People of Fae

by M.M. Gavillet

Sidhe Hills was a gated community of the wealthy, famous and important Fae of Avalon. Megan was new to this area as he mother wanted to be “closer to the action” as she called it. Banshees lived in a designated area called Ayabell. It was a small area surrounded by forests of tall trees with several villages dotted among the forest.

  Megan didn’t miss her home in Ayabell. It was beautiful, yes, but it wasn’t the like the Etherworld.

  You could go anywhere in the Etherworld, be anyone you wanted to be, and no one knew she was a Banshee. She had many guys there, and all of them she liked, but one stood out to her and did something to her that she couldn’t explain.

  Tempted to use a spell on him so he wouldn’t stray from her, Megan almost did, but then that would alter his personality. And for the first time, she enjoyed flirting without the use of a spell.

  Megan stood in front of her window and looked down at the perfectly clean street as the street cleaner whirled by with giant, circular brooms whisking away the tiny specks of dirt. This was a perfect community where order, predictability, and tradition were strong. There was no veering from it, and as her mother planned to make a place in Avalon for Banshees, Megan decided upon a plan of her own.

  Megan heard her mother’s voice ring through the house like a bell. She listened to it for a moment. It was strong as usual, but it also had an element of sophistication to it that Megan seldom heard.

  “Please call me Syra. No really, please do, I insist.” Hardly anyone called her by her first name. “Yes, I would love to be seated by Mrs. Snowbird. I’ve yet to meet her, and the opportunity is greatly appreciated… yes, of course…”

  Megan suddenly caught the earthy scent of a spell as she eavesdropped outside her mother’s library.

  “Thank you for all your help. And yes, please have my daughter sit next to her son.” She sounded like she was sharing a laugh with whoever she was talking to on the phone. “His name is Isaac, and he likes the color blue…”

  A spell to get information, sway decisions…I’m tired of being a puppet.

  Megan was her only daughter, and now she felt she was being used as a game piece.

  “Thank you for all your help.” And the conversation ended with a beep and a satisfying sigh of accomplishment.

  All the more reason to get out of here…

  Megan crept upstairs, changed into jeans and a cloat—a combination of a coat and a cloak that covered her blonde hair with a large hood. She slipped two spare spell vials into her deep pocket, and glided down the staircase.

  The lingering scent of the spell was potent. Megan knew she had to use a strong one since her victim was a distance away. She knows a lot about spells and glamours, and they have been woven into her just like you’d teach manners to small children. But Megan wasn’t as good as her mother, but her mother isn’t exactly an open book. She taught Megan the basics and a few complicated ones, but nothing too complicated —that would be giving up power. And family or not, a Banshee never gives up her secrets.

  Megan slipped out of the house easily. Mimir was watching a movie and her mother enjoying a glass of ambrosia from Shangri-La. Sidhe Hills was on a schedule where nothing unexpected happened in this gated community. No one suspicious or of questionable nature would be able to get past the guard, but that also meant Megan. She’d have to get out another way.

  Spell vial number one would be used for this purpose.

  Megan walked up to guard tower that was made of stone with large windows all the way around. A black, wrought iron gate stood like a giant in front of the guard tower, and through its intricate designs, Megan could see the dim, almost sickening green lights of Duegar District. She didn’t want to go there, but it was whispered through the grapevine that a Fae that knows of the ancient ways was there. Megan just wanted to talk to them, find out what she could on Banshee magic, and make it home by morning.

  “Megan?” The guard quickly removed is feet from the counter and threw the magazine he was reading to the floor. “I-I wasn’t expecting anyone. Is there a problem?”

  Megan gazed at him and smiled. “No, Zac…is it?” She curled her fingers around the bars and tipped her head to the side letting her hair fall around her face.

  He swallowed hard as his eyes focused on her. She had him, and with hardly the cap off her vial.

  Executing a spell wasn’t just chanting, it was simply letting yourself take control of what you want. Faes were as easily affected by Banshee magic, and Zac here, was no exception. Especially, since he already had a crush on Megan. This made her escape so much easier.

  “Turn off the cameras.” Megan commanded in a playful tone.

  “Why?”

  Open the bottle just a little more…

  “Because,” she put on her playful face. “I’m a bored girl locked up in this boring community and surrounded by boring Faes.” She leaned closer towards him, and like a magnet, Zac followed her cue. “What I want to do to you I don’t want recorded.”

  “But…”

  “Shh,” she placed her finger through the bars to his lips.

  Zac wasn’t much older than she, and under different circumstances, she might like to know him. But for now, he was the lock to the gate and to her freedom.

  Zac clicked off the cameras and opened the door to the guard tower.

  Megan stood outside and opened the bottle the rest of the way inside her pocket. She could smell its sweet scent that only she could pick up on. Zac stood in the doorway and smiled at her.

  “Well, Miss Mourhill,” his left eyebrow arched under his wavy, black hair. “Do you want an invite or are you just going to attack me here?”

  Maybe she used a little too much of her spell. He had an animalistic glow to his eyes that gazed at her like she was raw meat. Megan stepped back.

  “I want you to lay on the ground and go to sleep.” She pointed to towards the ground.

  He looked at where she was pointing. “What?”

  He gave her a confused look. She didn’t totally have him. Megan cursed herself internally, and wished she had an ounce of her mother’s ability. She could do spells without the use of vials and Megan guessed that’s why she’s the Queen.

  Megan smiled and ran her finger along Zac’s shoulder to his elbow. “Get on the ground, it’s a surprise and close your eyes.”

  Zac looked at the paved road then at her as she motioned for him to do it.

  “Trust me Zac, I’m a Banshee.”

  Without any more resistance, Megan slowly stepped away as she whispered over and over the command to go to sleep. And finally when he did, Megan opened the gate and slipped outside the protective gates towards Duegar District.

  The smell of urine curled around Megan like one of her spells. The ground was slimy like the bottom of a garbage dumpster. She pushed her grimace away she had for this place that made her skin crawl like it was covered with thousands of bugs. Megan had no clue if even the Fae was still here or ever was here. She had to take the chance to find them.

  She first heard of them while she accidently eavesdropped on her mother talking to magistrate of Ayabell.

  “They exist, yes, Louis, I’m sure…in Duegar District.”

  Megan heard her mother speak to the magistrate several times concerning her move to Avalon. He opposed it, saying it was too dangerous and Avalon was unstable right now, but her head-strong mother who always knew best, ignored his warning.

  Megan had never hated her mother, but never loved her mother in the way a daughter usually loved a mother. They cared for each other, but something, like a sudden autumn breeze that killed the last of the summer days, had parted them like an invisible blade. Megan felt in her gut she had to do something, and finding this illusive and possibly fictional Fae was a start.

  She had no idea where she should start, who she should see, and what building they were in. All she knew was she had to be quick, and get back home before anyone noticed her missing.
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  Megan passed several buildings, some empty, some humming with music and voices. She kept her eyes forward, glancing sideways from time to time. Megan knew she had to move quickly through this muck of society. Why did this Fae even live here? Surely someone with rumored knowledge would live in a nicer place.

  She looped through the streets passing by several Fae all huddled around doorways and in the shadows of decaying buildings. She felt their eyes on her, watching her like hungered animals. Megan knew she didn’t blend in, but she wasn’t going to be there long.

  Just like a smack across the cheek, Megan caught a whiff of a spell. She stopped at an dimly lit intersection as a mist of acid water fell from the sky. She took in the scent trying to find its direction. Could it be them? Her heart bounced in her chest.

  She twirled around ignoring the grisly Faes covered in dirt and who knows what else that were beginning to take notice of her. The scent was getting stronger, and coming at her in waves almost like it was a neon sign flickering at her.

  “Pretty miss,” a weary, old woman had snuck up behind Megan and placed her knobby hand on her shoulder. “Anything you might have to help an old woman?”

  Megan jerked her shoulder out from under the woman’s hand.

  “Get away from me you urchin,” Megan said, and started to turn when she about ran into a man smiling back at her with a toothless grin.

  “Don’t you know respect, girl?” He was slowly joined by several other shadowed Fae that started to gravitate towards her.

  “Let’s teach her some.” One said from the crowd.

  Megan felt adrenaline surge inside her as her heart pounded in her chest. She had to do something or they’d end up killing her or worse —the media would find out and she’d have to deal with her mother when she got home. She had to get out of this impossible situation herself.

  “If it’s money you want,” she said, reaching into her pocket. “Here!” She threw up into the air the small amount of coin she had.

  The tiny, silver coins twirled in the air and landed smacking into the muck street as a few scrambled to snatch them up, but not all of them.

  “We don’t want your money…”

  Megan backed up and tripped over the old woman. She landed on her back with her legs resting on the haggard woman’s hunched body as if she was an ottoman. She didn’t even notice Megan as she fought other Faes for Megan’s coin scattered in the muck. She felt the damp moisture seep through her coat as she struggled to get up out of the slippery mess.

  Her hands were coated with mud as the old woman turned to her with milky colored eyes and smiled. She pulled on her coat, and began to search Megan’s pockets as the toothless Fae charged towards her.

  He grabbed her by her cloat. Threads tore from his filthy grip and fabric stretched to the point of tearing. Hot anger filled Megan. She loved this cloat, and even considered not wearing it as it was her favorite, and now, it was being handled by some disgusting vagrant.

  “Let go of my cloat.” Megan demanded.

  The man laughed and was joined by the swarm of Faes. Their stink that encircled Megan could reach the tallest building in Avalon. It made her sick, but just the thought of someone trying to overpower her, sickened her more. They were bugs in her way, and just like bugs she would squish them.

  Megan had no weapons, wasn’t strong enough to overpower them, but she had one thing that was always readily available —air.

  Tilting her head back, she let out a scream that was silent to all ears except those of the wind. She felt it surround her, slowly building, as it rushed from high above her and charged towards the ground like an army on horseback. Megan thought of its movements twisting and turning through Duegar District. It curled around buildings, pushed against the urchins that lived here, and like two strong hands, plucked the would-be assailant in front and surrounding Megan from the ground they stood.

  Wind rushed through the street, Faes fell to the ground or rushed inside the shacks that lined the street, and Megan stood with a small smile.

  Lizzi

  “But the landmerrows are supposed to be neutral.” Lizzi looked down at Wes removing the cool rag from his forehead. “Why did one attack Wes?” She turned to Elijah. “Do you think someone sent it here?”

  Elijah gazed at her with a flicker of worry that Lizzi could clearly see. “Landmerrows are fickle creatures. Maybe Wes stepped on it or intruded on its area. Who knows, but I don’t think it was sent here.” He placed his large hand on her shoulder. “Don’t let this bother you.” His voice sounded carefree. “Wes will be fine. Suffered worse…” Elijah’s words trailed off. “Really,” his voice snapped as if he pulled his thoughts out of a bad memory. “The only thing you should worry about is getting out of this place and onto something better. That is, you and Wes should find your place in Avalon.” He left with a gentle shut of the door.

  Lizzi squeezed the rag and gently placed it back onto Wes’s forehead. He looked so peaceful—like he was caught in some wonderful dream where there were no worries, no burdens, and no broken hearts.

  Toby Winslett was a Changeling, and decided, or more like was forced to go back to the Etherworld along with a part of Lizzi’s heart that she gave to him. He, of course, didn’t know that, but she did and did so knowing it would be hurt.

  She tried scrying into the Etherworld, but the barriers where too thick to even conjure the slightest ghostly form of him. She kept her scrying bowl under her bed and used it every night, but the barriers between the worlds were like iron. Of course they were, and she knew it, but tried every night until she thought she’d wear a hole in it.

  Every night she’d run the few memories she had with Toby like she was reciting an evening prayer to the Isle of Stars. His hair was the color of charred wood, and his eyes as green as the grass in spring, and his touch on her hand was like that of a kitten’s. Her favorite memory was when they were in the orchard together. It was just the two of them picking apples, she fell and he caught her. It was the most unexpected thing, and at that moment, Toby had her heart.

  Lizzi never planned on it. It just happened. And she showed him things. The oracle that revealed a tiny glimpse at who he was uncovered his ties to the Fae world. She had always been embarrassed of her scrying abilities until she seen Toby’s surprised face. Everything changed after that.

  “Lizzi,” Wes’s voice brought her to her senses. “Are you alright?”

  “Oh,” her eyes popped open. “Wes, yes, I’m fine. But you…”

  He pushed himself up.

  “I’m fine now, but Lyssa…and Zoey.” His face paled. “I saw her…in the woods.” His hazel eyes that she couldn’t decide if they were more brown than green flickered somewhere between a boy and a man. “She isn’t dead. She’s at the Isle of Stars…Zoey, she at the Isle of Stars, and we are still in danger.” Wes pushed himself up on wobbly legs.

  “Wes, you hallucinated from the poison of a landmerrow.”

  “It was Dane’s fault the damn thing stung me.” He tromped towards the door. “I’m going to punch him in the nose first thing when I get the chance.”

  Lizzi followed him out the door. “Wes!”

  “Elijah, where are you?” Wes yelled like a child demanding their parent.

  Lizzi followed Wes down the stairs and into the dining hall that looked enormous with just the three of them here. It was once filled with many other Faes, mostly young, orphaned children, that lived here protected from the prisons of Avalon or had merely come here escaping the city itself.

  “You’d think a Giant would be easier to find giving their size.” Wes said, catching his breath.

  There were no chairs, so Wes sat on the floor in front of the fireplace. It was a large, with a dragon head as the fireplace sat with an open mouth, teeth pointed, eyes that looked angry even though they were made out of grey marble, and scales delicately covered its head. It looked like it had st
uck its head inside the mansion and was going to eat Wes who sat in front of it holding his head.

  “You’re still too sick to be running around.” Lizzi went up to him, and he flicked her away.

  “You’re not my mother, Lizzi!” He yelled as she took a step back.

  Hurt filled her at first. She had always taken care of Wes since he was like a brother to her. And just like siblings, he was her stupid, younger brother at times. She stayed here for him after all of the other Faes left. Lizzi had plans of going to Avalon, study at the design school, and hopefully get an internship at Vine. She had her future planned out, and even on a time schedule. She put all of that on hold for him, because Wes was like a seed in the wind, and she wanted to make sure he landed in a good garden where he could grow.

  Lizzi tightened her mouth, and was about to give Wes a piece of her mind when Elijah came in.

  “Ah, thought I heard my name being bellowed.” He smiled, and walked up to Wes who lay on the floor holding his head. “What did you want that was so important that Lizzi couldn’t have come and got me?”

  “It’s Zoey, she’s alive and at the Isle of Stars, Elijah…I seen her…and Orzan has a son. Lyssa is in danger—we have to save her!” Wes stood up with fire in his eyes. “I was in the woods and Zoey appeared to me and told me this, and then I was attacked by that Drake, Dane. He had landmerrows following him, and one of the damn things stung me.” Tenderly, he rubbed the back of his neck as sweat beaded on his forehead. “He probably has them working for him.”

  Lizzi’s eyes met Elijah’s.

  The Giant smiled and wrapped his arm around Wes to steady him. “You, my young one, probably dreamt the whole thing.”

  Wes jerked himself out of Elijah’s arm. “I’m telling you what I saw, not dreamt. Zoey came to me, and she isn’t dead.”

  Elijah let out a tiresome sigh, and looked at Wes with a mixture of empathy and concern.

  “You don’t believe me and neither do you,” Wes said, darting his eyes to Lizzi.

  “Wes,” Lizzi stepped in front of him and looked into his eyes. “Zoey is gone.” She felt a lump form in her throat, and wanted to cry, but remained composed so she was strong for Wes. “If she was alive, she’d be here by now. It was a dream Let it go,” she said, in almost a pleading voice.

  Out of all the Faes at the Rebel compound, Wes had the hardest time dealing with Zoey’s death. They never found her body, but they held a memorial service in her name. Lizzi missed Zoey as much as Wes, but he hung onto the hope that she’d come back, and that’s why he stayed, she thought.

  Now with his poison-induced vision of her, only strengthens his futile dream of her returning.

  “Her body was never found.” Wes sounded as though he was stating an important fact.

  “No, but landmerrows, they can take their victims underground. That’s probably what happened. They took her underground, and her body was dissolved into the ground by their poisons.” Lizzi hated to be blunt, and almost sound disrespectful to the dead, but Wes needed a wake-up call, not sympathy.

  “She’s at the Isle of Stars.” He ignored Lizzi and shifted his eyes to Elijah. “I know what I witnessed, and Zoey came to me, and so did Dane. Things are happening in Avalon. Zoey said Orzan had a son that will gain power, and Lyssa is still in danger.” He stepped away from them. “I don’t care if you guys think I’m hallucinating. I’m going after Lyssa, find Orzan’s son and kill him. And then, I’m going to the Isle of Stars and bring Zoey home.”

  Wes turned and darted into the darkness of the hallway as thunder from an approaching storm rumbled throughout the mansion.

  “Wes,” Lizzi called his name, but it was too late.

  “Elijah, we have to do something.” She turned to him as he shook his head.

  “Don’t worry about him right now.” He smiled down at her as he handed her a large envelope. “This was delivered earlier today by a delivery rider from Avalon, and I think this is more important right now.”

  Lizzi took the brown envelope with the letter V in the center that had a single, curling ivy vine through it —the unmistakable mark of Vine. She held it in her hands, and knew what it was. It contained her acceptance papers, and when she’d start her apprenticeship.

  She looked at Elijah smiling widely at her.

  “I’m leaving in three days, and so will Wes, though he doesn’t know that yet.” He glanced in the direction he had run off. “I suggest you get ready, because our futures won’t come all the way out here to get us.”

  “But what will Wes do?” Lizzi asked almost feeling guilty as she looked again at her envelope.

  Elijah took in a deep breath. “I got him a position at the Palace as a gate guard —will do him some good to see the rest of the Fae race.”

  Lizzi couldn’t help but to smile as she pictured the sour look on his face, but knew it would be good for him, because you can’t be a Rebel forever.