“Ye have been bestowed a great honor to be partly one of us,” Annwynn said.
There was that word again – partly. A line was drawn between their world and the human world. She was relegated to some in-between realm, not fully belonging to either. For the first time, she truly understood Kheelan’s dilemma. Except he had it worse, he was trapped by the Fae and granted no wings, none of its magic. Even worse, they despised him for being all-human.
Skye crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Flying had its moments, but if you don’t mind, I’d rather go back to being my old self.”
Annwynn and the pixies stilled with the completeness of a preying cat about to stalk its victim. The fairy’s face stayed perfectly schooled in calmness. Only the slightest tightening of the lips revealed displeasure.
“There is no going back, Skye. Ye are half-fae by birth.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. My mother’s a witch, not a fairy.”
Annwynn said nothing, but continued watching Skye, allowing her to figure it out.
“You mean –?” No, no way Dad was one of them. Her Dad a fairy? Skye burst out laughing. Although the fairies continued with the silent treatment, their icy disapproval emanated through the room. It made her laugh harder, until she noticed the sound had a hysterical tinge. Skye clenched her jaw shut, stopping abruptly.
“If ye are quite done,” Annwynn said in mild reproof.
Skye nodded. Best to hear them out.
“I’m not talking about that human, Jack Watters. Yer real father is one of us.”
“It can’t be.” Even as she whispered it, Skye felt its truth. No wonder the man she believed her father was so distant. He knew she wasn’t his daughter.
Annwynn smiled, as if reading Skye’s thoughts.
She glared at Annwynn and tried to put up a protection shield around her body. She might not have her mother’s talent, but shields were kindergarten-level spells. Focusing, Skye closed her eyes and imagined a pure white light encasing her body, one that only let good energy enter. She whispered the familiar words:
“Elemental powers I now command
No evil may here encircle or land.
All harm from my presence flee.
As I will, so mote it be.”
She opened her eyes, fully expecting to see the ghostly white aura shield. Instead, a rainbow of colors swirled. “What’s going on here? I don’t appreciate you messing with my mind.”
“I knew it.” Annwynn said, twittering her wings.
The pixies glowed even brighter, their wings flapping furiously. It was as bright and hot
as a dang tanning booth inside the apartment.
“Ye are truly The One who will keep the Unseelie Court Fae from eventually shifting the balance of power in their favor.”
“You’re all getting a little carried away here.” Skye shook her head, unsure how to deal with delusional fairies. “When I agreed to help Kheelan, I thought it meant casting a few spells to find who had been murdering the pixies at the shop, or giving him information on the employees. This is getting out of hand.”
“Skye.” Annwynn’s smile was mesmerizing, her voice caressing and musical. “We are the ones who led Kheelan to ye. Whether or not ye agreed to help, ye have no choice in accepting your destiny. Like it or not, our destinies are tied together. Ye were born half-fae, and not just any halfling at that. Our great prophetess, Nostriamela —” Annwynn and her pixie entourage briefly closed their eyes and bowed their heads in respect. “– foresaw thousands of years ago that ye would be able to activate the celestial crystal that will protect us from the Unseelie Fae.”
“What happens if I refuse?” It was all well and good to be against the bad guys, but she didn’t sign up for this total disruption of her life. “Sounds dangerous.”
“We will protect ye,” Annwynn hastened to reassure. “Samhain is almost upon us and the Dark Fae are suspicious. They’ve already attacked ye once. The Seelie Court fairies have been guarding ye as best we can, but it is growing more difficult.”
Skye shuddered, remembering the elf attacks and the malignant, glowing eyes that now followed her in the night. She rubbed her throbbing temples. Too much had happened, too fast. It’s only for a couple of more days. She clung to that hope.
“After Samhain, this is over, right?”
“As ye wish.”
Annwynn’s promise came a beat too quick and Skye remembered Kheelan’s warning not to trust any fairy. Her back stiffened and the fairy wings stirred, protesting against the bindings.
Skye pointed to her back. “What about these things?”
“After Samhain, they will go away.”
“I want them to go away now. Flying can be fun, but I can’t be seen in public like this. I have a life you know.”