Page 51 of The Chosen Fae

"Well, are we ready to—" Stone abruptly quit talking.

Rune figured he had forgotten that Lizzie wasn't a fae seer, and he was going to say he was ready to free the fae from the other fae seers.

"Uhm," Tasha said, "can we get together after dinner and do our science project then, Lizzie?"

"Uh, I…I guess." Lizzie looked at the fae as if she knew they were the reason Tasha had to put off the work.

"Thanks! Rune's friend needs our assistance, and then after dinner, we'll do this."

"Do you need my help too?" Lizzie asked.

"I think we can manage," Rune said. "But if we need your aid, I'm sure Tasha can call you."

"Thanks for telling me the truth about Vesper," Lizzie said.

"You're welcome," Rune said. “I just can’t believe he was doing that to me.”

"And thanks to you, also," Lizzie said to Lolita. "Okay, I'll come back in a while. Good luck with helping your friend."

"Thanks," Stone said.

Then Lizzie grabbed up her backpack and said she'd see Tasha later. She left.

The fae and Tasha breathed a sigh of relief. But now the real danger was ahead of them.

15

Once Lizzie left Tasha’s house, Stone was ready to go on their next mission. "Okay, now we can rescue whoever the fae seers captured."

They got into Tasha's car. "I'll leave you all off a block from the house. It's 910 Pinebrook."

"Where would they have the fae manacled?" Stone asked.

"In the basement. His parents rarely go down there," Tasha said.

"They're not fae seers."

"No."

Then they arrived at the location where Tasha would drop them off. Stone wondered if Lolita should stay in the car and just hide.

Before he could recommend it, she was out of the car with Rune. He was afraid Lolita would get caught, and they would end up having to rescue her too.

He didn't want Tasha involved. He didn't know what the fae seers might do to her if they discovered she was helping them rescue a fae.

"I'll unlock the basement window, if I can," Tasha said.

"Okay," Stone said. "Thanks for helping us." Though it was all Rune's doing, as she had befriended Tasha.

Tasha drove off down the street and parked in the driveway of the person who had confined the fae.

When they arrived at the house, Stone found the basement window and peered in. Though he was invisible, fae seers could see the fae. But anyone else—neighbors, the parents—wouldn't be able to witness them. The basement window was dirty, but he could still make out some things below. Boxes, cans, rubber tubs were stacked against walls. A pegboard on the wall hung with iron tools—pliers, wrenches, a hacksaw—each one deliberately within sight of the captive.

The rubber tubs of Christmas decorations made makeshift walls to hide the fae from view should anyone happen to come down the stairs.

Fang was sitting on the bare floor, manacled to the wall. The manacles were heavy and unyielding, chains as thick as tree roots that bound him to the mortal world.

He wasn't even afforded a blanket or a mattress.