“Shall we sit down?” Azrael motioned toward the table, then took one of the chairs at the head. The chairs all had narrow backs, made for people with wings.
I took the other seat at the head of the table while the Colonel sat to our right, back rigid, though I don't think that had anything to do with the seat.
“The Fey need to leave Italy,” the Colonel said immediately. “By order of the Pope.”
“The Pope does not rule Italy,” Azrael said.
“No, but he rules the hearts of the Italians, and they don't want you here.”
“The people I just spoke to seemed okay with our presence.” Az grinned. “I think it's the Pope who doesn't want us here, and he, as I said, does not govern Italy.”
“I don't know what you said to them, but they are only a handful of the population.”
“Then I will have to address all of Italy and the entire world if necessary.” The Faerie God rustled his wings, making the soldiers flinch. “You have been deceived, Colonel. You and every other human who has witnessed a miracle in the last week. Someone is using illusions to start a religious war. Such a war is unnecessary since we don't oppose your religions and it is also unwise since your side will lose.”
The Colonel stiffened.
“I don't mean to be antagonistic,” Az went on. “My goal is for the Fey to live peacefully with humans. But if you attack us, I will lead the fight against you. And you will die.”
The skin around the Colonel's eyes twitched.
“Colonel, do you really think the President of Italy approves of your behavior today?” I asked.
The Colonel stretched his neck.
“I don't think he does,” I went on without his answer. “He's dealing with a police force who will not act against you, but they are not a part of the Italian Armed Forces. If he has to, he will send an army to fight you.”
“I don't believe that,” the Colonel said.
“Oh, he will,” Azrael said. “Because he knows that if he doesn't, he will have to answer to me.”
“Then why did you step in today? If you're so sure that the President will support you, why not let him handle this?”
“I'm trying to save you—you, all your soldiers, and the humans of Rome.”
“Pardon?”
“Do you know that no faerie has left Italy today?” Azrael lifted a brow. “They have all come here to unite against you. Because that's what people do when they are treated unjustly—they find others to band together with and fight back.”
“We have not treated—”
Azrael held up a hand and cut him off, “Before they are allowed to come to Earth, we require every faerie to make a vow to obey the laws of the land they settle in and live peacefully among you. But today you have threatened that peace by not upholding your end of the agreement. You took their homes and businesses, breaking your own laws as well as our truce, and thus giving them the right to break their vows. They are prepared to defend themselves and take back what they've built by force. Now, how long do you think your soldiers will last against an army of faeries?” Azrael leaned toward the Colonel. “Be honest, Colonel. Your people wouldn't survive five minutes. A single faerie, you might be able to subdue, but not hundreds.”
The Colonel paled.
“I came here because I knew that your President wouldn't be able to stop my people from defending their property.”
“It is our land!”
“You aren't even Italian,” I said to him. “You are as much an immigrant as the Fey are.”
“It's not the same thing.”
“Yes, it is. The only difference is that our people are stronger than yours. Yet, unlike human conquerors in history, we are not trying to oppress you.”
“If you weren't trying to oppress us, you'd leave.”
“That's not true,” the Faerie God said. “The President made an agreement with me, and my people came here expecting to be treated fairly and to treat your people fairly in return. You have broken that agreement today, leaving us well within our rights to attack you. If we wanted to oppress you, we would take Italy for ourselves and make you our slaves. Or just kill you all.”
