‘I have no sympathy for them individually. Theychooseto become enamoured of him.’ Moronoe shook her head angrily. Faye thought it was prudent not to mention that the average woman would have no protection against the seductive power of a faerie king – she hadn’t, and she was half faerie. ‘But the principle angers me. I am the protectress of reproduction, of the seed of life in nature. It is a sacred process; a human woman is the creatrix of her world. There is a balance to these things that he ignores. In the old days, it was one human child a year given to the fae. Not a hundred, born because Lyr of Falias can’t control himself.’
Moronoe’s tone was brisk now. ‘I also disapprove of this war, and my brother dislikes being disapproved of.’ The faerie queen smiled grimly. Faye shivered at the thought of being the object of Moronoe’s disapproval.
‘They battle over the control of the Crystal Castle.’ Moronoe looked to the roof in disdain. ‘I refuse to be involved. It is a war of stupid against stupider; no one can control the Crystal Castle except Morgana Le Fae.’
‘Lyr told me that.’
Moronoe picked up what looked like a sweet pastry from a plate on the table and tore half of it off with her sharp white teeth. ‘I have enough to do, governing the realm of earth, without playing at war. Morgana can take care of herself, and anyway’ – she chewed the pastry with a smile of contentment – ‘they have no doubt misinterpreted the prophecy. She knows that as well as I do.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You know of the prophecy, I take it?’ Moronoe pushed the other half of the pastry into her mouth and licked her voluptuous lips with her tongue.
‘Finn told me I am destined to rule the Crystal Castle,’ Faye replied. ‘It seems…unlikely.’
‘Incorrect. The books say a half-fae woman willhave the power over it. Not you, specifically. It could be any half-human, half-faerie creature,’ Moronoe replied. ‘It is very vague wording.’
‘Why does he think it’s me?’ Faye wanted to know.
‘He may have been influenced to think that way.’ Moronoe gave her a calculating stare. ‘I have told you that a faerie king is ruled by his lust. Levantiana knows she can control her brother. I think she seeks to gain power over him. Possibly over the entire faerie realm.’
‘How? Why?’ Faye frowned.
‘I know not. It may suit her purposes for her brother to believe that you are the one who will take power, to distract him from her true purpose. To take it herself. When you cast your little spell – of course, we all know of it – you appeared on Levantiana’s radar. She saw your beauty. She realised that you have the look of my family, and she guessed that you might be half fae. She set the trap and you walked straight into it.’
Faye looked around her at the roots pushing through the earth walls and the glass and stone lamps flickering with strange coloured light. Would she really end up hiding her baby here from Finn and Levantiana? It seemed unthinkable.
Moronoe unhooked a jet-black necklace interspersed with citrine and amber crystals from her own neck and held it out to Faye. Each bead was a cube about an inch square; it was a heavy piece that weighed on her neck when she held it against her own throat.
‘Take this. Wear it all the time as protection. And when you need me, call out and I will hear you, wherever you are.’ Moronoe helped Faye with the clasp. Her touch was gentle. ‘Now, go home and think about what we have said.’
There’s another way. There must be, Faye thought as she closed her eyes and felt the strangeness of transitioning between the fae and the human realm overtake her senses.But I will go home.She felt it, sure and right and clear in her gut. Abercolme was where she needed to be, and that was where she’d go. Perhaps when she was there, it would become clear as to what she’d do next. She hoped so.
38
Annie stood behind her on the steps that led up to Rav’s front door as she looked for the key in her bag. Passers-by and shoppers walked past, going about their business.
‘Are ye sure he isnae in?’ Annie whispered, though it was the middle of the day, a week after Faye had returned from Moronoe’s queendom. As usual, she had taken a few days to recuperate, assuring Annie and Susie that it was normal, that the sickness was a part of her withdrawal from faerie, and that it would pass soon. She hated lying to her best friend, but she had to. She knew Annie, and she wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to berate Rav for splitting up with Faye when she was pregnant. Annie’s protective instinct for Faye was as old as their friendship.
‘As sure as I can be. This is usually an office day,’ Faye replied, turning the key in the lock. ‘Anyway, I’m not going to be long.’
She didn’t have much to get which was, in a way, symptomatic of her and Rav’s communal uncertainty about the relationship. Annie followed her into the shared hallwaycarrying two large holdalls; Faye pulled an empty suitcase up the stairs to Rav’s flat behind her.
She opened the door to the flat, and her heart lurched.
Rav was sitting on the sofa with his back to her working on his laptop.
‘That was quick, I thought you were—’ The words died on his lips as he turned around and saw Faye. ‘Oh. It’s you.’ A shadow crossed his features.
‘I came to get my stuff.’ Faye concentrated on keeping the tremor out of her voice. ‘I won’t be long.’
Without waiting for a reply, she went into the bedroom with Annie following and started pulling clothes out of the wardrobe and the drawers.
‘Ye all right, sweetheart?’ Annie whispered. ‘I’ll do this for ye. Go an’ sit in the car. I’ll be ten minutes.’
‘No, it’s okay.’ Faye opened the drawer she’d kept her T-shirts and tops in. ‘It won’t take…’ She trailed off. None of her clothes were in the drawer. Instead, expensively distressed black and grey vests and T-shirts, the kind that she’d seen Mallory wear, were folded neatly under each other. Annie looked over her shoulder.
‘They’re not yours,’ she confirmed, and stormed into the living room, where Faye heard her shout,Where the fuck’s all her stuff?
