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So far, it sounds like the world building of any fae romance. I bounce on my heels, trying to move things along. “What happened to them?”
His lips tighten with annoyance. “Their mischief made humans aware of malevolent magical influences. The churches fought back by burning who they believed to be witches.”
I nod. The witch trials that spanned four centuries were one thing we did learn in history classes. It’s the whole reason why we have communities protected against non-magical beings.
“Witches couldn’t stop the fae from tormenting humans, even though they could see our kind and innocents getting burned at the stake.”
My brows draw together. The witch trials had never made sense until now.
“The only way to stop the humans from fighting back was to form covens for protection, and drive the faeries out of this realm.”
I’m breathing hard now. Norbert is about to reveal something I can use to banish the Boogie Man. “How?”
“All faeries are weak to the branches of an ancient ash tree, rumored to have been in existence since the gods roamed the earth.”
“What does it do?” I ask, my voice breathy.
“The tree will weaken a faerie’s magic. Pierce them with a branch or lock them up with enough ash wood, and they’ll die.”
“But you said they were immortal.”
He taps the side of his nose. “Immortal unless murdered.”
“Oh.” I shuffle on my feet, my pulse kicking up several notches. “Where do I find this tree?”
“Thanks to the Commission for Magical Forestry, they’re all over Great Britain and beyond.” Norbert stretches his arms wide.
I glance over my shoulder, my gaze wandering to the door. Grandma has dozens of old ash trees around her grounds. Maybe that’s why the Boogie Man chose to stand on the edge of the orchard.
“Back to my story.” His voice recaptures my attention. “After the ash trees turned the air toxic to faeries, some of them lost their magic, only to be caught and executed by humans. That’s when they all decided to move to a parallel realm. With no humans to terrorize, they all went to war with each other.”
“Thanks.” I rub my chin. “I’m being stalked by an Unseelie faerie. Is there a way of just banishing him?”
“Drive a stake of ash through his heart. End of your Unseelie pest.”
I bite down on my bottom lip. It’s great that Norbert isn’t dismissing the Boogie Man’s existence, but I don’t want anyone dead, just gone.
“There has to be a spell somewhere.” I gaze up at him through my lashes and smile.
Norbert dips his head and smiles back. “There’s one called the realm piercer. It’s what the Magical Council used to get rid of the faeries who didn’t join the mass exodus.”
My breath catches. “Can you find it?”
He sweeps his arm further up the walkway. “It’s over there on the Necromancy shelf.”
“May I see it?”
His smile melts into look of harsh determination that makes his features even more angular. “I want a date.”
My stomach plummets. Norbert’s generosity was too good to be true. “How about next week on Friday night—”
“Now,” he snaps. “And I want a good night kiss.”
My jaw tightens, but I manage to grind out, “Fine.”
“With tongue.”
Bile rises to the back of my throat. Am I really that desperate to get rid of the Boogie Man? My mind answers with the image of him slashing Aggie with his claws. He also wants to use those claws to tear out my heart.
