Ever After (Unfinished Fairy Tales Book 3)

by Aya Ling

  But I am still crown prince and it is too late. Even if Henry agrees to ascend the throne, he is far away in Moryn. The wedding will be held in two weeks.

  “Very well, Father.” When I leave the room, I vow to guard myself during this trip. I must not let Katriona Bradshaw get near. I must not lose hope that Kat might return one day. “But once we return, I will start the divorce proceedings immediately.”

  11

  Kat

  “Are you sure you want to do this, honey?”

  I look at Mom and Paige. While I understand their concern, I have to return to Athelia. I love my mother and sister, but I have a new family on the other side of the world.

  Mom stares at me, her eyes pleading. “Kat, if you go, you’re all alone in that world. What if anything happens and you have no one to turn to? Are you willing to risk anything to go back to your prince?”

  I close my eyes. The memories spent with Edward rise in my mind, and my lips part involuntarily. There is no need for an answer.

  “Look at her, Mom,” Paige says, in a tone of someone who knows it’s no use arguing. “She’s in too deep.”

  Mom sighs. “It’s not that I don’t believe you, honey. I’m worried about you, if that world is as undeveloped as the professor described. You enjoy privileges over there because you are a princess. Your husband is attracted to you because you’re different, but what if one day he decides it’s easier to have a woman who doesn’t challenge him? It might be a fairytale now, but have you ever thought what might happen in five years? In ten?”

  “I’m sorry, but I’ve thought about this many times. I know what I’m doing.” I blink away a tear that’s about to leak from my eye. “Living in this world also has its risks. I could die in some terrorist attack, a car crash, a snowstorm, anything. It took me half a year in Athelia before I decided to stay there forever. Pretend I’m going to marry someone in a distant country.”

  Mom’s shoulders sag; Paige sighs. My mind is set and nothing they say will convince me to give up. “Will you be able to come back to visit? Is there any way we can contact you and let us know how you’re doing?”

  “I don’t know,” I admit. “It seems that the goblins have no problem transporting me, but it’s the oxygen thing that’s the major hurdle. If I become an Athelian, then it’s likely that I won’t be able to breathe in our own air, even if I come back.”

  Tears spring in Mom’s eyes. Paige looks away, but she’s sniffing and fighting back tears. “Oh Kat. We’ve lost you for months, and now that we finally have you back, you’re going to leave us again.”

  “I’m sorry.” This time I let the tears flow. “I’m so sorry.”

  Paige wraps her arms around me. Since she turned fifteen, she has surpassed me in height. It isn’t fair she gets to have Dad’s figure and Mom’s face. But it doesn’t matter more; I wouldn’t trade my life for hers. “I wish I could see this prince and if he really is as wonderful as you say. I want to see if he deserves you.”

  “I am the one who doesn’t deserve him,” I say. “Before we got together, it’s him that makes more of an effort than I. He could have chosen a submissive girl, but instead he chose me. Someone who doesn’t hesitate to call him an idiot. Someone who treats him like he isn’t a prince.”

  “That’s why he picked you,” Paige says. “Isn’t that what your romance novels are always talking about? Like, a billionaire falls in love with a girl who isn’t like other women.”

  Mom gives me a fierce hug. “Promise that you’ll take care of yourself, baby.”

  * * *

  Every day I wait for Krev to come pick me up. Mom and Paige stop trying to persuade me to stay. Instead, they make sure that I’m getting enough rest and sleep, eat healthy, and exercise regularly. Maybe they realize it’s no use trying to change my mind. Or maybe they’re still hoping that Krev is a figment of my imagination.

  Sometimes I wonder how I’d react if Paige was in my situation. Would I have let her go to a strange world I’ve never heard of? No. But I trust Paige, and if she is certain about her decision and I’ve done everything I can, well, I would respect her decision. That’s probably what Mom and Paige feel about me.

  And it happens one night. When I wake up from a dream of Edward, with tears stains on my pillow, the familiar popping sound occurs. The goblin hovers in the air, his yellow eyes large and unblinking, and there’s a tiny flapping sound from his beating wings.

  “You’re late.”

  “It’s too far,” he retorts. “Do you take me for an airplane, girlie? Don’t you forget that our magic is more limited now. All right then. It’s your last chance to decide whether you want to leave or not. Stay, and you can have a normal life here. Leave, and you risk your life, ‘cause the fairies can’t promise you they’ll succeed. So tell me, yes or no?”

  “I take the risk.” My voice is steady, firm. “Take me home.”

  He does a double take. “You are referring to Athelia as home now?”

  “Yes.” It’s possible I won’t survive, but when I think of Katriona Bradshaw, who might be at the palace, in my place, my blood boils. When I think of Edward all alone, pining for me, pretending I never left, my heart aches for him. No matter what, I have to get back to him.

  Krev shakes his head. “Never thought you’d fall so hard for Eddie. He’d better be worth it, girlie, if you’re willing to risk your life. Now, stand up and turn around, I’ve got to give you the spell that can make you breathe properly.”

  For a moment, I consider rousing Paige and Mom and saying farewell for one last time, but it’s too late. A small hand touches my neck and the next second I can’t breathe—I choke and splutter—and suddenly I can inhale properly. But something else has gone wrong, and this time it’s my sight. Everything around me is fuzzy, like I developed short-sightedness in a few minutes.

  “What happened?” I ask, groping in the air.

  “It’s the spell,” Krev says. “We can’t do the same spell as Borg performed, but this is the closest we can achieve. There’s a ball of oxygen around your head. It’ll shrink in time, and you’ll die when it completely disappears, so time is crucial. We have to get you to the fairies as soon as possible.”

  I want to scratch an itch on my ear, and realize it’s impossible. My fingers meet something solid, like hard plastic, and as I feel all over, it’s like I’m wearing an invisible helmet. Oh my God. I’ve become an astronaut. Sort of.

  Krev begins to chant. Golden sparks shoot from his fingers, creating a large hole. This time, I could see something in that hole. It’s blurry because I’m in the oxygen helmet, but I can make out a dark forest and some large mounds built under the trees.

  Is this the goblin realm?

  “That’s where you live? Under trees?”

  My voice sounds funny and distorted, thanks to the oxygen helmet around my head. Krev doesn’t hear me, or if he does, he’s ignoring me.

  The hole grows bigger and bigger, until it’s the size of the door. I swallow hard. Goodbye, Mom. Bye Paige. I’m sorry that I’m choosing to leave you behind and start a new life in a world you can never reach. Take care of yourselves. I’ll always love you both.

  Then I take a deep breath and step through the hole. A shaft of light shines into my eyes—it’s so bright that I am momentarily blinded, but then I stumble through.

  “This way!” Krev hisses.

  My journey from my own world to the fairies is completed faster than I expected. Krev must be worried about my survival, since the oxygen helmet around my head holds a finite amount of oxygen, just like Borg’s spell on me was only temporary. Maybe he’s also contemplating there’s a chance to send me back to my own world, if the transformation doesn’t work out. I got to say, the goblins are more caring than they appear. They might mock me or chide me, but they will lend a helping hand when they can.

  My eyes barely adjust to the mounds of the goblin realm when Krev draws another hole and pulls me through. I would have liked to see Pippi again but as
Krev says, I only have a limited supply of oxygen and I can’t waste any time. No sooner have I tried to catch a glimpse of a few goblins gawking at me than I’m dragged to the fae world.

  It has been two years since I last came to the fae world by using Lady Gregory’s lily. However, it’s such a strange, wondrous world that it remains vivid in my mind. The gold-and-silver forest gleams with an unearthly atmosphere; magic hums in the air like an invisible current. I glimpse a tall, slender fairy with translucent skin and pointed ears glide out of a yellow house, and disappear like the wind. To be honest, while this world seems beautiful and perfect, it gives me the creeps.

  Once Krev lands with me, he sends out a signal by yelling on top of his voice. “Oy! I’ve brought the human, midget!”

  “Do not insult my daughter, or I shall have you thrown out of our dwelling.” A cool voice that makes me think of icicles echoes in the air. Two fairies appear, with Meg trailing behind them.

  I stare at the fairies for a moment. I know they must be Lysander and Lady Gregory, but their features have changed considerably since I last saw them. Lady Gregory’s wrinkles have disappeared, her hair is long and thick and wavy, and her eyes—wow, they are silver, like Lysander’s. She walks—or rather, glides—with an energetic vibe. She looks and acts so much younger, like she lost twenty years, and became a middle-aged version of herself with a touch of fairy-ness. She still looks older than Lysander, but no longer does she look like a grandmother either. Lysander seems more like in his thirties; his face seems rounder and his features more mature, though his expression remains distant and haughty. I wonder how Lady Gregory managed to break through his ice-cold exterior, but that’s a story for another day.

  Meg, however, has barely changed. Cute and adorable, with her pink cheeks and dimples when she smiles. “Oh my God! Kat, it’s you! You have really come! I didn’t expect the goblin could’ve managed to do it this quick.”

  “Unlike a certain incompetent half-ling, I can perform a reliable spell,” Krev says disdainfully. When Lysander glares at him, he sticks out his tongue. “I didn’t say it was your daughter.”

  “Kat, dear.” Lady Gregory’s now-silver eyes are kind but filled with concern. “Meg told us everything about you. How are you feeling now?”

  “We put an oxygen spell on her,” Krev says, tapping the ‘helmet’ around my head. “Darn it, it’s shrinking faster than we expected. You’d better start that spell on her right away, or she’ll die if she can’t breathe.”

  Meg gasps. “Then we have to act fast! Father, isn’t the spell ready now?”

  “Of course,” Lysander says, his tone changing when he speaks to his daughter. In a way, I think he resembles Edward in character. Like Edward, Lysander is more warm and affable with people he is close to. Only in Lysander’s case the difference is even more pronounced. Edward, even in his coldest mood, at least maintains civilness. “One thing I must caution you, human. This spell is an adaption of the kind I used on Margaret. In theory it should work, but there is a possibility it would fail and I cannot be certain of its consequences. Are you sure you wish to proceed?”

  “It’s not too late to go back to your own world,” Krev chimes in.

  I think of Edward, and all the doubts and fears disappear. “Please perform the spell on me.”

  “Very well,” Lysander says. “Hold out your hand, human.”

  I do what he says. I close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep. I dream of nearly two years ago, when Edward and I were getting engaged. We were staying at his cousin’s estate in Northport, and his younger son had fallen into the river. I had dived in, heavy gown and all, trying to save him. The water was choking me, his weight was dragging me down, and no matter how I struggle, I can't bring us back to shore.

  When I feel like I'm going to drown, all of a sudden, sweet air floods through my lungs. I can breathe, even though I’m under water! Grabbing the back of the boy’s collar, I kick out and make my way to the surface. We rise, and rise, and finally…we break through the surface.

  I open my eyes. I’m sitting on mossy grass, there’s not a drop of water, and the boy is nowhere to be seen. And then I realize that I’m in the fairy realm. My going underwater was a dream. I touch my face—my fingers meet smooth skin, which means I am no longer wearing the oxygen helmet. And I’m breathing. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Awesome!

  I hear singing from a distance. Some fairy is doing karaoke, haha. His/her voice is beautiful but ethereal, just like a normal fairy’s appearance.

  “It worked!” Lady Gregory’s smile is radiant and infectious. “Child, I am so happy for you.”

  “Allow me.” Lysander checks me and asks me to take a deep breath. “There is no problem of you surviving in Athelia.”

  Meg offers me a mirror. My hair is still auburn red, my eyes gray; nothing has changed. I didn’t go through the age-difference transformation as Lysander and Lady Gregory did. Best of all, my body feels more invigorated, more alive. I cannot thank the fairies enough.

  “There is no need for gratitude,” Lysander says curtly. “You saved Margaret’s life. She might have been dead by the time I concocted the transformation spell, and then I would have no hope of her return. It is only fitting I should repay the favor.”

  “I know,” I grin. “But still, thanks a million. You know what it’s like to be reunited with someone you love.”

  There’s a flicker of emotion in his eyes; he looks toward Lady Gregory and I feel moved. Lysander had been separated from his wife for thirty years.

  Meg runs up and gives me a hug. “I’ll come and see you some day, Kat. Now you must return to your prince. He misses you dreadfully.” She tells me how she had visited Edward through the mirror, and how he begged her to bring me back. I wipe my tears; I can’t wait to see Edward.

  “Right. Now, please help me with one last thing. Get me to Edward.”

  12

  Kat

  I knew it was a mistake to request that I be transported to wherever Edward was.

  When I open my eyes, I am in a strange place. I don’t know where I am. I should have requested something like Poppy’s house, Elle’s house, or even Princess College. But since I don’t know whether Katriona Bradshaw is on the throne, I can’t go to the palace. What will the servants say when they see me? I should wait for an opportunity to send word to Edward first, and then decide on the next course of action.

  Impulsive as usual, Edward would say. But that is why I love you.

  But right now, it looks like my impulsiveness isn’t going to do me any good. I am standing in the end of a huge corridor, and there’s something about this place that doesn't feel right. The decor, for one instance. The corridors in the palace are magnificent, yet also classy in their elegance. But this place seems too opulent from what I’m used to. Some of the furnishings might even be called garish. On one side of the corridor is a row of windows interspersed with alcoves with drapes, while on the other side are several doors. Since I can’t very well stay here forever, I might as well move. I have to sneak out and get myself to a place where Katriona Bradshaw can’t find me.

  Laughter and giggles ring out from one of the alcoves, and I nearly trip over my foot. Someone, no, two people at least—judging from the shoes peeping from the drapes—are hiding behind the alcoves. The next second, a man’s voice drifts in the air.

  “Stop squirming, you little minx.”

  Then a high-pitched giggle and a slap. “Gustave, not there! Naughty, naughty boy.”

  There is a chuckle from the man, and blood rushes to my cheeks. There’s a couple making out in this alcove. Geez, I didn’t know the palace rules have relaxed. Even Edward and I, as much as we want to be together, would keep our makeout sessions in the garden or in our room. Certainly not in this large, handsomely furnished corridor, with bright light streaming in through the windows. There’s a muffled sound, a shriek, and the sound of fabric tearing. The next second, a piece of the curtain is ripped off, and I beho
ld the shocked faces of two strangers. The man has a long ponytail tied with a ribbon, while the woman is wearing layers of makeup. Both of them stare at me in utter astonishment.

  “Why, isn’t it Princess Katriona?” Is the woman a foreigner? Judging from her accent, she doesn’t sound like anyone in the palace. “Did you lose your way?”

  “Or did you come to seek some fun as well?” The man says cheekily, his hands clasped around the woman’s waist. They don’t seem to be ashamed at all. Like, they’re not embarrassed of making out in public. Since when did Athelia relaxed its rules on propriety? “That husband of yours has been giving you the cold shoulder again?”

  “I…”

  “What a magnificent dress you have on!” The woman exclaims, pushing away her lover and standing up. “Did you bring it all the way from Athelia? Ooh, I love those laces and shimmering folds. Do tell me the name of the dressmaker, I would love to order a gown from him.”

  Then I realize what has gone wrong. Why the palace looks different, why the strange accents, and maybe also why the unabashed behavior. This is Moryn, not Athelia.

  “I have to go,” I say quickly. “Edward is waiting for me.”

  “Oh but can you tell me… Wait!” The woman calls, but I keep running. As if I could tell her that the dress is from the fairies. Honestly, if any of those fairies had any business sense, they should come to the human world and start profiting from their fashion. Look how Elle captured everyone’s attention when she arrived at the ball.

  I dart past servants and courtiers, until I reach another corridor that seems deserted. I duck into an empty room, shut the door and try to get my breath back. Well, at least I’m not wheezing and coughing after running.