“I’m still right here,” Daylan said, showing himself again, waiting for Tyler to catch up. “You are human, which means you can only see me if I allow you to,” Daylan explained.
Tyler slowly put his chair upright and tentatively sat back down. “Okay, say I believe you. That you aren’t… human. What does Swayzi have to do with this?”
Daylan reluctantly told Tyler everything he had told me, even adding bits that were new. That he and his siblings were sentenced to death after attempting to break their parents free from the prison they were being tortured in. He also explained that faeries rarely came in contact with humans, and if they did, telling them about Empress was punishable by death.
It wasn’t until Daylan got to the part about me possibly living a healthy life one day that Tyler began to really listen. I could see something I hadn’t seen in his eyes for a long time—hope.
“So, if I’m understanding this correctly, this is why you’ve been sick your entire life?” he asked, his knees bouncing anxiously.
“We don’t know for sure, but yes, possibly,” I answered.
“And you feel better, being around him?” he asked, trying to hide his contempt but failing miserably.
“I feel stronger, healthier, yes.”
“I thought it was the new drugs making you feel better, the experimental one that Doc had you on?”
“I haven’t taken Formalthinaxin since the day at the docks.”
He tipped his head back and sighed in frustration.
“I know, Tyler. It’s lot to take in.”
He nodded and met my eyes again. “Does Linda know?”
“No. And we need to keep it that way.”
Tyler nodded. He understood we didn’t need to get Linda’s hopes up.
“Earlier you said his brother and sister wanted your help—with what?”
I didn’t know how to answer that and looked to Daylan for help.
“Swayzi’s father’s name was Oren Alexander,” Daylan answered. “He was the King of Empress for over six hundred years.”
“King?” Tyler and I said in unison as I laughed nervously almost spilling my coffee. I set the mug down and cleared my throat waiting for him to explain himself.
“Yes, my father was his most trusted advisor. I grew up in the Royal Residence.”
The idea that royal blood ran through my veins made me feel disconnected from this magical world more than ever. Daylan and the twins had been very careful with their words the other day, leaving out this very important fact that somehow, I might be related to royalty. It made me question their intentions.
“And you just conveniently left all this out this before?” I balked, drumming my fingers on the table.
“My intentions were honorable. The omission was for your safety. My siblings have many ideas, and I don’t particularly like any of them.”
“Ideas?” Tyler leaned forward, concerned.
“Because Swayzi is technically the rightful heir, she could dethrone Medallion. She could rule Empress.” He was clearly conflicted about revealing all this.
The kitchen fell silent for a moment as Tyler and I let this new insanity sink in. Rule Empress? Daylan didn’t know me at all. I was a quiet loner who liked to read books and watch soaps, who failed at any attempt at a social life—much less leadership. I was barely healthy enough to take care of myself let alone anyone else.
“This Medallion,” Tyler began, “he obviously doesn’t abide by the rules of your people, so what makes you think she could dethrone him so easily?” I couldn’t believe how business like he sounded.
“No, he doesn’t,” Daylan answered, “which is why I wouldn’t put Swayzi in that position until we knew it was safe to do so.”
“And how could you guarantee her safety? You said Medallion has slave witches and followers who do his dirty work. If he overthrew Oren who was a King for over six hundred years, how could Swayzi stop him?”
Tyler was asking questions I would have never thought to ask. I was thankful he was on my side.
“Tyler, her safety is not something I take lightly. My father was The King’s Hand for four hundred years; I know a thing or two about protecting royalty. I would die to save her. You need to trust me.”
“Trust is earned. I don’t even know you.”
“Trust Swayzi.”
“If she stays here, on Earth,” Tyler asked, “will she die?” They spoke like I was no longer in the room.
“She is unique, half human; we don’t really know what that means. A witch could probably help us understand things better.”
“A witch?” Tyler asked.
“Penelope,” I said. We hadn’t got to that part yet.
“Penelope? Get outta here.” He laughed a little too hard.
“I’m serious.”
Tyler looked at Daylan, who silently nodded.
“I would like to say I’m surprised, but I’m not,” Tyler said, still laughing as he spoke. “I always told you there was something off with her. This is the first bit of information you’ve told me that makes complete sense.”
“We haven’t spoken with her yet,” I warned.
“Like I said to you before, Swayzi, witches and faeries haven’t always gotten along,” Daylan said. “I’m afraid my presence might cause unnecessary tension. If you intend to speak with her, I recommend you do so on your own.”
I checked my phone, realizing it was Sunday morning. Penelope was at the Farmers Market downtown. When we spoke on the phone, she made me promise to not leave the house, but I needed to see her ASAP. I asked Tyler for a ride but insisted on following Daylan’s advice by talking to her alone.
Tyler’s jealousy was palpable as we drove to the market. I could still feel the sting of electricity from the kiss Daylan had given me on my cheek before we left the house.
“You trust this guy?” Tyler asked, his voice full of annoyance.
“Daylan? Yes, I can’t really explain why, but yeah, I trust him.”
Then why didn’t I tell him about the necklace?
“You look at him differently…” He paused, stung by his own words. “I’ve never seen you look at a guy like that before.”
I blushed, wishing I could reassure him that Daylan meant nothing to me, but I couldn’t do that. “Are you okay?”
“This is some pretty intense stuff, Sway. Are you okay?”
“I don’t know. In a way, I feel cheated. There’s this whole other world I’m connected to and I’m just finding out about it now. I’m mad at my father and I don’t even know him—knew him…whatever. How could he allow Linda to get pregnant, knowing I would probably live a short, painful life? How could he even know if it was safe for Linda to carry me?”
“Honestly, I don’t think he cared. I think he tried to get Linda pregnant because he wanted to produce an heir.”
I glared at him, and he caught the accusation in my eyes.
“I’m just going off what little information we know,” he explained. “Your dad was a king, Swayzi. A king.”
I let out a breath. “I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation.”
“It’s pretty wild,” he said, taking a turn on the last corner. “At the same time, it kind of makes sense.”
“What part of any of this makes sense?” I argued.
“Well you don’t think we’re alone in the universe.” He shrugged. “I mean, we’ve talked about Aliens before. This isn’t much different from that.”
“This is way different!” I argued. “God, angels, demons, the Devil. This is biblical stuff. Aliens would be scientific; you can’t even compare them.”
Tyler parked the truck and turned to me. “Think about it, Sway. You’ve seen some of the best doctors in the world, and none of them could figure out what’s wrong with you. How could you trust science?”
“How could I trust God? I’ve prayed to him for years—nothing.” I threw my hands up.
“This could be the second chance we’ve always hoped for,”
he held my hand. “What if this could save your life?”
“What if it kills me?” I trembled.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.” He placed his two fingers on the inside of my wrist.
I could barely lift my lips in a smile when we got out of the truck. Tyler’s fingers intertwined with mine, his thumb slowly caressing my hand for comfort as he walked me to the edge of the market.
“When are you going to tell Linda about all of this?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I shouldn’t have told you.”
“Why not? You needed my help.”
There was a honk from a car while it waited for us to cross the busy street, and Tyler waved him off. We were swallowed by the big crowd as we reached the boardwalk.
“I put you at risk,” I said loud enough so only he could hear.
“I can take care of myself.” He winked.
We arrived at the first row of tents, and Tyler pulled me in for a hug. He buttoned my jean jacket closed to protect me from the cold and paused, touching the necklace. “How come you’re wearing Linda’s necklace?”
“She gave it to me this morning.” I hesitated. “My father gave it to her before he died.”
“Oh, this day is full of surprises, isn’t it?” He smiled.
“Shall we find out if we are in for another one?” I glanced over my shoulder, looking for Penelope’s parents’ furniture tent.
“Are you absolutely sure you won’t let me be there for this? I would give anything to see Penelope’s face when you accuse her of being a witch,” he teased.
“Ugh, no!” I pushed on his chest. I started to leave then turned back. “I’m not going to accuse her, I’m just going to…” I paused, not exactly sure what I was going to do. “Ask, I guess?”
“Well stay close, where I can see you.”
“Got it.”
I merged with the busy crowd, passing all different types of vendors selling the catch of the day, fresh bread, dream catchers, and other items under tents sagging from the heavy snow. The pumpkin booth was a huge hit as always with Halloween just around the corner, and I could smell the fresh pies as I approached Mrs. Talbut’s booth of baked goods.
I waved at Mrs. Talbut, our neighbor, who was busy with customers, and next to her tent, saw the booth I was looking for: Runes Custom Furniture. Penelope was inside showing a customer a beautiful wooden bench custom made by her father. It was one of my favorite pieces. I watched her talk to the guy for a few minutes, treasuring the Penelope I knew before I complicated everything.
Her long brown hair was pulled back into a loose messy bun that bobbed as she spoke. Her large sunglasses covered most of her face, and she wore a big smile. Such a flirt. Her big winter jacket and mittens were unnecessary with the bright sun already melting the snow into slush, but Penelope hated any season that wasn’t summer.
She noticed me over the guy’s shoulder and abandoned him far quicker then she normally would have. “Hey,” she called, dodging the furniture and navigating the crowded booth to get to me.
“Hi,” I said, giving her a hug.
“I told you not to leave your house, are you okay?” She pulled back and studied me at arm’s length. “What’s wrong?”
“Can you take a break?” I waved at Mrs. Rune who nodded back in acknowledgment but did not wave or smile like usual.
“Yes of course. Mamma, tornerò in dieci minuti,” Penelope called in Italian over her shoulder. “We have ten minutes,” she said, locking her arm in mine and guiding me out of the busy market.
We ended up at the end of the pier, the sun beaming against the solid blue sky and the waves echoing against the rocks below us. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not really sure where to start,” I said honestly.
I had butterflies, a part of me just wanted to run. I glanced behind us, looking for Tyler.
“Do you remember the guy from the café—the day of the fire?” I started.
She nodded cautiously, so I continued.
“That day was not the first time I saw him. In fact, we’ve had a few strange encounters. I’m not sure how to say this without sounding crazy…”
“Try me.”
“Okay, well…Daylan is a faerie from a world called Empress. He believes I am half faerie, half human. And he told me that you’re a witch.” I wasn’t sure what I expected out of her reaction. I waited for her to laugh at me, or get mad—anything.
She didn’t say anything. All I could see was my reflection in her huge sunglasses. I think she was in shock, so I continued, “From the bits of information I was able to piece together, apparently I am the daughter of the former King Oren. He ruled for six hundred years until—”
“Stop,” she said, cutting me off. “You have to stop talking right now.”
“Why? Is it true? Are you a witch?”
“Shh,” she said looking over her shoulder, “It’s not safe to talk here.”
I looked out at the vast ocean and at the quiet pier behind us. I couldn’t imagine a safer place to talk. “Why?”
“Come.” She took my hand in hers, pulling me back towards the center of town.
We jaywalked our way across the bustling Main Street to Linda’s café, still closed for renovations. Penelope used her key to let us in. She closed the door behind us, locked it, and shut the blinds. She then turned to me and yanked off her sunglasses.
“First things first, you can’t talk about any of this unless you are in your house or in this café—understand?”
“Okay... Why?”
“I used a silencing spell, so no one can listen in here or at your house.”
“Wait—so it’s real…you’re a witch?”
“Yes,” she said.
“And you know about me?”
“Yes, of course, I know.” She peeked outside the window again.
“You’re really a witch?” I asked again, trying to convince myself.
“Yes, Swayzi, I am. I was sent here to protect you.” She sat down next to me on our orange sofa that now smelled of smoke.
I looked into her eyes, thinking of all the strange things that happened when Penelope was around. The night of Mellie’s party I was so sure I locked the bathroom door, yet Penelope was able to open it. The random almost unnoticeable little things that happened to Tyler, like his marshmallows always catching on fire. Now that I thought about it, Tyler’s faulty locker at school he got year after year, Penelope was coincidentally always around when it hit him in the face. When I first met her… the girls that teased me for my shaved head tripped over nothing while they ran away from her. Maybe that was her? Tyler was right. It made sense.
“Who sent you?”
“That’s not important right now. First, I need to say this. This faerie guy—he’s dangerous. You need to stay away from him.”
“I don’t think I can do that.” I blushed in frustration.
“Swayzi, this is so much bigger than a teen romance. He is beautiful, I get it, but every faerie is beautiful. That’s one of the reasons he’s so dangerous. No human can trust themselves in the presence of a faerie. They are charming, hypnotizing, and absolutely deadly.”
I feared Penelope might be speaking the truth, but I didn’t want to stop seeing Daylan. I didn’t feel in danger when I was with him. I felt safe.
“You don’t know him—he wouldn’t hurt me.”
“You may think that, but it’s not that simple. Tell me everything he has told you.”
I did as she said and told her what I knew.
“He’s the son of Hawthorne?” She stood up, pacing in front of the sofa.
“I’m not sure—he never told me the names of his parents.”
“But he said specifically his father was the King’s Hand?”
“Yes.” That was one of the few things I was certain of. I mean, Game of Thrones fan, duh.
She continued to pace, “Does that mean something to you?” I asked in a panic.
“You need to take m
e to him—now.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me off the sofa.
“I thought you said I needed to stay away from him.”
“Never mind that. Do you have the Wagoneer?” she asked when she locked the café door behind us.
“No, Tyler gave me a ride.”
“Please tell me you did not tell him any of this,” she responded. I could see the disappointment flood through her when I didn’t answer.
Tyler was already crossing the street towards us, and his hands came up in mock surrender when Penelope glared at him.
“You guys have no idea the danger you have put yourselves in!”
“Whoa, just don’t turn me into a frog, okay?” he joked. “You really are a witch, aren’t you?”
Penelope shot daggers of warning at him. She wasn’t in the mood.
“Tyler, can you give us a ride?” I asked. “Penelope wants to talk to Daylan.”
“Don’t you have a broom or something?”
“Tyler,” I snapped.
“Fine. Right this way.”
We walked towards his truck, and he opened the door for us.
“What happened to the whole faeries and witches don’t get along thing?” he asked.
“It turns out we’re on the same side,” Penelope said, sliding into the truck.
I was trying to keep up with all this new information. I assumed whoever sent Penelope to watch over me was somehow linked to Daylan’s father.
“I’ve already told Swayzi this, but from now on you do not talk about any of this unless you are at her house or the café,” Penelope warned Tyler.
“Why, did you cast a spell or something?” Tyler continued to make fun of her.
“Yes—I did. Choose your next words carefully, Cobi.” We both knew she only used his last name when she was really serious.
Tyler was done teasing. “Where am I taking you?”
“Coast Mountain Rainforest,” I said.
He looked at me in confusion but shifted into drive anyways.
“Coast Mountain, smart.” Penelope huffed.
Tyler got us there in good time and parked his truck in the empty parking lot. The slam of the truck doors echoed, and small birds flew from the trees most likely disturbed by the unusual noise.
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