Last Wish (Highland Magic #4)(87)

‘She’s not their queen,’ another agreed. ‘We should wait to hear what the other one has to say first.’

Asbar listened to them both and others chimed in with their own arguments. I tried to calculate how long it would take Aifric and his retinue to get up here. Minutes at best.

Byron leaned over. ‘What’s going on?’

‘They’re trying to decide,’ I told him. ‘Most don’t seem to think it’s a good idea. They don’t trust us. They don’t trust me.’

He gazed at me. ‘Then you know what you have to do.’ He was right. There was no point wasting any more time. Do or do not, as Yoda would say.

‘Bob,’ I whispered.

‘Integrity,’ he warned, using my real name for once. ‘Think very carefully about this.’ He was quivering in front of me.

I smiled. ‘Don’t worry, I already have.’ I closed my eyes. I had lots of options but I knew which one was right. ‘I wish for the Lowlanders to receive no ill effects from the sun.’

Bob’s eyes welled up with tears but he held them back and bowed. ‘Your wish is my command.’

All at once the demons stopped talking. ‘Did you feel that?’ one asked. ‘My skin…’ They turned towards me, realising something had happened. ‘What has she done?’

‘Get her!’

Byron stepped in front of me, using telekinesis to throw back the first furious advance. Asbar snatched out, attempting to grab the Foinse. It flew away, spiralling towards me. ‘Now, Taylor,’ I yelled. ‘Release it now!’

His hands left the Draoidheachd and, for a moment, it hung in mid-air. Then it flipped and spun on a direct collision course with the Foinse.

Everything seemed to slow down. I heard Asbar shouting. Bolts of magic blasted out from everywhere as the Fomori tried to do something – anything – to stop what was about to happen but they were no match for the magics. I smiled serenely and stepped back. A sudden explosion of light blasted us backwards, Sidhe, Fomori and everyone else. A loud hum filled the air, musical and light – and, above all, triumphant.

The conjoined magic spun upwards, zipping vertically as if it wanted to reach the stars. Above our heads there was a shaft of light, as if the sun were piercing through dark storm clouds. The light grew and grew, bathing everything in gold. At first I heard screaming and then there was nothing but awe.

I was the first to stand up. I walked over to the castle wall and gazed out. The view was magnificent; instead of the dark, dim shadows, green land stretched in front of me. Whichever way I turned, all I could see was bright light and beauty. The Veil had gone. We were one.

Bob flitted up to my shoulder. I dragged my eyes away from the magnificent vista and spoke, my words heavy with dread. ‘Go on then,’ I said. ‘What are the consequences? What’s going to happen as a result of my wish?’

He pulled backwards, hovering away from me so I could see him properly. He took out a massive handkerchief and blew his nose. ‘Bob,’ I said, even more alarmed. ‘Tell me. Is this going to hurt the Fomori?’

He wiped his eyes and threw the handkerchief to one side. Unfortunately it smacked Asbar on the nose. He hissed in disgust but he seemed to understand what I was asking of the genie. He watched us while the others gaped at the newly transformed Lowlands.

‘There are no consequences.’ Bob said, with a tremulous smile. ‘Not for this.’

My brow furrowed. ‘I don’t understand.’

He nodded gravely. ‘I know. No one ever does.’ He leaned towards me. ‘Why didn’t you wish for the Fomori to be sent away? A bit of sunlight isn’t going to stop all your problems. There still might be war.’

‘Asbar said it himself,’ I told him. ‘This is their home now. For better or for worse. There’s a Sidhe army out there preparing to meet them and…’ I choked slightly. ‘Things might yet become very bad. But this was the right thing to do.’

‘There’s your answer,’ Bob said simply. ‘Your wish was selfless. It won’t solve your problems and they might still turn around and kill you. So might Aifric. But you used your wish to benefit them anyway. Most people suffer the consequences of their wishes because most people wish selfishly.’

Byron put his arm round my waist. ‘You’re saying the key is altruism? Why the hell didn’t you tell us this before? It would have saved a lot of heartache.’

Bob rolled his eyes but Fergus understood. ‘Because if you knew that to succeed you had to be selfless, it would be almost impossible to be selfless. It wouldn’t work. Your mind would trick you.’

Bob nodded. ‘He’s right.’ He raised his voice. ‘But I’m still the magnificent being around here. Not him.’ Fergus just looked confused.

The English-speaking demon, who was listening in, murmured to Asbar. The Fomori leader stared at me. ‘This is true?’

I pointed at the sun. ‘You’re not burning up yet.’

‘No.’ He gazed round in wonder then he walked over to me and held out his hand. ‘You have saved Alba. And destroyed her too. We have a future now. All of us.’

‘You fucking bitch! What have you done? You’ve doomed us all!’

I glanced over at Aifric’s furious figure as he stood in the doorway and glared at me. Shite. It wasn’t time to celebrate yet.