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I took a deep breath, knowing this would be what opened up the flood of questions.
“Eden Faire is where my mother resides in the overlap of your world and mine.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Easton
His mother?
“She’s that close?”
Finch sipped his coffee, probably taking a moment to figure out how to explain all of this to me.
“The fae realm overlaps the human realm. There are sections in that veil that are darker and lighter. Eden Faire is light because my mother and her army live there. Sorrow Glen is more dark, since it’s where my father is and why the Amaris Mountains are directly behind it. The forest is fought over, but with my mother guarding it from the other lands, it’s nearly vacant of anything…more of a gray area.”
I let that sink in. “And is it just these places?” I motioned to the whole map.
“No.” He looked over my shoulder, likely to Daisy. “The first place my father ever entered into the human world was in Florida. He favors the Caribbean areas.”
“So then why isn’t he primarily there?”
He sighed, a flicker of anger brushing across his features. “Have you ever heard of the Manchineel tree?”
I shook my head. I wasn’t a plethora of knowledge when it came to nature.
“He named it, convinced humans to name the tree after him. He was so proud of it.”
“Okay…”
He set his coffee down, not on the map.
“See, the Manchineel tree is the deadliest tree in the world.”
“How is it dangerous?”
Finch pursed his lips, thinking. “It has apple-like fruits on it, sap, everything a happy tree would have, except the apples will kill you, as will the sap. Spanish conquistadors referred to the tree as manzanilla de la muerte, little apple of death. Years before, Indigenous people used the sap on their arrows to poison their enemies. If the arrow didn’t kill them, the sap would.”
“Your father created a tree like this?” I couldn’t imagine hating people enough to do that.
“When humans realized they could put the sap into the water supply, they were able to harm so many. My father rejoiced at his creation. He laughed because the idea of something so beautiful being so deadly, and humans embracing it to kill each other, gave him joy. Once he conquered that area and his trees flourished, he had no more use for the whole place. My father is as evil as they come, Easton.”
It was as if a rock were rolling around in the pit of my stomach. I’d seen a lot in my life but nothing so cruel. Something that was still out there. Death bringing happiness…and that was Finch’s father. A fae who wanted to have me gone and Finch punished.
“You’re not lookin’ so good.” Daisy handed me a glass of water.
I wasn’t feeling so good either. Milo and Tru were in danger, and the seriousness of all this was crashing into me like a boulder.
“I think he’s freaking out, Finch.”
Suddenly the need to make sure Tru and Milo were okay hit me.
“Where are the kids?”
“Milo is on a video call with a teacher, and Tru went to school. She’s being watched,” Daisy quickly added.
“Easton.” I blinked, and Finch was kneeling in front of me. “I won’t let my father hurt you or your family.”
I shook my head. “You can’t promise that, Finch.”
