Last Wish (Highland Magic #4)

‘They,’ Aifric jabbed his finger at the Fomori, ‘will come to us. If the sun doesn’t kill them, they will invade our land – our land which is vulnerable because of Integrity Adair. They will attack us and kill us. There will never be peace while they roam free. They do not belong here!’

‘They’ve been here for three hundred years. I’m not suggesting it’s going to be easy; we have different standards and different morals. But I’m confident we can find a way. We will work together, Father, and we will live together. That is the future. Even if it weren’t for them, the Sidhe are no longer the most powerful beings in Scotland.’

‘Because,’ Aifric spat, ‘she let the Foinse go.’

‘And we imprisoned it. And she has a name. Integrity. She’s the woman I love and you need to start getting used to it.’ For the briefest second I forgot to breathe.

Aifric was far from done. ‘Just wait. Just wait and see how enjoyable life is when you’re being told what to do by a warlock or one of those ... things.’

Speck frowned and started forward. I shook my head, warning him to stay out of this.

‘It’ll be an improvement on being told what to do by you,’ Byron retorted. ‘No more lies, no more manipulation. Scotland is free.’

‘The sun…’

Byron turned to me. I nodded and slid out Bob’s scimitar. ‘This belongs to the genie,’ I said softly. ‘I used my last wish to arrange for their protection from the sun. No one is getting fried. Although,’ I amended, ‘they might get a nice tan.’

Asbar huffed. He’d had enough of all this to-ing and fro-ing. ‘Let’s just kill him. There are more important things to do.’

‘No!’ I said abruptly. He looked confused. For what would probably not be the last time, I tried to explain. ‘We don’t need to kill him. We don’t need more violence.’

Despite not understanding my exchange with the Fomori leader, Aifric’s entourage sensed the danger. One of them stepped forward and addressed Byron and me directly. ‘If any harm comes to the Steward, the army has been ordered to attack.’

I grimaced. Aifric had thought of every eventuality. I appealed to Asbar once more. ‘If you just…’

Aifric lunged towards me with such speed and suddenness that I wasn’t prepared. Byron tried to shove him out of the way, a tiny fireball flickering at his fingertips, but it was too late; the Steward was holding Bob’s scimitar and backing away.

‘Don’t even think about it, son,’ he hissed. ‘I’ve got the power now. With this letter-opener and with a genie at my beck and call, I can make all of this right. I can keep all of us safe.’ He glared at me. ‘You think you’re so powerful. Integrity Adair, the woman who has it all. You’re just a child,’ he sneered. ‘You’re no one. If it wasn’t for your Gift and your ability to steal magic from others, you’d still be hiding under a rock with your criminal friends. Well, let’s see what happens when I have that power instead.’ He held up the blade. ‘I wish for the Gift of Stealing, just like hers.’

Bob flew up, his expression utterly miserable. He looked at me helplessly but I knew he didn’t have a choice. ‘Your wish is my command,’ he whispered.

Aifric’s eyes widened then he threw back his head and laughed. ‘I can feel it! I can feel it flooding through me. I can take any magic I want.’ He strode towards me. ‘And I’m going to take yours.’

‘Father…’

It was too late, Aifric was already doing it. He reached inside me and ripped out all the magic contained there. He took back his Gift of Healing, he took Morna’s Gift of Growth and Kirsty’s Gift of Truth-Telling. He took the trickles of Animal Calling and Electrosurge. He took it all. I felt like my insides had been sucked out, like someone had reached to me and taken my heart. My legs gave away and I fell.

I heard Byron cry out and rush towards me. Blood thumped in my ears. Taylor was at my side, then Lexie and Brochan and Speck and Bob and May and Fergus. They were all there. Even Asbar started towards me. I was dimly aware of Aifric cackling loudly and dancing, pirouetting around the castle top.

‘The power!’ he yelled. ‘It’s consuming me! I will be unstoppable!’ He spun and cheered.

‘Wait,’ I whispered. Nobody heard me. I tried again. ‘He’s taken too much in one go. He’s not used to it and he’s going crazy with the adrenaline and the rush.’

Bob floated in front of my eyes. He winked at me, as aware of the consequences of the wish as I was. I lifted my head while Aifric jumped up and down. ‘I’m going to take it all,’ he roared. ‘All the magic in Scotland will be mine. I’ll take Scotland and then I’ll move to England. The world will be mine for the taking. I’ll…’ his eyes widened. ‘Shit.’

In his glee he hadn’t paid attention to where he was going. He was too close to the edge and the wall designed to hold people back wasn’t high enough. He was already toppling to one side. His hands flailed. ‘Help me!’ he screamed. ‘Help…’ I caught a glimpse of self-awareness and terror in his writhing eyes as he tipped over the edge. ‘…me….’

I closed my eyes. A second later there was a thump as his body landed far below. Bob zipped over and looked down. ‘It’s not a letter opener!’ he shouted. ‘It’s a scimitar!’ He frowned for a moment then turned to us and shrugged. ‘I don’t think he heard me.’

‘The army,’ I whispered.

The group who’d come with Aifric stared at the spot where he’d disappeared then turned and ran, disappearing through the door through which they’d entered. They wouldn’t get far but that might not matter. Any Sidhe Farsensers would have already realised that Aifric was dead. ‘We have to do something,’ I gasped.

Asbar snapped out brusque orders, telling the others to muster their forces and meet the Sidhe face on. ‘No, no, no,’ I whispered. ‘No.’

Over my head, I heard Fergus shout. With Byron’s help, I struggled up. ‘I need to see,’ I said. ‘What’s going on?’

He pointed. ‘There,’ he said quietly. ‘There they are.’

He was right, they were all there. The Sidhe were amassing and, even though I couldn’t see any expressions from this distance, I knew they were ready for the fight. Fomori demons came spilling out from the castle gates below and from Arthur’s Seat to the side. It wouldn’t matter who won, this would be a massacre on both sides.

‘Relax,’ Fergus said.

‘How can I relax? Hundreds, thousands are going to die and I can’t do anything to st—’ I paused. ‘What’s that?’ A cloud of dust was approaching the Sidhe army at a tremendous speed. I gaped.

‘I told you we had a plan,’ Speck said. He wagged his finger at me. ‘You should have more faith, Chieftain.’

‘Are those trolls?’ Asbar asked, blinking out in shock. Everyone around me beamed and nodded. ‘Are they being led by a very large man and a woman in a strange white dress?’

Lexie gave Taylor a high-five. I shook my head. ‘But won’t the Sidhe…’

‘Wait,’ Byron cautioned.

I blinked and stared. The trolls weren’t alone; the MacQuarries were behind them. So much for their promise to stay within the safety of their Lands. Next to them stood a towering group that couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than Wild Men.