“Lorelei Kaylen Alundra. And how are you this fine daybreak? Hawthrin — Sorcerer of the first order, at your service…” A voice filtered into my awareness, forcing me to open my eyes.
I felt much better… stronger. And the pain in my head and limbs had diminished although they were still there. The past few days had me stuck in bed, still too weak to go anywhere. Either that or they had me drugged the whole time.
“You mean aside from being trapped in a Tolkien novel? I’m peachy,” I answered, pushing myself upright. Sunlight streamed through the perpetually open windows. It looked like morning… but which morning? How long had I been asleep?
He laughed quietly, puffing on an elongated, carved pipe. “Trapped. Now that’s an interesting choice of words. ‘Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why.’” He grinned. “Kurt Vonnegut.”
I stared at the man quoting obscure literature at me. It was the wizard Adrius had spoken with in my room. He was old, too old to even guess at his age. Dark mocha skin held a million tiny wrinkles that came alive when he grinned and he flashed brilliantly white teeth, considering the pipe he was puffing on. Despite his years, he was distinguished, with kind, grey-tinged eyes which seemed to see far more than what was visible.
“Well, I’m still trying to figure out how I got here… and where exactly here is.”
“It is a time that is not a time, in a place that is not a place, on a day that is not a day."
“I really have to find my way home.” I squinted, waiting for him to say something that made sense.
The old man’s head was lowered, his face partially hidden in shadow. He puffed rhythmically on his long carved pipe, and lifted his head to study me closely. Finally, exhaling a cloud of bluish grey smoke, he smiled; crinkling the skin next to his dark eyes.
“My dear, you have returned home,” he replied calmly. “You are the Chosen One, and it is your destiny to become the Mythlandria’s Faerie Queen.”
He kept his gaze trained on mine, waiting for my reaction.
I frowned and gently eased myself out of bed, walking towards the gilded mirror on the bedside stand. It was encrusted with crystal and diamonds, which glistened in the soft sunlight. I stared into my reflection as if searching inside myself for answers.
“I’ve been mistaken for someone… some thing I’m not. I went into the forest looking for Vervain, we got lost, and now I’m here. And first an elven prince, and then a wizard are telling me it’s my destiny to be a faerie queen? Surely you can see how crazy that sounds… I mean, explain to me how that could be possible?”
Hawthrin nodded patiently. “The elf council elders have all agreed that you should only be made aware of this revelation once you were ready to accept it. However, I sense that in your near future you will have a change of heart due to news from an icy source.”
He was hurting my head. “I’m just about as human as it gets. My mother was born in Drearyton Cove, and so was my father. I might have seen them but that doesn’t make me one of them. I’m not a mythical being. It’s insane. Wouldn’t a person know something like that… if it were even possible?”
Hawthrin continued his silent puffing which was becoming a little annoying.
I wanted answers. It was like the plot of some graphic novel. Half-girl, half-faery with super powers saves the world from the perils of an evil ice witch. Don’t you have to be bitten by some rare poisonous insect to develop those kinds of powers? And what about my family? Why hadn’t they mentioned any of this to me growing up? I felt cheated, lied to, betrayed. It was as though everyone in my life was a stranger to me. I had no idea who they really were — who I really was.
My mother lying to me was one thing; when Gran was alive it always seemed as though there was something she wanted to hide from me. But Gran… she was my kindred spirit. The only one who understood me in a world I didn’t fit in to. Hundreds of questions circled my head with dizzying speed. My whole life had shifted once more and I felt shaken and alone. If it was true, then their lies and deception had somehow led to an entire village counting on me to prevent their demise. Something I was utterly and completely incapable of doing.
“You are here for a purpose, Lorelei. Nothing ever happens by coincidence, and nothing is ever in vain. Your coming is fortuitous.”
“Fortuitous for whom exactly? Not for me. Not for my mother.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because she’s dying,” I said, shoving back my frustration, “and I’m the only one who can help her.” I struggled to get the words out. “And for reasons I don’t even pretend to comprehend, I’m here. So really, not so fortuitous…”
He peered deeply in to my eyes, like reading something written within them. “You do know why… and how long.”
“Well, if that’s true then there’s something wrong with me because I don’t know I know.”
The wizard leaned back. “Ahh, ‘The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.’ Socrates. All will unfold in due time. Not that time is of any importance… or real.” A periwinkle smoke ring floated above his head forming a gauzy halo before dissipating.
I frowned. He seemed coherent when he first started speaking. Perhaps senility was a condition here too.
“’The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.’ Albert Einstein.”
“So are you saying time doesn’t exist here?” I replied, rubbing my temples.
“Not that it doesn’t exist, dear child, but that it exists differently everywhere for everyone in every moment.”
A sudden prickle of fear ran through me. “When I get back to… my world, could years have gone by? I might be too late?”
“Yes.” He watched as I started to hyperventilate. “And no. Bear in mind, it can never truly be too late.”
“What does that mean? And please don’t give me another quote.” My head throbbed, and I was mentally drained.
“It’s not a question of time speeding up or slowing down, Lorelei. It is perception, illusion.”
I waited for him to finish but he fell silent, his attention devoted to blowing smoke rings once more.
Shaking my head, I inhaled. I had no idea what he was talking about. It was like having a conversation with Yoda. Sounds cool in theory, but in truth… totally frustrating. “Look, could you just tell me how to get out of here? Preferably without all of the riddles.”
Hawthrin rose, nodded a warm smile and without another word, he disappeared. Not left. Vanished, as in here one second, gone the next. With nothing but the faint scent of tobacco and a wisp of lavender smoke left behind. A short time ago, I would have been sure I’d imagined the whole encounter. But today… not so much.
I chewed on my thumbnail for so long, I was nibbling skin. Gotta get out of here. One way or another. If no one would help me, then I’d find a way out on my own.
The nurse showed up once more as the sky streaked with crimson and orange swirls. Sunset or sunrise. I had no idea which. I pretended to snooze, to avoid another sleep-inducing green cocktail injection. She placed a tray of food on the table and left.
When it was all clear, I threw off the blankets and climbed out of bed. A balcony overlooked uneven winding stairs leading to different platforms that looked as though they were built into the trees. Leaning over the veranda railing sculpted with Celtic knots, I surveyed this strange beautiful place.
The paths below were lined with gnarled willows. Their coiled branches meeting in the middle intertwined to form a luminescent canopy draped with mossy tendrils. Skirting down the stairs, I ducked and dodged vines and shrubs, trying to avoid making contact with any of them. When I reached a landing, the path became a labyrinth, branching in multiple directions. I followed one stone covered passageway, arriving in a courtyard which led to another path.
Okay. This has to lead somewhere, I silently prayed and slipped through the iron-gate. It did. That’s when I realized how far from ground level I was, surrounded by a treetop city, yet farther from civilization than I’d ever been.
I could see everything. Up ahead, a well of water, crystal clear and bluer than the midnight sky ran over the precipice of a rocky cliff, plunging in a rainbow of spray and foam in a river below. The river ran gurgling and glistening in the pure white sunlight, before disappearing into the valley, getting lost in the lands. There were no trees back home like the ones growing here. For one thing they were beyond huge. Statuesque and massive in width, their feathery boughs seemed to sweep the sky, effortlessly holding an ethereal city up to the clouds. With smooth grey bark, their limbs were laden with tiny white blooms. A soft blanket of grass and leaves coated the forest floor. It was as breathtaking as it was mind-boggling.
Sunlight filtered through the branches but the warmth only intensified the prickly heat of my uneasiness. Droplets of perspiration rolled down the nape of my neck and I piled my hair on top of my head then let it fall. The quick breeze was nice, but short lived. I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being followed, and soon enough I discovered why.
From the shadows of the trees, four beings stalked toward me, with skin that looked burnt by fire, eyes that glowed orange, and a maroon cap resting between two large pointed ears . Their hands were deformed into claws, black talons protruding from each finger. I stopped then stepped back.
They slunk toward me with razor-like teeth glinting in the sun. One let out a feral growl and lunged at me, striking my arm. I screamed, as the pain shot through me. Stumbling backward, I willed myself to ignore the blood dripping down my arm. I retreated until the scratch of bark pressed against my back. There was nowhere to go, but deeper into the forest, out of view from any help.
I forced air into my lungs, terrified of being ripped apart by the ravenous creatures. Then did the only thing I could do. I ran. Faster than I’d ever run before. Bad idea. The whoops and cries behind me were a sign I’d only excited them as they sprang after me. I whipped down paths, tripping over branches and roots, dodging the snaking vines as they reached for my legs. After taking countless turns which led me deeper into the forests and further from any signs of life, I lost them. Breathless, I finally stopped, and leaned against a tree. It was quiet. Were they really gone? My heart pounded against my ribs with such force it hurt. If it had been any louder, I wouldn’t have heard the soft giggle of a child.
A green-skinned creature peered down at me from a tree branch. She wrinkled her tiny nose with a curious yet wary stare.
“You know, if you run, they chase. Redcaps always chase. And when they catch you, which they will, you’ll either meet with death or wish for it.”
She laughed as if there was something hysterical about the scarier-than-anything picture she’d just painted.
Sucking in a breath of air I gaped at her. “I remember you — outside the window. Are you one of the fey?”
She giggled again, dangling her thin green legs back and forth. “I’m Fauna.” She said, nodding her head to convince me. Her long thin finger pointed in the direction of the Redcaps. “They can smell fear. Want to know what keeps their caps red? It’s blood,” she added before I could answer. “They need fresh blood to live, and now they’ve had a taste of yours. It looks like they want more.” She beamed.
This was way more information than I needed, yet she seemed to know a lot about them. “You know how to get rid of them?”
Green girl nodded, her round eyes growing impossibly wide.
“Well,” I panted impatiently. “I’d appreciate the help.” I heard leaves shuffling in the distance.
With cat-like grace she sprang to the ground, landing in a crouched position. Straightening, she circled me as she spoke.
“Sounds like the human girl is asking for a favor,” she sang in a childlike melody.
Her skin resembled a snake — scaled, yet perfectly smooth.
“I guess I am,” I answered without thinking. Had I not been so terrified, I might have remembered hearing something about Faerie bargains. But I was ready to offer anything to get out of this alive.
“Ooooh!” she squealed, clapping her hands together. “What will you offer me, human, to get rid of those nasties?” She inclined her head in the direction of the Redcaps, whose growls were getting closer.
I frowned. What would be a fair price for protection… and what currency? Surely money wouldn’t be of much use here.
She circled me once more, scratching her coppery mane of hair. “Hmm. The color of your eyes… or perhaps all of your childhood memories before you were two… or—” She paused, looking particularly eager. “Or maybe — your firstborn child!”
I blinked. Was she serious?
“I — I can’t give you any of those things.” She was making me dizzy with her circling, between that and the blood coagulating on my rapidly healing arm, my stomach was churning.
She pouted at first but then suddenly stopped moving.
“I know…” she said with a wide grin that made my skin crawl, “…your voice.”
“My what?”
“Yes. Yes, your voice. Why was not I this clever before?”
I must have looked as horrified as I felt, because she shook her head with a confused frown.
“Not all of it, silly. Only the part that sings.”
“How do you know I can sing?” I was still too stunned to realize what she was asking.
“…Doesn’t matter. Have we a bargain then?” she said, her eyes widening.
I was about to tell her to forget it, mentally calculating the chances of outrunning four psychotic Redcaps plus a sadistic Faerie, when the rustling of branches made me rethink. My pulse was soaring, and if they could in fact smell fear, I’d given them an easy target.
It was too late. Four razor-teethed creatures burst through the brush, snarling forward with claws bared, ready to rip into flesh. Frothy saliva dripped from the corners of their torn mouths.
“Quickly, human,” she sang. “It’s now or never. These nasties look rather hungry.” She didn’t seem the least bit phased by the ravenous monsters surrounding us.
“Okay!” I cried, as a foul-smelling hand reached for my face. I skittered backward, behind the tree. “Okay, take it… just get them away from—”
There was a flash of blinding green light and a gust of wind smelling so acerbic it burned the inside of my nose.
When I opened my eyes, the Redcaps were gone. In their place were four perfectly formed piles of black dust. My stomach dropped as I stared at the green girl wondering how someone so tiny could have incinerated those creatures so quickly.
She licked her fingers like a cat after a satisfying meal. I was too nauseous to even speak. Finally she looked up at me and smiled, holding out her hand. What was she expecting me to do exactly? Yank out my own vocal chords?
“Thank you,” I managed to whisper over my thumping chest.
She glided over and placed her tiny hand on my throat. Every muscle in my body froze. The overpowering scent of wet leaves struck me a second before the searing pain. It began as a dull ache, swelling into an agonizing burn. I tried to scream but when I opened my mouth there was silence. Just as I reached the breaking point, the pain stopped.
My legs trembled, refusing to hold me up. I collapsed to my knees, pressing a hand to my mouth, willing back the tears.
Fauna leapt back to her perch and coiled into an impossible position, studying me with that same intense curiosity.
“See, human, how clever I am. Watch this.” She opened her mouth and sang a note, a perfectly pitched high C in my voice.
My resolve melted and a few of the tears I’d tried to hold back slid silently down my face.
Wrinkling her nose she laughed. “What is that now? More goodies. How did you do that?”
Her applause completely threw me.
Wiping away the last of them, I stood up.
“Do it again, human.” Green girl squealed, clapping her hands like a toddler.
She was cute in her strange way, which made it easy to almost forget she was at least as dangerous as the Redcaps if not more so.
“No. I’m done now.” My voice had returned, although it trembled, sounding hollow… thin.
“Okay, human, stay on that path and it will lead you back. And maybe next time we play you can give me those.” She pointed a boney green finger at me.
With a weak nod, I scurried away, hoping she was referring to the tears and not my eyes.
****
Mythlandria was as mystical and haunting as it appeared from my window. Only now it pulsed with life. It was a startling sight — all manner of creatures and beings, walking or flying about. A family of dwarves chattered among themselves. A small group of male satyrs stopped to watch me go by, staring a little too long at my chest. An elf sitting on the branch of a tree was engaged in a heated exchange with a dryad. There were dwarves, fey, centaurs; all milling about as though it was a normal day in a normal place. It could easily have been Drearyton Cove’s weekend market, were it not for the breathtaking landscape, animated personalities, and the fact I was the only human present.
Unlike Drearyton, these beings were not afraid to stare, all of them openly gawking, exchanging hushed words, or knowing leers. Passing several elegant Elven women, they stopped to gape at me, whispering to one another in a language I couldn’t understand. I tried not to stare, kept my head down, hoping to be less conspicuous, as if it were even possible.
Instead, I bumped into a crumpled wood-elf peddling charms. I nervously asked him where I might find Prince Adrius, as I helped him collect the goods I’d knocked from his hands. The peddler bowed his head, pointed hastily, and scurried away as quickly as he could. Nicely done, Lorelei. Now you’re the one terrifying the locals. Feeling even more self-conscious, I veered down a narrow cobbled walkway leading away from the busyness, toward a vine-encroached tower. The space surrounding it was clear except for a massive gnarled oak.
With a low groaning creak, a massive root burrowed out of the ground throwing off dirt and leaves. Rising from the ground, it looped into a round archway, the space in between shimmering with… I wanted to say, magic? When the shimmering stopped a doorway appeared.
There was no one in sight, no one to stop me from entering, and there was a possibility I might find Adrius somewhere inside. Or better yet, a way out of this place.
Throwing a cautious glance over my shoulder, I slipped through the heavy doors unnoticed.
Before my eyes could adjust, deep voices echoed in the dimness. I dove behind the nearest thing I could find, which happened to be a rack filled with swords, bows, knives, and various other medieval weaponry. Dust filled my nose, and I stifled a sneeze. The room had a sickening combination of smells, like rust, oil and, judging by the queasy feeling in my gut… blood.
A cold chill ran through me as I rethought my brilliant plan. I had no idea what went on here, or what might happen if whoever was here found me spying on them. Footsteps came closer. Crouching behind the rack, I peered between the boards at legs walking by so near I could have reached out and grabbed them.
“The Dark Prince of the Unseelie Court has arrived, My Lord King Etienne,” one voice said.
“Bring him to me,” boomed the reply as the footsteps hurried away.
My legs were starting to cramp in this squatting position, and I couldn’t see. Slowly I stood up, to get a better view, hoping the shadows would be enough to conceal me.
I stayed hidden, tucked carefully out of sight, pressed up against a wall in the narrow alcove, gleaming blades inches from my nose.
It would be impossible to explain my presence here, yet I had to see more.
The Elven king didn’t fail to impress. He had the same statuesque presence as all of the elves I’d seen so far. A sweeping floor length cape draped from his shoulders, emblazoned with a symbol that looked like an inverted fleur-de-lis. His back was turned so I couldn’t see his face. But it was the Faerie Prince of the Unseelie Court who caught my eye. He was lean and cat-like, with lily-white skin and full scarlet lips. Platinum hair hung in long jagged layers around his angled face and swept down his back in elongated spikes. Even in the dim light his silver eyes seemed to glow. A full-length black duster swept around him, embellished with chrome buckles and epaulets engraved with symbols I couldn’t make out. He was decidedly younger than the king… striking, attractive in an almost painful way.
He followed the Elven king to a circular table and whirled around, folds of black fabric swishing dramatically. It was then I saw his most striking feature… a pair of black-feathered wings, folded on his back. They fanned and twitched seemingly with a life of their own. I shrank back in my hideout. It wasn’t so much his appearance that disturbed me, or even that he was terrifyingly beautiful. It was the familiarity that gave me goose bumps.
“I did not think you would risk coming, Zanthiel, so close to Beltane.”
“Yes. Well, with all that has come to pass I was left with little choice.”
That voice. I know that voice.
“So she is finally here then? The rumors are true, the daughter of the Tuatha De Danann has returned at long last?”
“Yes. And the fate of my kingdom is far worse than we feared. Mythlandria has more to worry about than the misconstrued prophecy of an adolescent human half-breed.”
“The Una Electa. The Chosen One, destined to stop the Ice Witch. The future Faerie Queen…” His silky voice coated the room.
“Not of my kingdom. Not ever.” The king scoffed.
Were they talking about me? I leaned forward, trying to get a better look. From behind me something cold and sharp jabbed between my ribs.
“Spying on the king is a treasonous act…” came a gruff accusation. I whirred around to come face to face with the tip of a sword aimed for my heart. Sucking in a gulp of breath I froze. “Who are you? Speak now.” The guard commanded, lifting the blade to my throat and pressing the tip against my skin. “Nothing to say? Perhaps taking you to my chambers will persuade you to talk.” He sneered, looking me up and down. I could feel the tip of his sword break the skin and I let out a whimper, debating which answer would get me killed the fastest. A trickle of blood dripped down my neck and without fail my stomach reeled and my knees buckles.
Before I could make another sound, a hand reached from behind the guard and grabbed his head. There was a snapping sound and his armored body slumped forward then collapsed onto the floor.
"What are you doing here?” A voice hissed in my ear as a hand reached out and grabbed me. I jumped, sending a sword clamoring to the ground, then shrieked. But a hand clamped over my mouth, silencing me.
Whipping around, I found Adrius glaring at me.
“You shouldn't be here." His tone was icy, and his hand tightened on my arm. “Come on.”
He dragged me through a nearby door, just as two guards with blades came to investigate.
We stood inches apart in a dark tiny space no larger than a broom closet. As my heart thumped against my ribs, he stared at me enraged, waiting for the guards’ footsteps to retreat.
“Are you insane or is that what you wish for — premature death?” He scowled.
I tried to wrench my arm away, but he held fast.
“I was lost,” I lied. “I tried to leave, but they came in through another door and I was trapped.” My temper flared and I tried again to free my arm. “You seriously need to let go of my arm.” This time he released it. “Are you following me or something? What are you doing here?” I demanded indignantly.
“Trying to keep you alive.”
“Well, that’s just great. Where were you when I was being chased by Redcaps?”
His scowl deepened. “You ran… from Redcaps? Not the best plan, Lorelei.”
“And I would know this how? I’m not exactly used to being dropped in the middle of a Spielberg film, alright.” I pushed the hair covering my eyes away from my face.
Adrius leaned in. “You know, that sharp tongue of yours isn’t going to be enough to keep you alive. Could you at least try to stay in one piece while you’re here?”
His condescending tone was so grating I didn’t bother mentioning the price my safety had already cost me. I felt awful enough without a lecture on the perils of negotiating with fey.
“You know—”
“Shhh…” He clapped a hand over my mouth, hearing something I’d missed.
A second or two passed before he dropped his hand.
“What did you overhear?” he whispered coarsely when the invisible danger abated.
“Nothing much, but the king and the Faerie… they seemed to be talking about me. And I want to know why.”
“This isn’t a game, Lorelei. Do you have any idea how dangerous this place is for you?” The heat of his breath fanned over my face.
“What are you talking about?” My eyes challenged his with equal defiance. “I thought you said there was a prophecy predicting my coming here… that I’m supposed to be here to fulfill some predestined fate. Isn’t that what everyone believes?”
“There are many who do… many who still believe in prophecy,” he whispered through clenched teeth. “My father and the Unseelie fey are not among them.”
“It didn’t sound that way to me. You have made it pretty clear your only concern for me is by duty. So if your own king doesn’t believe in this prophecy, then my safety is none of your concern.”
“Really? Is that what you think?” His eyes darkened, his voice dropping to a low growl.
“I’m not sure what to think… one minute you’re telling me I can’t leave and the next you’re telling me I can’t stay. It’s making me crazy.”
I watched his jaw muscles flex and for a moment I thought I’d pushed him to the edge. But he didn’t explode. His voice remained even, cool, and detached.
“For what it’s worth, it might interest you to know I have always believed in the prophecy’s prediction. Although the fact someone without so much as a shred of common sense has been chosen does give me reason to question it.”
I rolled my eyes back.
“But my feelings for you aside,” he continued. “I am deeply bound by laws over which I have no control. You have no idea what it’s like to watch as your own hands disobey you… willed to do unspeakable things by another, for pure sport…”
A cold chill coursed through me as I stared into his dark, distant eyes. I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“That is my sworn existence, Lorelei, and you would do well not to forget that. Danger exists everywhere here. It is real.”
Footsteps passed by outside our secret hiding space and Adrius fell quiet, a finger held up to his lips. It was almost as though he knew they were coming before we actually heard them.
“The Unseelie faeries enjoy nothing better than delighting in twisted ritualistic acts involving fresh human flesh for pure entertainment. Their boredom invites the cruel perverse diversions they invent. If it ever became suspect I was serving interests other than those I’ve sworn to uphold… well, let’s say things would go badly, for both of us.”
“So isn’t it your duty to turn me in for spying or something?” I whispered, in case more silent footsteps were approaching again.
Adrius sighed. “I don’t want to turn you in. I want you to leave. You should go, Lorelei… back to the Citadel where it’s safe. It was a mistake for you to come here.”
That was the final straw. “I didn’t plan to come here!” I exploded, not even trying to lower my voice. “You were the one who told me I had no choice but to stay. Well, I’m not staying. And I will find a way to get out of here.” I was trembling uncontrollably now.
His hands washed over his face, in exasperation. “Did you hear any of what I told you? Why do humans always cling to false hope?”
“Sometimes, hope is all you have left,” I said flatly. “You can do what you have to do, but I’m leaving. Prophecy or no prophecy.” My voice resonated with a false bravado he probably saw right through.
Smiling wryly, he shook his head. “Fine… It’s your life.”
“Yeah, that’s right. It is. And I’d rather not spend the rest of it stuck — in this closet — with you.”
Gritting his teeth, he recoiled. “As you wish…” He opened the door, checking to make sure the room was clear. “Just so you know, I’ll be joining you for breakfast in the morning, so perhaps you can save any more tantrums or kamikaze missions until then.”
I pushed past him, inwardly frustrated by the warm surge I felt as my arm brushed against his. The open air and distance came just in time. In that moment I understood too well what it was like to be betrayed by your own body. It meant I would have to work that much harder to do what I should have done all along — find the one Faerie I’d been warned to keep away from. The Faerie I now know for certain was flesh and blood, because he’d been terrorizing my dreams at night for years… and the puppet master of my vocal chords for even longer.