The Changelings (War of the Fae: Book 1) (42 page)

"The fae have a natural ability to tap into this magic without effort.
 
It is, practically speaking, an automatic, involuntary connection that they use without thinking.
 
The magic provides the energy for them to express and use their natural abilities – or as you would call them, their 'supernatural' abilities."

She stepped closer to our table, looking at each of us in turn.
 
"Our species has a division in it, one that has existed for as long as our recorded history goes back.
 
Each of the fae is on one side or the other of this division.
 
There are the Light and the Dark; so we say there are 'Light Fae' and 'Dark Fae'.
 
Some races of fae as a whole tend to belong to one division over the other – for example, the wraithes.
 
They, almost to the wraithe, belong on the Dark Fae side.
 
There have been some Light Fae wraithes, but it is rare.
 
Sprites, on the other hand, usually tend to be Light Fae.
 
Again, there are some exceptions, but they are rare.
 
Finally, there are fae that equally go to the Light or the Dark.
 
For example, there is nearly a perfect division of numbers for the witches – half of them are Light Fae and half are Dark."

"Some, or I should say many, of the fae actually survive off of humans in one way or another.
 
Some need human energy, some need human blood, and some, human meat.
 
The main difference between the Light Fae and the Dark Fae is that they have opposing opinions about what our role among humans should be and how humans should be treated.
 
The Light Fae believe that our survival depends on anonymity, not revealing our existence, and protecting our own kind, as well as protecting the humans from destruction by fae-kind."

She saw our looks of horror and quickly responded.
 
"Don't get the wrong idea here – we're not talking about the stuff of horror movies.
 
The Light Fae value human life.
 
They don't take human lives to satisfy their cravings or even their needs."

"Now, the Dark Fae believe that the fae are superior to humans, and as such, believe the ultimate goal for all fae should be to take over leadership of the world and essentially 'come out of the closet', as they say.
 
They don't agree that to maintain the safety of our races we should live in anonymity and in harmony with the humans, with the humans remaining ignorant to our existence.
 
If the Dark Fae were to have their way, humans would eventually be enslaved to them, and used for whatever they could give to the fae – including energy, blood, and meat."

I looked at my friends' faces and they mirrored the revulsion I felt.
 
Humans as sources of meat?
 
Disgusting.
 
I thought about the dwarf in the orc camp.

"Apparently, the orcs don't just like to eat human meat," I said.

Céline sighed.
 
"Yes, this is true.
 
There are some ... creatures ... that have turned to eating their own kind; just as there are some humans on the planet who practice cannibalism."

Dardennes took over the history lesson.
 
"We have reached a critical period in the history of the fae.
 
Our numbers have dwindled, particularly in the Light Fae division.
 
All of the fae you see here today are members of the Light Fae."

That little nugget made me feel a little bit better.
 
I could see on Finn's face he felt the same.
 
I looked at Jared and he met my stare, not looking away.
 
He was proud of who he was, that much was clear.

"The Dark Fae are willing to use certain, shall we say, unsavory methods to maintain their numbers.
 
Since we, on the other hand, have such high regard for our fellow species – the humans – we cannot do these things; it is against our moral code.
 
Therefore, we have had to devise other methods to find and recruit members of our species, that is to say,
humans
who may not know that they, in fact, are members of our species.
 
Certain individuals of our kind are suited for identifying and recruiting possible candidates."
 
At this he nodded to Jared who nodded back and then looked over at us.

Chase turned around in his chair again, first looking at me and then at the others.
 
Tony was nodding his head in comprehension, along with Spike.

Finn and I looked at each other with questions written all over our faces.
 
What exactly does this have to do with us?

"We have found the best way to identify those with fae blood in their veins is to test for fae abilities in controlled studies ... tests such as the one you have passed – with
flying colors
I might add."
 
He held up each of our flags.

Oh, the irony.

"Based on your performance over the past three days, you have been identified as very likely having fae blood and therefore, fae abilities."

What?

Spike raised his hand.

Dardennes smiled.
 
"Spike?"

"Yeah, uh, so what you're saying is that I ... all of us ... are fae?"

"Not exactly.
 
What I'm saying is that it is
likely
that you have fae blood somewhere in your ancestry."

"So, how do you know for sure?"

"We won't know unless you choose to participate in the next step."

Here it comes – I knew it wasn't going to be this easy.

"So ... what's the next step?"

"Once all of you know the story, know what you could be participating in, you will be given a choice.
 
We have in our possession certain ... amulets ... imbued with qualities that will essentially awaken or charge your fae blood and race-specific abilities.
 
If you choose to use the amulet, and you are of the fae, the amulet will bring about your change.
 
You will become a 'Changeling'.
 
Should you choose not to awaken your fae blood, you will be given the money you have earned and sent back to Miami, or wherever you'd like us to take you."

"So, what's the catch?" I asked.

"There is no catch."

"So, you'll just tell us your big secret, we say 'no thanks', and then you just let us go?
 
How do you know we won't tell anyone?"

"Ah, yes, I did actually leave out one piece of information, thank you, Jayne, for your question.
 
Should you choose not to awaken your fae blood and realize your particular fae race, your memory of this test and everything I just told you will be erased by one of our colleagues who has that supernatural ability."

Finn cleared his throat and sat up a little.
 
"Excuse me, Sir, I don't mean to be rude, but I need to ask:
 
What's in it for us if we decide to do this thing – I mean, not get erased?"

"Another good question," Dardennes answered.
 
"First, you will become what you truly are, the best possible version of yourself.
 
Depending on which race of fae you are – and again we don't guarantee that you
are
fae, just that it is
likely
you are – you will have supernatural abilities beyond those which you could scarcely imagine or ever experience without your fae blood being charged by our amulets.
 
The things you saw in the forest done by our colleagues are but a fraction of what is possible for many of you."

Céline stepped forward.
 
"You will join our community which is vast and varied.
 
We are in every state in the United States and every country in Eastern and Western Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Orient, among other places.
 
You will never again feel alone or lost or wonder what your purpose is.
 
We all live and work together as a team.
 
You will have a job, a place to live, a family."

Niles stepped forward.
 
"Many of you will also be trained to help us in our efforts to build our Light Fae forces and defend our way of life against the Dark Fae when necessary."

Spike spoke up again.
 
"Do we get to choose which race we belong to?"

"No," answered Dardennes.
 
"You have the blood of a certain race in your veins.
 
The amulet merely wakes it up.
 
We can try to guess what your race is by your current human qualities, but we are not always correct – and frankly, some of our races have died out over the years and occasionally we are confronted with a race we've never seen before – one that hasn't walked the Earth in thousands of years.
 
It's not often that this happens, but we have reason to believe it could happen with one of you."
 
With this he looked pointedly at me.
 
So did everyone else at the table.

Great.
 
I'm a freak in the human world, and I'm probably a freak in the fae world too.
 

Tony reached over and squeezed my shoulder.
 
Chase looked at me and nodded.
 
Spike flashed me his trademark smile.
 
For sure he was going to be an Incubus.
 
There was no getting around those teeth.
 

Finn was all business.
 
"I think I'd like to discuss this with my friends before I make any kind of decision."

"Me too.
 
And by 'friends', I also mean our friend Becky," I added.

"Fair enough," said Dardennes.
 
"We will leave you to your discussion.
 
In the meantime, food will be delivered and we invite you to relax and enjoy your meal while you talk."

"Ivar wasn't the chef, was he?
 
'Cause I'm not a big fan of his drinks," I said sarcastically.

Dardennes laughed.
 
Céline and Ivar smiled.
 
"No, Ivar was not the chef.
 
One of our Green Elves was, and I think you will find they have a particularly supernatural skill when it comes to the manipulation of herbs and spices.
 
It will be a vegetarian meal, but I'm sure you will find it more than satisfying."

I was so hungry at this point I would have happily eaten a dried out pig's ear.
 

A door on the other side of the chamber opened and fae started walking in, carrying trays of food, dishes and utensils.
 
Within ten minutes we all had plates loaded with food in front of us and ice-cold glasses of soda – and for Finn, a beer.
 
He got a huge smile on his face when one of the dwarves put it down in front of him.
 

"Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout."
 

I got an ice-cold soda, which was a little freaky, since I don't remember telling anyone that's what I wanted.
 
They must have a friggin' mind reader in their group.
 
That should provide some interesting entertainment, especially with this bunch.

Dardennes and his colleagues left, as did the servers and others who had put together our meal.
 
We ate in silence for a few minutes, all of us too famished to talk.
 
And I was also too hungry to worry about the food being poisoned.
 
If they wanted to poison me at this point, well they could just go for it.

The door from the corridor opened and Becky stepped in.
 
We all jumped up from the table and rushed over to hug her.
 
She found herself nearly tackled to the floor in our enthusiasm.

"Wow, guys, I missed you too."
 
Her face was all flushed and she was smiling.
 

Everyone but me went back to their seats.
 
I just couldn't stop looking at her.
 
"Becky ... I ... ,"
 
I couldn't get the rest of it out.
 
I started choking up, tears welling up in my eyes.

Becky grabbed me in a super tight hug.
 
"Shhh, I'm fine.
 
I'm totally fine.
 
I didn't die.
 
I just ... had a little swim, that's all."

I laughed and cried at the same time.
 
"I should have helped you.
 
That watery bitch shouldn't have been able to get you.
 
It's my fault."

Becky laughed, pulling me away from her so she could look at me.
 
"It's a
good
thing I went into that water.
 
I found my fae blood there.
 
I discovered my true race.
 
I'm happy, Jayne.
 
If you hadn't made the choices you made, I may not be here right now.
 
Those awful orcs might have gotten me ... or any number of other things."

"Really?" I said, wiping the tears off my face and the snot from under my nose.

"Yes, really.
 
I'm totally serious."

"So what are you then?
 
A vampire?"

Becky laughed.
 
"No, silly.
 
I'm a water sprite!"
 
Her face broke out in a glorious grin that lit up the whole room.

"I guess I'm not surprised."

"I'm just glad I'm not a fire sprite.
 
That water would have been a big problem for me."

I looked at her aghast, wondering how close I'd come to destroying her fae race thing or whatever.