Revealed

by Riana Lucas

  So completely lost in the bliss of nature, I do not hear Reed calling my name. I am finally brought back to awareness by Reed’s hand on my elbow. Startled, I turn to see Reed and his mother both smiling at me. Reed’s smile is a knowing and amused one. His mother’s is friendly but curious. I return their smiles, but mine is in embarrassment at being caught unaware.

  Taking my time to slip my shoes back on, I also try to regain some of my composure before I turn fully to greet Reed’s mother.

  Unlike the Fae who are naturally very tall, even the females, Reed’s mother is not. She is delicate and seems so fragile. The top of her head reaches to about my chin, and although she is thin by human standards, her body is almost plump compared to that of the Fae. Her hair is a light brown with lighter streaks running throughout it, probably from being in the sun so often. She has soft features, cheeks slightly round and naturally pink, full lips that hold a beautiful smile, and eyes of the same sparkling blue as her son’s.

  “Mom, this is Poppy.” Reed says this as if his mother has already heard so much about me and is simply putting a face to the name.

  I, however, do not feel so calm. My palms sweat, and I wipe them on my pants before I reach one of them out to shake her already outreached hand. My hand trembles slightly, but I place it in hers to hide that fact. She squeezes my hand before placing her other on top of both of ours. Then, before I realize her intentions, she pulls me forward, and I am engulfed in her arms. The instinct to pull away kicks in, but I stop myself. This petite woman is not intimidated by me. She is embracing me with warmth and love.

  “It is nice to meet you,” I mumble, looking over her head at Reed in desperation and confusion. There is no fear coming from her, which is a bit confusing, but her warmth is baffling. As hard as I have tried to be friendlier and allow this sort of contact, it is still new to me and has been limited to my close friends and family. I do not know Reed’s mother, and on top of that, she is human. I have never had such close contact with a human before. Surprisingly, though, the fact that she is human is not what is bothering me. It is the fact that she is Reed’s mother and I want her to like me that is making me so nervous and has stopped me from pulling away, because I do not wish to offend or upset her.

  At first, she is mumbling things that I do not understand, and then she is crying once again. Over her shoulder I shoot Reed a pleading look, having no idea what I should do, but he is no help at all. As I stand there and hug her back, at a complete loss over what to do, he only smiles and winks at me.

  Thank the Faeries this crying bout does not last as long as the one she had with Reed. His mother finally pulls away, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. Her head is bent slightly so I cannot see her face, but I can tell she is embarrassed. Reed must sense this, because he puts his arm around her tiny shoulders and pulls her to his side, causing her to look so small and fragile next to his larger, stronger frame.

  “Please forgive me, Poppy. I’m so sorry. You must think I’m some crazy lady, crying on you like that. I just missed Reed so much, and I’m so happy to see him and you.”

  “It’s okay, Mom, Poppy understands. You don’t need to be embarrassed in front of her.” He tries to make his voice light and friendly, reassuring his mother. The tenderness and love he has for her makes me wish for a moment that he looked at me and treated me that way.

  There is still a smile on her face as she looks up at me, so I push my thoughts aside and answer hesitantly, “Oh, it is okay Ms.…umm…” I stumble over my words, because I do not know her last name. I look at Reed in horror because this also means I do not know his last name.

  In Faery Land it is common for the Fae to only have one name or to even be known as only a nickname. I know in the human world, humans commonly have three names. I have never asked Reed what all of his names were, and I suddenly feel as if I do not know him as well as I should and this shames me.

  “Poppy, I would like you to meet my mother. Her name is Anna Shultz.”

  “Hello, Ms. Shultz. It is an honor.” Out of respect, I bow my head slightly. When I look into her eyes once again, there is an odd look. I look over at Reed, who is also staring down at his mother. There is knowledge in her eyes that I have never seen in any other human anywhere in the human world.

  If I am not mistaken, she knows that I am a Fae.

  “Mom?” Reed’s voice is soft but questioning.

  “She is one of them, isn’t she?” Although she is asking a question, there is no doubt in her eyes. She knows what I am, and she knew the first moment she saw me. What’s even more intriguing is that she is not scared or angry. Instead, there is a small smile on her face, and she seems as if she is happy to see me. This is even more confusing. I did not think she held any memories of her previous Fae encounters, and if she had, it would have been hazy. Definitely not clear enough to recognize a Fae when she saw one. On top of that, most human encounters with the Fae are bad. I did not think she would be happy to ever see a Fae again.

  Before I can answer her, Reed stops me. “Maybe we should go inside first.”

  I take a breath and nod my head. This is going to be a much more interesting conversation than I expected.

  Reed guides both of us over to the walkway and up the steps to the front door, all while holding one of his mother’s hands and keeping his other on the small of my back. He does not seem to want either of us to be far away, and I feel the same. Reed opens the door, and motions for both of us to precede him inside. Although I have been here before, I still take a moment to look around the house.

  It is just as we left it not so long ago — bright and friendly, inviting and cozy. Ms. Shultz has worked very hard to make a wonderful and loving home for Reed. It reminds me of how much I missed growing up without my mother and how fortunate I am to have her now.

  Reed’s mother’s voice breaks me away from my thoughts. “Poppy, would you care for some sugar water?”

  Turning my full attention to her, I answer politely, “Umm, yes please. That would be wonderful. Thank you, Ms. Shultz.”

  “Please, Poppy, call me Anna.”

  “Oh no, I could not. That would not be proper.”

  “Please, honey? I insist.” I begin to protest once again, but she smiles at me the same way Reed does, with those bright blue eyes and brilliant smile. Instead, I nod and smile back. When I glance over at Reed, he is looking between the two of us with a smile of his own.

  “Very good. Now that that’s settled, the two of you come over here and have a seat. I want to know everything.”

  My smile fades, and I look at Reed. He now looks as concerned as I am.

  The idea of telling Reed’s sweet, innocent mother the horrors her son has been through causes my stomach to churn. I can see the idea does not sit very well with Reed either.

  “Umm, well, Mom, I don’t quite know where to begin.”

  “Well at the beginning, of course. That’s where all good stories begin.” She glances over her shoulder at me and winks, just like Reed.

  “Ooookay, but I’m not sure you’re going to believe what I have to tell you.”

  Anna walks over to the table where Reed and I are sitting and sets a glass of sugar water in front of both of us before taking the empty seat across from Reed. She reaches across the table and gently takes his hand in both of hers.

  She does not look up from their joined hands when she begins talking in a low soft voice. “I know about Faery Land and the Fae that live there, Reed. I know you are a Halfling and everything that comes with that. I know about the two Courts, and I know Faery Land is made up of some awful things.”

  Reed and I remain silent at this news.

  She finally looks up at him and then at me, a small sad smile on her face. Her voice is wistful when she speaks this time. “But I also know about the wonderful things in Faery Land. I know about the mythical creatures and the magical spells. About the beautiful flowers that are so vibrant and full of life and that there are trees so big
it would be impossible for three people combined to wrap their arms around them, and that they grow so tall they touch the clouds. The Fae are one with nature and hold it dear to their hearts.” She pauses for a moment and looks at both of us once again. This time when she speaks, her voice is firm and strong. “I also know that for every bad Fae, there is an equally good one, and I know that you, Poppy…” She pauses to look directly into my eyes, and I can see that there is no doubt when she says, “You are a very good Fae.”

  Our eyes lock for a long moment, and we stare at each other. That was all she was going to give us for now. She wants to hear our story; hers will come later when she sees that we are ready to hear it. Sadly, I am sure hers is probably going to be a much worse story than the one we are about to share with her.

  I nod my understanding, then we both turn to Reed. He glances at his mother before he turns to look at me. This time we stare for a long moment at each other. For the first time ever without a doubt, I can feel and hear what Reed is thinking.

  I feel my eyes go wide with surprise when his voice sounds in my head.

  “Poppy? You can hear me, right?”

  “How did you know you could do that?”

  “I’ve suspected for a while now, but I was afraid to say anything.”

  “But…”

  “I know I should’ve told you sooner, but I think we need to talk about this later.”

  “Right. You are right. Now is not the time. But we will discuss this as soon as we have finished with your mother.” I try to put some authority behind my voice, but I am still in shock over what has just happened.

  “Agreed. Now, how does she know all that?” Reed’s voice still sounds odd in my head, but I can hear the concern for his mother at her knowledge, and this helps me to focus better.

  “I do not know, but for now, we need to tell her what she has asked.”

  “No way! I want to know how she knows so much about Faery Land and why she never told me I was a Halfling.”

  “I understand, Reed, but now is not the time.”

  “It’s been 18 years. I think now is a perfect time.” I can feel and hear his anger, but I know I am right about this.

  “Trust me? Please? I know you want answers, but I do not think she is ready to tell her story.”

  I can feel Reed’s anger shift to concern before he speaks. “What do you mean?”

  “I think her story is going to be one of great sadness, and we need to give her the time to tell us when she is ready, and when you are ready to hear it.”

  Reed stares at me for a moment longer, and I worry he is going to fight me on this. Finally his shoulders drop just a fraction, and he nods at me. We both turn our attention back to his mother, who is staring at us with a knowing look in her eyes.

  Having been so caught up in the fact that Reed and I were communicating in our minds, I had forgotten his mother was there watching us stare at each other for an unusual amount of time.

  Cringing, I cut my eyes over to Reed. How are we going to explain this? Without intending to, I must have sent the message to Reed because he shrugs his shoulders in answer. This time I give him an annoyed look. Shaking my head, I turn back to face Reed’s mother. Now she is smiling.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, but I know it’s some Fae thing. You can start with that.” Even though there is a smile on her face, it does not hide the command she has given us. We both sit up straighter as we prepare to explain all that has transpired since she last saw her son.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Reed tells the story, starting at the very beginning when I first arrived at his job. To my embarrassment, he does not leave out any of the details from our first encounter, but does try to tell his mother a censored, less painful and scary version of the rest. She will not have any of it.

  Shaking her head when Reed tells her how we “met” Holly in the woods, she tries to stop him from leaving out details, but he pointedly ignores her. This is met with a raised eyebrow, which has me chuckling lightly beside them. Reed stops talking long enough to glare at me, but then begins the tale once more. His mother finally has enough of his obvious evasion and slaps her hand on the tabletop. The loud smack draws both of our attention and silence.

  “Enough,” she says with a sigh.

  “But, Mom…” Reed begins in a whiney voice that I have never heard before but find endearing. Reed’s mother slices her hand through the air as she cuts Reed off. “No, sir. Do not argue with me.” She raises her eyebrows at him to emphasize her seriousness. Reed shuts his mouth with a comical snap and sinks down into his chair, arms crossing over his chest. He is pouting. Another chuckle escapes my lips, earning a glare from Reed.

  Anna winks at me, and then turns her narrowed eyes back to her son. “I will not have you sugar-coating all of this. I will not have you trying to protect me from what has happened to you. Trust me. I have seen it before and probably much worse. You will tell me the truth, young man. Do you understand me?”

  Reed takes a deep breath, and I think for a moment that he is going to argue and I find myself planting my feet more firmly on the ground for a hasty retreat. The last thing I want is to be in the middle of a dispute.

  Reed, however, surprises me with a mumbled, “Yes, ma’am.”

  I relax back into my chair at the same time Reed’s mother does. This time she crosses her arms over her chest and nods for Reed to continue.

  Reed continues to talk, telling his mother all the gory details of what happened since he left home. I sit listening, wincing or sighing occasionally, depending on the part of the story he is telling. Reed’s mother shows no reaction — not until we reach the part of the story about Reed and Rho being in the dungeon.

  She sits forward, leaning against the tabletop. Her eyes are a bit wider, and the pinkness in her cheeks has begun to pale. Fear consumes her, and I understand because I felt the same way. Although I know the outcome, and his mother obviously can see he is safe, it does not change our feelings. Not wanting to relive the part of the story but not wishing to leave Reed alone as he does, I brace myself as I sit and listen.

  As the story continues, it feels as if Reed is starting to talk in slow motion. It becomes excruciating to listen to the words slowly leave his mouth. My hands, which were loosely lying on the tabletop before, are now beginning to sweat. The fingers on my hands slowly curl inward and dig into the wood of the table. When I realize what I am doing, I begin to pull them away, but then there is a soft hand lying over one of them. I glance up to see that Reed’s mother, still looking intently at Reed, has placed her soft delicate hand upon mine. I am momentarily distracted from Reed’s words.

  This human woman, a perfect stranger, is offering me support when she knows I must need it. I decide to take it. I slowly turn my hand over so my palm is facing up. Now Reed’s mother glances up at me. She offers a small, sad smile and tightens her hold on me. I move my other hand over to our joined hands and hold on for dear life.

  As Reed slowly tells his mother of Rho’s bravery and sacrifice, I begin to shake. Reed’s mother, still holding my hands, gets up from her seat and comes to stand beside me. She wraps her arms around me and pulls my head to rest on her breast. Reed has stopped talking, and I can feel his concern in waves. I begin to pull away to reassure him, but Reed’s mother pulls me back and speaks for me.

  “It’s fine, honey. Keep going.”

  “But…,” Reed begins, but is cut off once again by his mother’s soft words.

  “I know you’re concerned, baby, but Poppy’s strong. Sometimes we have to live through that hard stuff again, to move on.” She squeezes me tighter, and my tears begin to flow. She is right. I have to hear this again. I have to listen to Reed tell his mother how amazing Rho was, so I can remember that as well.

  Reed hesitates for a moment, and I can feel his concern and worry, but then he begins to talk once again. His voice is soft and caring when he recounts meeting Dash for the first time in real life and of Rho’s buria
l. My tears have turned into sobs, but I cannot help the occasional smile. Especially when Reed talks about Holly and what she did for Rho. She turned out to be something so much more than what we originally thought. To go from such enemies that we sought each other’s death, to comrades and somewhat friends is unbelievable. The thought almost brings a chuckle to my throat.

  I realize now, as I sit here with my face buried in a human woman’s arms, just how much my life has changed in a short amount of time. Things turned out differently from how I thought they would, and Reed had a lot to do with that. Losing Rho was the worst thing that has ever happened to me, but so much good has happened as well.

  Reed finishes his story with our arrival here at his home, and my tears finally stop. We are all silent for a few moments, each taking in everything that has been said. I try to pull away from Anna once more, and this time she lets me. She brushes my hair out of my face and leans down to look into my eyes.

  “You are a very strong and brave girl. I am so happy my son has found you,” she says softly.

  Her statement makes me blush, and I open my mouth to object, but nothing comes out. I am caught so off guard by her whispered words that I cannot think of one thing to say. She does not seem to need me to. Instead, she pulls me in for one more hug and then walks over to her son.

  “Stand up so I can hug my brave boy once more.”

  “Aww, Mom!” Reed says with a blush but stands and hugs his mother tightly, lifting her completely off the ground.

  “I swear you must have grown a foot since you’ve been gone!” She giggles like a schoolgirl, and I smile. “Is that even possible? Poppy? Could he have grown so much in just a few days?” Reed sets his mother down while she is still talking, and I turn my attention to her. I notice Reed eyeing me carefully but do not acknowledge him. I am still blushing from his mother’s comment.