Epilogue
Of course, despite my intention of never leaving the Fae Realm again, I did have to make at least one exception. I had to meet with my daughter, Amy, to talk to her about her father's death.
She'd flown back home to see me and attend his funeral—which was more of a memorial since there was no body to view—just an urn filled with his charred ashes. I made sure to wear a black dress and a hat with a veil to cover my face so I could attend.
Christopher's little blonde "Honey-bunny" was nowhere to be seen, I noted. She must have decided to cut her losses and move on. Chris Junior was there, but he left right after the service. There were a few other friends and colleagues who expressed their condolences, but most of them knew that Christopher and I had been through a messy divorce and they didn't stay to talk long.
Amy's eyes were red from crying as we sat across from each other in a diner afterwards. It was a cute little local place that I always used to take her when she was younger and I wanted us to have some mother/daughter time.
Of course, I wasn't there alone, though my daughter didn't know that. Sitting in the back booth were Sel and Krynn, both wearing baseball caps to cover their pointed ears and shield their faces. I had also taken a tiny sip of Lady Nolana's blood so I could use some of her "don't notice me" magic, as she called it. That helped hide them, though it was nearly impossible to make two huge Fae completely disappear.
"It's just us now, Mom—you can take off your hat," Amy said, leaning across the table to take my hand. "I missed you—I was so worried when Daddy said you two had divorced."
I still hadn't told her all the details—as horrible as Christopher had been, I didn't want to make Amy hate her father—especially now that he was dead.
"I missed you too, sweetheart," I told her, finally daring to lift my veil. I had used some of Lady Nolana's magic powers on myself as well—trying to make my face look more "normal." But somehow, Amy saw right through it.
"Mom!" she gasped, her green eyes going wide. "What did you do? Did you have some work done? You look amazing!"
I couldn't help smiling at her response, though I was a little worried that my magic hadn't worked on her. Maybe it was because we were in the Mortal Realm, not the Fae Realm, I speculated. At least my fangs were small enough not to attract a lot of attention. They tended to get longer when I was feeling the Thirst, but I had drunk from both Sel and Krynn before going to the funeral, so I wasn't thirsty at all at the moment.
"Yes, I did have some work done," I told my daughter, since it was the easiest explanation.
"But how did you afford it?" she demanded. "Chris Junior told me that Daddy didn't give you hardly anything when he left you." My shock must have shown on my face, because she nodded. "Yeah, I know what a jerk he was to you. There are some things I'll miss about him, but the way he treated you isn't one of them."
I had no idea how my son had found out how badly my ex had treated me—or when he had told my daughter. But it was a relief not to have to lie to her. Well, not about that, anyway.
"It's true—your Dad didn't leave me much," I said carefully. "But, well, I'm in a new relationship now. Also, I have a new job so I have more resources."
"Wow, a new relationship and a new job? Who's the lucky guy?" she asked eagerly.
I smothered a smile.
"Nobody you know, hon. But we're very happy—a lot happier than I was with your Dad," I admitted.
"Okay, I understand if you want to keep it quiet." She nodded. "But what about the new job? What are you doing?"
"I'm in management," I said, which wasn't really a lie. It was just that I was managing a whole kingdom, rather than say, a retail store. But of course, I couldn't tell my daughter the details. "It's a great position," I added. "I'm really happy there."
"You look really happy." Amy smiled and squeezed my hand. "I'm so glad for you, Mom! You deserve some happiness after the way Daddy treated you."
"Just don't let yourself get into the same kind of situation I was in," I told her. "Finish college and work on your career before you think about a family. Don't depend on a man to take care of you."
Amy's pretty face grew serious.
"You don't have to worry about me—I'm part of the 4B movement."
"The what?" I frowned and shook my head. "What's the 4B movement?"
"Oh, it's something that started in South Korea," she explained. "The women there were so oppressed by the patriarchy that they decided they didn't want anything at all to do with men."
"Really?" I raised my eyebrows. "Well what do the four ‘Bs" stand for?"
She laughed.
"Actually, it's four Korean words I can't pronounce. But it means no dating, no marriage, no sex, and no babies."
"Wow…" I shook my head. "Aren't you kind of young to swear off all of that? I mean, you're still in college, Amy."
She sighed and looked down at the table.
"I know, but I've already had some pretty bad relationships. And honestly, I just haven't found any guy I really connect with, you know?" She looked up at me. "Sometimes I just feel so out of place—like I don't belong no matter where I go."
"I understand," I said gently—and I did. I'd had that feeling often when I was her age—though now I realized it must have been because I was a Fae living in the human world. Amy wasn't my natural daughter, so I didn't know what was causing that feeling for her, but I could certainly sympathize.
We talked a little longer and I let her know that the house Christopher had left was hers to do what she wanted with.
"Really? But where will you live?" she asked me.
I smothered a smile.
"Really honey, I'm fine. I have a nice new place and I'm really happy there. Take the house—I want you to have it."
I wished with all my heart that I could bring her back to the Fae Realm to explore the beautiful Palace where I now lived, but I knew I couldn't do that. Humans who wind up in the Realm of the Fae are prone to accidents and misfortune. Besides, it would be really hard to explain that her middle-aged mom was actually an Elf Princess—or rather, a Dark Fae Queen.
When we finally rose to leave and I hugged her, Amy clung to me for a moment.
"I love you, Mom," she told me. "I have to get back to my classes but I'll call you soon."
"I love you too, honey." I kissed her cheek and waved goodbye as she left the diner.
The minute she walked out the door, Sel and Krynn slid into the booth across from me.
"You didn't tell us that your daughter was a Changeling," Sel remarked.
"A what?" I frowned at him.
"A Changeling is a Fairy baby that gets switched for a human one and left in the human world," Krynn explained helpfully. "If you know what to look for, the signs are clear."
"Amy's not a Changeling," I protested. "She's the daughter of my ex-husband with his first wife who left him when Amy was only three."
Krynn shook his head doubtfully.
"I don't think so, my Lady. She's got Fairy blood in her—I can feel it. It calls to the Fairy half of me."
"But…but she doesn't have any wings or anything," I pointed out.
"No, of course not—she's been living in the human world all this time," Sel said.
"A Fairy's wings won't sprout in the Mortal Realm—he or she has to be living in the magic of the Fae Realm for them to grow," Krynn told me.
"Well…she did used to get this rash right over her shoulder blades," I said thoughtfully. "I bought her all kinds of special creams and medicated lotion to help—she always said it ached."
"That was probably her wings trying to come out," Krynn said. "There can be no doubt, my lady—your daughter is a Fairy. If not a full-blooded one, then at least a half-breed like me."
"But then, should I go get her and bring her back with us?" I asked, half-rising from the table.
Sel shook his head.
"No, don't—it's not fucking safe," he growled.
"Sel's right—the Fairy Realm is in the middle of a civil war right now," Krynn said seriously. "Your daughter—whoever she is—is better off staying away."
"But I know how miserable it is to be stuck in the human world when you don't belong here," I said, thinking of the sadness and determination in Amy's eyes when she'd told me she had already sworn off men forever.
"She might be miserable but at least she's safe." Sel reached across the table and put one big hand over mine. "Let her be for now, Princess. If she's meant to get back to the Fairy Realm, she will."
"Just like you came back to the Fae Realm, my Lady," Krynn reminded me.
I sighed as I sat back down across from them. I had a whole new life now, but I loved my daughter dearly. Could it be that she was more than she appeared—just like I had been? Was it possible that Amy had a new life waiting for her somewhere in the Fairy Realm?
I didn't know if that could be true, but I did know I wanted her to be safe, so I decided to let Fate take its course.
For now, anyway.