Mistfall(Book One of the Mistfall Series)

16. Bargains, Baubles, and Bread





I’ve never been in a Fae village before and didn’t know what to expect. Willa had told me tall tales about them to entertain me as a child. Being as isolated from the Otherworld as I was until five years ago, it was all I had to go on.

Fae powers were varied among their population. Collectively, they were a force to be reckoned with, due to the wide magical diversity amongst the individual Fae.

There were elemental Fae who specialized in one of the four basic elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Seasonal Fae had nature magic based on the time of year they were born. There were also Fae who could talk to and control the animals. These three types were just a small percentage in the Fae range of magic. With all their power, I could wildly imagine what their village would look like.

We made it to the gates of the village when Phineas stopped us to await his return. I wasn’t going to be allowed to set one jinn foot inside without a guard. We didn’t wait long and Phineas arrived a few minutes later with what had to be the least intimidating person I had ever seen.

My escort was shorter than me and built like a twig. I didn’t understand how he was supposed to keep me in line when it appeared the only fear he could instill would be to door mice.


“Magdalene, this is Rory. Rory, Magdalene,” Phineas introduced us. “He will be your guard and escort while in the village.”

I stuck out my hand. “Nice to meet you,” I told him.

“A pleasure Magdalene,” he said bowing to kiss my hand.

I gave him an odd look over his greeting but shrugged it off to Fae hospitality. The Fae tended to be polite to a fault.

“Mags will be just fine,” I informed him.

“As you wish,” he acquiesced.

Pleasantries dispensed, we entered the Fae village. Willa’s exaggerations were nowhere close to correct. This place was unlike anything I’d ever seen or heard of before.

Roses, in every color, the size of dinner plates, bordered the interior fence line. I suspected the two inch thorns were the reason they surrounded the fence. Anyone who made it over the fence was sure to get a big surprise in the form of multiple holes in their body. The rose fragrance perfumed the morning air. Rory informed me that the summer Fae, who attended the roses, grew them large to provide enough material for potions and medicines.

Bees, ranging in size from normal to that of a Chihuahua were being herded from one section of plants to another. The dog sized bees made me wish for a can of Raid. My skin crawled at the size of them.

The Fae homes, shops, and other buildings were built in the Tudor style. Rory told us that the Fae change the style of their buildings every five years. He gave us an amusing anecdote on the reason the village leader no longer chooses the design. Long ago, a particularly eccentric village leader decided on tents and not the pretty Bedouin ones. After working and living the better part of the year in pup tents, the Fae chose to collectively vote for the changes.

The Fae, contrary to popular human belief, are wingless. They did like to adorn themselves with as many bright and shiny baubles as they could. This tended to give them an ethereal glow. Throw in their magic and fairy dust and it’s no wonder the humans seem to think they’ve seen them fly.

Phineas and Rory lead us to a local inn, named The Dragon’s Head Inn. There we were set up with rooms for the night. Phineas left us to explore the village on our own until the wedding festivities began.

Rory became our defacto tour guide. First order of business being breakfast, he led us to the pub below the inn to eat.

“This is the best place in the village, outside of a home cooked meal, to eat,” he informed us as we sat down in a booth. John, expecting to sit next to me, was a little put off when Rory took his place by my side. Rory may look as useless as a poodle for a guard dog, but he did take his job seriously. John said nothing, but took a seat next to Melissa. I’m guessing he wanted to go home more than pick on a Fae.

The Fae were vegetarians and although I enjoy bacon on my breakfast plate, my hunger was thoroughly sated nonetheless. We had oatmeal with nuts and berries, lavender cakes, and baked apples drizzled with honey and topped with cinnamon that made you feel as if fall were just around the corner. I had no plans to give up meat, but I would gladly supplant a breakfast or two with this delicious fare.

After our meal, we strolled through the village square. Vendors, peddling their wares, had set up tables and booths in the middle of the road. Flowers of every hue, every bauble you could imagine, the best produce, and Fae-made crafts were featured amongst the merchants.

One table had caught Melissa’s attention. Assorted hair decorations, brooches, and jewelry were displayed. The merchant’s ever watchful eye had picked up on an item Melissa showed interest in. She picked up a hair comb encrusted with sapphires for Melissa to take a closer look at. The merchant told her that it would intensify the blue of her eyes. When the woman asked her if she wanted to buy it, Melissa’s face fell.

“I love it, I really do, but I’m afraid I have no money,” Melissa confessed to the merchant woman.

“Money?” the woman asked. “What would I do with money?”

“I don’t understand,” Melissa replied.

“Ah, you’ve never shopped in a Fae market before,” the woman deduced. “We barter and trade here. Tell me, what can you offer me for this lovely decoration?”

Melissa’s eyes lit up at the possibility of owning the silver and sapphire piece. “Hmm,” she pondered, trying to think of something she could offer but came up blank. “Is there anything you would like,” she asked the merchant.

The woman became excited at being given the option to name her own price for a change. “I’m afraid I may be asking too much, but I’d like to have a watch,” the woman requested carefully. She watched Melissa’s face for signs she had gone too far in her request.

Melissa looked stupefied by the request. “A watch? That’s all you want?”

The merchant woman looked relieved that her price hadn’t been too high and amused by Melissa’s ineptitude in the Fae trade system. “Our magic doesn’t extend to technology,” the woman informed her.

“Done!” Melissa replied excitedly. She shook the woman’s hand and turned to me. “Can you help me with this one?” she asked me, hope projecting from her face.

I was sure any old watch would do, but I put in a little extra effort since Melissa was getting the hair comb for a steal. At least she was in my opinion. The trade concluded, the merchant offered to place the comb in Melissa’s hair.

The merchant woman wasn’t lying when she said it would intensify the blue of her eyes. Melissa’s eyes glowed, like all of ours do when we’re emotionally heightened. Instead of neon blue though, quicksilver swam and flashed among the sapphire pools of her eyes.

John, who had been quietly chatting with Rory during the whole exchange, sucked in his breath at the sight of her. “Holy Hades that’s weird,” he blurted. “Cool, but weird all the same.”

I elbowed him in the ribs before he put his foot in his mouth any further. “Don’t listen to him. You look fantastic,” I reassured her.

Suddenly I found that I wasn’t the sole focus of Rory’s attention, to John’s relief. He stared at her, mesmerized by the vision her. If Rory’s jaw dropped any further he would be eating a mouthful of dust from the road.

We left the table and moved on. John and I walked ahead, at Rory’s insistence. He claimed it was so that he could keep an eye on me. I knew he just wanted to chat up Melissa without looking like he was shirking his duty.

“I was starting to think I had some competition there,” John joked.

“Yeah, you know me. Short, skinny, defenseless,” I cleared my throat and pointed to his feet, “and well heeled really turns me on,” I retorted as I rolled my eyes.

John grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “Now that’s not true,” he claimed. “And yes, I do know you. Better than you think.” He lowered his voice and looked up at me through those thick lashes of his and winked. “So, I do know how to turn you on and get you all hot and bothered.”

I raised an eyebrow at his sudden jolt of cockiness. Or was it assertiveness? “Oh you think so?” I challenged him.

“Sure do. Matter of fact, after the wedding celebrations are over, I’m going to show you exactly what I mean. I don’t plan to stop until your legs turn to jello either,” he replied with all the confidence in the world.

Ho-ly crap! Did he just threaten me with body numbing pleasure? My inner sex kitten broke out her pom-poms and screamed a resounding “Yes!!!” as she did cartwheels and jumped up and down.


“You promise?” I asked without skipping a beat. I couldn’t let him know that he had me mildly shaken by being so take charge. It was something I wasn’t used to, always being the one in control.

“Oh without a doubt Violet,” he replied with an ear to ear grin. “You can hold me to that.”

I couldn’t think of anything else to say. What else can you say to a man that has told you of all the pleasures you’d find in his bed later that night?

Melissa saved me by interrupting our conversation. “What are you two talking about that’s so entertaining?” she asked.

I silently giggled. If she knew what had just transpired she’d want all the juicy details. Best friend or not, I didn’t want to have that talk again with her. Besides, I was feeling a little possessive of the intimate details and didn’t want to share.

“Violet was just wondering what there was to do around here after the wedding festivities were over,” John replied with a devilish gleam in his eye.

Melissa’s face brightened at what she thought was the idea of an after party. “Cool. What did you have in mind?”

I turned to face forward as my face grew pinker than her dress. John wasn’t oblivious to me and growled softly into my ear, making it harder and harder to both keep my composure and not rip his clothes off right here and ride him like a cowgirl. Yeah, my libido was sure giving me a run for my money today.

“I take it you’ve never been to a Fae wedding before,” Rory commented, oblivious to what John had meant.

I was rather appreciative for the intrusion as it gave me the time to get my head out of the gutter. “I can’t say that I have,” I admitted.

Rory gave us a primer on Fae weddings. “When we celebrate the joining of two lives, it goes on for three days,” he began. “The first day represents a farewell to their individual pasts. The second is a symbol of the union   of their two lives. The third is representative of their future together.”

“That’s a beautiful concept,” Melissa gushed, batting her eyes at Rory.

I was taken aback. Melissa usually went for the well-built, beast type of guys. Rory, well he looked like a bunny rabbit would send him running. I guess everyone needs a little loving though.

We still had a couple of hours to go before Hailz’s wedding. Rory took us to see a play to kill some time. It was a ‘Midsummer’s Night Dream.’ The play was done in the original Fae version. All I can say is that Shakespeare was a hack. His was watered down and didn’t do the story an ounce of justice.

It was after a light lunch that the three of us realized we had no wedding gifts. Rory took us past the street vendors we had visited earlier. He led us down a road that housed stores and boutiques.

“The goods you can buy from the markets are good for everyday, but for something special you come here,” Rory instructed us, pointing to the different shopping options at our disposal.

The short reprieve I had was quickly gone as Rory was once again at my side when we split up to look for gifts.

“Wouldn’t you rather go with Melissa?” I asked, hoping to get the monkey off my back a little longer. “I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at her today.”

He gave me a look that said “mind your own business.” “My duty is to guard you and the god’s weapon,” he stated formally, leaving me no room to wiggle.

He was on duty. The rest of us were here on a holiday, for all intents and purposes.

“That sucks. I’m sorry you have to babysit me instead of enjoying the celebration,” I consoled him walking into a weapons shop. Yup, just the place to find Hailz that something special.

Rory shook his head at me in disbelief. “You don’t understand. To be the bodyguard for Hofuo and the sword bearer is an honor, not a job.”

“Oh,” I replied in surprise. “Well…um…thank you, I think.”

I picked up a mace to inspect it.

“You’re welcome, he said.

I let the ball of the mace hang in mid-air as I examined how well it handled. “Rory? May I ask you a question without you getting offended?” I asked.

“I suppose,” he replied carefully.

“How do I put this?” I began. Swinging the mace in the middle of the shop, I tried to figure out how to word what I wanted to say without sounding like a jerk. “Hypothetically, if we were attacked or outnumbered, how do you suppose we would fight?” Despite my effort I still put my foot in my mouth.

Potential for blood and gore or not, it wasn’t the right gift for Hailz. I put the mace back in the rack I found it in, avoiding eye contact with Rory.

“Ah, I see. You don’t think I’m much of a fighter,” he accused, though not unkindly.

“It’s not that…I don’t…” I tried to explain without further digging myself into a hole, but that wasn’t going to happen. I gave up and went with honesty. “Oh hell. Yes, that’s exactly what I think.”

Rory leaned in towards me and gave me a conspiratorial wink. “Things are not always what they seem,” he said taking a few steps back. Rory began to grow and in seconds he towered over me and was built like a tank. He looked like a steroidal version of himself. He was easily eight feet tall and his muscles had muscles. My worry about his usefulness was quickly put to rest.

“Does this satisfy your curiosity?” he asked in a growl.

I nodded in response as he shrunk back down to regular size and shape.

“Impressive,” I admitted.

“The Fae will not harm you,” he explained. “Outsiders, on the other hand, may do so if they recognize Hofuo. My strength is underestimated in this form, thus giving me the upper hand if the unfortunate was to happen. Though, it is rare for fighting to occur here.”

I perused a shelf of clockwork insects that had poison in their stingers. I didn’t want to say anything else in fear I might dig the hole so deep I could never get out of it.

“Your question did not offend me,” Rory added as an afterthought.

I sighed in relief. It doesn’t do any good to tick off an ally.

“Have you found anything?” Rory asked, changing the subject.

Though the deadly insects were interesting, nothing here screamed Hailz to me. “No, I haven’t,” I confessed. “Hailz is impossible to shop for.”

“Perhaps we should try somewhere else,” he suggested.

The search in the next three shops was fruitless as well. If I wasn’t dependent on the Fae hospitality, I probably would give her a gag gift. Snake skin boots came to mind.

John was already waiting at the bakery we had agreed to meet up at. Melissa had not yet returned. The smell of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, making me salivate.

“I bought a loaf to take with us tomorrow,” John told me.

I smiled upon seeing him. “You read my mind.”

Rory was distracted, peering through the loaves of bread in the window looking for Melissa. I took the opportunity to steal a kiss from John.

“What was that for?” he asked though not disappointed.

“I just couldn’t keep my hands off you,” I replied in a southern drawl while batting my eyelashes at him playfully.

Rory had turned his attention away from the window, making his way back to our table.

“Just you wait until I get you alone,” John growled low enough so not to be heard. The butterflies began a new dance in my stomach at the sound of his voice.


“So what did you buy the happy couple?” John asked, changing the subject since Rory had joined us.

I shook my head in disappointment. “I couldn’t find anything. Nothing screamed out psychotic killer,” I lamented.

John smiled. “Luckily you can magic up something last minute. Don’t worry, it’ll come to you.”

It took the few seconds his words travelled from his lips to my ears for it to dawn on me that I already had the perfect gift for Hailz. I couldn’t wait to give it to her!

Melissa turned up, to Rory’s delight, a short time later. She had found a parrot flower plant. Those were rare, even amongst Otherworlders. Shaped like a parrot, it had a crimson head, white body, and light purple tail with crimson streaks. Its beak was attached to the stem. It looked as if it would fly away any minute. With a touch of Fae magic, they can be enchanted to flit around.

All present and accounted for, our group of four made its way deep into the village forests. It was time for a wedding.