Prologue 1
Ten thousand years ago, the fairies were driven belowground after losing the battle against the humans. Most fairies accepted their fate and were willing to relocate, if it meant saving their race from further antagonizing. But not all felt this way. Some fairies defied the humans and stayed among them, battling them the rest of their lives, unable to admit defeat.
But one fairy, a certain demon warlock by the name of Qwinn, took matters into his own hands. With a vow to avenge the fairy people, Qwinn cast a spell over the battlefield. The spell could only be nullified if a living human-fairy hybrid recited the 17th passage from the Baahke, the warlock version of the Booke; or if a hybrid was born naturally on the battlefield with only the mother and father present. A hybrid would show that the two races have been joined together, thus eliminating the need for battle. Otherwise, on the 10,000-year anniversary of the battle, the humans and fairies would be driven together to fight again…
Prologue 2
"He's beautiful, Leonor. Just like his mother."
"Or his father," replied Leonor, smiling up at her husband.
Turnball Root gazed at the child in his wife's arms. Their child.
"What should we name him?"
"Liam," said Leonor without hesitation. "Liam Garret Root. I've certainly had enough time to think of a name, what with you gone all the time."
Turnball flinched, the words stinging slightly since he knew they were true. "Darling, you know that my work sometimes requires me to be away from you for long periods of time. I hate it as much as you do, and you know that I count the hours until we see each other again."
Leonor nodded. "I know, Turnball. I don't mind much anymore. But what about Liam? He needs his father around while he grows up. Someone to admire and look up to, someone whose footsteps he can follow."
Turnball took his wife's hand. "But Leonor, I have to support us somehow. How will we afford to take care of Liam if I don't work?"
"Can't you find other work, Turnball? I need you to be here for Liam. I can't raise him on my own."
Give up crime when he was #1 on the Most Dangerous Criminals list? If he did that, someone else could take his place, and he would slowly slip into obscurity.
"Very well, Leonor," Turnball sighed. "For you and Liam, I will try to find work closer to home."
"Thank you, dear. You know how hard it's going to be, raising Liam. He's going to have to deal with a lot of adversity due to his… unique qualities."
It was true; Liam was part human, part fairy. His ears were pointed, his cheekbones strongly chiseled, and he seemed slightly smaller than the average infant. Who knew what he would have to deal with later in life?
Prologue 3
"Mother, I can't go with you and Father."
"Liam…"
"No. I'm tired of moving whenever Father says. I can never develop any lasting relationships with anyone. I'm old enough to decide for myself when and where I want to live."
"But Liam, you're not…"
Liam glared at his mother. "I'm not what, Mother? Normal? I know! I've had to live like this for 18 years, always evading questions as to my peculiar appearance. I know I'm different! Is that so horrible? It wouldn't be so bad if everyone didn't make such a big deal out of it. But I guess that's just human nature." He spat the last sentence out, knowing just how much it would hurt his mother.
Tears pricked at Leonor's eyes. "Not all humans are bad," she whispered, unable to say anything else. Her son's words had crippled her.
Turnball entered the room. "What is going on in here?"
Leonor turned to her husband, quickly wiping away her tears. She knew he was not one for showing such weakness, so she would keep her emotions to herself. "Maybe you can talk some sense into your son. He is refusing to move with us."
Turnball looked at his son. "Is this true, Liam?"
"Yes, Father. All my life, you and Mother have moved me here and there and everywhere. To 'protect' me. I don't want to be sheltered for the rest of my life. I want to be free, independent. I want to make my own decisions and live my own life."
"He just can't, Turnball. He won't be able to make it on his own. The world is dangerous for someone like him," said Leonor.
"No," Turnball said. "He's right. He needs to learn to take care of himself. We won't be around forever, and he has to know what to do when we're not here for him."
"Turnball!" cried Leonor, outraged that her husband had turned against her as well.
"Leonor, it's for the best. Liam is a man now, and he is more than capable of living his own life." Turnball extended his hand to his son. Liam grasped it and shook.
"Thank you, Father."
Turnball nodded tersely. "Keep in touch. Let us know how you're doing every once in a while. For your mother's sake."
"I will."
"Come on, Leonor. We need to leave now."
Leonor hugged her son briefly, still wounded by his words. "Take care of yourself, dear," she murmured.
"I will, Mother. I promise."
"I love you," she whispered.
Turnball led his wife to the door, holding her hand tightly.
"That boy's going to have trouble later on," Leonor said to her husband. "I just know it. Something's going to give him trouble, and we won't be able to help."