Fae Flower

by Michelle R. Reid

  Marabell lay on her stomach in her hanging room, chin resting on her hands, giggling as she watched him fidget.

  I tied bouquets at the table, thoroughly enjoying watching my steady, always-in-control brother coming to pieces before my eyes. My lips were starting to hurt from pressing them together to keep the smile hidden. “Do you need something for your nerves?” I teased, sliding a violet coinnle corra between the white and pink flowers.

  “Heath,” Mama said quietly, not even bothering to look up from the white strip of material she was carefully wrapping around the bottom of the bouquets. “Even if you can’t sleep, go lie down in bed. Tomorrow is going to be a big day—”

  Something banged against the bottom of the front door.

  We all jumped and turned to it.

  Almost immediately, something scratched at the outside wall, behind the kitchen shelves.

  I gasped.

  A tiny, wrinkled, oval face pressed against the glass, staring in with large, incensed eyes. A grin stretched across the Red Cap’s face, revealing sharp teeth.

  I screamed.

  Mama lunged forward and pulled the rough curtains together, covering the window. She breathed hard as her hands strangled the material.

  More ghoulish faces appeared in the other windows, their wide eyes searching the room feverishly — alighting on me.

  “What’s happening?” Heath hurried to the other windows and pulled the curtains closed in their faces. He grabbed a chair and wedged it against the door.

  Banging and scratching filled the air. Tiny feet scurried just outside our walls. The angry Red Caps’ chatter was muffled through the wood of our cabin.

  My whole body seemed to tingle from my hair standing on edge. I turned this way and that to every bang. We were surrounded. My arms wrapped around my queasy stomach, and I swallowed to wet my mouth. Again. “Why are they here? What do they want?”

  Marabell cried out and flew from her room to hide herself in Mama’s hair.

  Mama reached for me and pulled me to her chest. Her heart beat faster than hummingbird wings and her breathing kept hitching. “It’s okay,” she whispered in my ear, as if talking to herself. “It’s okay. They can’t get in. They won’t get you.”

  I hugged her back. The warmth that always seemed to exude from Mama wasn’t there. I pressed my ear to her heart, wishing for it. Now more than ever, I wanted that reassurance from her.

  “It’ll be okay.” Heath came over and enveloped us all into a hug. “I’ll go—”

  “No!” Mama’s sharp voice cut him off. She took a breath, as if trying to rein in her emotions, and spoke quietly. “Don’t open the door or any windows. It’ll break the charm around the house and they could get in. And we don’t want humans to come right now. There are too many Red Caps, they’d just hurt whoever came. We just have to wait quietly until the sun rises and they’re gone.”

  A charm around the house? Was that what Aeden said, that our house was covered with magic? That was Mama’s doing? I bit my lips, wishing that Aeden were here now. He’d be able to do something about the Red Caps.

  “Why are they after me, Mama? Tell me,” I demanded. A loud clatter hit against the door. I flinched.

  Mama took a breath and sank to the ground, taking us all with her. “They want you because they can’t have me.” She paused and looked at the wall where Red Caps skittered on the other side. “You and I are special, Kyna. I know you’ve always felt different, and well, you are. In several ways. And the Red Caps can use that—use your life force—in a way that can make themselves very powerful. It would throw the entire Fae world out of order, and I can’t even imagine what it would do to the human world.”

  My eyes widened, shocked. “They want … my life force?” They wanted to kill me?

  Mama nodded. “I don’t know why they waited so long to try and take you. Maybe they’ve been waiting for that spark in you to mature. They came after me the first time when I was only ten. They are the reason why I limp.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was like I’d been waiting to hear these words, but now that I was, it was hard to believe. Hard to believe I was special enough to affect a race like that. I was too shocked for words. Is that why she was so determined to keep me by her at all times?

  Heath swallowed, fear in his eyes. “Am I like that too?”

  Mama shook her head. She reached out and soothed his blond curls off his forehead. She smiled kindly. “No. You took after your Papa in that sense, just like your looks.” Her fingers ran along his jaw. “I can’t believe my sturdy little boy is such a sturdy man now. Time has gone by so fast.” She sighed and let her fingers drop. “And so slow.”

  She looked around, steady now and determined. “Let’s try to get some sleep. I think we should stay together, instead of going to our separate rooms. And wait for the sun to force the Red Caps away.” Her mouth slanted in dry humor. “This isn’t how I thought the night before the wedding would be, but let’s make the best of it.”

  I winced as another bang echoed through the house. There wasn’t going to be any sleep tonight.

  Chapter 7

  The Red Caps continued to try and force their way into our house until only minutes before dawn. I awoke the next morning, my eyes bleary and pain shooting down my back. We’d huddle in in the common room throughout the long night, assembling bouquets with trembling fingers. All the while, the jumpy rhythm of the Red Caps assaulted our ears. Hundreds of questions buzzed in my head, but whenever I voiced them, Mama would simply shake her head, eyes glazed with thoughts and a frown on her face. I’d thought sleep was impossible, but finally exhaustion won and I collapsed on a chair at the table next to Heath as Mama started to clean the house like a nervous bee.

  The morning sun crested when a heavy fist pounded on the wood. “Maira, Heath, what happened?” Uncle Fergus shouted.

  Heath hurried over and unlatched the door. Sunlight flooded into the room as Heath stepped out.

  I blinked against the sun and raised a hand as my eyes adjusted. I walked out, squinting in the bright light. A group of my kin huddled together, pointing and gawking at my house.

  “Look!”

  “What kind of demon did that?”

  “Have they been cursed?”

  Heath frowned and lifted his hands to draw attention to him. “This has nothing to do with a curse, everyone. Don’t you get any odd thoughts in your heads without hearing what happened.”

  Frowning, I turned to see what they were talking about. My hand jumped up and covered my mouth. Heath’s voice faded into the background as I stared in shock. Our house!

  Every inch of the bottom half of my home was covered in gashes, blond against the aged wood, as if the Red Caps were trying to dig their way through.

  Mama pressed a hand to her mouth, tears in her tired eyes, as she looked over the house that she spent twenty years tending with Papa.

  My hands fisted. Damn them. Damn these vile creatures that damaged my home like this. Damn that they wanted power so much that they were determined to ruin my life. To take away my life. But why me? How could killing me, one human girl, give them that much power?

  I walked around the house, running my fingers over the grooves, needing to see if they had left some part, a small portion, alone at least. I rounded the corner and stopped dead, gasping in horror.

  “No!” I yelled and ran over the garden.

  My garden. Mama’s garden.

  It was destroyed.

  Every single plant was shredded in tiny pieces. The flowers, the stems, the roots. It was like mulch scattered across the ground. And the soil — instead of the rich, vibrant brown it had always been, the grayish dirt was clumped together and dead looking. No plant would ever survive in this garden again.

  I dropped to my knees and sifted through the pieces, hunting for a plant I could save. Just touching the soil felt wrong, like it was tainted.

  Mama came around the corner and stumbled to a stop. “No,” sh
e whispered. “No! No!” Voice full of anguish, she staggered to the fence and collapsed onto it, staring at the ruin. Sobs shook her body. “No, no, no,” she moaned, as distraught as the day Papa died. “Not this. Not this.”

  Heath rushed around the corner. He stopped, shocked as I was that our stable Mama was as destroyed as the garden.

  I left the hopeless pile, went over to Mama and wrapped my arms around her. She turned and cried into my shoulder. Just holding her, feeling her grief with every sob, caused tears to leak from my eyes too.

  Uncle Fergus walked up to Heath and put his hand on his shoulder. “The wedding guests are going to start showing up in an hour,” he reminded us quietly. He looked back at Mama. “I think we should postpone the wedding—”

  “No.” Mama sniffled and looked up at him, despite the tears, a fierce glint lit her Fae eyes. “No. We should still have it.” She turned back to me and smoothed my hair behind my ear, obviously thinking something, but she didn’t share. She stood up and turned to the men, tear-streaked face and all, but her chin was held high. “Let’s proceed as planned, Fergus.”

  My uncle paused then nodded and walked off, taking the rest of the men with him.

  Heath walked over to us. “Mama, it doesn’t feel right. I mean, shouldn’t it wait until this Red Cap business is settled?”

  She shook her head and looped an arm around his shoulder, hugging him to her. “It won’t settle. Not until Kyna’s birthday.”

  “My birthday?” I said in surprise. “What do you mean?”

  Mama took a breath and wiped the tears from her eyes. “That day, the Fool’s Day, is a special day for the Red Caps and the reason why they want you.” She shook her head. “We can’t wait that long. There are dozens of protective spells on the house, but look how they fared after just one night. How can they possibly hold up until the spring?” She took a deep breath and looked into our eyes. “Which is why, after the wedding, when you are officially the Head of Deaglan Ranch, Kyna and I are leaving.”

  “Leaving?” Heath and I said at the same time.

  Mama nodded. “I need to take Kyna somewhere safe.” She turned to me. “If the Red Caps get ahold of you, they’ll kill you. Torture you, then kill you.”

  My brows pulled together as the seriousness of the situation set in. “Why haven’t you told me about this before? All you’ve ever said was that the Red Caps were interested in me. Why didn’t you tell me?” I stepped out of her arms and faced her. “And what about the Sun Fae? Why did you keep that secret too? What else are you hiding from me?”

  Mama sighed. “I just wanted you to grow up happy, only seeing the beauty of Fae. It was something I never got, and I wanted you to have it.”

  I took a sharp breath and let it out, scowling at the ruined flowers. What was the use of keeping me in the dark? Mama was always doing that — shouldering the burden, trying to protect me by herself. I wasn’t useless — I could share her burden if she’d just let me. And I should! The Red Caps were after me. It was my fault we were in this danger. Some part of me knew I should thank Mama for loving me enough to make sure I grew up innocent and happy. But what good was innocence when I couldn’t protect my family?

  She shook her head, drawing my attention back to her. “Maybe I was wrong, but I don’t regret it. But it’s not safe for you here anymore. And the longer you’re here, the more danger the family is in. As soon as we’re gone, the Red Caps will leave too.” She rested a hand on Heath’s shoulder. “And you are ready to take over the ranch. You already run it better than I do, and the men listen to you so much better than they do me.”

  Heath shook his head, confused. “But what about the house and everything?”

  Mama looked at the house, her expression as sad as it was mystic. “I packed everything up that I wanted to keep last night and stored it in Kyna’s room. Everything else is yours. Live in Grandpapa’s old house while you fix this one up and make it a house that you and your bride can be happy in all your lives.” She turned happy tears towards Heath. “Nothing would make your Papa and me prouder. Someday, when the Red Caps aren’t a threat anymore, we’ll come and be a family again.”

  I looked at the house I was born and raised in. It was my world. The anchor in my life that always provided a sense of safety. And Mama was so quick to leave it. To walk away as if it didn’t matter at all. But I didn’t know that I could. Yet, could I really stay, knowing it would put Heath and the rest of the family in harm’s way?

  Other than Heath, if Mama and the garden were gone, what would I have to keep me here anyway?

  I turned back to Mama. “Where will we go?” Where could we go to get away from the Red Caps? They always seemed to know where I was. Just like yesterday when they knew we were traveling by ourselves.

  Mama paused and sighed. “We’ll think of something. But right now, we really must get ready for the wedding.”

  *****

  I’d always liked weddings. They were the one time I was allowed to display as many flowers as I wanted, wherever I wanted. Since it was my beloved brother’s wedding, I made sure he had the best. White and pale pink flowers lavish with pops of dark violet blooms decorated the arch that Heath stood under.

  He wore new clothes we’d bought during the last market, the brown pants, white shirt, and blue tunic clean and pressed. Mama had dabbed peppermint oil on them before he changed to make him smell nice and calm his nerves. Lavender would have been better, but Mama thought it wasn’t manly enough. Even so, Heath was still pale and flushed. It wasn’t hard to tell he was nervous about the wedding and stressed about the Red Cap situation. He kept glancing at me and Mama, as if making sure we were okay.

  We stood on the front row, a first for me. I wore a pale-yellow dress with a white underdress and pluming sleeves that gathered at my wrists. My hair was braided over my right shoulder, some of my wild reddish curls already threatening to spring loose.

  Mama stood next to me in a deep green dress. Her rich red hair was twisted on top of her head, with ribbons and flowers helping. She stood openly with her Fae Silk cloak — so similar to Aedan’s — about her shoulders. She’d had it all my life, but I’d never seen her wear it. Now, it was out in plain sight for all to see.

  Marabell fluttered between us, wearing yellow like me, big skirt swaying like a bell as she bobbed in the air, shaking an actual bell in her hands.

  Guests stood along a length of white ribbons, marking the bride’s path. The air was filled with the tinkling of bells and the stir of apprehensive whispers. Already the rumors of what happened to our house flew among the guests. Superstitions about how Heath’s marriage must be cursed, probably brought on by his odd mother and sister. They’d angered a Fae and now the whole ranch was in trouble.

  Mama stood with her shoulders back and her head held high, as she focused on her nervous son. She gave him an encouraging smile as if she couldn’t hear the words around her.

  I was just about to turn around and tell the man behind me to hush up when all the talking stopped. A loving sigh escaped the crowd together as Eden, the bride, and her papa started walking down the aisle. She was lovely in her pale blue dress. White ribbons twisted around her dark hair and drifted behind her as she walked. Her blue eyes were bright, and a happy blush colored her cheeks beautifully.

  Heath seemed to grow taller with pride every step she took towards him, as the biggest smile I’d seen bloomed on his face.

  It was so wonderful to see, like last night didn’t matter anymore. It was just here and now. I bit my lip, wishing I could join all the way in their joy, but I couldn’t. I wanted the moment to stay like this forever for them, but as long as I was here, there would always be a constant threat against them.

  Mama was right. We needed to leave. But where could we go? This was the only home I’d ever known.

  Eden stopped just under the arch with Heath, a perfect flower to add to the arrangement. The priest talked of Heath and Eden as they stared into each other’s eyes like they were
the only two people in the world.

  What would it feel like to have a man look at me like that? And to look at him, knowing that he was my everything? It sounded so wonderful, I couldn’t even fathom the idea. Aedan’s face came to my mind, so strong and noble, with his sharp Fae features and quick smile. My eyes widened as a blush seared my cheeks.

  What was wrong with me? My brother was getting married and I was leaving my house, why was I thinking about Aedan like that?

  By the time I focused again, the priest had already finished talking and was wrapping a silver cord around the bride and grooms’ interlocked hands.

  They leaned forward and kissed softly over their joined hands.

  I cheered with the rest of the crowd. Mama applauded and dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a finger. Marabell was crying too much to get a proper cheer out.

  The couple leaned apart, faces red and glowing with happiness. The crowd rushed forward to congratulate them, Mama in the front, engulfing the couple in a hug.

  I slid into the line and waited for my turn to hug my brother and new sister. But there were so many people waiting for their turns, I only managed a brief hug and then scampered away to make room for the press of people behind me.

  I wandered into the crowd in search of familiar faces and friends that I only get to see during the summer markets. It was nice, being distracted by the small talk and catching up. Laughter and happy words filled the air, but still I couldn’t help glancing toward my damaged home and the ruined garden behind it.

  A small body — a Fae? — flitted around the corner of my house. The Fae must be looking for the garden. I sighed as sadness pinged my heart. I didn’t have anything to help the Fae now. It was all gone.

  … But maybe the Fae could help me. My eyes widened as the thought grabbed hold of my mind. If that was a Fae we’d helped in the past, maybe, just maybe, it would be willing to donate a plant and help us rebuild the garden — wherever we ended up.

  High on hope, I hurried toward the garden, weaving between the guests.