Asbar looked at him. Oh. ‘Sorry,’ I muttered. ‘He doesn’t understand what you’re saying. It sounded really good though.’ I quickly translated.

Asbar drew himself up. ‘What are you suggesting?’

I licked my lips. ‘If we join the Foinse and the Draoidheachd together then,’ I shot a glance at Byron, ‘we think the Veil will collapse.’ Every single demon froze; even Asbar seemed lost for words. I took a deep breath and continued. ‘I might have used magic to create crops for you but we all know they won’t survive for long without sunlight. Lose the Veil and I’m betting this land will return to what it once was.’

‘Without adequate protection, sunlight will kill us.’

I nodded. ‘But I still have one genie wish left.’

There were shouts from below the castle walls. Fergus edged over to have a look. ‘It’s Aifric,’ he said grimly. ‘He’s here. Work quickly, Chieftain.’

I stared at Asbar. ‘You don’t need the Steward. We can end this right now without him.’

A Fomori demon spoke up. ‘Don’t forget the prophecy. She could wish for anything. She could wish for us to be destroyed! They’ll take back the Lowlands and forget we ever existed!’

‘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.