“Do you have trouble speaking to people? You seem to be doing just fine.”
I give him a playful nudge. “I guess you’re just easy to talk to. It’s not like that with other kids my age. When someone walks by in the hallway and says Hey, how’s it going, I’m not sure if it’s a rhetorical question or if they really want me to answer. If I’m having a bad day, should I be honest? I might end up boring them with problems they didn’t want to know about in the first place.”
“You think very deeply.”
“Yeah. People just don’t understand me. Not even my own family. I’d rather be out here in the woods than at the mall, and apparently, that’s not right.”
“What’s the mall?”
I give him a confused look. Maybe he’s just as strange as I am. I might’ve met my match, and I’m absolutely thrilled. I think about what it would be like to show up to school tomorrow with the new boy in town as my friend. Mine. Everyone would be so jealous.
“You know, there’s like a bunch of shops,” I explain. “Clothes, jewelry, makeup. That sort of stuff.”
“Oh. So, it’s a bazaar.”
I hike a shoulder. “Sure.”
“Can I—would it be okay if I—” Kirian’s stammering is adorable. It’s the first hint of nervousness he’s shown, and it makes me like him even more. “May I feel your face?”
“Oh.” I feel like a jerk for not offering sooner. Mental note: research how to have a blind friend. “Yeah, sure.”
Our hands separate, and our footsteps slow.
My lungs freeze up as I watch his hand find my shoulder. His fingers flit to my collarbone, then they move up. First, he touches my chin and my jaw. Next, my cheeks and nose. My eyebrows. I’m glad when he feels how long and thick my eyelashes are. They’re my best asset.
He finishes his exploration by tracing my lips.
I think I could die happy right now.
A smirk quirks up on Kirian’s face. “You should probably breathe.”
Stepping back, I gulp at the air. “I don’t know why I was holding my breath. That was silly.”
“It’s because you’re in awe of my magnificence.”
I can’t tell if he’s being serious. No one can be that full of themselves, but he does have a point. I was literally so mesmerized by him, I’d forgotten I needed oxygen to live.
“For the record,” he starts, “you have very nice features. Your face is symmetrical, and your nose is close to perfection.”
Blushing, I touch my nose, feeling the straight bridge and the rounded tip. “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
It’s true that, structurally, my face is great. I have full lips, a nicely shaped chin, and good cheekbones. It’s my skin that’s the problem.
“What’s that noise?” Kirian asks, turning his ear toward me.
I glance down at my palm and stop clicking the glass balls together. “My marbles?”
“No. It sounds like someone’s ringing a bell.”
“Oh. My mom.” Now that I’m paying attention, I hear the far-off tinkling. “I’m supposed to go home now.”
“So soon?” He almost sounds disappointed.
“Come to my house with me.” I grip his elbow and tug on his arm.
“I can’t.”
Frowning, I let go. “That sucks.”
“I like it here, though,” he continues, his nose wrinkling in the cutest way as he sniffs the air. “I think I’ll be back.”
“Tomorrow?”
He nods, but sudden panic strikes me. I don’t know where he lives. What if he’s homeschooled? I might never see him again, and my only chance at a friend would be gone. Sure, he’s conceited and bossy, but he hasn’t been mean.
“Promise?” I ask, not doing a very good job of hiding my desperation.
“If you give me something of yours—something that’s important to you—I have to come back.” He states it like it’s an unbendable rule, and I’m crazy enough to buy into it.
Uncurling my fist, I look at the marbles. There’s an identical blue swirl running through each one. I’ve had them for two years. I carry them at all times, and they calm me when I’m feeling stressed. I guess you could say they’re pretty important to me.
I take a deep breath before handing him one. “These two are a pair. They’re always together. I’d be devastated if I lost it.”
“I’ll return with it tomorrow. Meet me here.”
“Okay.” I start to turn away, but then I remember he can’t see where he’s going. “How are you going to get home?”
He smiles. “Magic.”
The bell is ringing louder now, and I can picture my mom getting all red in the face as she frantically waves it harder. She gets worried when I don’t come back right away.
Giving Kirian one last lingering look, I start jogging back to the dock. I’m almost there when I glance over my shoulder.
I stumble. Because he’s not standing where I left him. Not on the trail, not in the trees, not in the creek.
“Kirian?” Hopping on the balls of my feet, I roll my eyes when I say, “Your Majesty?”
No answer. Just silence, except for the sound of the rushing water.
He’s just… gone.
Kirian
The sweet smell is absent today. She isn’t here. Quinn. The girl I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
As I stand just inside the portal, the loud commotion on the other side stops me from crossing through. I hear shouts from both men and women. They’re calling my name.
Strike my misfortune. I want to kick myself.
This is my fault. I should’ve explained who I am a little better. I get the feeling Quinn didn’t believe most of the things I said, and why would she? As a general rule, humans are oblivious to the existence of faeries.
It was pure coincidence that I crossed paths with her in the first place. I’d thought I was following the honeysuckle flowers when I went through the portal, but my nose led me to Quinn instead. Icy water was an unexpected shock, and I was disoriented from being in an unfamiliar place.
Frustrated with my inability to see, I let out a growl.
My mom says I shouldn’t be so hard on myself while I’m relearning how to navigate my surroundings. Besides, it was only my second time using a portal—not to mention, my first time since losing my sight.
The rustling of leaves is loud as someone walks nearby. Too close.
Disappointed, I back away from the wasted portal. My gateway to Earth. If I could see, there’d be a watery film between the two worlds. Like looking through distorted glass.
I roll the marble between my thumb and forefinger, remembering the way it was warm from Quinn’s body heat when she gave it to me.
I can feel its importance. A certain heaviness lingers inside the sphere, and it reminds me of the beautiful melancholy Quinn carries with her.
I didn’t think anyone could be sadder than me. But Quinn… a longing in her heart tugged at mine. There was an endearing desperation about her, and I was drawn to her transparency. Her honesty. Her compassion.
Her nervous rambling was cute, and she accepted my handicap without a hint of disdain or judgment. Just being around her made me feel normal again.
Drawing in a breath through my nose, I strain to find a stronger hint of her scent woven in with dirt and decaying leaves. But, other than that, I come up with nothing but motor exhaust, sweat, and a hint of gun powder.
Earth is an interesting mix of beauty and stench.
Suddenly, loud barking comes from right in front of me. Startled, I fall back, and the hound continues with the obnoxious sounds. Damn dogs and their sixth sense.
I have to leave, and I hate that I won’t be able to see Quinn today.
I heave out a deep sigh.
Not much I can do about it. Except wait.
Quinn
Telling my parents about a blind boy I saw in the woods was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made.
After explaining
how I met my new friend, they called the sheriff. Then the sheriff sent out a search party. No one could survive the cold, they’d said. Especially not a disabled person who was lost in the wilderness.
I’d gotten the scolding of my life for leaving a helpless person out there to die, for being so irresponsible and inconsiderate.
Yesterday, when I was supposed to be meeting up with Kirian, our land was being scoured by police who were on the hunt for a mysterious—and possibly dead—kid. They didn’t find him, and no matter how many times I’d argued that Kirian seemed totally fine when I left him there, they wouldn’t listen.
I finally had to tell everyone I must’ve fallen asleep on the dock and dreamed the whole thing.
And maybe I did. Maybe none of it was real. Or maybe the woods really are haunted.
Of course, this doesn’t do anything to help my reputation of being a weirdo. The whispers at school today were off the charts.
Oh, and my nickname has been upgraded from Freckle Face to Ghost Girl. So, that’s fun.
Laughs and taunts make their way to my ears as I hop off the bus at the end of our lane. I don’t turn around—ignoring them is the best tactic.
Instead, I glare at the woods.
If Kirian was a hallucination or a dream, then where the heck is my other marble?
I decide to go look for it. I can retrace my steps, and possibly get some answers. Hoisting up my backpack, I trek through the trees.
I spy my fishing pole. It’s still on the dock where I left it. I kick around some leaves and rocks, in search of a blue swirl.
Maybe it fell into the creek.
The old wood of the dock creaks under my sneakers as I peer into the water. The level is a little lower than it was the other day, but the current is still fast. It makes the water muddy. There’s no way I’ll be able to see my marble at the bottom.
“Why the shenanigans yesterday?” The voice comes from behind me.
Kirian.
Smiling, I pivot toward him, but I yelp when I see a guy at least six inches taller than the boy I met. He’s wearing similar clothing, but his shoulders are broader, filling out the shirt in an attractive way. His hair is longer too, falling several inches past his shoulders.
“Where’s Kirian?”
He spreads his arms. “I am he.”
“Nope. Your voice is deeper than his. You’re obviously older.” I have to admit he looks just like him, though. “Are you his brother?”
“A day in your world is a year in mine.” He holds something up in his fingers. My marble. “I’ve kept this safe for you for a long time. I wanted to give it back last year, but there were people and—” He wrinkles his nose and his tone is distasteful when he adds, “—hounds.”
Okay, so either he’s who he says he is, or I’m insane.
“Cadaver dogs,” I tell him, putting a hand on my hip. “They were looking for your body.”
“Apologies.” He gives me a slight bow. “If our conversation hadn’t gotten cut short, I would’ve told you I’m not human. I’m fae. And before you ask me if that’s real—yes, it is. I also should’ve instructed you not to tell anyone about me. I was a little out of sorts that day. I’d just lost my sight the year before, and I wasn’t coping very well.”
I scrape the toe of my sneaker over the wood. “I’d convinced myself you weren’t real.”
“I am.”
Just to test it again, I flip him the bird.
He tilts one of his pointy ears in my direction. “Why are you showing me your finger?”
I drop my arm. “You can see?”
He laughs. “Unfortunately, no. Still blind. Just guessing, based on how you’re waving at me and how a single finger sounds when it cuts through the air. I’ve learned a lot about gauging movement and distance by sound and smell. For example, the way the wind glides over the closest branch.” He points up. “If you were to measure it, you would find it to be about one hundred and sixty-nine centimeters from the tip of my finger. And you. Judging by the potency of your smell, you’re eight and a half feet away.”
Well, he’s certainly honed his other senses. I discreetly sniff my shoulder. “I smell?”
He nods. “Still sweet.”
I try not to let the compliment go to my head, but it does anyway. “Thanks.”
“I’ve come a long way since we met,” he boasts. “Faeries already have heightened senses, but without my sight, I can hear better than anyone in all the realms. If I’m listening for it, I can even tell facial expressions, like a smirk or when someone rolls their eyes at me.”
Happy for him, I smile. Responding to me, he grins back, and I get hit with the same emotions I felt the other day—compassion, giddiness, and excitement.
Only one person has ever made me feel that way, and it’s Kirian. If this guy’s telling the truth, then he’s still him, just older.
“Wait. So, a day here equals a year in your world?” Thinking, I look to the trees above. “That means the last time you saw me was… two years ago?”
“That’s correct.”
“According to time here, you were born, like, two weeks ago, but now you’re older than me?”
“Right again.”
“That’s so weird.”
Slipping my marble back into his pocket, he rocks on his heels. “Are you still willing to be my guide?”
“As long as you don’t call me peasant.”
“Deal.” He offers me his elbow.
Closing the distance between us, I notice how much more attractive he’s gotten. His cheekbones are higher, his jaw a little wider, and I feel a muscular forearm when I hook my hand around it.
We start walking in the direction of the field.
“How did you go blind?” As soon as the question flies from my mouth, I regret it. Freaking nerves. Being around Kirian very easily turns me into a bumbling idiot. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. It’s just, you said it wasn’t that long ago, and if you weren’t born that way, I’m just wondering.”
Much to my surprise, Kirian chuckles at my rambling. “It was a witch’s curse. A whole coven of them, actually.”
“Well, that’s the last thing I was expecting you to say,” I tell him honestly.
He pats my hand, and the gesture is a bit patronizing. His fingers are warm again, even though he isn’t wearing a coat.
“There’s been turmoil in my world for generations. The rival kingdoms constantly fight,” he explains. “Day Realm soldiers are particularly cruel. Some of them came upon a witch’s village, and the soldiers wanted retribution for a plague they caused years ago. Instead of slaughtering them, the soldiers cut out their eyes to teach them a lesson.”
I gasp. The thought of an act so terrible is hard to comprehend. I don’t even want to imagine it.
“That’s seriously awful. How could any king allow that to happen?” I glance at Kirian’s face to find a haunted expression.
“All the kingdoms regret what happened. See, the witches were more powerful than anyone knew. They retaliated, and it wasn’t just the Day Realm they went after—they cursed us all. Every king and queen’s firstborn child went blind, and I’ve been living in darkness ever since.”
“How do you reverse the curse? Can it be broken? Is that a thing?”
“Yes, that’s a thing, young one.”
“Young one?” I don’t point out that just two days ago, he was my age. Because if I’m being honest, I kind of like the nickname. “So, you have to break the curse,” I conclude. “You’ll get your sight back if you do.”
“It’s not that easy. The only way I’ll ever see again is if I find my fated mate.”
“What’s a faded mate?”
“Fated. Meaning, soul mate. If I so much as kiss someone else, the spell will be permanent. Forever.” He shrugs. “And so I wait.”
“How do you know when you’ve found her?”
“That’s the kicker. The clue the coven gave me doesn’t help much. She is marked by the sky at night
, you’ll know her by love at first sight,” he recites the lines as if he’s said them many times. “Sight. A tricky loophole. The eyes are the window to the soul. When recognizing one’s fated mate, eye contact is required. I can’t see her until I get my sight back, but I can’t be free of the curse until I can see. It’s impossible.”
“Maybe when you meet her, it’ll just happen.”
“It’s not enough to meet her. I have to consummate the bond.”
“Consummate…? Ohh. Sex.”
Awkward. My parents gave me ‘the talk’ a year ago, and it was seriously uncomfortable. My dad got all red, and my mom stuttered a whole bunch. I’m glad they told me, though. It’s not like I have any friends to talk about it with.
“Yeah,” Kirian sighs. “So I need to be really sure it’s her.”
“I’d say,” I agree with an uncomfortable laugh. “But you haven’t lost hope. There’s a chance.”
“Yes, there’s a chance.”
I’m quiet as I process his story. If he’s telling the truth—and at this point, I’m just going with it—then he shouldn’t be here with me. He should be out searching for his soul mate every waking minute.
A selfish part of me doesn’t want that. I’m too young to be thinking about marriage and babies, but the thought of Kirian having that with someone else makes me want to hurl.
And that’s just nuts. I’ve spent less than an hour with the guy. I should probably get to know him better before I go all Fatal Attraction on his ass.
“What do you miss most about being able to see?” I ask as we pass my treehouse, thinking I should see if Kirian wants to hang out up there sometime. The place is pretty awesome. It’s about twenty feet up, built onto an old maple.
“I miss the stars,” he replies, pausing to let out a wistful sigh. “The sky in the Night Realm is beautiful. According to our astrologists, there are eight times more constellations than what you have here, and we have three moons.”
“That does sound pretty great. I’m sorry you don’t get to see it anymore.”
“It’s not all bad. Some good came from it, at least. For the first time in thousands of years, Night and Day are actually working together. Well, sort of. We’ve joined forces to hunt down the witches.”
The Fae King's Curse Page 2