CHAPTER FIVE
Islowly blink my eyes as I’m dragged out of the dregs of sleep. I’m still on top of the blankets of my bed and the tome is open, weighing on my chest. I must have fallen asleep reading… again. It’s dark, and a glance beside me tells me that the lamp has run dry. I must have been out for a few hours at least. I set the book off to the side and sit up in bed to listen for the noise that woke me, but I hear nothing. I look around the room expecting to see something off, but everything looks normal, as it was when I settled into my bed earlier. It’s not until a flash from the window catches my attention that I shift my gaze. There’s a slight glow emanating from outside.
I climb from my bed and walk to the window to get a better look. Little orbs of light—no bigger than the palm of my hand—bob at the edge of the forest, but I can’t see them more clearly than that from here.
Come play with me, they seem to say.
I get the sudden overwhelming urge to go outside and follow the lights. I quickly change out of my nightdress and into the first tunic and leggings I find in my wardrobe, both black as the night. I tie my hair back into a quick braid and slip on my boots. I’m creeping through to the front door on light feet, not a singlesound to alert Fleur. The silence around me seems heavier than usual, as if the little lights are aiding me in sneaking out. My hand hovers over the door handle before I get an impulse to grab a weapon or something to protect myself with. I tiptoe back over to Fleur’s worktable and snag a small dagger she uses to trim flowers and tuck it into my boot.
Just in case, I tell myself.
Dressed and armed, I make my way back to the front door, slipping out into the cool evening.
I really shouldn’t be outside right now.Especiallyon Samhain if the stories are to be believed. But I’m curious. What are those lights? Is it a lantern? Maybe it’s Tom coming back and trying to get me to sneak out?Unlikely. All I know is that Ineedto follow the lights. It’s an urge from deep in my bones.
After a few paces, I reach where I thought I had seen the lights, but there’s nothing here now.Am I going crazy?I do a quick turn and see them further into the forest now. I pick up my speed, chasing after them as they move through the forest. Branches from the trees scratch at my arms and face as I run like they’re reaching out to hold me back. The further I go, the more fog rolls in, shrouding everything from view. They don’t stop until they reach a clearing.
There’s a small pool of water, shimmering under the moonlight as the slight breeze disrupts the surface. I edge closer to the orbs and they suddenly throw themselves into the pool. I drop to my knees beside the pool and peer over the edge, looking into the water, looking for a sign of the lights but there’s nothing there but darkness and the reflection of the moon. The smallest of glows twinkle at me and I lean a bit closer before my hand slips on the bank and I tumble, plunging into the freezing water.
I twist looking for the light of the surface, but I feel like I’m being pulled further under by some force. I kick myself free and swim back towards where I think I’ve determined the surface is.
I gasp, pulling in deep breaths of air once my head breaks the surface of the water. I pull myself out onto the bank and reach to push the wet hair from my face but find that it’s… dry? I look down at my clothes to see that they are also completely dry. Well, that’s… strange.
I did fall in, right?
I push up off the ground and climb to my feet. Spinning in a circle, I take in my surroundings for the first time.
The grass is greener than it was before, the leaves on the trees more vibrant, the stars brighter. Everything here looks like a more saturated version of the forest. Although now that I take in more of the details, this is definitelynotthe same forest.
Oh no.
My stomach turns over with dread. I anxiously twirl with the ring on my finger.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I was in…Faerie.But no. That can’t be possible. It’s notreal. I’ve been through that forest all my life and there’s never been a portal to Faerie before. I must still be dreaming. Or I’ve gone completely mad.
I pinch my arm and gasp at the sting of pain.Okay, so not dreaming then.
But the veil is thinnest today, a voice whispers in the back of my mind.
And it’s then that I realize I’m pretty sure I’ve well and truly fucked up.
I look around, trying to take in my surroundings in more detail at this point. I’m having some fucked up version of deja vu right now.
I stoop back down to the pool and stick my arm in, hoping maybe I can get back home the way I came, but nothing happens. I pull it out, and the lower half of my arm that I submerged into the pool comes out soaking wet.
Well, I guess it would’ve been too easy that way, huh?
I look at my reflection in the pool, seeing the frazzled appearance of my braid. I use that to my advantage, pulling loose pieces around my face to hide my features, including my ears. The one stand out from all my reading on the Fae, it’s that they all have pointed ears. And if thisisFaerie? Yeah, probably a good idea to hide the one feature that would get me immediately called out for being human. I straighten back up, dusting the dirt from my leggings and take a long, slow look around trying to decide the best direction to go.
It’s clear I’m in a glade of some sort in the middle of a forest. The clearing is wide open grass with wildflowers dotted around bringing pops of yellows and pinks to the otherwise overwhelming green of the landscape. The trees tower over the space, creating a ceiling of leaves that block all but some stray silvery rays of moonlight that peek in through the gaps. I can see the stars twinkling brightly overhead. They feel so close here.
I spin taking in the paths that branch off from the clearing, leading away…somewhere. They’re all so dark that I can’t see more than a few feet in. It feels almost ominous. There’s one exception to the darkened paths, which is one where a bit more light pierces through the canopy. The fact that this one is better lit than the others puts me at ease. It seems to be my best bet at attempting to not get any more lost than I already am. Decision made, I head off towards that one. As I draw near, I can see some thick tree trunks and rocks jutting out at odd angles, making for a slightly treacherous path, but if it stays this well-lit, it shouldn’t be a problem.
At least I decided to wear my boots and not the canvas slippers.
Just as I’m about to step from the clearing onto the path, I hear voices floating my way on a breeze from one of the darkened paths on the opposite side. I probably shouldn’t head towards what I’m positive is a gathering of Fae, but there’ssome instinct deep inside that urges me away from my current path and towards them. Like maybe that’s the way that would actually get me home. I debate ignoring it, but that instinct is so insistent, like there’s a string threaded through me, tugging at my gut until I listen.
I’ll likely regret this decision later, but I take a step towards the voices and that tugging begins to subside, like slack in the rope. Hopefully this is leading me towards a working portal back.
