The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook*

by Shannon Barczak

  “Ok, I’ve had enough of this,” I said. “Look, I don’t have time for this shit. I need to speak to whoever is in charge here now. Put down your little spears before I hurt you.”

  “I will not repeat my warning again,” Guard number one said, ignoring me and addressing Patcoena

  “I will not repeat my request again little man,” I said forcefully. “My name is Princess Willa. I am the daughter of Princess Cecily of the Skye clan and Prince Cormac of Fairlia. My grandmother is Queen Sidra.”

  The Sprites lowered their weapons and looked to Guard number one for guidance. “I don’t care who you are Princess. You and your kind are not welcome here,” he said

  “Look, um, what’s your name?” I asked him. All the Sprites gasped and I looked at Forrest to see what I did that was so wrong

  “The Sprites do not give out their names to anyone but another Sprite,” Forrest whispered. “To ask for one’s name is pretty much offending them on every level.”

  “Oh, whatever,” I rolled my eyes. “Guard number one? I’m here in your realm for an important reason. I wish you no harm, but I do ask for your help and guidance. I also seek sanctuary from the Sprites for a short time.”

  “You don’t seem to understand princess,” he sneered. “I do not care what your reasons are nor will we give your people any help.”

  “You know you need to chill the fuck out ok?” I said. “I just need to find a particular place here in this realm and then I’m gone. So move aside because I have to be honest with you with you, I’ve had a hell of a couple of days and I’m pretty much ready to jump off the deep end into the crazy pool. I don’t want to hurt you. I just want…”

  “She wants our help so she can kill Lord Fonn,” A voice called out. The Sprites all dropped to their knees, and I looked up to see a husky three foot older man with a purple face and glittering wings coming towards me.

  “Princess Willa,” he said. “I am the King of the Sprites. I have waited a very long time to meet you.”

  “Your Majesty,” I bowed respectfully. “I’m sorry for coming here without any notice. I do not mean any harm to you or your people.”

  “I know, child,” he smiled. “Guardian Sprites, may I introduce to you the Fae Sanctity?”

  The Sprites looked up from their knees in surprise before lowering their heads again. They all dropped their spears to the side and clasped their hands as if in prayer.

  “How did you know?” I asked in confusion. I looked at Patcoena who just shook his head.

  “Come, we welcome you and your companions into the realm of the Sprites,” he said as he gestured for us to follow him. “Introductions are in order first though. I know Forrest and Holly, but I’m afraid these other two men are strangers to me.”

  “This is my cousin Jeremiah, son of the Princess Augusta of the Skye clan and Cuthbert...a...Um... merchant,” I stuttered.

  “Prince Jeremiah, how lovely to meet you,” the king said graciously

  “Thank you your Majesty,” Jeremiah replied

  “This is Patcoena, an artist from the court of Fairlia,” I continued

  “Dear God,” the king said. “Is it truly you Patcoena? You are the nephew of the King Cormagglia?”

  “Yes,” Patcoena answered. “I am the nephew of our former beloved king as well as an artist and protector of the Fae Sanctity.”

  “We have much to discuss,” the king said nodding his head in wonder. “Let us proceed to the castle where we can talk more comfortably.”

  We followed the king through the field and up a small path. Jeremiah came over and whispered in my ear. “They don’t give out their names?”

  “I know, right?” I asked. “It’s very Lord of the Rings.”

  “It’s so freaking cool,” he whispered back excitedly. I smiled at Jeremiah’s obvious excitement. “Do you think they have a library here I can look around or an artifact room?”

  “You are such a geek,” I laughed

  “We do have an impressive library and archive room that you can explore later Prince Jeremiah,” the king yelled back. Jeremiah and I both looked at each and grinned. Apparently the king had super strength hearing.

  We walked leisurely along the path until I saw it open up to another field. The king stopped and motioned for me to join him at the front of the procession.

  “What can you sense and feel?” he asked curiously

  “I feel like I’m in some weird Sci-Fi fantasy movie,” I answered before looking around. The more I looked though, the more I could feel the energy coming from right in front of me. I held out my hand and almost laughed as a powerful gust of wind blew around me.

  “It’s a concealment spell protected by the element of Air,” I said in amazement. I gathered the elements and used the air to push through the barrier. I could hear gasps behind me as a hole grew larger and larger in front of me. What was once a barren field was now a thriving village of small houses and shops and near the base of a small mountain was a large castle the color of eggplant and trimmed in pink.

  I followed the king respectfully down the cobblestone streets and waved at the Sprites who had come out of their dwellings to see our procession. Every single one curtsied to their king, but they looked at the rest of use in distrust. I plastered on my most friendly smile and tried to ignore the uneasiness growing in the pit of my stomach. What made these creatures so distrustful of the Fae? Was it Lord Fonn? I asked myself.

  When we finally reached the castle, I was happy and relieved to see that the doorways were tall enough for a regular human being. The wide foyer was done entirely in black and white and as we went further in I could see that this was a recurring color scheme. We stopped outside the doorway, and the king gestured for us to go inside. The large living room continued with the black and white theme, but it also had purple and pink accents.

  A woman with a pink face rose from her chaise and looked at us in surprise. When she came to stand in front of me, I looked down and saw her eyes go wide.

  “Is it…?” she asked. “Are you…?”

  “My darling, your Grace,” the king said. “This is Princess Willa and the young man with her, is her cousin Prince Jeremiah, the great artist Patcoena and of course you know Holly and Forrest Woods of Woodlia.”

  “I am honored,” her Grace said. “Welcome to our home.”

  “This is my wife, the Duchess,” the king said. “Shall we sit? I’m sure we have much to discuss.”

  We all sat down on the small furniture and looked around nervously. Finally, I just started talking. I told the king and the duchess everything because I knew that they were an all or nothing kind of people. Plus, I just felt like I could trust them. My instinct told me that these were reliable, trustworthy individuals. I also was keenly aware that the king already knew about me so obviously he had some knowledge of why I was here in the first place.

  “Your great-grandfather was intuitive man. He knew that his choice of an Air Lord was a decision that he might regret, and he sought out my father’s help.”

  “Your father helped him?” I asked curiously

  The king nodded. “King Cormagglia couldn’t have done it without the support of the Sprites and he knew it only too well. The Air was his Achilles heel so to speak. He told my father that one day a person whose parents were of both the royal houses would come and ask for help. He made my father promise that help would be given to this person. He knew that this might come with great sacrifice for our people, but since he had always been a kind and great leader my father agreed.”

  “What has Lord Fonn done that has been so heinous?” I asked

  “Lord Fonn is an evil man who wants to rule over everything and every being in this world and others,” the king said. “I have to say, his predecessor was not the nicest of men but at least he gave the Sprites their freedom. Lord Fonn seems to think that we are under his control, and he likes to remind us of this every so often.”

  The king stood up and walked to the fireplace. As he look
ed at the low flames flickering he continued. “He taxes our goods outrageously. He comes here twice a year to draft Sprites to be his servants. Those Sprites are never to be seen or heard from again. Every so often he drops by, and I under his decree have to let him into our realm. If I fail to comply in any way, he will do whatever is necessary to ensure our obedience. We are also not permitted to leave here unless he says so.”

  “Why haven’t you gone to Queen Sidra?” Patcoena asked. “Surely she would not allow these atrocities to continue in her land?”

  “Queen Sidra cannot help us,” the king answered. “Only the Fae Sanctity can help us break free from Lord Fonn.”

  “How do expect me to help you?” I asked. “I’m not sure if I’m the best person to count on for your revolution.”

  “Lord Fonn placed a spell upon our realm when he came into power. When he dies the spell will finally break, and the Sprites can become our own true entity without interference from the outside world.”

  “So you want to be free?” Jeremiah asked

  “Doesn’t everyone?” the king asked sadly

  “That’s all you want?” I asked. “What about my grandmother? Will you still pledge your allegiance to her?”

  “I have no quarrel with the Queen or your grandfather,” the king said. “Prince Kelvin is a remarkable man. I used to have great conversations with him over many bottles of whiskey. I even remember when your father used to come with him. Oh well, those were the old ways I suppose. Nowadays the Queen and other members of the royal family are too busy with what’s happening at the royal court to bother us with a visit.”

  “It sounds to me like all you want is the Sprites to have their freedom back and maybe return to some of the old ways of your people.” I stated

  “A lovely fantasy but having you here makes me think it may finally become a reality,” he answered

  “I will do the best I can to make sure the ways of your people are not lost or forgotten,” I said

  “That’s all I can hope for,” he said. “You will always be welcome here Willa, You and Lord Machall are the only two royal Fae I like.”

  “You don’t like Bran or Cal?” I smiled

  The duchess cried out and grabbed a handkerchief. I looked at her concerned. What on earth did I say? I wondered

  “Forgive my wife,” the king said. “Any mention of Lord Cual is forbidden.”

  “I’m so sorry you Majesty,” I said, “I didn’t know…”

  “Its fine,” the king interrupted. “I suppose you should know who your enemy truly is and what he is capable of doing.”

  “The duchess and I had a daughter many years ago. She was unusual in the fact that she had ivory skin. Kaia was an absolute joy for both of us. They only reason I speak of her name to you is because once a Sprite has left this world, only then do we say their names in reverence. One day when she was sixteen, Lord Fonn came here with Lord Cual. He took one look at my daughter and whisked her away to the Water realm without asking permission. A few weeks later her body was found and returned to us.”

  “Oh my God,” I breathed

  “He tied her up and raped her repeatedly before finally killing her,” the king whispered as he stared off into space. “Apparently he had never been with a Sprite and thought it would fun.”

  “Jesus,” Jeremiah said in disgust. My stomach churned as images started filtering through my brain of Lord Cual and a small dark haired girl. My stomach almost heaved before I finally shut them out and blocked my mind.

  “And you didn’t seek revenge or retribution?” Patcoena asked

  “One day very soon I will have my revenge,” the king answered turning to look at me

  “I promise to try and save you a piece of him,” I replied. The king nodded and went to sit next to the duchess who was drying her eyes. A small green man with pointed ears came into the room silently and whispered into the king’s ear. I saw him nod and stand up to address us.

  “Dinner is ready,” the king said. “Please join us.”

  “We don’t want to be too much trouble,” I said. “If you could just tell me where I need to go, we’ll get out of your hair.”

  “Nonsense,” the king said. “You must be hungry and besides, you will need to be at your peak strength to absorb the power of the king.”

  “We accept your invitation,” Forrest and Holly both said at the same time

  “Thank you your Majesty,” Patcoena said smoothly. “We are most grateful for your hospitality.”

  We all sat up and followed the king and duchess out of the room and down another long black and white checked hallway into the dining room. The king motioned for me to sit on his right, and I joined him. I hoped no one heard my stomach growling the minute I could smell food.

  “I hope you like vultures?” he asked

  “I’ve never eaten a vulture but there’s a first time for everything.” I answered as I reached for my wine glass and took a sip for some liquid courage

  “I’m only teasing,” the king said, his eyes twinkling. “The Sprites are vegetarians.”

  “Oh thank God,” I muttered. Little green people came out and set down in front of us large plates brimming with salad greens and fresh vegetables. I dug right in and moaned in appreciation when I started chewing.

  “I don’t know if this politically correct but I have a question,” I said in between bites

  “Willa no, dear God,” Jeremiah muttered beside me

  “Please, feel free to ask me anything,” the king said

  “That’s a dangerous thing to say to her,” Jeremiah said before I elbowed him

  “Well, when you’re born a Sprite does the color of your wings have any special meaning?” I asked

  “That’s a fairly common question,” the king said. “Those that have red or orange wings will probably be a soldier or guard. Those born with green or blue wings are drawn to be more domesticated, and those born with yellow wings are more likely to be in a trade of some sort. Those that are of the royal family have always had the distinction of being blessed with glittering wings of purple and pink.”

  “What if you’re born with red wings and want to be a baker?” I asked. “Is that frowned upon?”

  “No, not at all,” the king replied. “Sprites can be whatever they want to be. Although there have been a few cases where that has happened, most are just drawn to whatever the color of their wings dictates.”

  “So is their fate predetermined by the color of their wings?” I asked

  “Yes, exactly,” he said. “I wish you could see the residential section of the Sprites. I know your father was fascinated by some of our more elaborate treehouses.”

  “You have treehouses?” I asked. “Wow, I know someone who would love to take that tour.”

  “When this is over maybe you can bring that special person,” the king said kindly

  I nodded and fell silent as memories washed over me of Mathias. I had been surprised when he took me to his small island that was near the Isle of Skye. He had built a beautiful and modern treehouse that consisted of five different buildings and glass hallways. Our time together there had been so special, and I prayed that one day we could live there and be a normal couple. I hoped that if we made it out of this alive that we could just be with one another and have a sense of normality. I just wanted to argue over who was going to do the dishes or go to the grocery store not who was going to get a chance to kill someone.

  We sat and enjoyed a truly wonderful meal. The duchess was quiet and reflective as she sat eating very little. The only time she smiled was when I almost started weeping after taking a bite of the crispy flounder with apricot chutney. After the last dish had been cleared I caught Patcoena’s eye and nodded. I knew it was time to get this show on the road, but I was enjoying myself too much.

  “Thank you both for an amazing meal,” I said. “I think I can speak for all of us and say that we appreciate your hospitality.”

  “You’re very welcome,” the king s
aid. “Now I’m afraid it’s time for you to go on your quest.”

  We all stood up in silence and followed the king out of the dining room. Instead of going to the front door though he took us on a maze of hallways before stopping in front of a set of French doors. They opened onto a beautiful stone balcony which sat at the base of the mountain.

  “In order to seize the element of Air, you must travel to the top of the mountain alone. You cannot teleport. The hike is only an hour long and once you are at the top you must stay there until sunrise.”

  “I have to stay there all night?” I asked in surprise. The king nodded and handed me my backpack.

  “I have had my people pack some essentials but I am not sure if you are going to need them.”

  “Thank you,” I said before shutting my eyes. The thought of having to be on top of a mountain all night by myself suddenly filled me with anxiety

  “Wait,” Patcoena said. “If Willa is to be there all night, I’m assuming the power of Air will take some time for her to absorb. Won’t Lord Fonn be able to feel that much power in the realm and come looking for the source?”

  “More than likely he will be aware of the amount of energy that will be present,” the king said. “I think Holly and Forrest should go back to Woodlia. It’s not safe for them here.”

  I nodded and without even asking opened a portal to their house. I gave them each a hug and said thank you. “If something happens to me, make sure Polly stays out of trouble.” I whispered to Holly

  She smiled at me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Take care of yourself Willa. I know you can do this. I also know that you are very brave. After all, you would have to be if you’re Polly’s best friend.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to take some marijina with you?” Forrest asked. “I have some in my pocket already rolled?”

  “No, I’m good,” I answered. “Thanks Forrest.”

  I grinned and watched them disappear through the portal. When they were safely ensconced in their trailer, I turned to the king. “What about Jeremiah and Patcoena?”