‘Sometimes.’ He lifted her chin and kissed her softly; he tasted of the fruit he had eaten: sweet and tart. ‘Sometimes, humans wet-nurse our children. Sometimes, we breed with humans. Sometimes, we take them for amusement, for work, to use their skills to build things we do not have, to enrich our world. We would have many uses for human slaves.’
She sat up, her heart beating wildly. ‘Falias. The realm you are at war with now?’ Faye remembered the name now, and Finn nodded.
‘Yes.’
‘My father is the king of the realm you are at war with?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then why am I here? Some kind of…strategic point-scoring? Leverage?’ She put her hands on her hips, furious. ‘I won’t be a part of it! Whatever it is! It’s crazy! All of it!’
‘Not leverage, no. He knows nothing of you and me.’ Finn stared out at the waterfall. ‘There is a prophecy. About you. Connected to another part of the war between the realms.’
‘Another part of the war? You mean there’s something else you all disagree on?’ Faye snorted in disgust. ‘You think you’re so powerful. So high and mighty. And yet your kingdoms can’t agree about anything, it would seem.’
‘Never doubt the power of the elemental kingdoms,sidhe-leth.’ Finn turned to her and put his hand softly around her neck. It wasn’t a tight grip, but the gleam in his eyes suggested that it could be. ‘Is that understood?’
‘I understand,’ she said, and he released his hand. Again, Faye remembered Grandmother’s grimoire:Keep your wits about you at all times when in the realm of faerie. Tread carefully there.
‘What is the prophecy?’ she asked, narrowing her eyes.
‘I cannot tell you.’
‘You will tell me, or I won’t return here. Ever,’ she threatened. ‘I have free will. You can’t make me stay. I know the rules. I can leave whenever I want.’
‘I can keep you here for as long as I like, Faye.’ Finn raised an eyebrow. ‘You are wrong. I am the King of Murias. Within my kingdom, all obey my will.’
‘That’s not true.’ Faye’s resolve wavered, but she tried not to show it.Faeries lie, she reminded herself.I cannot trust him. ‘What is the prophecy?’ she repeated.
He paced the room. ‘You will not understand,’ he said.
‘Try me.’ Faye folded her arms over her chest.
‘You are insufferable!’ he roared suddenly, and Faye jumped. ‘How dare you question me? I am king here!’
‘I am Faye Morgan, of the Morgan witches, and you will answer my question,’ she replied firmly. Faye had no idea where her certainty came from, because her mind had been so foggy since she had been in Murias. But it was as if Grainne and all her ancestors suddenly reached across time and held out a hand to Faye. And in that touch came knowledge.
Faye knew, suddenly – perhaps she had read it in the grimoire, perhaps she had heard Grandmother say it once, or perhaps her ancestors were talking to her – that her heritage as a Morgan gave her power. And she knew that Finn had to answer a direct question if she asked it using his full name, despite the fact that he had forbidden her to call him by his name at all. ‘Fintanaeon of Murias, I demand that you tell me: what is the prophecy regarding my interaction with the faerie realms?’
There was a silence. Finn glowered at her. She raised an eyebrow and waited.
‘Quite the powerful one, I see. When you are not lusting after my touch,’ he said peevishly. ‘I told you that I forbid you from using my name. Fine. I will tell you of the prophecy. Not that you will understand it.’
‘I still want to hear it,’ she said.
‘The prophecy says that a half-fae witch of the Morgan line will govern the Crystal Castle of the Moon, taking over from Morgana Le Fae, who has governed it since the beginning of time. I believe that is you. You are destined to rule the Crystal Castle of the Moon, which is the centre of all our power. Hence, with you as my consort, we will place Murias at the centre of all things.’
‘What is the Crystal Castle of the Moon?’ Faye asked, thinking,Not if I have anything to do with it.
‘In the middle of the four faerie kingdoms, over the four crystal bridges stands the Crystal Castle of the Moon. That is where She who is the Highest Power resides.’
‘I thought there were four faerie realms. The four elemental kingdoms?’ Faye said.
‘There are four kingdoms. The Crystal Castle is not a kingdom. It is the centre of our realms. Morgana Le Fae herself – Mistress of Magic, the Faerie Queen of the Silver Moon – lives there,’ Finn explained mulishly. Faye was enjoying the fact that, by using his full name, she had the faerie king temporarily under her power.
‘So, you all think I am…some kind of saviour?’ Faye frowned.
‘Not a saviour. The future,’ Finn said. ‘Not all believe in the prophecy, or have interpreted it in the way that I have. But I have seen you there, Faye. I have seen you wear the crystal crown.’ He looked away. ‘I did not wish to say so much. Not yet.’
