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"Your memory," Doidrich said. "That is the problem, is it not?"

"What are you doing, Doidrich!" I demanded.

Cú Chulainn raised his hand to silence me. "Be silent, Morrigan! You've done and said too much as it is!"

Doidrich reached into his cloak and retrieved two vials. "Unfortunately, this will only work on humans. However, if each of you—Cú Chulainn and Emer—take this potion this entire affair will be forgotten. Cú Chulainn, you will forget you ever loved Fand. And Emer, the heartache you now feel will vanish. You two can be happy, together, again."

I didn't speak. Cú Chulainn was right. What I'd done was wrong. I was ashamed. And there was nothing I could say.

Cú Chulainn and Emer both took the potion from Doidrich and swallowed it quickly. Fand stayed just long enough to watch. She had to see it as I did. By taking the potion, Cú Chulainn made a choice. Fand had of her own accord declared she'd return to the Faerie King. But he could havetriedto stop her. He didn't. He chose his human bride over the faerie, and he never even gavemea moment's consideration.

The moment he swallowed the potion, Fand disappeared. Presumably, she'd returned to Manannán mac Lir.

After swallowing it, both Cú Chulainn and Emer looked up and saw me even as Doidrich disappeared in the shadows. "Who are you?" my beloved asked.

"I am the Morrigan," I said.

"The Phantom Queen?" Emer asked.

I nodded.

"A goddess!" Cú Chulainn exclaimed. "Come to bless our marriage bed!"

I pressed my lips together. I couldn't ever bless their marriage bed... but then it occurred to me... by forgetting the whole affair they'd both forgotten my role in it. I'd have another chance... only this time, I had to be more careful. I had to win his heart properly. I'd have to do it without deceit, without violating his union with Emer. It wasn't going to be easy—but I had an opportunity, and that was enough to give me hope.

"Yes, may your union be a blessed one," I pronounced before shifting into raven-form and flying out the window.

I had to come up with another plan... a way to bring war upon Ulster. No, not that Cú Chulainn might be harmed in any way. Quite the contrary—so that he might grow weary of his life in Ulster, that he might begin to consider... other... possibilities. But this time, I had to proceed honestly. If Doidrich returned, and I suspected I hadn't seen the last of him in his power-hungry effort to takehisplace at my side, all he'd have to do is expose my plans. This time I had to be sure that whatever I planned would not prevent Cú Chulainn from loving me if he were ever to discover what I'd done.