Read Faerie Wars 03 - Ruler of the Realm for Free Online Page B

leaned forward slightly. 'Thou art brave, Faerie Queen.' It seemed incredible, but for a moment she thought the fierce eyes took on the barest hint of a twinkle. 'But art thou brave enough to face what I may say?'

    Blue blinked. The Yidam's words were disturbing. They brought up something that had been niggling at the edges of her mind ever since she decided to consult the Spicemaster. Did she really want to know the future? A future that might include the details of her own death? Or, worse still, the deaths of Pyrgus and Henry? Could she live with that knowledge?

    Did she even want to know the future of the Realm? What if the Yidam told her it would fall to enemies or demon hordes? What if it was destined for corruption and disintegration? How could she go on, knowing that all her efforts would be in vain?

    But she was here and needed guidance. Which overrode everything.

    'Lord Yidam,' Blue said, 'what will happen if I start a war against the Faeries of the Night?'

Ten

    'Do you believe in fairies?' Henry asked. 'Sorry?'

    Henry leaned forward. 'Do you believe in fairies?' he asked again, dropping his voice even further. They were sitting in a new coffee house called Ropo's that was proving extremely popular with everyone from school. There were at least eight pupils at nearby tables (several of them dressed as Goths) and he certainly didn't want them hearing.

    'Fairies?' Charlie echoed, looking at him strangely. 'Like on top of the Christmas tree?'

    Henry nodded. 'Except for real.'

    'Except for real?' Charlie was obviously big into repeating everything he said tonight. 'Like, little people with wings who flit among the bluebells?'

    Henry gave up and said, 'I thought I saw one once.'

    'You thought you -?'

    'Charlie,' Henry hissed, 'please don't keep repeating everything I say. Yes, I said I thought I saw one once.'

    'You saw a little person with wings flitting among the bluebells?'

    'I was under a lot of strain,' said Henry.

    That caught her attention. Charlie knew all about the strain Henry had been under. She frowned. 'Your mum's not got you seeing things?' She sounded outraged.

    'I think so. I mean, what else could it be?' A thought occurred to him. 'It wasn't flitting among the bluebells: Hodge caught it.'

    'Mr Fogarty's cat?'

    Henry nodded. 'Yes.'

    The ghost of a suppressed smile twitched Charlie's lips. 'Mr Fogarty's cat caught a fairy?'

    'Look,' said Henry urgently, 'until today, I thought all this was for real. Then I went to see Dad and he's got a new girlfriend, and when I got home, Mum had moved Anais in.'

    'Oh my God!' Charlie exclaimed, genuinely appalled. All hint of a smile vanished. 'You mean you'll have to live with your mum and Aisling and now this dreadful Anais woman as well?'

    'She's not really dreadful. Quite nice, really. Like, she tries. But you know ...'

    'Oh, I know all right,' Charlie said fiercely. 'They're going to get divorced, aren't they? If your dad's got himself a girlfriend?'

    Henry nodded miserably. 'I suppose so.'

    Charlie reached out and took his hand. 'It's not as bad as you think, Henry. It's pretty awful, but it's not as bad as you think. And when it's over, it's over.'

    Charlie's parents had divorced and Charlie's mum was married again to a man Charlie adored. Henry said uncertainly, 'Do you know what happens to the children? Like, me and Aisling? I mean do we have to go to court? And who says who lives where?' He swallowed. 'I mean, I don't want to live with Mum and Anais - that would be just too awful for Dad - but I can't very well move in with him if he's got a new girl: did I mention she was young? Just a few years older than we are. I couldn't move in there, not that he'd want me anyway, so do I have to go to an orphanage or something until I'm eighteen?'

    Charlie said, 'I don't know, Henry. I was too young to remember much of it. Anyway, I think my mum and dad agreed everything between them and I was happy living with my mum - I hated my real dad. It