Magic or family.
It was an impossible choice. To have the adventure of a lifetime, she had to give up the people she loved most in the world. Even if Summersky was right and they would not feel the pain, Rose would miss them and feel the weight of the memories she was stealing from them.
“Rose?” Waterfall said.
She refocused on the three people at the table and could tell that they’d called her name several times.
“There is more we should tell you,” Waterfall said.
Rose nodded, only half paying attention. How much could his words matter when she had to give up her family to get a longer life, the fey world, and magic? Realizing that Waterfall was speaking, she turned her attention back to the man behind the table.
“If you wish to stay, you must sign a blood contract. It only takes a couple of drops of blood, so you don’t need to do more than prick your finger, but by signing the contract, you are accepting the magic and choosing to live here. The contract will activate the magic that will hold you here for one hundred years and remove you from the humans’ active memories. The blood contract is irreversible. Once you sign, you cannot choose to leave this land for the next century.”
This was akin to being trapped in the most beautiful garden in the world. There was endless magic and mystery, but she could never leave the grounds, never see what was on the other side of the wall. When she considered the cost, the people who loved her, Rose would, in many ways, be trading one unhappy existence for another. Everyone here was a stranger, and no matter how nice they seemed, she didn’t know them.
As Rose was about to refuse, her grandmother’s words came back to her: Magic is real. It’s as real as I am, if only you want it enough…if only you believe.
Rose walked over to the open side of the pavilion and looked out. Moths with wings that glowed like gems gathered around the floating lights. It was as if Grandmother had seen this place, had been telling her that she could have the magic.
If Grandmother had known the cost, perhaps she would’ve chosen her words more carefully. Though she seldom spoke in absolutes, just hours ago her words had been very clear. Don’t ever give up.
As terrible as it would be to leave her family, Rose knew she couldn’t be happy back home. She never had been before. Days filled with wishing for something that didn’t exist, trying to find something she wanted to do and coming up empty again and again, settling for an adequate life, and deep down, knowing that she’d missed her chance at an extraordinary one.
To miss Christmases, Grandmother’s birthdays… Rose swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump in her throat. It would be more than missing those beautiful moments; she would miss their entire lives, and she’d have to mourn for them alone in an unfamiliar land. Rose might not even know when they died.
Magic or family.
Don’t ever give up.
Rose turned back to the fey. “How much will my family remember if I stay?”
“It is impossible to give an absolute,” George said. “Your family is likely to remember you as if you existed in a dream. They will not remember that you were a part of their lives or even feel the lack of you. There is a small chance that they will be sad that the dream was not reality, but that’s as far as it will go.”
“And my friends?”
“The more distantly you knew someone,” Waterfall began, “and the fewer interactions you had with a person, the less they will remember. Your closest friends could have the same dreamlike recollection as your family, but most of them will not have any memory of you at all. It will be as if you never existed.”
Rose stood there, trying to absorb his words. If she left, she would remember nothing. If she stayed, her family wouldn’t remember her. She could never go home…but she could live in a world of magic. Since they claimed her family wouldn’t suffer, it came down to what made her happier.
“Can I read the contract?”
George slid a piece of paper hardly bigger than an index card to the middle of the table. “This is the contract you must sign if you wish to stay.”
He was still talking, but Rose ignored him, walked over, and picked up the paper. It was heavier than most paper back home, softer, too, and the inked letters reminded Rose of calligraphy.
I pledge to accept the magic with my heart, mind, and body. I will be removed from human memory. I will be bound to this realm, unable to cross into the human world for the next century. This will be enforced so long as the magic wills it, and penalties for violation of the agreement will be swift and final.
Under the words was a line for a signature, and a circle that Rose guessed was where the blood would go. There really wasn’t any wiggle room in the contract. It was simple and to the point.
“Who punishes people who break the contract?”
“The magic and elemental fey,” Waterfall said. “Lesser transgressions could be addressed by the treis or the town council.”
“Elemental fey?” Rose asked.
“They are the most concentrated forms of magic.”
She was unsure what that meant but dismissed further inquiries in favor of more concrete subjects. That was more important right now. Before she could make a decision about her future there were other things she needed to know about them. “Your society… Is it a monarchy, dictatorship, republic? Is it matriarchal or patriarchal? Are men and women treated equally?”
George smiled. “We have a relaxed system of government that would best be described as a republic. In practice, you would find that we are much like the people you knew in the human world, though we tend to be more accepting, and more focused on equality and living in harmony with the land.”
That was nicely said, but Rose couldn’t tell when George had last lived in the human world, and the rest of them didn’t look like they’d spent any time there. Grandmother’s stories had always depicted the elves and fey as being fundamentally good people with an easy lifestyle to adapt to. It wouldn’t be a big surprise if the humans who moved here had influenced the society, though those influences could be good or bad.
There was one thing Rose needed to ask, even if she thought she knew the answer. “You, Silverlight?” The boy nodded. “Why me?”
This time he didn’t look to the older fey for approval before speaking. “You are fey hearted, a human yearning for experiences your world can not provide. Rose, your desire to experience what the fey world can offer was so strong. It was as if you were shouting, trying to get my attention.”
He sounded so sure that she wanted to be in this place. Rose wasn’t as sure, and the four of them were asking her to make a big decision so quickly. Years of wanting magic, of looking for that indefinable something more that she’d felt was missing, hadn’t prepared her for this moment.
The choice came down to what she wanted most, and Rose didn’t know how to decide. Trading a life she knew but disliked for the magical unknown didn’t seem like a good decision. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t think of a practical reason to stay in this land. On the other hand, wasn’t that exactly what was drawing her to stay? This was her chance to live like the people in the stories she’d heard since she was a little girl, in a world few humans got to experience.
Magic or family.
Don’t ever give up.
Rose took a deep breath, her gut pulling her in the direction she knew she had to go or some part of her would regret it forever. “I’ll stay,” she said. “What do I do now?”
Silverlight grinned and tipped his head at her. Waterfall and Summersky smiled, but George had the same slightly grumpy look on his face.
Before Rose had a chance to change her mind, Summersky set a small knife and a quill on the table. Rose looked at the tools, trying to hold on to her resolve. It had been easy to say the words, but seeing the knife made it clear that this wasn’t a human contract. There wouldn’t be any loopholes.
George was all business. He took the paper from her and pointed to the circle. “Blood in here,
then sign. I can prick your finger if you prefer, or you can do it yourself.”
“Would you mind? I don’t want to make a mess.” The words seemed to come from far away.
George reached out, and Rose set her hand in his. He held it palm up and quickly sliced open the pad of her index finger. Before the blood had done more than ooze to the surface of her skin, he had maneuvered her hand so that her finger was resting in the circle.
The wound stung, but Rose had gotten more serious paper cuts from homework. The circle was slowly filling, but the blood hadn’t reached one part of the line. George frowned, gripped the back of her hand and scooted her finger around. The instant the blood filled in the gap, the paper warmed and the scent of irises filled the air.
Rose tried to pull back, but George held her finger in the circle until the scent faded and the warmth gave way to the cool night air. When he let go of her, Rose realized her finger didn’t hurt anymore. Turning over her hand, she marveled at the smooth, healed skin.
Summersky held out the quill and smiled. “Sign.”
The weight of the quill felt more binding than the blood. Rose hesitated, uncertain if this was the right choice, but it was too late to back out.
“You don’t need ink. It’s magical,” George told her. Either he’d misread Rose’s hesitation for confusion or he was offering subtle encouragement.
Rose bit her lip, set the quill to the paper, and slowly signed her name. George snatched the contract away as soon as she lifted the quill, getting it out of the way of the first of her falling tears.
Chapter 5
Rose stood there, the weight of her decision washing over her as George tucked the contract in a big book filled with similar-looking papers, and Summersky took the quill from her hand. She couldn’t go back now. It was done, and she had to live with the consequences. Rose could hear her mother saying how she’d regret this rash decision. Her father would shake his head and hide his disappointment while he told her to do her best. Paul would wish her luck on the adventure and remind her that he was looking out for her. Grandmother…well, she would tell her to enjoy the magic.
That might be why she’d made the choice she had. Rose knew that her grandmother wanted this as much as she did, and Rose had the chance to live it for the both of them.
“Would you like to see your new dwelling?” Silverlight asked softly.
She swallowed, hard. “Yes,” she said with a forced smile. This was her home now, as scared and sad as she was about the disadvantages of her decision, she needed to start building her new life.
Silverlight offered her a hand. Rose took it, letting him guide her out of the pavilion. Waterfall had already headed outside, and she looked over her shoulder to see the other members of the treis still seated. Summersky and George smiled at her, and she turned forward again. Waterfall was waiting for them on the other side of the cloth door, and with a gentle tug, Silverlight pulled Rose toward the path that they had traversed earlier.
“We are heading to my house,” Silverlight said. “You have your own room and can get some rest.”
“Your house?”
“Yes. Traditionally, the fey hearted live with the fey who brought them here. I’ll help you get used to this place.”
“So you’ll be my mentor?” Rose asked.
“Something like that.”
Waterfall veered off to the right, and Rose found herself on a path she hadn’t noticed earlier. That wasn’t much of a surprise; there had been so much to see. One tree was covered in cobalt blue lichen that was emanating a faint light.
Pearl glided through the trees, circled them, and landed on Rose’s shoulder. The dragon nuzzled her and settled herself around Rose’s neck. Rose stroked Pearl’s tail, thankful for the company.
Waterfall turned left, and they started walking away from the trees. Now they were following a path that skirted what seemed to be a field dotted with homes. The lights that had been so plentiful on the path in the woods were now few and far between, but there were just enough for her to see the path.
They passed several homes lost in the night shadows before Waterfall turned and led them toward a specific one. There was so little light that even up close Rose couldn’t get a good idea of what the outside of the home looked like.
Waterfall ushered them inside, where several floating lights illuminated the main room. With soft rugs covering the wooden floor, paintings on the walls, and sage-green curtains around the windows, the room had a cozy feel to it.
“Silverlight will help you get settled. You will have two rooms on that side of the house.” Waterfall tipped his head to the left. “And Silverlight’s rooms are on the other side. You’ll share the common space and kitchen. George, Summersky, and I will be around to answer questions, but Silverlight will be your primary guide and teacher.”
Rose shot a surprised look at Silverlight. For some reason she’d thought the treis would be overseeing her education.
“Sleep well, Rose the fey hearted.” Waterfall stepped closer to her and dropped a kiss on her forehead. By the time Rose had processed what had happened, the door was closing behind him.
Rose blinked her eyes a few times, suddenly drowsy. Had Waterfall done something to her or was the day simply catching up to her? Either way, she wanted to lie down and make sense of this tomorrow.
“Rose, would you like to see your room?” Silverlight spoke so softly she almost didn’t hear him.
Turning around, she nodded. “That would be good.”
“This way.” Silverlight took her through a short, arched hallway lined with empty shelves.
They walked into a room that was as large as the living room in her parents’ house. It was divided in half by a row of folding screens—white cloth panels stretched in pale wood frames that were decorated with carvings of vines. To her left were two plush chairs and a small table under a picture window.
“The bedroom is this way.” He motioned for her to walk through a gap between sets of folding screens. Rose took in the bed and nightstand.
He pointed at the last screen. “The bathing area is behind there. If you would like a more permanent door, that can be arranged. If you need anything, do not hesitate to find me. My quarters mirror yours.”
“What about Pearl?” Rose asked. The dragon was still curled around her neck.
“She is welcome to stay with you. I’m sure she can find her way out if she wishes to leave.”
She nodded, not really sure what that meant.
“I hope you like it here,” he said as he turned to leave.
“Wait, are many fey hearted unhappy here?”
Silverlight spun around. “No. I would never have brought you if I thought you would be unhappy here. We—I—want you to be happy here. I examined the occupants of many homes and rejected all of them. Even after the careful selection, some humans who are brought for evaluation are not offered a place here. Of the ones who are, not all stay, but of the ones who stay, very few regret the choice. We will do what we can to make this your home.”
“You think I’ll like it here?”
“I do. More importantly, so did the others. Plus, Pearl likes you. I suspect you will do just fine here.”
She yawned. She didn’t have the energy to continue this conversation, to think about decisions that couldn’t be reversed. “Thank you, Silverlight.”
He bowed his head and left the room.
As Rose looked around, the bathing room caught her attention. The shower, toilet, sink, toothbrush, and pot of paste were familiar enough. She found a cup on the shelf and filled it with water from the sink. It was cool and crisp, the best water she’d ever tasted. She drained it twice before refilling the cup once more and setting it on the nightstand.
Pearl gave a grumpy sigh when Rose slid between the sheets but quickly curled up on top of the covers. Rose ran her fingers down the dragon’s back, getting a happy rumble out of her.
From the bed, Rose studied the lights, trying to figure out how
to turn them off. If there was a switch somewhere, she couldn’t find it. She tried clapping, but that didn’t work, either. Finally, she sighed and muttered, “Come on, I just want to sleep.”
Then the lights went out.
Rose blinked a few times and whispered, “Thank you.”
Whatever had turned off the lights had listened to her words. That was something to remember to ask Silverlight about, because if she had to watch her words that carefully, adjusting to life here was going to be a challenge.
She yawned again and pulled the covers up to her chin. Closing her eyes, she tried to go to sleep, but her mind kept swirling, doubts intruding, unsure if this was worth the cost but knowing she was stuck here for the foreseeable future, regardless.
When she closed her eyes she could see Mom, Dad, Paul, and Grandmother sitting down to dinner with her, and then the picture shifted and she wasn’t there. The mood was darker, and they seemed different. Maybe they wouldn’t remember her, but their lives would be different without her. Different didn’t mean better, though, she reminded herself.
There was still a chance this could all be a dream, that in the morning Rose would be back in her room at her parents’ house, thinking this was the most fantastic dream she’d ever experienced.
Part of her dearly hoped that would happen because if it didn’t, she’d wake up in the morning and have to face the fact that she’d traded her family for magic.
Chapter 6
Silverlight settled in the living room with a cup of tea. All in all, Rose seemed to be taking the transition rather well so far. After the stories he’d heard, he’d been concerned. She was sad, of course, but that was to be expected when someone left a loving family. He couldn’t imagine leaving his father, but then again, he hadn’t been offered the one thing he’d wanted all his life in return.
What mattered now was how she acclimated moving forward. There was always a chance that she wouldn’t be able to make the transition. It was something every fey worried about, bringing over a human that ended up being unsuitable. The last time a human couldn’t adjust was hundreds of years ago. After that, they’d created the treis. Now no human was allowed entry unless all three members agreed. All fey hearted that had been brought through the Slit since that change had adapted nicely. So not only had Silverlight seen Rose’s potential but the other three had, as well.
Fey Hearted Page 5
