The Beauty and The Fey

by Charlene Taylor

  The Beauty and the Fey

  Don’t tempt the fey.

  It was the one rule her parents impressed on her and her idiot sister repeatedly. The fey were unpredictable. They were rarely kind and often cruel. They were the inspiration for beauty in the world, and the instigators of chaos. And for the unlucky few? Those unfortunate souls, or the descendants of desperate fools, who bargained and begged for some temporary respite or gain? The fey were far more unpredictable, far more dangerous and far more enticing.

  Unfortunately for Audrielle, it was a temporary respite that caused her to hesitate, to fail to force the wise no from her lips as the foolish yes burned her tongue. Her father had once bartered with one of the fair folk, a bargain where so much was sacrificed, and yet…

  “Audrielle,” Chastity pressed.

  “When did you want to go?” Audrielle asked, furious with herself for not refusing outright. She bit her lip, but did not take the question back.

  “The summer equinox is tomorrow, if we left in the morning we could be there by noon, when the rift opens. I’ll be in and out, no harm.”

  Audrielle looked out the kitchen window, where the once vibrant rose bushes withered and rotted.

  “In and out,” she echoed.

  “No harm,” Chastity repeated

  Audrielle nodded slowly. She doubted her sister’s assurance, but they were desperate fools. They were willing to bargain or beg, if forced, for the temporary respite they were desperate to obtain. She hoped they could steal what they needed, and avoid the attention of the fey, but Audrielle would bargain if she had to.

  “I’ll drive,” Audrielle said reluctantly, not taking her gaze from the wilted roses.

  Chastity shrieked in victory and rushed at Audrielle. Audrielle braced herself for her sister’s overly enthusiastic hug. As Chastity bounced up and down, jostling Audrielle in the process, Audrielle clenched her jaw. Her sister’s enthusiasm proved she didn’t understand the danger.

  Audrielle was a huge fan of makeup tutorials. She could go on the internet and within moments, she had step by step instructions telling her how to perfectly cover up the angry birthmark that scorched across her face from her ear to the center of her forehead. With a tap on her phone, she found the latest trend so she could curl her hair and ensure if fell across her face in the cutest way possible. Normally, she could do her makeup without the tutorial, she had had years of practice, but in the deep darkness of the day’s early hours, as she readied herself to drive to Glen Springs, and allow her sister to risk her life for a single plant that would solve all of their problems, she needed the distraction of a step by step reminder.

  Audrielle wished it could be her, but the mark on her face was the remnants of a fey curse. As soon as she stepped through the rift, the fey would know she was there. Chastity could slip in and out. If she was lucky, no one would know she was ever in the Wild Woods.

  As soon as the last curl was pinned back, Audrielle stood and walked out of her room, snatching her car keys and purse off her dresser as she walked out of the room.

  “Audrielle,” her father rasped.

  Audrielle walked into her father’s room. “You should be resting,” she chided softly.

  “Ah, I’ll rest when I’m dead,” he said, his feeble attempt at humor failed to elicit a smile from Audrielle, but it did strengthen her resolve.

  “Stay home with me today, Audrielle. I would like to spend today with you and your sister.”

  Guilt twisted her stomach. Ever since her mother died, her father refused to speak of the fey, of the magic that continued to influence and govern their lives. But, ignoring was not the same as forgetting. He knew it was the summer equinox. He knew they wanted to try one last desperate thing to save their father.

  “Chastity and I have a double date,” Audrielle lied. She stepped back and held out her hands to show off her cute outfit and perfect hair and makeup. “We are meeting two boys from my chemistry lab to watch the sunset and have breakfast. I think they might have something else planned, but we could cut the date short.” Audrielle said the last part with quick eagerness, to better sell the lie, and it worked.

  “You have a date?” Her father asked with excitement. How often had he begged her to socialize, to look past her birthmark long enough to let someone, anyone, do the same?

  “Yeah, but I can cancel.”

  “No, no. Enjoy your date.” Her father relaxed against his pillows. “We can spend tomorrow together.”

  “Deal,” Audrielle said as she backed out of the room. She closed the door to his room and ran down the stairs, before he could change his mind, or think of more questions to ask.

  She met Chastity by her car. Chastity was standing a respectful distance away from Audrielle’s baby. Normally when Audrielle agreed to give her sister a ride, Chastity would do something obnoxious like lean against the car, or worse, sit in the driver’s seat and adjust the mirrors, as though she expected Audrielle to give her another driving lesson. This time, Chastity was careful not to further ire her sister.

  Audrielle brushed past her sister and climbed into the driver’s seat. She turned the car on as Chastity hurried to the passenger seat.

  “You look cute,” Chastity said meekly.

  “I thought it would be a good idea to have a ready excuse if our father asked where we were all day. If he asks, we went on a double date.”

  Chastity gasped. “I could call a couple of guys, we could have a real double date after we visit the glen.”

  “Hard pass,” Audrielle snapped. She turned up her music. It was too harsh and loud and fast for Chastity’s liking, and out of respect for her sister, she normally didn’t blast it when Chastity was in the car, but this time Audrielle wanted to make it clear she wasn’t interested in idle prattle.

  The drive was over two hours, and Audrielle did not turn down the music once. When they arrived, they walked the trail. It wasn’t hard, but it was long enough to make Audrielle regret her choice in footwear and be envious of Chastity’s clothing. Audrielle was wearing Chastity’s top and skirt, and probably her pinching shoes as well. Chastity was dressed far more sensibly in a loose long sleeve shirt, baggy jeans, and sensible sneakers.

  Audrielle led the way, still not speaking a word, and Chastity finally realized Audrielle did not want to speak to her. They needed the Border Rose, to save their father’s life and strengthen the spells on their home. However, Audrielle was furious with Chastity, for being the one who could sneak in, for being the one who could get the rose without attracting the attention of the fey.

  “We’re here,” Audrielle said once they reached the hill in the glen. She moved the branches of an overgrown tree to expose the small cave. “Crawl in, say the stupid rhyme, then crawl out. You’ll be in Wild Woods. Grab one rose, then crawl back in the cave, and say the rhyme to return to our world.”

  “I know,” Chastity said. She grinned and fell to her knees. She crawled into the cave and Audrielle adjusted her grip on the branches. She huffed as she waited. Time crawled and finally Audrielle pulled her phone out of her pocket and began to idly flip through her social media pages, not really looking at anything until her sister pushed her way out of the cave.

  Audrielle moved out of her way and put her phone back in her pocket. Only as her sister stood, did Audrielle look at her, first with irritation, then with horror.

  “I know you said to just grab a rose, so I grabbed this one,” Chastity said as she held out the rose in her right hand. “But, then I saw this rose,” she held out the rose in her left hand. It was nearly three times the size of the first, with perfect petals in a perfect bloom.

  “The first rose a human steals can be buried on a property to bring health, vitality
, and good fortune to all who live there,” Audrielle said as she snatched the second rose from her sister. “The second is a Fey Rose, it belongs to the fey.”

  She grabbed her keys and her phone out of her pocket and shoved them in Chastity’s free hand. “Take the car, get that rose to the house and bury it. I’ll be back in a few days.”

  “Few days? Where are you going?” Chastity asked.

  Audrielle hated the lie, but she wouldn’t tell her sister the truth. “I’m going to the Wild Wood. I have to return this rose.”

  Chastity shook her head. “The rhyme you taught me only works once.”

  “It’s the only rhyme you know, it’s not the only rhyme I know. But, I will tell you this. If we have sacrificed this much and that border rose isn’t planted by sunset, I will never forgive you, now run!”

  Chastity nodded and sprinted back down the path. Her sister would have to tell their father what they did, and in turn, her father would tell Chastity the true cost of her actions. The theft of the rose would cost Chastity her life, if Audrielle couldn’t convince a fairy to transfer the curse to Audrielle.

  Audrielle crawled into the cave. It was small, but large enough for her to turn around and face the entrance.

  “Magic of the wind, the fey, and the trees,

  It is I, I have returned to thee.”

  She took a deep breath, then crawled out of the cave. There was no clearing, every inch of ground was covered with life. She pushed around a tree and managed to stand without damaging the cursed rose. She looked at the flowers and vines. The Wild Wood was a dangerous place, and even the flowers had the sharp edges and dark colors of danger. She had only been to the Wild Wood once before, and had no idea how to find a fey.

  Audrielle steel herself and began to walk towards the sun. With any luck, a fey would find her, the problem was, she wasn’t sure if the luck she hoped for would be the good luck that a fey would be kind, or the bad luck that she would be found by a cruel fey.

  She walked around trees thick enough to conceal her car and jumped over puddles that glowed slightly with a disturbing luminescence. When she heard the faint trickle of water, she debated going towards it. Water could lead her to a settlement, but predators lived near water. Predators in the Wild Wood were far more dangerous than any she would encounter in her own world.

  She walked around a large tree, determined to stay near the water, but not any closer than she currently was unless she was thirsty. As she smirked at the stupidity of her plan, she noticed a beautiful white horse trapped in a rapidly growing vine that continue to wrap around the poor animal.

  Without hesitation, she took her knife out of the concealed sheath on the small of her back and walked toward the horse. When the horse saw the knife, it’s eyes went wild and rolled with panic.

  “Stay calm!” Audrielle said as the vine moved more quickly with the horse’s panicked movements. “Stay calm! I will help you.” She cut the vine near the ground, and it stopped moving. Once, the vine went limp, she quickly cut it away from the horse, discovering that it wasn’t a horse exactly. It had two huge wings on either side of it, a Pegasus. The vine had cut into the animal’s side, above one wing, and the cut seeped faint green blood. Audrielle took her top off, relieved she had layered her top over a cami, and pressed the cloth into the cut.

  “Stay calm,” she whispered.

  I am calm.

  Audrielle looked at the horse in surprise. It didn’t speak, exactly, but she understood the words.

  “I’m not,” Audrielle said, taking advantage of the situation. “I have a cursed rose, and I’m lost.”

  You came to the Wild Woods to search for a fey to help you lift your curse?

  Audrielle nodded and adjusted the cloth over the wound. “What do I need to do for your cut? I’m afraid I don’t know much about… flying horses.”

  I am a Pegasus, not a flying horse. My name is Deleta.

  “I am Audrielle. I didn’t mean any offense. I’ve never met a Pegasus before.”

  I imagine not. We are smart enough to stay in the Wild Woods.

  “Do you know how to fix your neck?” Audrielle asked.

  My brother can help me. If you would keep the cloth on the wound as we walk? It’s not far.

  Audrielle hesitated, but only briefly. She nodded and fell into step next to Deleta. She could wait a little longer to lift the curse, but she would definitely need to find a Fey in the morning. Deleta didn’t speak much, and as the sun went down, her walk slowed.

  “Should we stop?” Audrielle asked. After Deleta stumbled again.

  We are almost there. I can make it.

  Audrielle leaned against Deleta, to support just a little bit of her weight as they walked around another large tree and up a path to an open gate. As they walked into the overgrown courtyard, Deleta stumbled again and Audrielle fell to the ground next to her.

  “Deleta, your blood is all over this human girl.”

  Audrielle turned. A man approached them from the crumbling castle next to them. He wore a black cloak over black clothing. His face was partially concealed by a grotesque mask. It seemed to be the skull of some creature, with horns that swept over his wild pale hair. Only his eyes, mouth, and chin were exposed, and his mouth was set in a firm line.

  She saved me from the flesh-eating vines near the boiling river.

  He walked around Audrielle and took off one of his gloves. He put one hand on the gash Audrielle struggled to conceal with the soaked cloth. Audrielle watched as the gash vanished under his touch. Deleta lied down in the grass and relaxed. Only when she was asleep, did he turn around to look at Audrielle.

  “Her blood is all over your hands and shoulder, it’s even on your back,” he snapped.

  “It’s in my hair too,” Audrielle said with a smirk. She held the rose up, it was undamaged, fortunately.

  He growled slightly.

  She didn’t look directly at his face again. The mask was disconcerting, and his eyes wrong. One was pale, a nearly colorless green, and the other was dark blue.

  “What’s done is done. What are you doing in the Wild Woods?”

  Audrielle stood and brushed off her skirt. She stood tall, determined to look him in the eye and not flinch a second time. “My sister stole a rose from the Wild Woods.”

  “How foolish, a good sister would be arranging her funeral, not tromping around the Wild Woods.”

  “A better sister would seek to take the curse on herself,” she said as she wiggled the rose she was still holding out to him.

  “No.”

  “Please, at least tell me where I could find more fey,” Audrielle was aware of the desperate whine in her voice, but she couldn’t give up, not on her sister.

  The man turned from her and glanced at the sleeping Pegasus. “You saved my sister. I can save you from one curse. You can break the curse on your sister or you can break the curse on yourself.”

  Audrielle stiffened. “What curse is there on me?”

  He gestured to Deleta. “Fey blood on an innocent, will slowly turn that innocent into a fey. They day will come when you will be forced to return to the Wild Woods.”

  Audrielle looked at the green blood streaked on her arm. She would become fey? The realization was cold water pouring down her spine, but she did her best not to let her horror show. She would not be the first member of her family to be lost to the fey, and she knew when she entered the Wild Wood that she would likely never return home. She came to save her sister, and that was her only goal now. “What must I do to remove the Thieves’ Curse?” she said quickly. She couldn’t risk her horror being misinterpreted as indecisiveness.

  The man looked down at her, then took the flower from her and walked to the crumbling castle. Audrielle stared after him, terrified he intended to take the rose and Chastity to her fate.

  “Don’t just stand there, come inside!” he barked. He did not turn to face her or stop walking. She was forced to run to catch up with him before he reached the door.
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  “Stupid Human Girl, don’t you understand that these woods are dangerous?”

  Audrielle bit back her retort. It was possible he was her best chance. He didn’t curse her to dance to death or turn her into a tree, so she would consider that an excellent sign. She trotted to keep up with his long strides.

  The castle walls were cracked, with chunks of wall and ceiling littering the floor. Vines grew from the floor and crept up the walls, accelerating the decay. They walked past a broken table, then into a large, beautiful room. The walls were immaculate, the rug was nearly new, and the furniture was all polished to an immaculate shine.

  He took a vase out of a cabinet and set it on the table. “Come here. You need to draw blood with a thorn, then state ‘I take the curse as mine.’”

  “How much blood?”

  “Prick your finger.”

  Audrielle took the rose and pricked the side of her thumb, then let the blood drop over the thorn as she spoke the phrase. When she was done, he took the rose and pricked his thumb with a fierce stabbing motion on the same thorn. This close to his hand, she could see that he had long fingers tipped in claws instead of fingernails.

  “Now, you will need to discover three secrets of my castle, one will be easy, the others will be harder. Then, you will need to expose one lie.”

  “It’s impossible to lie in the Wild Woods,” Audrielle said.

  “Difficult, not impossible.” He glared at her. “Do not interrupt again. You will need to expose one lie. Be warned, as soon as you discover one secret, the rose will begin to wilt. With each secret it will wilt more, and after you discover the lie, it will very quickly begin to die. I would strongly advise you to discover all three secrets before you expose the lie. If you fail in these four tasks, you will die when the rose wilts. You must reveal each secret and the lie to me, if I am impressed, you will pass.”

  “I understand,” she said.

  “One more thing. You are not to explore the castle on your own under any circumstances and there will be times you will be locked in your room, for your own safety. My castle is a dangerous place, even for me.”