Fey Hearted

by N. E. Conneely

  There was a burst of irises. When the scent cleared, she picked up the cups, which were now warm to the touch, and carried them back to the living room. She handed one to Everblue, one to Silverlight—who smiled in thanks—and tried to hand one to Rebecca. After Rebecca pointedly turned away, Rose set it on the side table and carried the remaining cup back to her seat.

  Settling in next to Everblue, Rose looked at the small army of supplies and hoped he had some directions for her. The fey smiled. “Tonight we are going to keep it simple. I’ll sketch out what I’m going to paint, and then you can decide if you want to do something like that or something different.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Everblue lightly drew a horizontal line, beginning on the right side of the canvas. Then he drew a series of curly swirls that branched and bent back on themselves. “The line will be black, and I’ll blend that with the dark gray of the rest of the background.” He pointed as he spoke. “I’ll paint the swirls in whites and blacks. A few of the lines will be made of dots of alternating colors.”

  “I like it.” Rose looked at her blank canvas. “Where do I start?”

  “With mixing the paint. Then I can help you draw out the pattern.” He pulled over two paint trays. “What colors do you want in your background?”

  “A darker blue and a purple for the accent?”

  Everblue poured some of those colors in the paint tray and handed her a brush. When he was satisfied that she could manage the background, he started on his own.

  Rose listened to Silverlight talk to Rebecca about safety, knife selection, and blade techniques as she brushed paint onto her canvas. Rebecca was nodding, though, when prodded, would give quiet yes or no answers. From time to time Everblue looked over his shoulder at them, and when he turned back, there was pain in his eyes. Rose wanted to say something, but the room was small and Rebecca would be able to hear them talking. She laid a hand on his arm and gently squeezed.

  Everblue gave her a sad smile and turned back to his painting. She wished she could do more, but this wasn’t the time. With a soft sigh, she picked up her brush and tried to enjoy the evening.

  When Rose finished painting she leaned back, eyeing her work critically. It wasn’t as polished as Everblue’s, but she was pleased with what she had created.

  “What now?” Rose asked.

  “If you like your work—”

  “I do,” Rose interrupted.

  Everblue nodded, and Rose smelled lilies. She looked at the canvas and saw it going from shiny and wet to flat and dry. “Now I’ll draw the design so you can paint it. What do you want?”

  “I like the swirls you did, but could they come from a single stem? You know, like the stalk of a climbing rose, and then have all the curls around that, getting tighter the higher up they go?”

  “Anything for the lovely lady.” Everblue started sketching.

  Silverlight’s voice drifted over. “Always remember where your fingers are. If you feel uncertain about a cut, move it around until you’re comfortable. It’s not worth a finger. This is yellow pine, a soft wood. You can practice cuts or try to make something.”

  After a long pause, Rebecca asked, “Could you help me make a dolphin?”

  “There you go,” Everblue said, distracting Rose from Silverlight’s reply. “Tell me now if there’s anything you want to change?”

  “It looks good.”

  “What colors do you want for the lines?”

  “What if I did white and periwinkle?”

  “It will have a spring feel.” He poured out a glob of white. Scooping out a dab of purple, he used some of the white to mix the periwinkle.

  After a quick lesson on brush selection, Rose started on her lines. Hers weren’t as clean as Everblue’s and she could see the hesitation marks, uneven edges, and wobbly lines, but that didn’t take away from the beauty or fun. While she was sure that she didn’t have the makings of a master painter, it was a relaxing way to let most of her mind take some time off while she focused on simple tactile movements.

  Rose watched Everblue while she dipped her brush into the paint again. Art clearly relaxed him. His shoulders had dropped down, and he was totally focused on the canvas, lost in his own world. Still, there were shadows under his eyes that Rose attributed to Rebecca.

  Rose did her last full line of paint and pulled back to see if she was happy with the placement of the sketched dotted lines. Satisfied, she rinsed out the brushes and picked up a fine-tipped brush for the dots.

  A sharp thwack followed by a softer clatter zipped across the air. Rose dropped the brush and spun around. Everblue turned, too, his brush still in his hand.

  “I can’t do this!” Rebecca shouted. “It’s all so pointless. I can’t stay here.”

  Silverlight set down his knife. “Do what, Rebecca? What is it that you can’t do?”

  Rebecca stepped back, tripped over the chair, and caught herself before she hit the ground. Silverlight rushed over and tried to help her up.

  Rebecca tore herself away from him, wide eyes darting around the room. Everblue hurried over, but Rose knew he wouldn’t get there in time. Silverlight reached for her, but Rebecca dodged his hand, yanked open the door, and ran into the night.

  Silverlight raced out the door with Everblue on his heels. Rose was only a few steps behind them. It was new moon, and the lack of light hampered her vision. While Rose couldn’t see Rebecca, she could hear the thud of her running feet and her gasping for air.

  “Light,” Silverlight growled.

  The area immediately brightened. Rose could see Silverlight and Everblue scanning the area. The ragged breathing now seemed like crying, but the sound bounced off the other homes and Rose couldn’t pinpoint where it was coming from. Turning in a circle, she tried to narrow it down. The men didn’t seem to have a better idea because they were still standing where they’d been when the magic illuminated the surroundings.

  A shadow changed on top of the house, but Rose wasn’t sure if she was seeing something move. Dismissing it as her overactive imagination, she started looking at the sides of the house. The crying cut off abruptly, and Rose looked at the boys, hoping they had learned something. They looked as surprised as she felt, so she kept scanning the area.

  As Rose turned back to the house, the shadow on the roof moved again. Rose focused on it, and this time a shape moved into the light, and she saw Rebecca walking toward the edge of the roof. Air whooshed out of Rose’s lungs. It was more than fifteen feet from the roof to the ground.

  Rose sucked in a breath. “She’s on the roof,” she yelled.

  “Oh no,” Everblue breathed, not moving, as if paralyzed.

  Silverlight started to run toward the house, but he stopped after a few steps and lifted his face to the sky. The scent of ash filled the air. Rose looked to Everblue, whose eyes were darting from the sky to Rebecca and back again.

  The wind picked up, and ash overpowered the natural scents of grass and pine. A blast of wind forced Rose to brace herself. Rebecca was still making her way to the edge of the roof, unbothered by the wind. The illumination around them increased, and a dragon dropped out of the sky, landing on the other side of the house. The dragon filled the space between the dwellings, its tail vanishing into the night. In this light, its scales gleamed like obsidian. The dragon surveyed the scene as Rebecca took the last step toward the edge of the roof.

  In the brighter light, Rose could see wet lines running down Rebecca’s cheeks and her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Rose wanted to say something, anything, to get the girl to step away from the edge, but she couldn’t make her throat work. There had to be a better solution, if only they could get Rebecca safely off the roof.

  Beside Rose the two fey seemed frozen. Everblue wasn’t taking his eyes off Rebecca, and Silverlight had all his attention focused on the dragon.

  “You arrrre unworrrthy,” the dragon hissed. “The magic rejectsss you.”

  Rebecca shuddered and leaped off the hou
se. She hung in the air, and for a fraction of a second Rose thought the magic would save her. Then Rebecca started to fall. The smell of smoke and fire filled Rose’s nose as a cloudy area appeared below Rebecca. Rose squinted, sure she could see pavement rather than grass in the fog. Rebecca fell through the air, vanishing when she entered the haze.

  Everblue let out a strangled cry as he collapsed to the ground.

  The odors faded, and the odd patch of grass looked like all the rest now. There was nothing to indicate what had happened to Rebecca.

  The dragon turned and lowered his head to get a better look at the fey. “You chossssse well. The poison grrrrew laterr.”

  The dragon unfurled its wings, pushed off the earth, and flew off into the night. Its beating wings created gusts strong enough that Rose had to drop to one knee.

  With the dragon’s departure, Silverlight shook off whatever had been holding him in place and ran to his friend. Rose bit her lip to keep the tears from falling and hurried over to the two men, wrapping her arms around both of them and trying to protect Everblue from the chilly night air.

  Everblue’s shaking quickly turned to sobs that were interspersed with deep, gasping breaths. Rose wanted to mourn this loss with him, yet practicality won out. They needed to get Everblue back inside, but she couldn’t move him alone. Between Everblue’s cries, Rose heard a sigh. She looked up and saw Alda.

  “I tried to get here, but by the time I realized I was needed, Ember’s tail was blocking my door.” Alda shook her head.

  “Can you help me get them inside?” Before Alda could answer, Rose was shaking Silverlight’s shoulder. “Help me move Everblue.”

  Silverlight looked at her for a long moment, then shook himself and jerked his head in a nod. Alda helped him to his feet. The three of them got Everblue off the ground, arms draped over Silverlight’s and Rose’s shoulders. Alda walked along beside them, offering a steadying hand.

  Someone shouted in the distance, and Rose looked over her shoulder to see a group of fey running toward them. They were within arm’s reach of the door when the group of fey arrived.

  Summersky led the pack with Waterfall only a step behind her. She took one look at her son and nudged Rose out of the way. Alda had the door open, and while they got Everblue in the house, Rose looked at the spot where Rebecca had disappeared. There was nothing there but grass. Whatever the dragon had done had snatched her out of the air without leaving a mark.

  Waterfall paused next to her. He set a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Rose didn’t have it in her to tell him that his grip hurt. “For a moment, I thought… Thank goodness you are here and safe. My son is safe. On a night like this, a father cannot ask for more.”

  “What happened to Rebecca?” Rose asked, trying to make sense of the night’s events.

  “You have more of those answers than do I, but it seems that Ember opened a temporary Slit and sent her back to the human world. Summersky was hopeful that Everblue would find a way to help Rebecca, but at least she can be here to comfort her son.” Waterfall rubbed his temple. “Come. There is nothing to see here, and Silverlight needs you.”

  Inside, they found Summersky sitting on the sofa with Everblue cradled against her. Silverlight was sitting on his other side, looking lost. Alda was carrying Silverlight’s carving kit out of the room.

  Waterfall pursed his lips. “We need help cleaning up.”

  Rose smelled lilies, and the wood shavings vanished, as did the cups of water, brushes, paint trays, and pots of paint. The table with the paintings moved off to the side, with Everblue’s kit underneath it. Rose was sure that if she looked in the basket she would find dry brushes and clean paint trays.

  She scanned the room, looking for anything else the magic had done, and noticed that Everblue was still shivering. Rose grabbed a few blankets and draped one around him and Summersky. Silverlight was trembling slightly, too, so she set another blanket around his shoulders. Rose gave him a soft hug before pulling back to find her own seat.

  He caught her hand as she turned away. “Stay.”

  Rose tipped her head. He let her hand slide through his fingers. She sat beside him, pulled him into her arms, tugged the blanket to cover both of them, and rested her head against his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she replayed the night’s events, wondering if she could have done something to help Rebecca, but tears just leaked out of her eyes. Right now it didn’t matter why, just that Rebecca was gone. Her friend was back in the human world, and nothing would change that.

  Just like she had at the pond, she leaned against Silverlight until her tears dried. From there she watched Waterfall and Alda exchange a few words before he left. Alda sat in a chair, put her feet up, and watched them.

  “I wish his father were here,” Silverlight said softly, watching Summersky and Everblue. “He’s been gone since shortly after Rebecca arrived, negotiating trade agreements with another settlement.”

  There was a thump at the door, and Alda sat up. At a second thump, she crossed the room and pulled the door open. Pearl flew in, landed on the back of the tallest chair, wrapped her tail around her feet, and fixed her gaze on the occupants of the couch. Alda closed the door and returned to her seat with her shoulders more relaxed. Rose wasn’t sure why, but Pearl’s presence had reassured the fey.

  Summersky noticed the little dragon, acknowledging her with the tiniest of nods. Rose tightened her arms around Silverlight, hoping that it was enough to communicate her concern, but he didn’t start to relax until Everblue had cried himself out and fallen asleep in Summersky’s arms.

  Waterfall came back in the house with a blast of icy air. Pearl took off from the chair and landed on his shoulder. He ignored the dragon and waved them over. Rose got up, stumbling on the blanket. Silverlight steadied her before helping Summersky extract herself from Everblue and laid him on the couch. Alda joined them by Waterfall.

  “Ember wasn’t willing to say much, though I’m surprised he said anything at all. Regardless, he does not hold us responsible for Rebecca’s failings. He said her problems started when she began to regret her choice. Ember would not say anything more on that topic; however, he was willing to tell me that she is now in the human world, uninjured from the fall, with no memory of her time here.”

  Summersky opened her mouth, but Waterfall didn’t give her time to talk. “From what he said, our selection process could not have identified the problems within her, as they didn’t exist at the time. Ember very clearly stated that he found no fault in our choices.”

  He held Summersky’s gaze, and she reluctantly nodded. Waterfall took her hand in his, rubbing it as he continued. “How is Everblue?”

  “He hurts and feels responsible. Mostly he needs time and understanding.” She turned to Silverlight. “Could he stay here tonight?”

  “We can put him in my room,” he said. “Both of you can stay as long as you need to.”

  “My sitting room is available, as well,” Rose said.

  The sleeping arrangements were quickly settled, with Summersky and Everblue in Silverlight’s room, Alda in Rose’s sitting room, and Waterfall and Silverlight in the living room. While Silverlight and Summersky got Everblue tucked in, Waterfall had the magic transform one of the chairs into a cot. Alda was happy enough with the couch in Rose’s sitting room, and Pearl curled up next to Rose in her bed.

  She cried until she ran out of tears, but that didn’t stop the memories. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Rebecca jumping. The dragon’s words ran through her mind over and over. The magic had rejected Rebecca. She was the first fey hearted to be sent home in five hundred years, and deep down, Rose worried that if it could happen to Rebecca, it could happen to her.

  It took a long time, but eventually, Pearl’s soft snores lured her to sleep.

  Chapter 16

  Waterfall looked at the members of the treis and town council. The group was not as large as it had been in the past, as he was a member of both committees and Summersky was ab
sent. The council, which currently had just three members, was completed by Moonbeam and Fireheart. Waterfall tapped his fingers against the table, trying to find words that would do justice to his experience. Until today, he, like everyone else, had believed that the elementals couldn’t speak to the fey. Tonight Ember had spoken. Now Waterfall found himself searching for some reason the elementals had refused to communicate until now. There had to be one. They wouldn’t start talking after all this time without a reason.

  “We do need the report,” Fireheart said, breaking Waterfall’s train of thought.

  Waterfall was glad that Fireheart was here. He was an older fey whose opinions and experiences were well respected. Years ago, Waterfall had tried to get him to take the position currently occupied by George. For a time Fireheart had considered, but he ultimately refused without offering an explanation. Waterfall had always wondered what had prompted that decision.

  “Ember kept the conversation focused,” Waterfall began. “The elementals and the magic had been watching Rebecca for some time. They had hoped she was simply having a difficult time adjusting, though they could sense the discontent in her heart. He was very clear that it is their job, not ours, to deal with humans who cannot thrive.” He carefully outlined the rest of the exchange, wanting to avoid actually retelling it. “Ember also mentioned that he would like to speak to Everblue, to reassure him that this was not his fault.”

  “Did Ember say why he was speaking to you? Can all the elementals speak?” George asked.

  “I didn’t ask.”

  George’s eyebrows shot up. “You didn’t—”

  “You’re welcome to go argue with him, but personally, I didn’t feel like questioning something that would consider me an appetizer.”

  “We need that information.” George scanned the group, looking for support. “All this time we’ve been guessing at their abilities. Now we can get answers to our questions and learn about them.”

  “No,” Moonbeam said. “As the representative of the town council, I can say that we desire that information, but it is not a need. Waterfall has answered the necessary questions. As a whole, we are safe. This was a focused problem that is being resolved.”