Faytes of the Otherworld: Fayted

“What were you doing? You can’t just put someone on the spot like that without any warning! Thought I was going to have a heart attack.” Dani snapped, plopping down into one of the kitchen chairs.

“Sorry. I just wanted to let you know how appreciated you are.” Liam apologized, pulling a seat up next to her.

“For what? I brought all this chaos with me!” Dani’s voice screeched. The whole thing had her frazzled beyond belief.

“That may be, but I think it was for a reason. We still get attacked on a constant; what happened with you is not uncommon. The only difference was no lives were lost and almost no one was hurt. Your skills took combat time down by hours.” Liam’s eyes glittered in the candlelight.

“Someone did die,” Dani muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

“But you brought him back. He was dead and you brought him back to life, Dani. That is something to be praised. With your skills and knowledge, we could actually be safe and come out on top. After seven years, maybe we can rest.” Liam sighed, his once sparkling eyes now dull. It was clear that he was exhausted.

“But I am just one woman.” Dani didn’t understand how he could put all his faith in a girl he barely knew.

“And it’s a start. I actually have a favour to ask you.” Liam took a deep breath before going on, “I am supposed to make a trip to the next town up from here. It has a little-known library packed full of books dating back as far as the 16th century. I was wondering if maybe they had some information in those books that could help us.”

Liam wasn’t sure if they would, but he was willing to give it a shot.

“You want me to travel with you?” Dani wasn’t sure she wanted to go anywhere; she was finally starting to feel safe at the Hedgerow.

“Yes. You would know better what to look for than any of us. If it’s there; you can find it.” Liam had leaned in closer to Dani. Despite the coolness of the night, she could feel the heat radiating from him; she could smell his aftershave, something like heady flowers and a faintness of moist earth and spicy pine.

“What about Nissa?” Dani arched a brow.

“She can stay here. I will ensure that someone takes care of her.” Liam assured her.

“Nissa can practically take care of herself; I just want to know that she will be safe here.” Dani elaborated on her question.

“Of course. I can see if Cassia can keep an eye on her, but she will be ok here while you are gone.” Liam spoke as if he had already made her mind up for her.

“How will we get there? On foot?” Dani wasn’t sure it was really safe to trek long distances without some sort of wheeled transportation.

“Carriage, but I will show you all of that in the morning. We will have escorts, horses, safety. We do this from time to time and with you, we will definitely be safe.” Liam’s blue eyes were glittering in the golden glow of the flames set on the table.

“Alright. When will we leave?” Dani reluctantly agreed.

“At dawn. We don’t want to be out at night; they are worse at night.” Liam answered her.

“This I know.” Dani agreed.

“Go enjoy yourself for the rest of the evening, pack for a few days, rest up. Meet me down by the cabin before sun-up.” Liam got up from his chair and went to stoke the fire in the fireplace.

“Rest…right. See you in the morning.” Dani felt like Liam had given her the cold shoulder. For all his cooing over her and her accomplishments earlier, he was now treating her like just another asset to his team instead of a saviour. Dani remembered why she disliked people so much, too indecisive and unpredictable.

“Dani, thank you. Seriously.” As if he had heard her anxiety talking, Liam came over from the hearth and kissed Dani’s hand.

“It’s no problem.” Dani let her hand slide from Liam’s grip and awkwardly grinned as she backed out the doorway.

(*)

“Going on a trip, eh? Sure you don’t want me to come?” Nissa was sprawled out on the stage in front of the big Oak, lazily stretching under the starry sky.

“You stay, relax, and do something that doesn’t involve having to be on alert 24/7. This might be a good thing for all of us. Liam was telling me that some of the texts date back as far as the 1500’s. Maybe there is something about me in there.” Dani was lying flat on her back next to Nissa, staring up at a waning moon.

“Maybe.” Nissa wasn’t so sure. “But maybe it will do you some good to get away and be a part of something that doesn’t involve scrambling to survive. An adventure, if you will.”

“I always said I wanted to travel.” Dani chuckled, wrapping her arms around herself.

“There you go. And maybe you can get to know Liam better.” Nissa nudged Dani with her paw.

“Why would I—are you suggesting…Nissa, no.” Dani shook her head violently and covered her face.

“You don’t think he’s attractive? Not necessarily my type, but not at all bad to look at.” Nissa wasn’t wrong. There was an air about Liam that commanded respect, demanded to be followed. His physical features were just as intense: a bold arched brow, icy blue eyes, and a mouth poised to command. He was definitely attractive, but he wasn’t Dani’s type.

“I can hear you thinking right now, projecting for everyone to listen. What exactly is your type then? I’ve never known you to have much interest in the opposite—well, any sex really.” Nissa belly-crawled closer to Dani.

“I haven’t been interested in many people. I’m not a superficial person either; a lot of what attracts me is internal qualities. Don’t get me wrong, a beautiful exterior to go with the interior would just be icing on the cake, but I need substance. Someone who is smart, strong, conscious of the world around him, funny, compassionate, understanding…a free thinker. Someone who questions everything and sees the magic in the smallest of things.” Dani’s voice drifted out on the wind, its tone taking on a dreamy quality as she spoke about her ideal companion.

“Just—someone who will look out for me, like you do. Mutual respect and love for one another.” Dani sighed, “That’s my type. But men like that rarely exist.”

“Men like what rarely exist?” Evan had rounded the Oak, Orin gliding by his side. When he heard Dani making her perfect mate checklist, he figured he’d stop before heading back to his caravan. Anessa wasn’t waiting for him; he knew that much.

Before Dani could derail the conversation, a slightly inebriated Nissa replied, “Men like her ideal mate.”

Dani conked her on the head; if she had known how sloppy Nissa was going to be she wouldn’t have let her dip into the mead that Evan had left her.

“Oh? What’s your ideal mate, then?” Evan posted up next to Dani, one knee drawn to his chest. Orin lighted next to Nissa and flopped on his back, spreading his wings all over her face.

“I don’t have an ideal anything, just qualities that would be ideal in looking for one. If I was looking for one, which I’m not.” For some, reason the topic now began to fluster Dani.

“What’s ideal for you? Or, here, let me go first.” Evan had turned it into a game. “I like a girl that is a free thinker but still uses her head. A good sense of humor is a must because I am a funny man and I need my jokes to be appreciated.” Dani snorted at this anecdote, but let him go on. “I need her to be loving, compassionate, understanding. A real honest person.”

“Oh, honesty. That’s a big one I forgot.” Dani was now staring off into space again, listening to Evan describe perfection for him.

“What else?” Evan figured he had gotten the ball rolling in the conversation and hoped that Dani would respond.

“Honestly, you basically said the same things that I did.” Dani positioned her hands behind her head.

“Basically? What did I leave out?” Evan prompted her to elaborate.

“I want someone who is spiritual; who sees life outside the box. Someone connected with nature and the elements. Just—“

“Someone?” Evan interjected, looking at Dani under the glow of the moon. The clouds slowly moving through the atmosphere caused the light from the big orb in the sky to dance across her eyes. Was she as lonely as Evan felt her to be?

“I don’t need someone. Not that it wouldn’t be nice…but it isn’t important right now.” Dani waved her hand in the air and Evan swore he saw little sparks of light dancing a trail behind her fingers as she moved.

“Sometimes even when you have someone, you still need someone.” Evan sniggered under his breath, but Dani could tell that he was serious. She turned to see his chest peacefully rising and falling, but the expression on his face was anything but peaceful.

“Liam wants me to go on a trip with him.” Dani changed the subject to something she hoped was a little more lighthearted.

“A trip? To where?” Evan had already laid himself out beside Dani and now had one arm propped up under his head.

“Some library in a town over from here,” Dani replied, settling in on her side.

“Whitmore Library. Liam goes there from time to time when he needs to wind down or for emergency research. I take it this is the latter?” Evan brushed a wavy lock from his eyes.

“I hope so. He wants me to see if we can find some sort of historical reference to the Fae and maybe better ways to combat them that aren’t in the folklore. He thinks that if anyone can sniff out some good information, it’s me.” Dani’s eyes looked slightly droopy in the dimly lit darkness. It was almost two in the morning after all.

“I think you’re perfect for the job. I’d volunteer, but no one is aware of my little talents.” Evan almost gloated.

“Not going to tell anyone? They know about me.” Dani queried.

“After all this time? If I tell them now they will know I’ve been lying to them all these years. I’m keeping it all a secret.” Evan defended his decision.

“So, you like others to be honest with you, but you won’t be honest with them?” Dani had trapped him between a rock and a hard place.

Evan opened his mouth and closed it several times before biting the inside of his cheek and narrowing his eyes at the woman in front of him.

“If I had been honest from the beginning, I might not be alive.” Evan found his defense.

“I feared the same thing when you and Pete brought me here to have me tested. I didn’t have that choice. How have you gone this long without anyone asking any questions about your raven here? You had friends you could have confided in and look how understanding Liam actually is.” Dani pointed out.

“We know that now, but I didn’t know that then. We have never really had anyone come in here that failed the test; just a few of those fae that look human but aren’t.”

“I think they’re Changelings: actual fae children that they use to replace human babies when they steal them. There are a lot more than I figured.” Dani educated him.

“Changelings. Either way, I didn’t say anything to keep myself safe.” Evan continued to try and make Dani understand.

“But now you know their stance. Just tell them. One more of us on the team and out of the Otherworld could be a huge asset.” Dani tried to make him see reason.

“Pete sort of knows; we grew up together. Met him when my step-dad was stationed here. I was young when things started to surface and I just kept it to myself for years until I met Pete when I was eight. Lived in London for seven years before my step-dad retired and decided to move us all to San Diego. I didn’t want to go.” Evan had laid out on his back and was now talking to the sky. Dani mimicked him and scooted closer so she could hear him better.

“What made you come back?” Dani knew that Pete was a huge part on his reason for returning to England, but she felt like there was more.

“Pete mostly—but a girl was to blame for the ultimate bag packing and ticket buying. She was a girl Pete and I went to primary school with, all the way up to secondary school. I had always had the biggest crush on her, but she never really gave me the time of day. I remember the first time I mustered the courage to ask her out. I was thirteen and I asked if she wanted to go to a movie with me and she told me no; said I was not her type. It crushed me, but I didn’t give up. Tried a few more times, still got shot down. Finally, I just gave up and moved on with my life. By the time I moved back to the states, I had been with a few girls, but I still thought about her.

Then one day about, God, ten years ago? She found me on social media and sent me a friend request. I accepted, not fully realizing who she was till she messaged me—and it all came flooding back. She ended up apologizing to me for how she had been when we were younger and we started up this long-distance friendship that turned into more of a long-distance relationship as I got to know her. She eventually begged me to come back to England, even if just to visit, but I was eager for more.

Pete and I talked every day and we discussed me moving here. He said he had a job for me and everything, so I packed my bags, bought a one-way plane ticket and basically moved out to London to be with this girl who left me not long after I got here.” Evan looked ashamed of himself.

“What a twat.” Was Dani’s response to the ending of the story.

“Yeah, but do you want to know what the fucked-up thing is? I think I would still drop everything to be with her.” Evan bit at his lower lip.

“Seriously? Why? Why would you do that to yourself?” Dani didn’t understand his logic.

“Because during all that courting, even if it was over the internet, she made me feel accepted. Told me all the things that I wanted to hear and never did from anyone else. She was a muse for my art, a light in the darkness that I was feeling being so isolated over in the states with no one. Mom eventually moved with my step dad all the way to freaking Japan. She made me feel not so alone.” Evan turned his head to look at Dani. Her strange eyes shone back at him, a look of disbelief on her face.

“But you’re not alone now. If she came back, you have Pete and everyone else…Anessa. You don’t need this woman.” Dani tried to make him think otherwise, but she knew what his response would be.

“Anessa couldn’t keep me from running.” He turned away from Dani with that final statement and closed his eyes.

“Does this woman know what you are?” Dani was now just poking for information.

“No.”

“Does Anessa?”

“Nope.”

“So really, it’s just Pete and—me.” Dani finally realized.

“Pretty much. And of course, Orin and now Nissa. But, you’re the only non-human that knows, and Pete’s the only human. You know because I felt the need to show you. To reach out to someone who could possibly be similar to me, to not feel—”

“So alone?” Dani hit that sweet spot again and Evan began to become irritated. Irritated at how easily Dani could read him and shut down all of his excuses. She could see his insecurities and was checking him on them.

“Well, it’s been fair talking with you. I have to get some rest; guess I’ll see you when you get back from Whitmore.” Evan scooted off the end of the stage and patted the edge, signaling Orin that it was time to go. Dani hadn’t even noticed that Orin and Nissa had gone off down the stage a bit and were engaged in their own conversation; the raven seemed reluctant to go.

Dani just closed her eyes and silently chastised herself for her big mouth. She didn’t bother saying anything else since that was what had gotten her into trouble in the first place.

“Some people don’t like to hear the truth.” Nissa padded over and sat down right next to Dani.

“Look at me, burning bridges before I’ve gotten to the other side.” Dani rolled her eyes and hopped down from the stage. She didn’t say another word as she wandered back to her tent, Nissa in tow.

P

“Ah, bed.” Evan spread his arms and fell face first on his comforter.

“Ah, no Anessa.” Orin swooped down onto her pillow.

“You know, I’m too sleepy to even be angry at Dani.” Evan’s voice was muffled as it echoed through his pillow.

“Angry at her for what? Giving you a dose of the truth?” Orin squawked right next to Evan’s ear.

“Not you too. I’m assuming Nissa is on your bandwagon.” Evan opened one eye to peer at his feathered friend.

“Of course. Dani is right; you should think about at least telling Liam if not Anessa too.” Orin pecked at a scone that was sitting on the nightstand.

“No. Liam maybe, but Anessa? I don’t need the hell that would stem from that.” Evan shook his head and turned it away from the large raven.

“Then why don’t you break it off with her already? Every time you talk about her you’re miserable.” Orin pecked gently at Evan’s head.

“I just want to make it work.” Evan groaned, flipping the pillow over his head as he pulled the sides down tight around his ears.

“Why? Because you think that Anessa is the final frontier? There are plenty of other fish in the sea, Evvie Boy. Anessa is hardly at the top.” Evan scolded.

“Can we talk about this later? I’ve had a long day and I just want to sleep.” Evan muttered. In an instant, he was exactly where he wanted to be…

Evan chased her through the field, skipping over wildflowers and hopping past moss-covered stones. He could see her far ahead, her long hair billowing about her as she ran.

“Hurry up! We’re going to miss it!” She turned and called back to him. Evan picked up the pace and had just made it to her as she began climbing the hillside. What was on the other side?

When they reached the top, the woman gasped.

“Isn’t it beautiful? A whole kingdom before us as the sun sets in the valley.” The woman gushed. Her linen frock draped her body beautifully and the lavender sprigs in her hair blew fragrant on the wind.

“A kingdom that could be ours one day,” Evan spoke in the dream, reaching out to grab for her hand. As she turned to inevitably smile at him, all Evan saw was a void. There was no face, only what looked like far away nebulas in a swirling galactic wind.