Owen went in search of Goliath who now had the whole clan looking for Detective Maza's cat. They were all wandering about the castle, calling for Cagney and making that odd "pss pss pss" sound that humans, and apparently gargoyles, seemed to think made cats come to them, but all it did was make them look silly.
He found Goliath in the library.
"You won't find him there," Owen said.
Goliath was looking in the fireplace, of all places, and he hadn't heard Xanatos's assistant come in. He startled at the sound of his voice and smacked the top of his head on the underside of the mantle.
One corner of Owen's mouth turned up imperceptibly at that.
Goliath growled as he turned and looked at the slender blond man and rubbed his head irritably.
"What is it, Owen?" he asked grumpily.
"I know where Cagney is."
"You do? Where?" Goliath said relieved.
"He is unfortunately in a place I do not have access to."
"Then I shall get him," Goliath offered.
"It is not a place you can reach him, either. There is only one person in this castle who can retrieve him."
"Who?"
"Alexander."
"I don't understand…" Goliath said, confused.
"There is a...sort of parallel universe, a world adjacent to our own. It goes by many names: the World Between, the Place of Eternal Night, the Shadow Realm, but no matter what it's called, it is full of things that are dark...dangerous. Things that should not come into our world."
"What does Alex and Cagney have to do with this...shadow realm?"
"Cagney startled Alex and the child accidentally sent him there."
"Then he must bring him back!" Goliath ordered. Not only was he afraid for poor Cagney, but he feared what his mate would do to him if he did not get him back.
"It's not that easy. Opening a way into another realm is dangerous, they are not one way doors. If you open a way, more than just Cagney may be able to leave. Cats are not hard to come by. I suggest you find Elisa a new one and move on," Owen warned.
Goliath snarled at that suggestion.
"Cagney means more to Elisa than all the cats in the world. For a time, he was her only friend and companion, and I cannot simply replace him," Goliath argued.
Owen stared emotionlessly back at him.
"If I do this, you will owe me a boon."
"It was your charge who—"
"One boon. One favor. That's the deal. Take it or leave it."
"I will not do anything for you that I find morally repugnant or that puts my clan in danger, sprite," he growled.
"You take the fun out of everything, Goliath, but I will agree to those terms."
Goliath sighed heavily.
"Then I agree."
"The bargain is made then," Owen said. "We shall begin first thing tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow night?! Why do we not get him now? If that realm is as dangerous as you say—"
"Because I need Alexander, and he is currently sleeping, and I am not going to be the one to wake him up."
"Why can you not open a way yourself? Alex is only a child, and you are…well, I don't know how old you are, but–"
"It has nothing to do with age or ability, but with succession. I, despite all of my many talents, do not possess the keys to open the way to that realm. Only the Kings and Queens of Avalon have the power, along with their bloodline."
"Which is why Alex was able to do it," Goliath said, understanding.
"Correct," Owen said.
"Wait, you said Kings and Queens? As in plural. Are there others aside from Oberon and Titania?"
Owen turned and headed for the door.
"First thing tomorrow evening, Goliath. Be prepared," he said, ignoring his question, and he left Goliath in the library with more questions than answers.
...
...
Owen pensively watched Alex as he lay sleeping in his crib. He had gone to his nursery directly after his conversation with Goliath. He had hoped for some measure of solace or clarity of mind as he observed the child peacefully sleeping. He often did.
He was such a seemingly innocent child.
And he was.
He was just a child, pure and innocent.
A blank slate.
But he had power, great power, and depending on how–or who–tipped the scales, he could be shaped into a great leader, the heir to Avalon...or he could become its destruction.
He recalled what Titania had said on the night Alex had been born.
"You have so much to look forward to...such marvelous potential."
Did she know? Did she know what he could become?
Before he confronted her, he had to be absolutely sure. It was risky, opening up a way to the World Between. Reckless and stupid, really, but he had to know for certain, and he had struck a bargain with Goliath, and he couldn't go back on his word without consequences.
Goliath had been warned, but he wasn't aware of how truly dangerous the World Between was.
But Puck knew.
It was not only a realm of monsters, it was a prison.
And they were going to break into it.