Hidden Worlds

by Kristie Cook

  “Finding another chosen is like finding a jewel in a waterfall.” We’d caught up to Braelynn, and she shoved me aside to hug Sary. “It rarely happens twice for a faery,” Braelynn said. “For humans, it’s easy: date someone, fall in love, over and over again. For the fey, the bond must be completely compatible and approved of by the Land of Faerie to even go past the point of what you call ‘dating.’” She rubbed her friend’s shoulders, and Sary wiped her reddened face. She still looked perfect. Still beautiful. My heart sank as she stared daggers into me.

  “It won’t happen for me again. There is no hope.” She turned and marched off, disappearing around the bend.

  I glanced up toward Braelynn, feeling a bit guilty for bringing up crap like that. I hated confrontations or emotional baggage of any kind. It was uncomfortable, like shoes that didn’t fit. Still, it made me feel really bad for upsetting her so.

  “I kind of messed that up, huh?”

  “She’ll be fine. Give her some space.” Braelynn didn’t look happy either as she went off after Sary.

  Well, crap.

  I shrugged it off and continued behind the girls, hoping I wouldn’t piss them off again, even if the more troublesome part of me would find it amusing.

  ***

  The roar of the L-train whipped up our hair like a tornado. I stared at the tracks as it slowed to a screechy crawl. We were taking the train the rest of the way, and I was more than happy to be out in the real world once more. A look at my companions, who were wearing a guise of normal human female garb, made me smile. They were wearing jeans and flowery blouses, trying to match their faery garb as closely as they could without looking completely ridiculous. They didn’t look half bad, I had to admit. I liked how their jeans fit snugly around their hips and their flowing shirts made their femininity stand out. They could almost pass for human. Almost.

  Sary slumped into a chair as the crowd filled the train. I glanced at her as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and looped the elastic over and over until it held the massive amount of hair she had. I felt a sad kind of kinship with her. This war in Faerie had cost us all so much. Would we ever be whole again? I didn’t know, but as my eyes slid along her thick, red hair, I hoped we could at least get part of the way there.

  I could see through her glamour if I stared long enough, noticing the slight sparkle of it as the magic wavered. Humans couldn’t see this, but other magical beings could. To others, this deviation wouldn’t even be noticed.

  Sary caught me looking at her and scowled, lifting up her chin and facing out the window as if I was intruding on her privacy. I crossed my arms. At least now I knew what she thought of me.

  “Hey, when we get there, better tell your brother to call off his security detail. I don’t want to be put in a position where I have to off someone.” I leaned forward as I spoke to her, hoping no one could overhear us. Shade had told me the story of nearly being drained after getting caught by Ferdinand’s little militia. It wasn’t going to be happening to us. I sat back and watched the city buildings flash by until Sary interrupted my thoughts.

  “Don’t worry, I said I’d take care of it. Unlike humans, faeries can’t lie.”

  “All right. Just saying.” I wagged my eyebrows at her over my sunglasses, but she just rolled her eyes, looking more than just a little disgusted.

  “He has a point, Sary. It’s been awhile since your brother was banished. He could’ve succumbed to an unsavory lifestyle out here in the city. I heard the banished can be driven mad being so far from the land of Faerie.”

  Sary wrinkled her nose, looking pensive as she silently chewed on her lower lip. I turned away to study the variety of people on the train. They were all commuters, laundered shirts and straight slacks for the men, the women in business casual jackets and pants. There were some teens on there, sharing an MP3 player and bobbing their greasy, long-haired heads to the music. Nothing out of the ordinary for city life.

  A glimmer caught my eye, and I looked at a hooded figure a few rows down. The moment my eyes landed on her, the figure peered up at me. It was a girl, with burgundy red hair and a cloudy blue crystal dangling from her neck. I used my elemental magic to probe the air around her and found it to be unusually inactive. She was human, but the way her eyes were widening at us made me wonder what had her so worked up. The flicker flashed across my vision once more, emanating from the crystal.

  I cocked my head as I narrowed my eyes to study it. I’d never seen one before, and it most certainly had some sort of magic infused into it.

  Shock filled her features when she realized I wasn’t going to stop watching her. Her eyes flicked from Sary to Braelynn and back to me. The girls were most likely not paying attention to their observer since they kept on chatting.

  This girl focused on the floor for a few seconds before she jumped to her feet, grabbed her bag and raced down toward the other end of the train, almost running over an old man before she reached the door to the next car over. She rushed to open it and made her way into the next car, glancing behind her as if she was being chased.

  I looked around our car and found nothing unusual. I decided the girl must be on something to be all paranoid and fidgety like that. I turned back toward Sary and Braelynn, who were now watching me with utter disgust on their faces.

  “What? Did I miss something?”

  Sary cleared her throat. “I was saying, while you were ogling some girl, that you guys need to leave the talking to me when it comes to my brother. He doesn’t make friends easily and is very antisocial. He might even have guards to keep everyone away from his place of residence. If you run into any, just say, ‘Sary is here to see Ferdinand.’”

  I was actually in agreement with her. “Sounds good.”

  Sary peered around me and stared at the end of the train car where the mysterious girl had disappeared. “We’re not here to find you a hot date, either, so keep focused.”

  “Hey, I resent that.”

  Sary didn’t say any more, but her remark had me fuming. Whatever made that girl jump and run had to do with us and no one else on the train. It made me wonder what spooked her and if she really was human. It was very possible she had the sight and was she able to see through our glamour. The sword on my back would scare anyone near me to death; it had a constant flame pulsing from the blade, only just shielded by the sheath. I still had to use glamour to make it disappear from sight. If that girl could see through our magic, it could very well be reason enough for her to jump and run.

  I sighed, rubbing my face as the train rocked along on the tracks. I could feel the ache in my bones from the long journey through the forest of Faerie. I was sure Sary and Braelynn felt no such agony or aches. The fey were immortal, and it took a lot to tire one out. I’d seen it fighting the Unseelie back at the Scren Palace and out on the field, where they would presumably be weaker, away from their motherland. It took a lot to wear one out, and the only thing that kept me slightly above a puny human’s endurance was my elemental magic. Otherwise, I’d be dead on my feet, if not actually dead.

  Chapter Six The Banished

  The Banished

  April 8th 1702

  Wards are the shields we must all place around our dwellings to keep safe. It is a rather simple but draining spell which requires blood magic, salt and elemental power. I believe only witches and warlocks are able to create such shields.

  I found a ward nearby today, past the rose briar where the flowers grow in strange circles on the ground. I wonder what lies beyond it. I told my wife I would investigate it. It makes her nervous, and she worries for my safety when I go out to study it. I am sure I am close to breaking through even though it spans for miles in each direction. I wonder what I will find on the other side.

  ~Brendan

  The buildings all looked the same to me. Some were newer with white concrete and perfect awnings to cover their patrons when the torrential downpours or snow came rolling in. Others, not so much, with their neglected facades an
d unending stream of litter and debris clogging up the storm drains and clinging to car tires for dear life. I much preferred the abundant outdoors of Portland to the confines and smog of the city of Chicago. It was concrete in all places, especially in the direction we were heading. I’d been to New York City, too, which had a similar feel to this place, but was significantly more crowded and alive. At least there the people felt more vibrant and less like drones on their way to office cubicles.

  Maybe the faery’s love of nature had rubbed off on me since spending so much time in the outdoors. Maybe not, since I did loathe the ever-present dirt that had a tendency to cling to everything when trekking through Faerie.

  “Do I really have to say ‘Are we there yet?” I mumbled. My feet were aching in my boots, and I was starving. I’d eaten a meager breakfast since we’d be on foot most of the day, but my stomach had burned through that in a few hours and was now most certainly digesting itself.

  “Almost there.” Sary pointed down the way. The closer we got, the more excited she looked. “Just down two blocks and to the right. Then we should be at the building where Ferdinand is.”

  “Where the Siphon Lord is, you mean?” I groaned, hoping she hadn’t heard me. If she did, she didn’t make any indication that she had. “Maybe he can feed us while we’re there. I’m starving.”

  She shrugged. “We’ll see.”

  “All you do is eat,” Braelynn added as we turned the corner. “How did your mother keep you fed?”

  “I don’t know. We aren’t rich because of it, I guess.”

  She snickered.

  “Quiet, you two. That’s it.” Sary pointed toward an old run-down apartment building staring down at us like an island unto itself. I could feel the magic oozing off it in a rush of dizzying waves, like it knew we were coming.

  “Whoa, hold up.” I paused and wondered if I should pull out my Empyrean blade. “We’re being watched already.” I sniffed at the air and crinkled my nose. Noxious fumes and a repellant charm made it smell like a sewage treatment plant. Disgusting. “The place has aversion wards all over it and then some.” I tried to breathe through my mouth, but it did little to help.

  “I agree. I can feel them, too.” Braelynn pulled out a hunter’s knife and braced herself for an attack. At least I wasn’t the only one feeling uneasy. I pulled my own sword out and waited as the air vibrated with movement, like someone sloshing about a pond, sending ripples out to touch me. Still, I didn’t see anyone.

  “Stop, you’ll make them think we’re attacking,” Sary whispered, looking frightened and worried as she watched us prepare. She stepped forward and lifted arms up into the air, waving at nothing.

  “Show yourselves! I’m Sary, princess of the Vyn people of the Southern Kingdom of Faerie. I demand to speak to Ferdinand.”

  “She demands.”

  “No one asks to enter. We take you there.”

  The voices were disembodied and echoed across the silent ruins of surrounding buildings. It sent a cold rush of air across my skin. They were extremely close. Too close for my liking.

  “I’m his sister. He’d want us brought to him unharmed.” Sary’s chest rose and fell quickly, and I could feel the edge of fear leaking past her shields. Great, I thought. Maybe now she’ll listen to me when I tell her Ferdinand is dangerous.

  The rush of whispers turned into cackles, and the wind picked up a variety of debris and garbage, tossing it up into the air like a salad of stench. This particular alley felt desolate, as if the entire area had been warded to keep humans away.

  I definitely didn’t like the feel of this place whatsoever. Even Seelie wards don’t make my skin crawl as much as Unseelie. This was the doing of darker magics.

  A screech made us all jump as it echoed across the buildings followed by squealing giggles jumping off the walls.

  “He says go away.” “Not welcomed here.” “Stupid fool!”

  A laugh cackled along with other hushed voices.

  Sary was now looking visibly frustrated, her face scarlet and her lips a deep crimson. She put her arms down to her sides.

  “I demand to speak with him myself. He’ll want to see me.”

  The cacophony of voices transformed into curious whispers. With another gust of air, three warriors standing guard in front of the building became visible: a ruined Unseelie winged faery, a short dirty ogre and another who looked like a cross between a goblin and a lesser demi-fey, short but lanky.

  “Put down your weapons and we shall take you for siphoning.”

  “Excuse me?” Sary stammered. Her confusion made me feel sorry for her. I started to regret coming even though I was expecting exactly what we were getting.

  “Si-pho-ning. The Siphon Lord awaits to drain your magic for us and all the banished in our realm.” The short ogre rubbed his hands together merrily, looking like he was anticipating a tasty meal.

  “We will not be drained. I demand to see Ferdinand. He’ll want to see me, just ask him.” Sary’s voice cracked. She was starting to break.

  I held the sword out and let my magic flare up the flames running along the blade. “Why don’t you listen to the little lady and take us to your Siphoning Lord? I’m sure he’ll decide better than you guys can whether he wants to drain us or not. How about it?” I looked at the Ogre, who had inched must too close to us from behind. The three of us bunch together back to back to avoid leaving our bodies exposed. “My sister, Queen Shade of the Southern Seelie Realm, sent us here. She’ll be pissed to hear of your inhospitality.”

  The ruined Unseelie faery, with only web-like remains of his once beautiful wings, stepped forward and held up a fist. “What did you say?” His obsidian eyes blinked furiously like those of an oversized horse fly. His once immaculate pale skin was riddled in spidery lines that ran all through his features and made him look like a cracked porcelain doll. I fought the urge to cringe at his appearance. I had never seen a withering faery before, poisoned by the iron in the city.

  “My sister, Queen Shade of the …”

  “I heard you.” The faery furrowed his brows as he flicked his eyes from us to his comrades, contemplating what to do. “Ferdinand doesn’t want us harming Shade’s friends.” He said it more to himself and his friends more than us.

  “Aww, why not? Their power alone could sustain us for weeks,” the goblin fey cackled as he reached out a bony, slime-colored hand toward Sary.

  The winged one smacked his hand and looked back up at us with those creepy black eyes. There were no whites, just black, bug-like, eyes bulging out of his face. I hated them. They reminded me of some of the Unseelie I’d already killed while hunting for escapees.

  “The Siphon Lord will not be pleased if we harm Shade’s friends.” He frowned, causing his shriveled skin to bunch in a way that made my stomach churn. “Come along.” He seemed to be the most reasonable of the bunch. He motioned at us and turned away, despite the protests of the other two, and led us into the building.

  I fell into step with Sary and looked over at her. The concern etching itself across her face made me feel really bad that things hadn’t panned out the way she would have wanted. I imagine she saw it all playing out differently in her head.

  “Hey, one step forward, right? At least we won’t be shriveled up raisins when this is over with. Seems Shade’s previous visit made him rethink his strategy of draining everything that comes near this place.” I winked, but it did nothing to lighten her mood.

  In fact, she became paler as we made our way up through the neglected floors of the building, where debris filled the halls and the peeling walls were painted in graffiti. The stairwell was rusty and creaked while the banister’s paint had flaked off in large chunks, exposing the metal beneath. The faeries avoided touching the banister, even if the steps didn’t feel all that stable. The lights flickered on and off as we proceeded up the staircase, and the moldy stench of the air made me want to hold my breath as we ascended further.

  From the look on Sary’s face, I
knew she hadn’t expected to see her brother living in such decrepit conditions. I wondered what she had expected. Whatever it was, the ideal was most certainly going to be shattered when we met Ferdinand. I could bet on it.

  Once we reached one of the top floors, Spidery Wings faery led us down the hall. A few faces peered out at us from cracks in doorways perched slightly open as we passed. Eyes filled the darkened rooms, some shiny like saucers and others black and beady like the faery leading us forward. They were all shapes and sizes, from beautiful to grotesque in appearance. Long, silk-like hair draped over the shoulder of one woman who appeared more human than the others. Only the pointed ears and snake-like split tongue flicking out as she sampled the air indicated her non-human origins. Tiny demi-fey fluttered around our heads like annoying flies, buzzing in our ears and begging for a swat or two.

  One yanked some of my hairs out by the roots, and I was about to plaster the thing against the wall when Sary placed a soft touch on my wrist. She shook her head, her eyes sad, but wiser than I was at the moment. I relented and clenched my fists instead of smashing the bugger. I had to admit, her touch was soothing, especially when the rage of being nipped and touched by these tiny banished fey left me seething.

  “You know, this place could use a little oomph, if you catch my drift,” I snickered as we kept on. “Needs an update.” We turned down another hall, and I was starting to feel like we were going in circles. This hallway was cleaner, but the reek of unwashed bodies was getting to me.

  “The master does not care to pretty the surrounding halls and floors,” the fey with the withered wings said. “Why bother? We hope to return to Faerie soon enough.”

  My eyes widened at the mention of returning to Faerie. What was he getting at?

  I cleared my throat. “What do you mean? I thought those who are banished can’t return. Like, ever.” I glanced over at Sary, whose lips were pressed tightly together. Braelynn, standing just to the side of Sary, was looking even more concerned at the news.

  Spidery Wings smirked as he came to a stop before a door labeled “The Siphon Lord.” He turned and looked back at me. “I’m not at liberty to say. Let’s just say that the banished won’t be needing Ferdinand’s services for much longer. We’ll all be healed from the taint of the human world soon enough.” He pulled out a normal-looking key and fitted it into the lock. He turned it and pushed the door open.