Poppy (The Deadly Flowers Series)

by Riana Lucas

  I stand back and observe the Halfling with the other humans. He interacts well with them. He seems to fit in and actually seems quite popular. The human girls are watching him closely, paying attention to everything he says and does. He is instructing one particular girl on what appears to be a fake surf board lying in the sand just outside of the shop.

  I understand the basic concept of surfing and all that is needed for the activity, but I have never observed it up close and I have never seen someone give instructions. It actually piques my curiosity and I stand back to observe the lesson.

  The Halfling instructs the girl to lie on the board first, then after a few seconds of pretending to swim, he yells for her to jump up. She does so quickly, but loses her balance and the Halfling is forced to catch her. The girl allows herself to be held by the Halfling and makes no effort to right herself. I look at the Halfling’s face and notice a quick glimpse of annoyance before he shields it with a bright smile and more forcefully rights the now giggling girl. The Halfling is strong and tall, my guess would be nearly 6’5. His hair is actually a little longer than the photo I was given. I wonder if he stands out in school with his obvious athleticism and natural charm.

  This is when I notice that there are only human girls around him, no boys, and that is when I realize what is actually going on. All of these girls are admiring the Halfling. They are trying to get his attention. I look at him again, studying him for what it is that attracts the girls, besides the obvious. Reluctantly, I can admit why the human girls would all be vying for his attention. Besides the fact that he is half Fae, and therefore possesses the natural beauty and attraction that all Fae do, he is also handsome by human standards. His skin is tanned very dark. His shoulders are broad and he is muscular unlike the Fae who are usually thin, but strong. When he turns the full force of those eyes upon you, you feel like the only person in the room. His smile is captivating and I can see a dimple begin to form on his right cheek.

  While I am assessing him, he notices me for the first time. To all of these human girls he would be considered quite the catch. For me, he looks rather odd compared to most Fae males. I cross my arms over my chest and smirk at him. I actually find it funny. I am not sure why this amuses me but the idea of the Halfling having all of these unwanted admirers is rather entertaining.

  The Halfling narrows his eyes at me briefly and is then distracted by one of the other girls. “My turn, Sarah!” she almost whines which causes me to wince, “Let someone else have a turn.”

  “No, you already had a turn. It’s my turn!” I hear another girl demand.

  They all start to argue over who gets to go next and soon it all just sounds like noise to me. I look up at the Halfling again and this time he smirks at me. Then he says, while glancing at the watch on his wrist and smiling broadly at the girls, “Actually, I’m afraid we have to stop the free lessons now. My next scheduled lesson has arrived and I need to get ready.”

  The girls quiet down and begin to look around. After a few seconds I realize they are looking my way. I quickly look behind me to see who they are looking at, but see no one. I am startled to realize they are all actually looking at me and they look irritated. I whip my head back around to the Halfling and see him staring at me with that smirk on his face. Then he winks at me.

  I narrow my eyes at him and start to shake my head, but then decide this would be the best opportunity to confront the Halfling and carry out my orders.

  I start to make my way up the path to the front of the little shop. The human girls practically sneer at me. I almost laugh out loud. If they only knew how much I disliked humans. The idea of me being any sort of romantic threat is hilarious. Instead I sneer back at them and they all recoil.

  When I am within a few feet of the Halfling, I notice the girl next him –Sarah, if I remember correctly, tries to put her arm around him, but he quickly steps away from her and turns his attention to me. She huffs and crosses her arms over her chest, further emphasizing the lack of clothing she has on. She frowns further when the Halfling does not notice. He just continues to smile at me.

  This is getting interesting.

  Most Halflings are intimidated by me when I first approach them and some are even scared. This one does not appear to be the least bit intimidated. If anything, he is using me and by the look in his eye, he seems to be enjoying it.

  “Reed,” the girl next to him whines, “I thought you said you would teach us how to surf.”

  I tilt my head and raise one eyebrow at him in question. Funny, they were just fighting over him but now that there seems to be a new threat, they are a team. Humans.

  “Yeah, well I forgot I had a lesson scheduled, so I’ll see you guys later. Okay?” He flashes them all a winning smile as he brushes off their advances.

  The girls sigh, but reluctantly make their way down the beach. I narrow my eyes at them when they look back and they all quickly turn back around almost running away. No matter how much glamour I use, my looks are still cruel when humans look at me too closely or when I want them to be scared.

  Right now, I want them to be afraid of me. I also want the Halfling to be fearful of me. I turn my narrowed eyes on him, but he just chuckles and shakes his head. I was amused earlier by this odd behavior, but now it is starting to make me angry.

  “What are you laughing at?” I demand.

  “You.” He says still laughing as he turns to go into the surf shop. I follow behind him, angry at the fact that he turned his back on me.

  The shop is a small building that is designed to look more like a hut. It fits in perfectly with the rest of the beach décor. There is a fake surfboard set up outside of it in the sand, obviously for lessons for beginners. I follow him inside and see that the walls are completely covered by real surfboards and there are racks throughout the store containing other surfing items and sunscreen. The racks are so close together, it is hard to move through the store.

  The Halfling does not seem to have a problem maneuvering around them, but I quickly knock over several items from different racks. I ignore them as I follow the Halfling deeper into the shop. “What do you mean ‘you’? Why exactly are you laughing at me? I do not see one thing that is funny about me.”

  “You scared the crap out of those girls. That’s pretty hard to do. They usually try to intimidate the competition.”

  “I know I scared them. That was precisely the point. As for competition…that is funny. I am no competition to them whatsoever.”

  He snickers again before saying, “Pretty big ego you have there.” Then he winks at me.

  I narrow my eyes at him again and lower my voice to be more threatening, “My ego has nothing to do with it. I am quite aware of my capabilities and my interests. My interest in you is strictly business.”

  “Oh, so you do want that surf lesson after all?” He looks me up and down then finishes, “You aren’t exactly dressed for the beach, much less a surf lesson.”

  “Listen Halfling, I do not want any kind of lesson from you…”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What did you just call me? Halfling? What is that, some sort of insult?” He flashes his broad smile at me again, but I see a bit of annoyance flash in his eyes.

  “That actually depends on who you ask. Coming from me? Yes, that would be an insult.” I point my nose in the air, and cross my arms over my chest. This Halfling is not going to play with me anymore.

  “Wow. I don’t even know you and you come in here insulting me. This must be my lucky day.” He says sarcastically.

  “Actually, you are right. It is your lucky day. I have come to inform you of your true nature and take you back home where you belong.” It is my belief that if you are able to live in Faery Land instead of the human world you are very lucky, even if you would be stuck in the kitchens or on the battlefield.

  He tilts his head to look at me for a minute, as if trying to figure me out. Then he asks quietly, “What is my true nature?”

  For very smart Halflings, bein
g in the presence of a true Fae will start to stir feelings inside of them. There magic becomes more alive. They can live their whole lives without any indication of their true nature, but when a full Faery approaches them, they become more receptive to the information we are sharing with them. Their magic recognizes ours.

  The Halfling is beginning to have those feelings. I can see it in his eyes and the way he begins to look at me more seriously.

  “You are a Halfling,” I inform him bluntly. “You are half human and half Fae. You belong to the Unseelie Court. The King has sent me to bring you back home where you belong.”

  He continues to look at me for another few seconds, and then he mumbles a “Huh” and turns his back to me. He proceeds to the back of the hut into what appears to be a storage room. I stare after him for a moment, not quite understanding what just happened. There is usually automatic acceptance, fear, excitement or something overly dramatic. But I have never had a Halfling mumble “huh” and then totally disregard me. I am actually at a loss for words and actions for a moment.

  I snap myself out of my momentary shock and follow him into the storage room. This room is even smaller and more crammed than the room we just left, but I do not let that stop me from confronting him.

  “Did you understand what I just told you, Halfling? I will need you to come with me back to Faery Land immediately. The King is awaiting your arrival and I have other missions awaiting me.” I begin to tap my foot in agitation. I am ready to get him out of here and back home. Since he seems so smart and open to the information, I would rather he join me willingly than have to drag him back against his will.

  “Halfling? Faery Land? King? Are you crazy, just a little bit?” he asks, holding his fingers a few centimeters apart. He pauses, chuckles, and then turns to look around before continuing. “I know! Scott set you up to this didn’t he? He’s trying to get me back for telling that girl he believed he had been abducted by aliens when he was a kid. He’s good, sending a hot girl in here, then you acting all crazy talking about Faeries and stuff. What did he pay you for this?”

  “Hot?...” I feel my forehead crinkle and know that my confusion is plain by the smile on the Halflings face. He opens his mouth to speak but I hold my hand up to stop him. My confusion does not matter right now. “Never mind. I assure you Halfling that I am not crazy! I do not know this Scott that you speak of and the only compensation I am receiving is that from my King for your retrieval. Now if we can stop playing these games and be on our way, I would be very appreciative.”

  He scowls at me while saying “First of all, my name is Reed not Halfling. So I would appreciate it if you used it. Second of all, I don’t even know you. I don’t even know your name, as you have been so rude not introduce yourself. Thirdly, I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I have no intention of going anywhere with you. So whatever is going on can stop now and you can leave.” He turns his back to me and mumbles “and I thought those other girls were crazy” while shaking his head in disbelief.

  I take a deep breath to calm my anger. Getting this Halfling to come with me will take patience and allowing my anger to get in the way will only hinder my success. I take another deep breath and allow my glamour to fade away. I do not speak, knowing the Halfling will sense my change. It does not take long. I see him stiffen and then slowly turn around to look at me once again. I know what he saw before is nothing like what he is seeing now.

  Before, with my glamour in full force, I gave the appearance of a shorter slim girl. My hair appeared to be shoulder length and jet black. The sharpness of my ears and face were rounded and softened and my clothes, although still pants and a long sleeve shirt, looked more like fabric as opposed to leaves. The only thing that would still be the same would be my eyes.

  Now the Halfling sees my true self. He is seeing my true height, my long hair with its burgundy streaks, and all of my sharp features. I raise my chin, straighten my posture and place my fists on my hips. This draws his attention down to my hips and then to my thighs where my daggers are sheathed. His eyes widen and he swallows hard.

  He blinks a few times and I see that he truly believes me now. He takes a deep breath, opens his mouth as if to speak, but closes it again. I know he is unable to find words, so I speak for him.

  “Now, as you can see I am speaking the truth. I am a Warrior Fae of the Unseelie Court. My name is Poppy and I have been sent to bring you home. You can come willingly and peacefully or I can force you. It is your choice.”

  Something in his face changes. I know he now believes me, but there is something else holding him back. “I don’t want to go. I don’t even know you or where I’m going. I have school, my mom, friends… I can’t just up and go with a perfect stranger to some other…world.” He says in exasperation.

  I just look at him waiting expectantly.

  He straightens now and says in a half joking way that I can tell he is using to try and mask his concern, “Besides, I’m not like you.”

  “You are right. You are not like me. But you are of Fae blood and you belong in the Unseelie Court. You do not belong among the humans. I am sure there has been at least a time or two in your life here that you have felt like you do not belong. I am telling you that those feelings were accurate. You do not belong here. And I think if you were honest with yourself you would agree with me.”

  He sighs in what seems to be acquiescence. I know that I have him prepared to come with me. I continue before he can object again, “Your father resides in Faery Land, and your mother knew that someday your Court would want to claim you. She decided to take the risk.”

  “My father doesn’t reside in Faery Land, he’s dead,” he states bluntly.

  “Not necessarily,” I answer.

  The truth of his biological Father seemed to intrigue him. I decide to use this opportunity to pounce on his weakness. “Will you, Reed, Halfling of the Unseelie Court, return to your true home in Faery Land with me?” I ask.

  “Yes—but,” I cut him off before he can finish. He has answered in the affirmative and that is all I need to place an unconditional vow on our last conversation. I may not agree with all Unseelie tactics, but this one has come in handy on more than a few occasions. I quickly grab both of his hands and put my effort into opening a portal right here, in the storage room.

  Chapter 4

  I close my eyes and concentrate on feeling the magic around me. I let the magic course through me from head to toe, the familiar tingle that feels almost like static, begins to grow and become more intense as it touches the magic in the air. But then something happens. A sense of unease starts to creep in and suddenly I feel trapped. These feelings are completely foreign to me, but I instantly know what they must mean.

  “Impossible,” I breathe out softly, so stunned that I am momentarily frozen into place.

  “Are you okay?” the Halfling asks, concern threading his voice. He squeezes my hand that is still holding onto his and I jerk it away quickly, not liking the contact or the attempt at concern.

  I cannot believe what has happened. I am so shocked that I do not even consider my actions. I turn quickly from the Halfling and run for the door of the surf shop. I throw the door open with a loud bang, barely registering the Halfling calling after me. I do not even think to use glamour to shield myself or my speed from the humans as I race down the beach. My fear is consuming me and I cannot help myself. If what I believe has happened, really happened…well I will have much more important things to worry about.

  I race to the portal that I used to enter the human world, only a couple of blocks from the beach and the Halfling’s surf shop. I throw open the door and jump through the threshold into Faery Land. Only I am not in Faery Land. I am standing in the door way of a children’s boutique. My abrupt entrance into the store has caused all of the customers and store clerks to turn and stare at me, some in shock and some in anger.

  I automatically apologize and back out of the store letting the door swing shut behind me. I
stumble over to the alley next to the building and lean back against the brick wall. For once I do not notice the horrible smells or the awful noises. I do not notice the humans walking by, some looking at me with concern or curiosity, others not noticing me at all.

  The Seelie Queen has done it. She has overridden our powers and shut down the portals between Faery Land and the human world. I am trapped with no way to get home. I take just a moment to call up my glamour. I have enough problems as it is and there is no need to make more. Then I lean back against the cool brick wall and slowly allow my body to slide down until I am sitting on the dirty cold ground. My mind goes blank.

  I am not sure how long I sat there in utter shock of the situation I have now found myself in. I finally start becoming aware of my surroundings once again, only when I hear a rustling noise coming from behind me, deeper in the alley. I jerk my head around as my hands fly to my daggers. My battle instincts begin to kick in.

  I pull my knees under me and place myself in a crouching position to make myself less noticeable. I slowly creep further into the shadows. I narrow my eyes, looking into the alley for movement and listen intently for any further noises. I take note of the rest of my surroundings, a bit startled to discover that the sun is setting and night is approaching. I am disappointed in myself for allowing my emotions to take such control that so much time has slipped by without notice.

  My ears perk when I hear another noise, this one louder and closer. It sounds like someone kicking a can or something else small and metal. Then I hear a loud crash followed by a male curse. I slowly approach the area the noise came from while still crouched low. As I get closer, my eyes adjust to the dark and I am able to see a figure lying on the ground.

  As the figure rolls onto its back and starts to rise, I jump over it while unsheathing my dagger. I slam the figure back onto the ground, restraining him with one arm while placing the dagger not too lightly to its throat. “Who are you?” I hiss.