by Leah Price
"Flutter. I'm not used to having a sprite hanging around me all the time. You have to understand that," Glenna said. She felt Flutter land on her shoulder, and she quickened her pace as the bridge came into sight.
"How's Atterberry? Did it work? Is he alright?" Glenna asked.
"Why don't you see for yourself?" Flutter replied.
"Just tell me," Glenna insisted, but the sprite was grinning. She could tell by the happy tone in Flutter's voice that Atterberry was not in danger of fading any longer.
"Let's go!" Flutter shouted as she zoomed off Glenna's shoulder to lead the way. She weaved through the air, flying in and out of the wooden vines creeping over the bridge and around posts.
Laughing, Glenna broke into a run as she followed her. She could see a faint trail of light as Flutter sped up and disappeared, out of sight. Glenna pumped her legs, the cool grass brushing against her ankles as she rounded a corner and almost went off the trail.
A musical twinkling, starting softly and then growing, seemed to fill the forest air and the leaves of the trees danced. In the distance, Glenna could just see the tiny, twinkling blue lights she had spied on her way to Atterberry's house. It seemed to her suddenly as if the whole world were filled with magic.
Flutter twirled lightly in the air to the growing music. "Come on!"
The two of them climbed the hill. Glenna peeked through the shading branches at the path.
It was empty, but the music was even louder.
"The pavilion. That's where everyone is," Flutter explained.
The sound of tambourines, woodwind pipes, and string instruments filled the clearing. Several people danced around a long pole, weaving colorful fabric around it. A man blowing fire almost singed Glenna as she passed. He looks exactly like Hank, Glenna thought before he disappeared from sight among the many revelers. The odor of spicy pies and wood-smoked meat mixed with perfumes to scent the air. Everywhere she looked, she found smiling and laughing faces.
The people began to applaud as Glenna approached. The fairies sprinkled petals from above, though their expressions remained carefully aloof and uninterested. It was almost as if they were simply performing a task and not participating at all.
But as the music picked up, they climbed to their feet, as stealthy and graceful as panthers. They began to dance along the tree limbs, filling the branches with their lithe movements as they moved slowly around the glen before climbing down to join the others, smiles on their faces. It appears fairies can't resist parties, Glenna thought.
But despite all the interesting things there were to see, Glenna's thoughts were filled with one person. She wanted to see Atterberry. She searched the crowd, standing on her tiptoes, but he was nowhere to be found.
Until-
An explosion like a crack of thunder ripped through the clearing. Scores of paper tendrils rippled in the air as they fell to earth and flowers and glittering stones rained from above. Glenna noticed a cloud of pink and green smoke above the pavilion. Through the smoke, a single star shone brightly, joined quickly by others. The stars on Atterberry's cloak, Glenna realized. Bit by bit, she was able to make out more. His hair appeared, followed by the rest of his form.
Atterberry pirouetted, sending the last of the haze to drift among the clouds. Looking over the crowd, he cupped his hands. A single flame appeared in them. He waited as it grew larger and larger, and then he blew on it. It shot through the air like a comet in the darkening sky.
Peals of laughter and applause rang out. The people and creatures raised their hands in exultation as the flame exploded suddenly above them. Another jumble of flowers, jewels, and confetti rained down. Glenna looked up, giggling, as Atterberry danced a jig on the roof. He lifted his thin legs into the air in excited kicks before spinning in a circle once more.
"He looks well," Glenna said, shouting to be heard above the festivities.
"That's because he is," Flutter said. "You saved him."
Glenna glowed with pride. She accepted the goblet of sparkling honey water offered to her by a centaur. As she stared into the swirling depths, a pang of sadness came over her. She was going to miss this magical world and all that it held. She had barely had time to explore. It's over too soon, she thought.
"I'll be sad to leave," she said as she sipped her drink. It seemed to explode upon her tongue as she tasted it. It was as if every flower that had gone into making the honey was battling to the front.
"But you'll come back," Flutter said. She was sitting on the edge of a similar goblet that had been left perched on a tree limb, dipping her toes in the water. It was unsteady, rocking gently as she kicked.
"I can?" Glenna asked. A wide smile broke across her face. She had thought once she saved Atterberry, the magic would be over.
"Of course. There are so many things we'll need your help with. And you'll have to study and learn at Traveler's Rest. And you've barely seen anything!" Flutter said.
"Study what?"
"Oh, everything! It's only going to get harder from here. And more dangerous," Flutter said. Her voice was matter-of-fact, but she changed her tune as she saw the look in Glenna's eyes.
"But you can't be scared or worried. You just have to come back. You're supposed to. We need you. It's your job."
It was hard for Glenna to see the sprite in the growing gloom. Here and there, torches were lit and bonfires started in the small glen. Figures twirled and danced under the twinkling sky in the flickering light. Even the stars seemed to join in.
My family needs me, Glenna thought. What if something happened to me? This isn't my world. The real world is my home.
Glenna felt the sprite land on her shoulder, her tiny feet leaving wet footprints of honey water on her dress as she marched back and forth. Her voice was soft as she spoke in Glenna's ear. "Promise you'll always come back," Flutter said. "We might fade without you."
The thought of the magical world ceasing to be filled Glenna with a longing and sadness that surprised her. She didn't want to think of such a magical place disappearing. And a little bit of her still wondered if maybe her world was both worlds. Maybe everyone needed a little magic, a little imagination in their life.
Glenna hesitated before nodding. "I will. I won't let you fade."
Glenna felt the sprite's cool arms against her cheek as Flutter hugged her. She kissed her on the cheek, just in front of her ear.
"Oh, sorry!" Flutter exclaimed as she flitted away, embarrassed.
"Why?" Glenna asked.
"Well, I just kissed your cheek and... well, when a sprite kisses a human, it leaves a mark."
"What kind of a mark?" Glenna asked, her hand flying to her face in horror.
"I think in your world, you call them freckles. But it really means a sprite has kissed you and left a little bit of magic behind."
Lowering her hand, Glenna said, "I guess that's not so bad. But does that mean that everyone who has freckles has been here before...?" Glenna didn't get to finish as the sprite flickered away, her wings flashing.
She reappeared almost as quickly, waving her hand in a dismissive fashion as she hovered above the glass. "You'll learn about that stuff later. Tonight is for fun. This is Flick."
Another sprite was hovering in the air in front of Glenna. His auburn hair reminded her of the color of a leaf in the fall, but she couldn't see him clearly in the dim light.
"You're not very big," he said.
"No, I'm not," Glenna agreed. You're not either, she thought.
He tilted his head to the side as he studied her, trying to decide what to make of her. Flutter dipped her toes in the goblet once more as she seated herself.
"But...," he started to add. Glenna, seeing the cup rock unsteadily, reached out to save it and overcompensated. The tips of her fingers just brushed it, the metal cool and smooth. She watched in horror as she knocked the cup off the ledge. For an instant, she saw Flutter's wide-eyed stare illuminated in the firelight as she fell backwards.
To Glenna's rel
ief, it landed upside down on a twisted wood table on the other side of the tree. But that relief was short lived as she glanced around, desperately looking for Flutter. She was nowhere in sight. The cup rocked back and forth as it settled on the table's surface.
Glenna paused in dismay as she realized where Flutter was. The cup hadn't been rocking back and forth as it settled. It was rocking as Flutter was trying to fight her way out. Glenna reached tentatively for it.
As she lifted the goblet into the air, first the feet, then the legs, followed by the clenched fists of a very angry, very wet Flutter, appeared. She took a deep breath before blowing away a cloud of liquid from her face. It streamed off her hair and puddled around her feet.
"Why do you keep doing that?" Flutter asked.
Flick rolled in the air, laughing delightedly as he pointed at his soaked friend. A crowd of sprites gathered and began to do the same. Glenna felt very bad about embarrassing her friend.
"I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft.
It seemed several minutes to Glenna, but was only a few seconds before Flutter smiled. "It's alright. I guess I better get used to it." She wrung out the edge of her skirt and a stream of liquid splashed onto the table, sending her fellow sprites into even more hysterical laughter.
"As I was saying, I sense a lot of magic around you," Flick said when he finally caught his breath. "Magic and adventure. I think I was right."
Glenna surveyed the festivities once more and smiled as she offered her hand to Flutter. The sprite climbed aboard and addressed her friends, shaking her wet hair and sending a wave of sparkling honey water splashing through the night. "Flick, I think maybe you were."
She settled down on Glenna's shoulder as the girl watched the crowd. To her right, two centaurs cavorted, their hooves clapping loudly on the ground. The knights gathered in a circle, loudly eating piles of turkey legs, bread, and cakes. The fairies lurked in the trees, their eyes reflecting the light of the festivities as they waited for the music to resume.
The sprite had promised Glenna that she had a job and purpose here. A giddy feeling of excitement filled her as she realized she couldn't wait to begin. She could barely wait for morning and the next adventure. With Flutter and Atterberry at her side, she couldn't imagine she would ever be in any real danger.
"It's so wonderful," Glenna breathed, barely daring to voice her thoughts. "I can hardly believe it's all real."
She felt the sprite snuggle against her neck, seeking warmth in the chilly night air now that she was drenched. Magic and mystery filled the cove and Glenna with a sense of wonder.
The music changed tempo and dancers joined hands, sweeping in and out of the trees, laughing as they formed a line.
"Believe me," Flutter said. Her voice was sleepy. "You haven't seen anything yet."
Glenna smiled. "That's what I was counting on."
A passing fairy at the end of the line reached for Glenna, her face alight with magic and happiness. Her hand stretched towards Glenna's, thin and pale.
Glenna took it and was swept off into the night and the dancing and the stars.
Thank you for reading the first book in The Faire Pendant Series. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to leave a review with your favorite retailer. While you're at it, don't hesitate to connect with me. I love hearing from my readers!
Thank you,
Leah Price
Here's a sneak peak of the continuing adventures of Glenna and her friends in book two of The Faire Pendant Series!
The Ballad of Captain Thatch
A smile broke across Glenna's face as she jumped in delight. She had a made it back. She was in Otherworld. But something was different. A thick cloud of smoke rose into the air in the distance above the tree line. Faint echoes of cheering and the clanking of different items traveled slowly through the trees. Glenna furrowed her brows in concentration.
There must be a festival here, too, she thought. Her mind traveled back to the week before and the joyous welcoming feast she had received during her first trip to Otherworld. She hurried forward, anxious to find Flutter. She hoped fervently that Atterberry would already be in Otherworld, even though she hadn't yet seen him at the faire.
The pounding noise of her feet against the wooden planks seemed loud to Glenna's ears. Stepping off the bridge and onto the dusty path, Glenna's hair whipped into a sudden frenzy. Thunder boomed overhead.
The trees bent and shook as the storm broke. Slowly, dark dents appeared in the dust as the coming rain sent droplets before it as if checking the ground for its much needed moisture. The droplets speckled the ground here and there, landing with large wet thumps. Glenna paused. What is going on here? she thought. The noises she had heard earlier were even more distant, as though they had been muffled by the storm. As she waited, the noise grew.
Glenna felt a sudden wariness come over her. A strong feeling of imminent danger was thick in the air. She ran quickly to the edge of the path, ducking behind a large bush. Lifting her eyes to the sky, she watched as lightning streaked through the air above her, cutting swiftly through the dark clouds.
Something is wrong here, she thought. Where is Flutter? She knew the sprite couldn't wait for her by the bridge every second of the day, but it seemed strange to be alone in this world without her.
Glenna edged down the path, following it to the spot where it began its upward climb to the faire grounds. Surprised, Glenna straightened suddenly, staring at what lay before her.
A second path, well-worn in the rocky soil, now began next to the old one. It ran downhill and quickly became rocky and bare. The wind buffeted the edge of the steep drop-off as sheets of rain fell in the distance.
It must go to the pond, Glenna thought as she struggled to remember the layout of the land. The descending twilight, courtesy of the storm, was making it difficult to see.
* * *
Glenna turned in alarm as the noise increased. She stumbled, running up the trail as the storm gathered fury overhead. Her tall boots slipped against the muddy path and wet rocks as rivulets of water ran down the steep incline. Though the thick foliage overhead shielded Glenna from the worst of the rain, it still cascaded down upon her. Dripping from thin green leaves, each buffet of wind sent a fresh onslaught of cold water from above.
The path became so treacherous Glenna was forced to slow down, grasping at limbs and branches as she climbed. The noises grew louder before her and a sudden thought came to Glenna. I should get off this path, the voice in her head warned her. Glenna hesitated for only a moment before following her instincts. The same voice in her head warned her not to venture too far off. I must be able to find my way back. I have to keep the path in sight.
It was even more difficult making her way through the underbrush. The wet, tangly vines and bushes seemed to twist around her limbs, causing her to fall on more than one occasion. Her hands and face were soon covered with mud and wet grass and her outfit was smeared with grime. But the cries became louder, and soon Glenna found herself crouched behind a thick clump of trees and brush, unable to believe the scene before her.
The glen was overrun with pirates. Two men, both skinny and with a look of meanness about them, pounded on a door with their swords. At another cabin, a large, brawny pirate with thick dark hair raised a torch to the thatch roof. Glenna stared in horror as it began to smoke.
"Too wet to burn," the brawny pirate called to his companions, his voice deep. He laughed heartily.
"It'll burn, Bolthor," the thinnest man said. A dirty rag was wrapped around his forehead, holding his lank hair out of his eyes. "Eventually. It can't rain forever." He grinned.
The rest of the pirates joined him in laughter.
A trio of men stumbled out of another shelter, bags of goods slung over their shoulders. One carried a chair slung over his back, his free hand dragging a heavy sack.
"This isn't even the best of it," Bolthor called out.
The thin man hissed, spittle dripping from his chin as he grinned
in excitement. He rubbed a rough hand over his face to wipe it away. "Not at all. I can't wait to get down to the cabins. Let's go now."
"We can't, Pillage," the pirate with the chair said. "The boss said that we had to report back."
Pillage spit at the dust before peering at the sky. His squinting, wrinkled face reminded Glenna of a dried up raisin. He brushed his hand against his face as a fresh onslaught of rain began to fall. "What do we do with the prisoners, then?" he sneered. "Huh, Dimas?"
Glenna felt a wave of shock go over her, followed by numbness, as if the streaking lightning overhead had struck her still, rooting her to the ground. Prisoners? she thought. Anxiously, she surveyed the glen.
Dimas lowered the chair to the ground, an uncertain expression on his thin face. It was hard for Glenna to get a good view of the thief, with his dripping dark hair hanging in his face. "I don't know," he said finally, his voice sullen.
"I guess the boss didn't tell you that," Pillage crowed. Bolthor laughed heartily as he lumbered over to Pillage's side. The other thin man scowled.
"I'm ready to get out of this rain," he said.
"There's still good stuff here," Pillage objected. "Knock down the door, Bolthor. Dimas, you and Foley wait with the prisoners. The rest of you go check the other buildings. We'll just take the prisoners with us. I'm sure we can find something to do with them."
Bolthor obliged and began to pound on the door with a steady rapping noise. His large fists created a crashing that closely paralleled the thunder booming through the sky.
I can't let them take prisoners, Glenna thought. Summoning every ounce of courage and resolve in her body, Glenna forced herself to her feet, though she remained in a crouching position. Moving slowly, she crept around the perimeter, careful to avoid attracting the attention of the pirates. Bolthor continued to pound on the door intently. Glenna kept one eye on him and Pillage as she circled the glen, following Dimas and Foley from the cover of the trees.
It was hard for her to see much, in the blinding rain and mist, but as she completed her loop and neared the back of the house Bolthor and Pillage were attempting to enter, she saw them.
Some of the prisoners were huddled under the cover of a nearby makeshift barn. It was open in the front, with half walls on both short sides and a long solid wall across the back. The thin roof covering the shelter provided little protection from the elements. Several more prisoners were scattered around the building, watching the proceedings warily.
