make him less guilty of the crimes he had committed? How dangerous was this man and how much did he have to fear fim?

Wandering through thoughts, Ferry winced when he heard loud knocks on the front door. He went downstairs, and found his father talking to Mrs. Nosey, the neighbor.

"It's the mansion," gasped. "It's burning. All the people in town are there. They try to put out the spreading fire."

Ferry and his father didn't wait any longer. They ran to the mansion. The thick smoke that could be seen in the distance like a black monster advancing towards the town was a sign the fire was big.

When they arrived, they found almost the entire town gathered in front of the building already half burnt. The people brought barrels in carts from which they filled buckets which they passed from hand to hand to put out the fire. Ferry saw Ben's family there. Matilda and May's family. Only the children were missing. Otherwise, the whole town was there.

Ferry felt the powerful heat wave coming from the maze. He turned and saw it burning, a sea of ​​fire that had engulfed the mansion. Among the dozens of voices shouting and screaming, he learned that Mrs. Pride had set fire the maze on fire, and the fire had spread to the mansion. The servants had seen her figure motionless at the edge of the maze as if waiting to be consumed by  flames. Then her laughter filled the air and her ghostly silhouette melted through the streams of flames rising into the sky.

The employees of the mansion took turns leaving the mansion, scared, full of smoke and confused. Ferry saw Billy running from one to the other. His eyes looked even bluer on the smoke-blackened face.

"Have you seen my father?" he kept asking.

But people avoided him, looking down.

"I saw him on the third floor," said one of the girls in the kitchen whose white dress had now turned almost black.

A few employees from the mansions cut him off. "Master Billy, where are you going? The house is on fire. It won't last long."

"My father is there!" Billy shouted, struggling to escape their arms.

"Master Billy, don't go there!" they tried to stop him.

But Billy pulled away from their grip and ran to the mansion. Ferry watched in horror as his figure melted into the thick smoke, then disappeared completely. He wanted to go after him. But he finds that Matilda and Ben cut him off.

"Ferry, what do you think you're doing?" Matilda shouted.

"I have to get Billy out of there," Ferry shouted back. "I have to help him. He's my mother's son."

"No, Ferry, he's not," Ben said. "Maybe just by blood. YOU are your mother's son. Don't go!"

Ferry looked at his friends. Matilda made room for him to pass. Ferry saw the fear in her eyes. 

"I know we can't stop you," she said.

Ferry took her hand and held it tight. "I'll be back, Matt. I promise."

He then headed for the smoke monster. He struggled to breath as he stepped into the smoke. He began to cough, making his way through the flames that surrounded him with each step he took. He almost crawled up the stairs to the third floor. The waves of fire burnt his skin and eyes. He made his way down the corridors that now rumbled and moaned from all joints. He found Billy and his father in the last room on the third floor. Billy's father was sitting in an armchair, surrounded by flames. He seemed calm and resigned.

"Dad, we need to get out of here!" he heard Billy begging him.

But Albert shook his head slightly. "No, Billy. You have to get out of here. I'll stay."

Billy saw Ferry. Tears flowed down his smoke-blackened face.

"Ferry, help me get him out of here," he begged.

"It useless, Billy," Albert Pride said. "Go! Save yourself! I have nothing left ..."

"You still have me, Dad," Billy shouted through tears, stepping closer. "Please. Come with me!"

But Albert shook his head. He began to cry and wail, his face buried in his hands.

"Forgive me, son," he said. "I should have let you go be with him. You should have been together now. I'm so sorry. Now all is lost ..."

"It's not all lost, Dad," Billy said, kneeling in front of him. "I need you, Dad. You're the only one I have left," he said, sobbing. "I love you, Dad ..."

Albert Pride Jr. looked at him as if he was seeing Billy for the first time. He nodded slightly. Above them, the bars cracked, throwing tongues of fire.

"Mr. Pride," cried Ferry. "We have to go! Now!"

Albert got up, supported by Billy, and walked down the smoky corridor, following Ferry's footsteps.The smoke was so thick, they could see nothing. Ferry was lacking air. They all lyed down on the ground, coughing and crawling towards the exit. Ferry felt his muscles weak. The air turned thinner and the flames took its place. His eyes were burning. It couldn't end like that. He imagined Matilda smiling at him, reaching out to him, somewhere near the exit stairs. He began to crawl toward her.

"Matt," he sighed.

He struggled to his feet, leaning against the hot walls that  burned his skin. At the end of the corridor, he saw her again. It was a hallucination, he was sure. But he started for her. He heard Billy and his father behind him.

"It's useless," he heard Billy's voice. "I can't see anything. We're going to die here, Ferry ..."

But Ferry knew she was on the other side of the smoke curtain, and she was waiting for him. He put Albert's arm around his neck and began to drag him to the exit. He raised a hand and the smoke around him dissipated. Ferry moved forward, hand raised; and the smoke listened to him, getting out of their way.

Through the air tunnel that was formed in front of them, Ferry, Billy and Albert managed to get out. Behind them, the mansion crumbled, consumed by fire. And Ferry felt he heard the wails of souls who died there, and would haunt that place forever.

After coming out of the thick cloud of smoke, they all collapsed on the burnt grass, the black sky swirling above them. He heard voices and saw silhouettes stirring around them. And he recognized the warm hand touching his forehead.

He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "It's over, Matt ... I'm here ..."

But she shook her head. And Ferry saw the sadness in her eyes. "No. It's not over. And you know it."

*

That night was a magical night. It was night when the veil between the worlds rose, and mortals could catch a glimpse of the other side. It was night when the world of people was linked to the worlds beyond. It was the last night before the door between the worlds closed for a long, long time.

It was almost midnight and the night was deep. The moon was hidden among the clouds and only a few rays reached the beings that had gathered in the Roound Meadow of Shepherd's Forest. Ferry and Matilda, Ben and Parsley stared at the standing stone in the middle of the clearing. The door between the worlds. Lavender decided to stay with Oona who had not yet recovered from Alwyn's blow.

They had so little time before the door closed. And still no sign from their friends. If the door closed, it would take another seven years for it to open again.

Everything was shrouded in silence. No one dared say a word. The stone in the middle, taller and sharper than the others, stood like a goddess waiting to be worshiped.They all approached the stone, as if they had understood beforehand that this had to be done. Ferry looked at Matilda. Her lips moved slightly.

"Please, please ..." she whispered without taking her eyes off the stone.

Ferry stepped closer. She looked so broken; she, the bravest person he's ever known.

"We need this, Ferry," she softly said.  "After all that happened ... They have to come back ..."

Ferry gently touched her hand. Her hand flinched at first, but then she let herself caressed by his touch. Ferry held her hand and they walked together to the standing stone.

Everything around them turned still. Lights were rising from the grass towards the sky. Ferry thought they were fireflies, but they could just as well be stars. The clouds dissipate, and the moonlight poured over the clearing like a silver cloak. The wind started suddenly, moving the grass that rustled in the whispers that melted in the night. The trees on the edge, straight and motionless before, began to bend and creak from their old trunks as if they were bowing. The flowers opened their petals and their scent filled the air.

https://youtu.be/dzNvk80XY9s

The rock in front of them trembled, and no longer seemed so dark and impenetrable. Its surface turned into a veil of fog. Then it became ever clearer. From the other side, warm colors and soft rays were coming through.

A small creature rolled in the grass to their feet. Then he jumped to his feet and let out a shout of joy--Hoity Toity. Everyone's eyes widened at the sight of the little man as if they couldn't believe he was there.

Through the veil of fog, another creature appeared, heading for them. She hopped a few times and stopped in front of Parsley. The lizard-man stood motionless like a stone. Rosemary smiled at him and wrapped her hands around his neck. After a few moments, Parsley chained Rosemary in the tightest hug and they remained like that, without caring about anyone or anything.

The door between the worlds suddenly turned dark, and a massive figure loomed inside it. In his black cloak, Sage crossed to the other side. He was carrying someone in his arms. He went to Ben and put his sister in his arms. Bianca was asleep, slightly frowning.

"She'll sleep for a while," he said. " She's a brave little girl. I took her to the Valley of Oblivion. Everything that happened in Tenalach will be nothing but a distant and bad dream that she will soon forget."

Ben's eyes were full of tears. "I could never thank you enough, Sage," he said.

Sage nodded. Then his eyes searched for Matilda. When their eyes met, Matilda let go of Ferry's hand. She slowly stepped closer to Sage. The right side of his face was marked by a deep line running down his forehead to his chin. Matilda ran her fingertips over his wound. Sage took her hand and pressed it against his cheek, then stroked his face with her palm. Ferry knew how comforting was Matilda's touch. He felt it only a day before. But this time, Sage was on time. Sage was always on time.

"Everyting I did was for you, Matt," he whispered. "Only for you. You kept me alive."

Matilda looked at him. A warm, longing look. And Ferry knew he had a lot of work to do to win her heart back.

They were ready to leave the Round Meadow when the door between the worlds shivered again and flashes of light shone on the other side. Someone was trying to get through. They all stood still, almost forgetting to breathe. Sage and Parsley exchanged a strained look, placing themselves in front of everyone. The light coming from the other side was covered by huge wings. And a winged creature passed into the world of humans, making a small storm with the beating of his black wings. Thyme. Behind him, the door between the worlds closed, turning back into stone.

At first, Ferry thought he was dreaming. He stepped closer to the winged creature that fluttered his wings and looked at him with eyes as black as the winter sky. How long was it been since he last saw Thyme? It felt like an eternity. How much suffering, how much pain had accumulated in his absence? How many souls had perished while he was gone? How many dreams had been broken? And all the torment he had gone through all this time came back, more overwhelming than ever, pressing on his chest and taking his breath away. Ferry fell to his knees and began to sob.

Thyme headed towards him with big steps and helped him to his feet. He looked at the tears in his eyes. Ferry rested his head on his shoulder and wept. He wept again when he thought there were no more tears left to cry. He then felt Thyme's strong arms around him, holding him tight like never before.

"I'll never leave your side again, Garrett. Ever."

Well, Ferry's adventures in the world of humans are coming to an end. What is your impression of this book? How did you feel while reading it? I would sooo love to know. As always, thank you for being part of this!