Lina: Twisted Fairy Tales Book Two

15: Straight Into Danger

“You do care for him, I knew it! I knew that love was blossoming, the moment I.. Her hand fell to her waist as I stammered incomprehensibly.

“I wouldn’t say.. Spice he stole me away from my home..” I babbled, but she waved a small child’s gown at me dismissively.

“Stranger love tales have been told.” She remarked. I knelt to help her pick up her things, grabbing her hands.

“Spice, where is he? I can’t let him.. I mean, they should know he was going to send me home. Surely, that will help him regain control.” I wasn’t even sure myself what I was going to do. Maybe I had made a mistake, and should just leave after all. But.. how? Spice gasped, clutching a tiny blanket to her chest.

“You’re not planning to leave, are you?” Her lower lip wobbled slightly, and I sat back on my heels, confused.

“Spice, I..”

“He loves you so much!” She wailed and I reached for her desperately, trying to quiet her in case her posse of friends thought I had upset her further.

“He doesn’t even know me, Spice. But that’s not hte point! I won’t let him die on some fool’s errand when the decision’s already been made=” I gripped her spilled gifts desperately, foisting them onto her to distract her.

“I.. but.. My Lady..”

“Spice, where is he?” I interrupted her babbling.

“He rode out to the Outer Edges to meet the enemy head-on. He’s trying to head them off before they can reach the castle. He called up the Hunt. It.. looked like the last time he’d be able to access it, unless things improved. But they are- that's why the uprising is occurring. Things are improving and people are saying.. We don’t .. need.. You…” Spice trailed off as I threw myself to my feet with a growl.

“You don’t need me, Spice! But that’s not the point either! He rode off on the cusp of being completely drained of power to defend me after telling me to go home! That mad fool!” I rammed my fist at the stone wall, ignoring my knuckles as they split and bled. “Not only did he bring me here against my will, but then he had to act like a crazy person half the time, and a complete gentleman the rest. And now he’s rode off to defend my honor needlessly, and I’m going to have to go after him to fix it!” I slammed my fist at the wall again, but this time Spice yelled for me to stop. I began to pace back and forth in front of her, muttering. “I should let him suffer his own downfall for this, but I can’t! The fool is too honorable for me to simply walk away from like that, it would make me feel guilty and I’d never forgive myself, even if it’s his own damn fault if…”

“Which way do I go?” I growled, spinning on her, and she raised a trembling finger to point.

“East. But My Lady, Faery is not like your Realm. You can easily get lost, and..” I had already fallen into my fox form, even as she yelled after me “..he didn’t want you involved!” I scoffed to myself, the sound coming out as a high-pitched chuff. He had no choice now. The i***t should learn never to drag a Shifter into his business, if he didn’t want one involved. Besides maybe I could find Thema and have her open a way home for me. Or show me the path. However that worked.

Blasted Fae.

Blasted Fae King.

I ran faster, a storm chasing at my heels.

The thought occurred to me that I was a fool. Perhaps an even bigger fool than the Fae King.

I was surrounded by mist, and the uncomfortable feeling of being lost was pursuing me. The storm that had followed me, the storm I had conjured with my uncontrolled emotions had clashed with this mist, some time into my run after the Fae King, creating a swirling, impossibly thick, cold, bank of clouds. I slowed down, ears up, nostrils flaring. But it was like the time the Hunt came for me. This mist.. It consumed all. I took several more steps forward, carefully, and nearly impaled myself on a broken branch. I yipped and stumbled backwards. I would swear it was like the thing had lunged out of the mist at me. This was getting dangerous. I considered changing forms, but at least this one had a smaller mass and sharper senses, which hopefully meant less likelihood of running into something. A few more cautious steps forward and something crunched in front of me. I froze. It sounded huge. More than huge. It sounded monstrous. My little fox heart sped up, my instincts screaming at me to RUN. My nose was working overtime, but all I could smell was the damp forest around me, the storm behind me pushing all scents forward ahead of me. Then there was a grumbling noise and I took the chance. No way was I becoming something’s meal out here just because it could smell me before I could smell it. I leapt upwards, letting my form tear itself apart, everything in me compressing almost painfully into an even smaller form. This had been much easier when I was smaller. Now a larger bird might suit my purposes better, but my wings beat quickly, trying to compensate for the mid-air launch. I struggled upward, being cautious of the feel of the airflow around me. I didn’t want to run into a tree. Or whatever beast had discovered the fox-me. Finally, I felt at a safe enough height to proceed forward, and my shimmering turquoise wings zipped me forward. Right into the open maw of some great monstrosity as it reared up, wet teeth flashing, and snatched me straight from the air.