by Helen Harper
‘You’re not going to find a smoking gun. But if you can plant enough doubt in the other Chieftains’ minds…’
‘You don’t get it! Half of them will believe any lies he tells them. The other half will either already be colluding with him or will keep quiet because they’re too afraid. He’s fooled me my entire life! I’ve been working my way around the other Clans and listening to what’s going on and how they think. I need more to get them to pay attention.’
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. ‘They’re wearing clothes,’ I said eventually.
‘Huh?’
‘The Fomori demons are wearing clothes, probably as much to cover their skin from the sun as anything, but almost all the others I’ve seen were naked or as good as.’
‘The demons who attacked Aberdeen last winter apparently had some kind of gloop all over them. They were virtually naked too,’ he said slowly. ‘So why would these ones wear formal attire? Look – that one’s even got a bloody tie on.’
I squinted. Is that what it was? I hadn’t been sure. It solidified my suspicions. ‘When in Rome…’ I said. ‘They’re dressed as you would be if you were visiting a foreign country and wanted to appeal to its leader. By matching the fashion of the day.’ I considered. ‘Check their pockets.’
Byron gave me a sidelong glance then stepped into the nightmarish hole. I heard fumbling and a muffled hiss before everything went silent. ‘What is it?’ I asked.
He didn’t answer. Quelling my squeamishness, I looked into the hole. Byron was staring at a tattered piece of paper. He held it up. ‘It was in the middle one’s inside pocket.’
I peered at it. Bloody Gaelic again. I tried to translate it. ‘Arrive here for all Fomori to ask for…’ I frowned. Er… ‘A fox?’
‘We come here on behalf of all Fomori demons,’ Byron corrected, ‘to request a peaceful settlement between the Highlands and the Lowlands.’
Oh. ‘No foxes?’
‘No. But,’ he said, in a bid to make me feel better, ‘the words are fairly similar. It’s an easy mistake to make.’ It was unfortunate that the magic inside me assured me he was lying. He offered a half smile and stepped out. ‘The demons came here to petition my father for peace. And they ended up dead.’
I gave another quick glance at the three Fomori bodies. Whatever other secrets they’d held, they were never going to reveal them now. This document was all we had. ‘When they say peace, what do they mean exactly?’
Byron’s expression was cold. ‘It’s all written down here. In return for the Sidhe dropping the Veil and returning the Lowlands to their former state, the Fomori were prepared to open trade negotiations and make amends for wrongs done in the past.’
I rocked back on my heels. ‘Wow. Aifric never mentioned this to you?’
‘As far as I know, he never mentioned it to anyone. Maybe he never saw it. He might have killed these three before they got the chance to make the offer.’
I mulled it over. Aifric had mentioned that he’d made a deal with the Fomori but what he’d actually said was that he’d killed my entire Clan at the Fomoris’ insistence to stop them from coming to the Highlands and killing many more. He’d told me this over the telephone so I couldn’t be sure of the veracity of his words, but it seemed as if they’d had a kernel of truth. All the same, I’d seen nothing from any of the Fomori demons I’d encountered that suggested they wanted to broker a deal with us now. Of course there was May, but she was unique. The Fomori demons were vicious monsters who had annexed half our country. They lived in darkness and, to all intents and purposes, kept other races as slaves. How could we ever come to an agreement with them? Nevertheless, my skin tingled. Something like this really could change the world. A niggling voice at the back of my mind whispered ‘prophecy’ and every part of me seemed to light up. Don’t jump to conclusions, Tegs, I warned myself.
‘What was it really like for you?’ I asked. ‘After the demons grabbed you, I mean.’
Byron grimaced. ‘I was unconscious for most of the time. They certainly weren’t kind to me.’
I bit my lip. He’d been in a sorry state when I’d found him. A group of demons looking for peace wouldn’t have tortured the Steward’s son. Something else occurred to me. ‘If someone like me was discovered to have infiltrated the Moncrieffe Lands, what do you think your father would do to me?’ Byron looked at me impassively. I waved my hand. ‘Okay, bad example. How about if it was the MacFie Lands?’
‘They’d probably hurt you. Are you trying to make excuses for the Fomori demons? Justifying the fact that they hurt me because I intruded on their turf? Because they’ve killed people here, Integrity. Recently.’
I spoke quietly. ‘I know. You killed one of them too.’ Byron scowled at my reference to the demon he’d barbecued in Perth and I held up my hand. ‘I’m not trying to make excuses for them. I’m just…’ I shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Maybe trying to see things from their point of view. I’ve been a criminal for most of my life, Byron. I guess that makes me a bad person ‒ but I’m not evil.’
‘You’ve never killed anyone,’ he pointed out.
True, and I wasn’t planning to do so. I persisted. ‘Most of the world believes that my father was a mass murderer. Clan Adair is being wiped from existence. Even the history books mentioning us have been … amended.’ I leaned forward, suddenly animated by the idea. ‘What if it’s not the first time? What if we believe the Fomori are evil for no other reason than we’ve been told they are? What if history is wrong?’
Byron looked at me for a long moment. It was good that he was no longer dismissing my theories out of hand but he still didn’t buy it. ‘It’s a big leap.’
‘Yeah, but it’s possible. Maybe they’re not the villains, Byron. Maybe we are.’
He sighed and glanced at the three bodies. ‘Regardless of what’s going on with the demons either now or in the past, we need to get a move on. I wasn’t expecting the, er, delay upstairs.’
‘Is that what you’re calling it?’
Amusement flickered in his eyes. ‘Come on.’
‘You went to all the trouble of sneaking in past the border,’ I told him, ‘and yet you’ve left a great big pyrokinesis-induced hole in your father’s study. Isn’t that going to be something of a giveaway?’
‘I knew I’d have to cover my tracks,’ he said. ‘Just as I knew that having the library next door was going to be an advantage.’
I was still confused. ‘What do you mean?’
He smiled sadly. ‘Watch.’ He strode out and opened the library door.
I gaped; it was a beautiful space. Say what you like about Aifric, this was magnificent. Even in the gloom of the wee hours, shelves upon shelves stretched out. I couldn’t stop myself reaching over to the nearest one and trailing my finger along the leather-bound books. ‘This is wonderful,’ I breathed.
‘Yes.’ Byron took a deep breath and flicked his fingers, sending out a plume of fire straight ahead.
I yelped in alarm. ‘What the hell are you doing?’ I made to run forward but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. The old books had already caught fire, the smell of burning paper filling the air.
‘You might not have come prepared, Integrity, but I did. One of my best friends is in a dungeon because of me; I’m going to blackmail Tipsania to draw her out of hiding; I’ve broken into my own father’s study.’ His eyes studied me intently. ‘If all that, plus burning down his house, means removing him from power and showing the rest of the world what he’s really like, it’s more than worth it. Collateral damage.’
Fire rippled along the walls. It wouldn’t be long before the whole place was ablaze. ‘Just how far are you prepared to go?’ I whispered.
He didn’t blink. ‘I thought he’d killed you,’ he replied simply.
‘He didn’t.’
‘Not for want of trying.’ He tugged gently on my arm. ‘We need to leave.’
‘There are people inside here! Sleeping! You can’t—’ I was int
errupted by a loud fire alarm screeching from all corners of the castle.
‘My first Gift is Pyrokinesis and I was a precocious child,’ Byron said. ‘The fire systems here are up to date. It’s about the only thing that is. Now we really need to go.’
We pelted to another room where Byron yanked open the window and all but shoved me out. He dived after me and we began running down towards the driveway, away from the growing inferno that was the Moncrieffe stronghold. Everyone would be too occupied with dealing with the fire to look for anyone scurrying off but I still felt rather sick. Just as with my foolish actions in altering the traffic lights back in Perth, there was still the possibility that someone would get hurt.
Byron, seeming to sense my reluctance, slowed down. ‘Trust me, they’ll all be fine.’
‘You can’t be sure of that. And won’t someone have called Aifric and told him what’s going on? He’ll be on his way here.’
‘Which,’ he said with infinite patience, ‘is why we need to hurry.’
We reached his car and jumped in. Byron gunned the engine and careened down the road. ‘How did you get here?’
‘Car,’ I said. ‘Bob is waiting with it.’ I checked my watch. There were still ten minutes before my deadline to meet him.
Byron nodded, driving past the border and then coming to a halt. He sprang out and began using telekinesis to return both the flagpole and the slightly singed fabric to their original places. From out of nowhere, Bob’s tiny shape flew at him. ‘What are you doing?’ he shrieked.
Nonplussed, Byron batted him away. ‘I’m busy,’ he said. ‘Just hang on.’
Bob’s eyes were wild. I walked up behind him and softly murmured his name. He swung round. ‘Uh Integrity! You’re…’ he glanced at Byron. ‘You’re alive! It’s a miracle!’
Byron grunted as the pole dropped back into place. I smiled at the genie. ‘It’s alright, Bob. He knows.’
His face screwed up. ‘Well so much for that master plan,’ he grumbled. ‘Isn’t he pissed off?’
I opened my mouth to answer but the expression on Bob’s face stymied me. ‘What?’ I asked.
‘You ‒ you ‒ you had sex! You shagged him, you dolt!’ He put his hands on his hips as if it were a personal affront.
‘How do you…?’ Oops. I mentally slapped myself.
‘How do I know? How do I know?’ His voice was getting higher and higher. ‘I’m a magnificent being with powers you can only dream of!’
‘Bob,’ I said tiredly.
‘Your T-shirt’s on back to front,’ he informed me. I glanced down. Ah. ‘You’d better pray you used protection,’ he continued. ‘Who knows what nasty disease you might have caught? And what about Tipsania?’
I reached out, grabbed him and cupped him in both hands to muffle his protests. He banged around, nipping with his teeth at the soft, fleshy part of my palm. I grimaced in pain. Byron, satisfied he’d returned the border to its original state, strolled over and bent down. ‘Hi Bob,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Great to see you too.’
‘Won’t anyone notice that the Moncrieffe flag is a bit burnt?’ I asked anxiously.
Byron shrugged. ‘If they do, they’ll think it’s some old damage from years gone by. I don’t think it’s been changed since I was in nappies. I only found out that I could gain access this way a couple of weeks ago ‒ although it helps that half the Moncrieffe Sidhe are in Perth for the stag party. Those trolls were good at keeping their mouths shut.’ He gave me a sidelong glance. ‘They still are.’
Bob yelled something. We both ignored him. ‘What now?’ I asked.
‘I tie you up, shove you into the boot of my car and prevent you from leaving me ever again.’ His expression was so deadpan that for a moment I believed him. ‘Or you could find Tipsania and tell her what’s going on so I don’t have to make a show of threatening Candy to draw her out.’
‘You still want to go ahead with planning the wedding? I thought you didn’t have the evidence against Aifric to pull off your plan.’
‘Even with this Fomori letter, I don’t think I have. But the stag night was scheduled for tonight so there would be enough time for Plan B if I needed it. There’s a fortnight to go before the ceremony. You might not be dead but my father’s still a monster who needs to be stopped. You won’t be safe until he’s dealt with.’ He brushed a lock of hair away from my face. ‘You wouldn’t trust me before but you can trust me on this.’
Worry gnawed at me. Aifric had been prepared to abandon his only son to the Fomori demons beyond the Veil. I dreaded to imagine what he might do if he discovered just how far Byron would go to betray him. But he wasn’t my father and I had to let Byron do this. ‘Okay,’ I whispered. ‘Okay. I’ll get Tipsania. I’ll tell her the plan and take her to her father’s to get ready.’
He relaxed and pulled me towards him, one arm wrapped round me while the other cupped the back of my head. ‘Despite everything, this might have been the best night of my life,’ he said.
He hadn’t lied to me; I couldn’t lie to him. ‘Mine too.’
His head dipped. Bob, still caught in between my hands, zapped me with an electric shock. ‘I’m still here!’ he yelled. ‘And you won’t be saying that soppy stuff tomorrow when you realise you have itchy pants!’
I kissed Byron and pulled back, releasing Bob. He spun up into the air, still indignant. Then he stared behind me. ‘Fire! There’s a fire up there!’
‘We should go,’ I told Byron.
‘Yeah,’ he nodded. ‘We should.’
Neither of us moved.
‘Make a wish, Uh Integrity!’ Bob yelled. ‘I can put the fire out if you just wish for it!’
I watched Byron. ‘I’m not sure this fire will ever go out,’ I said quietly. Then I kissed him once more and turned away to my car.
Chapter Eleven
‘He wasn’t angry?’ Speck asked. ‘When he realised you were alive?’
‘Oh, he was raging,’ I said happily. ‘He got past it though.’
‘He was so furious that he set his own castle on fire,’ Bob added with a knowing waggle of his eyebrows. ‘But that’s confidential. Don’t tell anyone.’
Lexie threw herself at me. ‘I’m so thrilled for you!’ she squealed, wrapping her arms round my chest. ‘He’s been working against his own father all this time! That’s brilliant!’
‘I’m not sure that encouraging patricide is a cause for celebration,’ Brochan said.
I glared at him. ‘Byron’s not going to kill Aifric.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course I am.’ I folded my arms. Then I remembered the coldness in Byron’s expression whenever he mentioned his father and the way he’d said the words ‘collateral damage’. I dropped my arms. ‘I think I am.’
Brochan wasn’t the only one who was concerned. Taylor rubbed his chin and sat down with a heavy sigh. ‘It’s a convoluted plan. A fake wedding?’
‘Yeah.’
‘The best plans are the simplest ones.’
‘Yeah.’
‘This is not a simple plan.’
‘To be fair,’ I argued, ‘we’ve not managed to come up with anything to beat Aifric. At least Byron is trying.’
Brochan’s gills bristled. ‘We’ve been busy.’
I threw up my hands. ‘I know! I wasn’t blaming anyone. If anyone should have been working out some way of dealing with the Steward, it should have been me. All I’m saying is that Byron’s way might work and we should support it.’
‘Might work,’ Speck said. ‘Key word might.’
‘Yeah,’ Taylor drawled in agreement. ‘I’m not sure about those odds.’
Lexie wrinkled her nose. ‘Tegs is right. Byron Moncrieffe has had nothing but this to think about. He’s probably already considered every other avenue. He succeeded in breaking into the Moncrieffe castle, didn’t he?’
‘Lex, it hardly takes a criminal mastermind to sneak into your own damned home.’
She whirled round, squaring up to
Speck. ‘Oh yeah? Because last night, I seem to recall that you couldn’t even sneak into your own bedroom after doing some midnight magic gallivanting!’
The rest of us exchanged looks. Perhaps it was time to change the subject. ‘Just because we don’t have a plan yet,’ Taylor said, ‘doesn’t mean that we can’t come up with one. Get Byron down here, Tegs, and we can thrash out some ideas.’
‘I can’t. He has to stay and make sure everything is ready for the wedding. And he’s got his Plan B to sort out.’
‘You don’t even know what Plan B is.’
I sighed and glanced down at my feet. ‘I’m not blind to the fact that it’s not perfect, I’m really not. But he was right when he said that the Sidhe and the Clans aren’t my world. I don’t know them like he does. In the absence of any alternatives, I think we need to go with him.’
Taylor ran a hand through his hair. ‘We have an alternative.’
There was something about the tone of his voice that I didn’t like. ‘What?’
He wouldn’t meet my eyes. ‘We play Aifric at his own game. I’ve done some research and it wouldn’t be too hard to get hold of some kind of poison…’
Bob clapped his hands together in glee. ‘Now we’re talking!’
I counted to ten. ‘I can’t believe you’re bringing that up as an idea.’ Taylor was normally as anti-violence as I was.
‘Take a look around, Tegs. We saw exactly the same vision that you did.’ He pointed over to the faint patch on the cobbles where my mother and father had breathed their last – and I had breathed my first. ‘He ran a sword into your father’s back, not to mention murdering your entire Clan. Maybe it’s time to put your pacifism to one side.’
‘We’ve been through this before.’ My jaw was clenched so tight that it hurt. ‘No. Nothing’s changed since last time.’
‘A lot’s changed. Byron is with us now. That bodes well for the future.’
Brochan shook his massive head from side to side. ‘I told you not to mention this.’