To Owe a Favor

Killian's POV

For the tenth time this month, Lillianna comes storming out of her house after being requested for a favor. I'm glad to see that she finally understands what it means to owe a favor to the Fae.

She has a piece of paper in her hand, "You are not getting out of this one, mister."

I laugh at her annoyance. It had been a fun month. Each time I requested a favor from her, some loophole or another would present itself during the night and Lillianna's mark would remain.

The first few times I could tell that she enjoyed discovering that the favor didn't satisfy the terms of agreement, now, after taking up so much of her time, she's ready to be debt free.

I half listen as she reads off the lengthy piece of paper, unless she has me sign the contract her words could be directed toward the grass for all I care.

It's the easy loopholes that she always forgets.

"I'm sure your parents helped you write this one," I say once she finishes reading.

She immediately scoffs under her breath, "They've helped me write the last five."

Lillianna crumples the paper into a ball and throws it at my chest plate of armor. At least she is learning that favors are near impossible to get out unless we want you to be done.

I chuckle and begin walking down the forested path that leads to the Fae shops.

Lillianna quickly catches up, "Hurt your wing or something?"

I spread out my right wing and flap it once, tapping her square on the shoulder blades. She grumbles when the weight of my wing causes her to tip forward, "Apparently not."

After a few minutes of walking I say, "You're going to work at the coffee shop."

Lillianna's head snaps to my direction, "The Fae coffee shop?"

I nod, "Seemed fitting. Then, you'll know how to make my tea."

Her head lolls as she rolls her eyes dramatically toward the sky.

The next time she speaks, it is to point out the abundance of warriors going in and out of the coffee shop, "What is this? A warrior-fairy convention?"

I hold the door to the coffee shop open for her, and nod to my comrades, "Did you think you'd only be making tea for me today?" She did not find the mirth in my voice amusing, and sighs when she realizes the sheer number of warriors packed into the coffee shop would all need to be served by her.

The baristas behind the counter agreed to teach Lillianna, as long as it meant more costumers for their shop. The man and woman had served us the first time Lillianna threw a teacup at my head and did not need much explanation when I asked them to teach a human.

Lillianna wouldn't even work with Fae magic, just the ingredients and the herbs.

A line forms quickly once Lillianna is behind the counter with her apron tied securely around her torso. Selivan and I order first before we sit down. He immediately questions me excitedly, "How many favors have you gotten out of her?"

I shake my head, "Too many to count at this point. She even spent the day with my parents cleaning and cooking."

Selivan slaps the table, "Has she tried to get out of one yet?"

My head nods back and forth undecidedly, "She thinks that I will wave her mark away once she completes a task. But part of me thinks she likes having the tasks."

"Why is that?" Selivan looks over the Lillianna who is nodding her head at something the barista said.

I lower my voice, so no one overhears us, "She mentioned once that she could never go anywhere because she was constantly sick. I don't think she has gotten sick since she has owed me a favor."

Selivan nods, "You two are always getting tea. Do you think her parents know she's accepting Fae magic every time she gets a cup?"

I shrug, "I don't think they realize the magic can cure human illnesses. Or that we can cure humans without asking favors of them."

Selivan nods and we both turn to watch Lillianna messing with the ingredients. When she finally adds the water to the tea, her head turns toward the barista beside her.

The barista holds an herb above a separate order of tea and whispers a few quick words in the Fae language before shaving a few bits of the herb into the tea.

Lillianna nods and grabs her own herb, holding it above her cup of tea.

Selivan laughs and I shake my head as we watch her mumble the same words above her own cup of tea.

The second she shaves off the herb into the tea her knees buckle, and she has to catch herself on the edge of the table. Selivan and I have mirrored looks of confusion when Lillianna visibly pales.

I'm on my feet and racing toward Lillianna when she collapses onto the floor with a harsh 'thunk.'

I turn her onto her side forcefully and she groans. Her skin is hot to the touch, and I demand a towel from the baristas to wipe down her face and neck with cold water.

The baristas stand side-by-side and whisper to each other:

"What happened?"

"She was making tea, and then she just wasn't..."

"Do you think it's because she tried to force Fae magic?"

I shake my head sharply in annoyance, "It doesn't matter if a human can speak the words perfectly, the magic just wouldn't have worked."

Lillianna tries to sit up but ends up curling her legs beneath her, "Killian, I feel so sick. Please help me."

I try to pat her back, but it seems to just make her pain worse.

I move away to try and make a different cup of tea for her illness when I notice the cup of tea she had been working on.

The barista is beside me in an instant when he notices the magic swirling inside the cup. I take the smallest sip before slamming the cup back down on the counter, "She infused the tea with magic."

Whispers break out inside the coffee shop filled with warriors. Everyone looks to Lillianna; Selivan steps forward with a frown, "Has she been a spy this entire time?"

I shake my head, unsure, "She isn't human if she can wield magic. She will have to face the High King for deceiving the Fae."

At that moment Lillianna starts to sob. For a moment I think she's scared that we no longer believe she is human, that is until she screams.

From where I'm standing, I can tell there is movement beneath her shirt. When I hastily rip the fabric away from her back, the skin beneath writhes as two long wings begin to force their way from her back.

The entire coffee shop is struck silent besides the screams of agony from Lillianna.

My mouth drops open in shock as two Fae wings unfurl from Lillianna's back "You're Fae," I whisper.