A Fey New World (The Godhunter #32) - Amy Sumida Page 0,92

up and use them to destroy me,” Azrael said to their looks. “Go ahead and confirm it with each other, you don't have to hide it from me.”

The world leaders looked around the table at each other—hopefully at first and then, bleakly.

“There are no more nuclear weapons?” I asked Az in pleased surprise. Who wouldn't be happy about that? I mean, besides the world leaders who wanted to nuke us.

“They have been transformed as well,” Azrael grinned at me. “Reabsorbed back into the earth harmlessly. The fey magic didn't like them. I suppose splitting atoms is too unnatural.”

A man cursed.

“They would have been ineffectual against us anyway,” Azrael said smugly. “You would have only hurt yourselves and the Earth, which would have responded even more aggressively than before.”

A pall of despair settled over the room.

“I didn't want this either,” I said as gently as I could. “As much as I love the Faerie Realm, I don't want two of them. The Earth has its own beauty. And cats.” I stopped to glare at Azrael. “I want cats that don't turn into people.”

“They are still here, my love,” Azrael assured me and lifted my hand to kiss it again. When he set it down, he placed it in his lap and held it there firmly. “Cats are some of the most resilient creatures on this planet. That's why they say they have nine lives. I promise you, they survived.”

“Unaltered?”

“Unaltered,” he confirmed.

“Is she seriously talking about cats right now?” One of the humans muttered to another.

“As I said”—I cleared my throat—“this isn't what I wanted either. But there are benefits that you haven't considered. Magic makes many things possible. Just think of it—a world that will never know hunger. Wars that end before they have begun. Energy that doesn't harm the planet. Wondrous creatures living without fear. The magic seems aggressive now but what if you worked with it instead of against it? What if you found a way to blend magic with science? Humans are great inventors, I have faith in you. This could be a step forward for the human race.”

“You've destroyed most of what makes us human,” the German Chancellor said forlornly.

“Perhaps,” Azrael mused. “But not everything that was destroyed was good. You have the chance to come together now as one people. To discard your hatred, racism, and separatism. The greedy, grasping, need to own everything. The utter disregard for your planet and the creatures that share it with you. So much of what makes you human also makes you cruel.”

“Cruel?” The President of China leaned forward to glare at Azrael. “We are not the ones setting ourselves up as gods.”

“There is nothing cruel in calling yourself a god if that is what you are,” Azrael said calmly. “History is full of men who declared themselves gods and yet were not—many of them in China. I speak the truth, and I take control now not to subjugate but to help. If you cannot see that, you are welcome to leave. I will not hurt you for your opinion as your human dictators have done to those who oppose them.”

“What if we could find a way to call back the magic?” I asked the humans. “What if we could contain it here? Would you be willing to change the world without magic compelling you to do so?”

“I can't call it back, Carus,” Azrael said gently.

“I might know a way,” I admitted.

Azrael scowled. The humans perked up.

“By 'change the world,' what do you mean?” someone called down the table to me.

“Clean up your act,” I said simply. “Stop pumping poisons into the earth and water. Don't set up stronger restrictions, just stop. Period. Stop cutting down all of the trees and covering the world in cow pastures. Start using renewable energy. You know how to heal this planet, you don't need me to tell you. Do it. Stop arguing with each other and just do it.”

“If it means that we get our world back, then I think we could,” President Lopez said as he looked at the others.

They nodded in agreement.

“Enough!” Azrael growled and everyone went silent. “My wife has spoken of a possibility that is uncertain and unlikely. If I were able to withdraw the magic—and that is impossible at the moment—I wouldn't do so until I knew with absolute certainty that you were capable of doing all of those things. I would need to see proof of your efforts. And even then, the magic and I would remain