by Maggie Joan
“Two Calamansi’s with a drop of Aricot please. Are you still serving food?”
The bartender nodded.
Calico glanced at me quickly, as if assessing something, then said, “One flame grilled Quagga with bunyip sauce and one infused river Serval with moon basil and cured rabbit bread. Also, a side of crocotta bread for my companion here.”
The bartender bowed his head and then hurried back to the bar. He disappeared from sight for several seconds then suddenly reappeared.
“The kitchen is beneath us,” Calico explained.
“What did you just order?”
“Trust me,” he said. “I can tell that back home you eat a lot of fish and white meat and you like side orders to accompany your mains.”
“How…how can you possibly know that?”
He leaned across the table and whispered, “I probably should have told you from the start that fairies have psychic abilities.” My cheeks instantly flamed red. How embarrassing. That meant he knew… “Yes, I know you think I’m rather handsome and wish I were human.”
I took my hands back from the dogs and buried my face in them. To my surprise, my hands didn’t smell of dog, an aroma of a light perfume had me inhaling several times because it smelled so great. It reminded me of candyfloss and lavender and just made me want to sniff it constantly. It could even be labelled as addictive.
“Happy hormones,” Calico explained. “They excrete odours depending on how they feel. It also tells others how likely they are to switch their loyalty. The nicer the smell, the less chance anyone has of stealing them from you.”
I glanced down at the brown and tan dogs who both stared up at me lovingly. “Will they understand basic commands?”
“You mean like your dogs on earth?”
I felt silly but I nodded anyway.
“Yes, but it works differently. Their loyalty to you forms a telepathic bond. The more you touch them, the stronger it becomes. All you need to do is picture them doing what you want them to do and they’ll do it.”
In my mind, I pictured the dogs laying down in front of the fire peacefully. Before I’d even finished building the image in my mind, they both laid to my right, in front of the fire, and went to sleep.
“That’s so cool,” I said, grinning wildly.
“Just make sure you use it wisely. They act immediately so don’t wish anyone ill harm unless you want it done.”
I nodded. “Understood.”
The fire popped and sizzled next to us, its heat permeating right through to my bones. I could quite happily fall asleep in front of that fire and lose myself to dreams for a week. With the dogs surrounding me, I wouldn’t have to worry about being hurt.
“I know you must be tired,” Calico said. “But we really can’t afford much more time. We need to keep moving. The drinks I’ve ordered will regenerate your body as if you’ve slept.”
I giggled. “Like an energy drink?”
“Yes, but without the health hazards,” he replied, laughing.
I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at him. “You know an awful lot about our ways on earth. Why is that?”
“You’re far too clever for your own good, Faye. I think you know the answer to that.”
“You’ve still been visiting us, in secret?”
He nodded. “No one knows but the royal families. It’s an intelligence mission, making sure we’re still safe.”
An instant twang of guilt hit me. I felt so bad for what humans had put them through. I knew it wasn’t my fault directly, but I still felt responsible for some reason. The bartender came over then with our drinks. He set the thick pint glasses down on the table and went back to the bar.
Inside the square glass, a dusty cloudy pink liquid swirled around, as if it were alive.
“What is this?” I said. “It looks…alive.”
Calico grinned. “It’s derived from a plant called Calamansi. It’s a living thing that never rests or hibernates. It is in constant flower. The enzymes in it are what regenerates your body and gives you energy. It’s normally a turquoise kind of colour but the Aricot I asked for is what’s changed the colour. That is a type of berry that when crushed and consumed with Calamansi, gives the brain a boost.”
Still suspicious, I waited for him to take a sip first. When he downed half the glass in one sitting, I copied him. I expected a disgusting flavour but it tasted just like homemade lemonade, so sweet and completely refreshing. Within seconds of drinking it, I felt able to run a marathon. I wanted to get up and move and do something.
“Bottle all that energy up because you’re going to need it,” Calico said, sitting back in his chair. “We’ve got another three lands to cross yet before we reach the Queen’s Court.”
“Dare I ask what faces us ahead?”
As I asked that, Calico’s face paled. His focus had wandered to something behind me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. He stood up and looked at the bartender, pressed his index finger to his lips in a ‘shush’ motion and then said three strange words whilst drawing a large rectangle with his hands.
My heart now pounding once more, I looked behind me, where a grimy window gave a view to the street outside. A procession of guards, sporting yellow clothing, complete with spears and shields, marched past, a woman in the middle of them dressed in a long purple cloak. Her red hair seemed to glimmer all different shades of red and yellow.
Calico wrapped his hand around my arm and gave me the same ‘shush’ motion. I nodded. The convoy of guards came to a stop and all turned ninety degrees to face the door of the inn. I broke out into a cold sweat. The woman in the purple cloak moved through them effortlessly, as if she were gliding rather than walking.
The door slowly opened and she walked in, her attention directly on the bartender. “Hello, Jarvyn of Adonara. Have you seen any curious visitors of late?” Her voice was silky smooth, no doubt capable of sending people to sleep just listening to it.
The barman, with his lidless eye, shook his head. “No, Ma’am. I have not.”
“Are you sure, Jarvyn of Adonara? Because I have information that leads me to believe the beings I seek may have passed through here. Or indeed, could even still be here.”
“Nothing but the regulars, Ma’am,” he replied, gesturing towards the range of cyclops, fairies, and goblins on the other side of the room.
She turned her head towards us. My breath caught in my throat. Not only was she utterly beautiful with her smooth porcelain skin and rosy pink lips, but her eyes were nothing but a rainbow of swirling colours, like the dress I currently wore.
“Why do none of your guests seek the fire?” she asked, scanning over us intently.
“I do not know, Ma’am. Perhaps it is too warm over there. The kitchen is cooking below.”
“Have you seen anyone in a dress that resembles the colours of my eyes, Jarvyn of Adonara?” she said, turning back to him.
“No, Ma’am. I would remember something that striking.”
“So sweet,” she said, giving him a sickly smile.
With that, she turned around, her cloak billowing out behind her, and left the inn. The door closed quietly behind her and the procession of guards turned back down the street and presumably escorted the mysterious woman back to wherever she had come from.
Several seconds ticked by, Calico not letting go of my arm. When he felt satisfied she had gone, he released his grip and hurried over to the barman. After a few hushed words, Calico passed something over to him and then came back to me.
“What…?” I whispered.
“That was Isidora. She is a mage for the Queen’s Court. She created that dress,” he said, pointing at the clothing on my body. “When it is worn, she can feel its presence. Considering that dress has been missing for nearly a hundred years, the fact she can now track it is of the utmost importance.”
“Why?”
“It is a soul reader. It tells how pure someone is just by resting against their skin.
”
“Why is that so important?”
“A lot of creatures try to enter our land and seek refuge. If they are not of pure intention, they do not gain entry.”
I frowned. “But what is so bad about that?”
“The land where we live is diverse and rich in culture. If we refuse entry, we are only harming our own community. There is no fresh blood and no new strengths to further our world.”
I sort of understood. There were obviously things here that I would have no comprehension of understanding. The way they lived was completely alien to me.
“Why is she so scary then? And why couldn’t she see us?”
He gestured back at the table, indicating for me to sit. “I used some of my magic to create an illusional mirror. It gave her an image of the room before we were in it. She’s not scary but she is focused on one thing—getting that dress back—and we need it, for now. Once the Queen’s Court sees you in it, it will make things a whole lot easier for your cause.”
Something struck me then. He was actually helping me, intent on making the Queens see me in a different light. It felt great to have an ally but what had suddenly changed his mind?
“Why are you suddenly trying to help me?”
He sighed. “You’re growing on me in an irritating wart kind of way. You’re clearly pure,” he said, gesturing at the dress. “Kaisa likes you, you’ve gained ownership of two Superior Caracal’s, and you’re taking everything in your stride like it’s nothing. There’s something to be said for that. I want to help you.”
My heart swelled with happiness. I felt like maybe, just maybe, I could change fairies opinions on humans being evil. If they could only see we shouldn’t all be tarred with the same brush, there would be hope.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling at him. “Aside from the wart comment of course.”
He grinned. “You’re welcome. You might even progress to a boil before this is over.”
I laughed, and for the first time since all this started, I felt like this would all work out for the better.
Chapter 12
The food Calico ordered for me was absolutely delicious, by far the most tantalising thing I’d ever tasted. I had the flame grilled Quagga with bunyip sauce and crocotta bread. The Quagga was apparently a type of fish abundant in the waters of Saleno, which would be our next land to cross.
It fell apart in my mouth, so tender and soft, and the sauce, apparently another plant derived food, was so creamy I could have drunk a pint of it quite happily. The side of crocotta bread was like bruschetta bread, except it had been browned in some sort of red sauce, giving it a lovely tang.
Calico kept the illusion up, in case Isidora came back. How he planned to keep us out of her way I didn’t know. If she could feel the presence of the dress then surely she would be hot on our heels.
As I drank the last of my energy drink, it suddenly dawned on me that I had no problems understanding anyone I’d met.
“How come everyone here talks in English? And then you sometimes speak some strange words?”
Calico finished the remainder of his meal, which looked just as tasty as what mine had been, wiped his mouth on the white napkin, and then said, “They don’t speak English. It’s just that the longer you spend in the fairy realm, the more you become accustomed to our world, and that includes the language. My strange words, as you call them, are an ancient language known only to the royals. It is used for specific tasks such as magic and speaking to our horses.”
“What’s the next move then?” I asked, waking the dogs with a click of my tongue. I needed their presence as a reassurance. “Surely she’ll follow us?”
“We need to make it to Saleno. She won’t follow us there, but she will be waiting for us after.”
“Why won’t she follow us there?”
“Mage’s have no influence over water or anything that resides in it.”
I frowned, confused. “Are you telling me the whole land is made of water?”
He nodded. “Think of it like an ocean, separating Adonara from Pucaria, that’s the next land after Saleno.”
“Please tell me how exactly we’re going to survive an ocean?” I said, absolutely baffled.
“Have you forgotten the horse’s special talent?”
“They can’t turn into fish, surely?” I said, almost choking on the words.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, snorting in disdain. “They just develop gills.” Just develop gills. Of course they do. I don’t know what the expression on my face must have said, but he then said, “Think of them as a fairy twist on a sea horse.”
Thinking of it like that actually made sense. Sea horses existed, albeit not literally an equine that could breath under water, but Earth rules didn’t apply here. Why couldn’t their horses, that turn into the forest and grass, also have the ability to breathe under water?
Smiling to myself at this amazing turn of never-ending talent, I asked, “What about the dogs?”
“They can breathe under water.”
“I can’t.”
He grinned at me. “Today you will.”
I felt another panic attack coming on. An ocean. On a horse with gills. Breathing under water. What was this? I thought I’d started coming to terms with the weirdness of this place, but it looked like my expectations were being blown out of the water, literally.
“You’ll be fine,” Calico said, reaching across the table and taking my hand. “I’m not going to put you in any danger. The horses will camouflage to the colour of the ocean remember so we’ll be virtually invisible.”
“Virtually?”
“Obviously the water will be disturbed from their movements, but it won’t attract unwanted attention.” He squeezed my hand and asked, “Do you trust me?”
I thought about that for a brief second. I’d survived this far by relying on him alone. To carry on, I wouldn’t have a choice but to do the same. Taking a deep breath, I nodded.
“Good. Now let’s get moving.”
“Just one last thing,” I said, biting my lip. “Are you sure she’s gone? How do you know she’s not waiting for us somewhere before we reach Saleno?”
Rising to his feet, Calico smiled. “There are other places like this spread all over Adonara, they are so far apart, it will take her longer to check them all than it will for us to reach Saleno.”
“But this connection she has with the dress, surely it’ll get weaker the further away she gets from it?” I said, standing up and trying to steady my shaking legs.
“That would make sense, wouldn’t it?” he replied. “But it doesn’t work like that. If it did, the illusion I created wouldn’t have worked. All it does is direct her to a general whereabouts, in this case, the land of Adonara.”
Feeling a little more secure, I followed him out of the inn and waited, as per his instructions, for him to return with the horses. With the dogs at my side, barely anyone dared give me a second glance, let alone anything else. I wondered briefly if there would be anyway to take them back home with me.
Calico reappeared with the horses and to my surprise, used the mounting block at the end of the alleyway to climb on Izar’s back. I presumed there must be a reason he wasn’t allowing the horses to do their bowing trick, so I quickly followed suit mounting Kaisa.
“Will the dogs be ok following us?” I asked as we rode down the street.
“Oh yes. They have remarkable stamina and can last for weeks on one meal.”
I shivered as I thought about the goblin they’d eaten, to the extent nothing remained of her to tell of the gory story that had unfolded not that long ago.
“Is that your weeks or my weeks?” I asked, slightly confused.
“My weeks. In your time scale, they can eat once a week and survive.”
“Is it just meat? Their diet?”
“No, they consume most things. Except Mushroom Sprytes, they’re quite poisonous to them.”
We rode out of town, keeping the pace at a leisu
rely walk, like we had no other cares in the world. I presumed it was part of some kind of disguise or not drawing attention to ourselves so I didn’t ask any questions.
As the town slowly faded away behind us, we picked up the pace to a steady canter. Ever in the distance, the pink castle, the Queen’s Court, stood proud, almost mocking us that no matter how far we travelled, we never seemed to get any closer to it.
The dogs ran along side Kaisa, their tongues lolloping out of their mouths, ears pricked and eyes as bright as anything. What lay ahead worried me somewhat. The horses being like chameleons I could get on board with to a degree, but growing gills and swimming underwater seemed just a little out of my grasp.
By the time Adonara had become nothing more than a speck on the horizon behind us, the air changed, becoming much crisper and the faint smell of salt lingering around us. Calico slowed to a walk, his focus pinned on the distance.
To me, it looked like acres and acres more of endless grass. After several silent minutes, I debated asking him why we’d stopped cantering. Before I could, my question was answered as the vast ocean lay right in front of us. I couldn’t quite take in the change of grass to water, it looked like a line had been drawn between the two and quite literally, the grass ended and the ocean began, no soft blend of the two together, or puddles of water on the grass, just dry land then the sea.
“That is bizarre,” I said, looking at the vast area of clear blue water in front of us. “How can the grass not get wet?”
Calico grinned. “Because it’s not meant to get wet, so it doesn’t.”
“Surely grass needs water to grow and live?”
The second the words left my mouth, I regretted it. I should have known by this point that normal rules didn’t apply but getting used to the principals and rules here felt like algebra and complicated maths formulas.
“We need to take a dog each,” Calico said. “Can you picture each of them laid in front of us, across the horses withers?”
I nodded and did as he asked. Instantly, they leapt up, no scrabbling around for grip, just a perfect jump, almost like a cat. Neither of the horses shied away from the dogs leaping onto their backs, they just accepted it like it was normal.