FayeLynn grabbed a couple of sugar packets from the holder and tossed them back and forth between her palms. “I’m guessing there’s no trauma center or NICU in The Realm. What if it doesn’t go well, and I need extra help?”
“You won’t.”
“How do you know?” She knitted her brow and glared at him. “You claim to be psychic, and while I do think you have some sort of a gift, you don’t know everything. You couldn’t.”
“I don’t. But I know that when I touch your pulse point, I see you holding a healthy baby boy.”
A boy. Her father’s words, the promise he’d made to The Folk, reverberated in her head.
“Why should I trust that?”
“I knew you were pregnant and that your mother was one of us. I also know you peeked when I was trying to give you a reading.”
“Let’s go,” she said. “I’ll think about it while I drive.” She left cash on the table and Alvin followed her to the car. When he opened the door for her, she placed her hand on top of his. “I’m scared, Alvin. Really scared.”
He couldn’t see her eyes behind the large, round sunglasses but her voice was shaky. “I know you are, but everything is going to be just fine. We have each other.” When he said it, his heart did something strange. Not only did it beat a little faster, it jumped a little too. “I’ll take care of you and him.”
She smiled. “Guess I need to start thinking of names. If what you and Pops say is true, I don’t have much time.”
“Jedidiah Floyd?”
Her giggle cut the tension. “I was thinking Clyde Bisselswiffer.”
“Decisions, decisions.”
***
By the time they got to the house and settled in the extra bedroom her father had transformed into a study, FayeLynn was ready to discuss options. Unlike her father, she rarely kept her head in the clouds. She knew real life rarely resembled a fairy tale. Her art was her one creative indulgence but even in that endeavor, she was more interested in practical applications like animation.
She couldn’t believe that she was the one considering a trip to The Realm. If it had been her Pops who had this opportunity, she would’ve told him he was crazy and encourage him to stay home, but with the safety of her son on the line, she’d consider anything.
Alvin sat at the large library table in the center of the room while she pulled books from the shelves and piled them up on the corners. “Start flipping through these and see if you can find anything that might help us.”
With a groan he opened a leather-bound tome and flipped through it. “This is all kid stuff. Most of it isn’t even true.” He grabbed another volume and gave it the same treatment. “We’re going to have to forget all this and just use the knowledge I have.”
That was the problem: Alvin. With him, it was all or nothing. She had to trust him completely or not at all. If she went with logic, which was her habit, she’d be taking a chance that he was just another wanna-be psychic in a town brimming with them. If she went with her heart, which always seems ridiculous to her, she might be able to protect her son and help Alvin at the same time.
“I don’t know if I can trust you. Not that much.” She wasn’t a trusting person. It wasn’t her nature. “It’s nothing personal, it’s just that—”
“Come here,” he said and pointed to the chair beside him. “Let me tell you why I’m so concerned about this baby.”
FayeLynn placed her hand on her stomach, a gesture she was doing more and more each day. She sat down and crossed her legs beneath her, the way she had when she’d been a little girl.
Alvin scooted to the edge of his seat and took a deep breath. “Do you remember the name of the man who seduced you?”
It wasn’t exactly a seduction but she didn’t have the heart to tell Alvin that. Just thinking about that night while she was in the same room with Alvin made her feel like she was guilty of something. “I already told you. The only thing I remember is that it was dark and it began with a ‘D’.”
“Was it Drake?”
“That’s it.” At the sound of his name, her stomach began to roil and flip.
Alvin couldn’t hide the look of concern that cast a dark shadow over his features. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
CHAPTER 6
“He wasn’t always so angry,” Alvin said. He smiled at the memory of how Drake had been as a boy. “We were the only two boys close in age, and we were best friends for years, our entire childhood, but then he turned.”
“What happened?”
“His father was one of my father’s closest advisers. He knew the history of The Realm better than anyone. He helped to draft policies and handle conflicts. Drake and I used to hide in one of the cabinets in my father’s office so that we could hear their discussions.” He could still smell the pipe tobacco, the old leather, the permanence of the place. A sharp pang of homesickness stabbed him in the heart. “And then everything changed.”
FayeLynn reached out and placed her small hand over his. “Tell me.”
“My father had his dad executed for treason.” His breath left his lungs in a whoosh. “He had no choice.” Even though it had been more than ten years ago, it still stung. Torn between his father, whom he trusted implicitly and his best friend, Alvin had to side with The Prince. “Drake never forgave him. Us.”
“What did his father do?”
“He tried to overthrow my family.”
Those days had been so dark. After his father’s death, Drake had been forced to stop going to school. He and his mother moved to a tiny cabin deep in the forest. His father had wanted to banish them, but Alvin along with his mother, had pleaded their case. Hadn’t they already lost enough?
“Were you forbidden to speak to him?”
Alvin shook his head. “No. He refused to see me, refused to talk to me.”
“So he just stayed in a remote cabin and stoked his anger?”
“Precisely.” Every time he saw his old friend, which was usually at the store, he looked worse and worse. His skin was pale and sallow and hatred burned white-hot in his eyes. “It was like he turned into someone completely different, someone I never knew.”
“So how does that translate into him trying to get me pregnant?”
“Drake is smart enough to play the long game. While the same family can rule The Folk for generations, it isn’t a guarantee. Men who produce sons are seen as more powerful, more virulent than those who can’t, especially if the mother has Folk Blood. If Drake can show that he’s capable of siring a son, he has a real shot at overthrowing my family, especially since I’m stuck here.”
“But what if I keep this child and don’t allow him to see him? I could simply refuse to co-parent.”
Alvin laughed. For a hybrid, she sounded 100% human. She had no idea what Drake and his compadres were capable of, especially if it meant a chance to rule The Realm. “Even if you do get my father’s blessing on this child, it still might not be easy but without it, you and the boy are sitting ducks.”
“How did he know about me?”
“He’s incredibly powerful. He makes my psychic abilities look like a shell game.”
Even when they’d been tiny boys, Drake had been able to read people with a clarity and depth that Alvin still envied. “He knows where you are every second of every day.”
“Then why doesn’t he know about you?”
“He probably does but he knows that my power is significantly weakened. The longer I stay here, the harder it is for me to call on the magic of The Folk.”
“How can you protect me if you’re weak?”
“As soon as I set foot back in The Realm, my powers will begin to strengthen again. I hope it will happen quickly but even if it doesn’t, you’ll need me to help you get there and guide you through the place.”
“If I don’t go, if I stay here, what will happen?”
“All hell will break loose.”
“In The Realm or here?”
“It could affect b
oth. Since The Folk are so closely tied to the human world, there’s no telling what might happen.”
“What if I decide to give the baby away for adoption?”
“Drake will still find him and take him back to The Realm.”
“Abortion?” she asked.
Alvin shook his head. Even though she’d ask the question, both of them knew that not only was she too far along, but she’d never be able to do it. She was growing very attached to the kid incubating in her womb. “We both know that’s not an option.”
“I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“No.”
“The Blessing will protect my child from Drake?”
“My father’s Blessing will protect the baby from negative forces and will charge him to choose good over evil.”
FayeLynn took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. For a few minutes, she studied the ceiling. It all sounded like one of the fairy tales she’d read as a child but with a darker edge. “My mother made an amazing sacrifice for me, and now I’m being called on to do the right thing for my baby. I want what’s best for all three of us.”
The three of us. The simple, innocuous phrase tumbled through his head and echoed over and over. The three of us.
“Can you trust me?” Alvin asked.
“I’m going to have to,” she replied. Her voice was clear and certain. “Let’s make a plan.”
***
When FayeLynn was forced into a corner, she did some of her best work. Her mind was clear and her determination was strong. If she had to go to Fairyland to save her baby, she’d do it. “How do we access The Realm?”
“It won’t be easy. Since I’ve been banished, we’ll have to sneak in. I will, at least, but you’ll be fine. The Folk offer protection for expecting and new mothers. All you’ll have to do is show them your Wing Ridge.”
“It might not be easy for me to travel. I’m getting bigger by the minute.” Her stomach was like a Morning Glory vine, the growth almost visible. Every time she looked into the mirror, she’d stretched a little more, got rounder, a little bigger. Maybe in a normal pregnancy, a woman had time to get used to the changes, but in her case, everything was happening so fast it was throwing her off-balance.
“Word travels fast in the The Realm and my father made sure everyone knew I was banished, so you’re going to have to do the talking.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I thought you were the tour guide for this little adventure.”
“I am, but you’re the one who can open the gates.”
“Are you going to stuff yourself into my suitcase?”
He shook his head. “No suitcases. Backpacks at the most. Just enough food and water to get us to the palace.”
“How far is the walk?”
“Depends on where we drop in.”
This conversation was getting more frustrating by the second. “How big can the place possibly be?”
“About the size of Georgia.”
“You’re kidding me.” She’d imagined The Realm as a cozy little village filled with thatched cottages and the smell of baking bread. “That’s huge. Can’t we drop in close to the palace?”
“Travel in The Realm is more complicated than it is here. No planes or cars. Most of The Folk use horses or they just walk. We can try to get near the palace, but the closer we get to home, the more likely the guards are to recognize me.”
“So what’s your plan?”
“We’ll drop in a hundred miles or so out of the city, make our way through the countryside. When we get close enough, we’ll find a place to camp until you deliver the baby. Then I’ll stay behind and you can go into the city on your own. I’ll give you precise directions. When you get to the Palace, you can talk my father into letting me back in.”
She shook her head. “There’s no way that will work. First of all, if you haven’t noticed, I look like I swallowed a watermelon. I can’t do this alone. Secondly, how am I supposed to talk your father into forgiving you?”
“The baby boy will be enough.”
FayeLynn was getting cold feet. Earlier, it had seemed like the right thing to do, but that was before Alvin told her about the hundred-mile trek and the camping.
Camping gave her nightmares. Nature during the day was fine and dandy, but after dark, it was a different story.
“Can’t we just stay in a hotel?”
“Someone might recognize me.”
“I’m not sure I’m strong enough to do this.”
His eyes softened. “You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.”
She shivered at the compliment. “I hope you’re right.” She had her doubts. With the exception of her mother’s death, her life had been relatively easy. Good schools, nice friends, a house in a safe, established neighborhood. She and Pops had a close, healthy relationship and she’d never hidden anything from him, at least not for long. He’d made everything easier for her, he’d always been there, physically and emotionally. This was the first big thing she’d have to face alone. “What if I fail?”
“You won’t.” Alvin’s voice harbored no doubts and while she appreciated his confidence in her, she didn’t share it. “I can see your heart, your mind. You’re more powerful than you’ve ever considered.”
“How can you be so sure?”
He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned.
“Let me guess,” she sighed, “you’re psychic.”
“Bingo.”
“You really are a prince?”
He nodded. “I was. Once.”
***
They didn’t have much time to plan. After counting the tip money in her savings jar and making a list, FayeLynn drove them to a strip center just outside of town.
Alvin had never been in a sporting goods store. Even though he’d been in the human realm for nearly two months, he’d been stuck in downtown Asheville and while that was pretty serious culture shock, it was nothing like the suburbs. The store was huge. Lit with tubes of florescent light, everything was so bright and so white, his eyes burned.
“Are all stores like this?” he asked.
FayeLynn grabbed a shopping cart. “What do you mean?”
“So overwhelming?”
“I guess,” she said with a shrug. “I thought your world was parallel, mostly like ours. What are they like in Fairyland?”
He winced. “The Realm. Please call it The Realm.”
“I didn’t know fairies were so sensitive.”
“We’re not fairies. We’re The Folk,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Just seeing if you’re paying attention.” He swatted her arm in response, making her laugh. “So what do we need?”
“Something to sleep on, a tarp for shelter and something to carry water in. If they have a hatchet and a slingshot, we could use those, too.”
“They have everything. Budget is our main consideration.”
For just a few minutes, he’d forgotten that money was an issue. When he’d seen aisle after aisle of shiny, new things, he’d wanted them all. “Let’s see how much those will cost.”
Alvin followed FayeLynn down aisle after aisle. She tossed in items and then kept track of what they were spending using the calculator app on her phone. An hour later, they had a buggy filled with supplies, most of which were on sale.
“I think we have everything,” he said.
He had no idea how wrong he was.
***
They spent the next few days planning their trip to The Realm. With their backpacks filled with all the things they might need, Alvin steered the focus to mental preparation. FayeLynn only had a few days to learn one of the hardest techniques of all: shifting between realms. Although she’d heard Pops talk about the powers of mythological creatures for years, she’d never paid much attention. Now she wished she’d been a better listener.
The hardest part of it was learning to totally clear her mind. In the world of cell phones, tablets and WiFi, it wasn’t a skill she’d ever cultivated, an
d now, so much depended upon it. It wasn’t easy, but with each practice, her mind got clearer and clearer.
After a week, she told Alvin, “I think I’m ready.”
“I agree,” he said. “We’ll go tomorrow morning, so we’ll have a full day to travel in the light.”
Suddenly it all became frighteningly real. “What will we tell my dad?” She should’ve thought of him earlier and taken the time to explain everything to him. “If we’re leaving tomorrow, I need to tell him tonight.”
She dreaded it so much that it made her nauseated. She’d never been away from him more than for a few nights at a time. Even when he traveled over the summer, mostly to Scotland, Ireland and Wales, usually with students and a new publication he was working on for some obscure journal, FayeLynn tagged along.
“Maybe it would be easier to leave him a note.”
FayeLynn shook her head. “That wouldn’t be right. It would break his heart.”
“You’ll be back soon.”
“You can’t promise that. Who knows what will happen to us in The Realm?”
“I’ll keep you and the baby safe. No matter the cost.”
She hadn’t known Alvin long, but in the short time she had learned to trust him and she wanted to believe that she and her baby would come home in just a few short weeks, healthy, happy and with the blessing of The Folk but there were no guarantees.
“Let’s go to his office. You can give me moral support.”
Driving to campus, neither of them spoke. FayeLynn was busy practicing what she was going to say. When they pulled into a parking spot, Alvin reached across the center console and placed his hand over hers. “He’ll understand. If anyone will, it’s him.”
The door to his office was open, and they walked in without knocking. “Dad? I’d like for you to meet Alvin.”
Her father rose and extended his hand. Alvin shook it and said, “Pleasure to meet you, Doctor Roberts.”
“And you.” Her father stared at Alvin as if he looked familiar. She wondered if he reminded him of her mother. “FayeLynn has told me quite a bit about you. Have a seat.” He pointed to the chairs across from his desk.
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