Sprite

“This way!” Norah pulled past Pup, her bare feet flying over the soft earth as she followed Valin.

Pup paused, looking confused. “Are you sure?” he questioned, peering down at the ground. “Tracks lead this way.”

“I’m sure,” Norah replied, sure. She tracked by more than just physical senses, and the glowing sense of Valin and Leane called to her from somewhere directly ahead. Without waiting for Pup, she hurried on ahead, leaving the established path behind as she broke through bushes and scrambled over rocks in her bare feet to follow the elusive sense.

They crossed over Hanan’s boundary fence to the east of the track Pup had been following, and continued on the other side towards the great river that flowed south from Datro. It was conceivable that the kidnappers would have headed for the river as the fastest route, if not the most direct, back to Datro. Pup was familiar with the area; he used to patrol it regularly looking for escaped changelings he could guide towards one of the hidden forest villages. However, neither he nor any hunters would have chosen this path through the heart of the underbrush, rather than along one of the few narrow but defined pathways. Especially if they were heading for the river. Norah had them on a slight angle to the river. “I think we should have turned back,” he said. “No one has come this way.”

“No, I’m sure this is right,” Norah insisted, without saying how she knew. She didn’t want Pup to think she was any stranger than she already was. Valin was somewhere just ahead, she could feel it. She crashed through a prickly wall of foliage into another clearing and stopped so suddenly that Pup, behind her, nearly knocked her over. “Oh!”

In the center of the clearing stood a being, impossibly tall, impossibly beautiful, almost too beautiful to look upon. Pup, stunned, slumped to his knees, his head folded on his chest. Norah stared at the creature. Her heart pounded as blood rushed up to her ears. This was what she had sensed?

He was clearly not human, but he wasn’t a sprite, either. His white-gold hair cascaded down a smooth neck and his long fingers were devoid of webbing. The clothing he wore, though every bit as silky as Norah’s own gown made of faerie hair, looked nothing like the sleek trunks the sprite boys wore. They flowed, in pale soft lines. Made of a blue so light it was almost white, his shirt covered him from his shoulders to his wrists, opening slightly at the neck. It was cinched with a wide belt at his waist. From the belt hung two longs swords of the same buttery color as Lara’s bright sword. His pants were darker, but not by much, and he wore soft boots on his feet. He scowled at Norah, one hand resting menacingly on the hilt of one of the swords.

“Do you hold this land?” His voice, though brusque, sent shivers of pure pleasure down Norah’s spine. She could imagine what it must sound like when he was in a good mood.

“What? No, I—no, I don’t.” Norah thought of the Hanan property, which they had left behind miles ago. She didn’t know who owned this particular stretch of land. Datro, maybe. “My family’s land is over there.” She gestured back the way they had come, only to see the tall—man—scowl more fiercely.

“Then why are you here?” he demanded. “The ways are open again. Are you telling me you are not responsible?”

The ways? The gateways between here and faerie? But those led to Anais’ bright realm, filled with waterways and cool, dark woods. Surely this creature before her did not belong to that place. “No, Anais—“

The being’s eyes, pulsating almost like Valin’s, softened minutely. “Anais? She holds the land still? Then who are you?” His eyes hardened as he pinned her with a steady glare. “Why are you dressed like that? Who is he?” He turned his glare on Pup, who remained unaware, his eyes fixed open but unseeing on the ground.

“Who are you?” Norah retaliated bravely, although she was shaking. “You’re not a sprite. What are you?”

Rather than getting angry, the being was amused. His lips curved upward. “You may call me Rellan. And how is it you do not know what I am?” He stepped closer to Norah and cupped her chin. His eyes widened slightly. “Are you human?” he asked incredulously, turning her head from side to side. He laughed harshly, unbelievingly, and spun away from her.

Inwardly, Norah seethed, her initial fear forgotten in the face of this arrogant creature. “Anais is my grandmother, but my mother is human—mostly. She has some sprite blood too, which is how I was born, I guess. So I am as human as I am sprite. Why?” She glanced guiltily at Pup, and could guess why. “What did you do to him?”

“Mortals do not easily look upon those of faerie,” Rellan replied, following her gaze. His eyes sharpened. “Is he human? Why does he look like that?”

This Rellan had not heard about the mutants? How long had it been since he’d come to the mortal realm? “There was a war,” Norah explained. “A long time ago. After the war, most of the people in the world were dead. Those that survived gave birth to children who were different, like Pup. It doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with him,” she said in Pup’s defense.

“I know about the war,” Rellan said dismissively. “I did not know about this. How is it this different human is in your company? Even your kind usually do not associate with humans, except for sport.” He smiled derisively. “Although perhaps the sport is a little too late. Neistah is your father, then?”

Norah nodded, speechless.

“Then perhaps you do hold the land after all. Don’t fool yourself—you are a sprite. Otherwise, you could not look upon me and—“ Rellan smiled in amusement, “—argue. Give Anais my regards.”

Rellan turned to go.

“Wait! Can you help us? Hunters have taken my little brother and we were going after him when I sensed you. I thought you were Valin and I followed you. Do you know which way Valin went?”

Rellan turned back. “You sensed me and thought I was Valin?” His lips twisted in distaste. “No, I cannot help you. I will not get involved in petty mortal dealings. Do not mistake me for one of your kind.” He turned swiftly and disappeared in the underbrush, leaving Norah thunderstruck. What about Pup? What was she going to do?

She sank down next to Pup, who hadn’t moved. It was like what Neistah had done to Jordy and his friends, only worse. She shook him. “Pup, Pup, wake up, please!”

Pup crumpled onto his side, his eyes still wide open, but he was not awake. Norah could see his chest rising and falling steadily, or she would have thought he was dead. She had really messed things up this time. Adam was gone, and instead of helping to get him back, she had led Pup on this wild goose chase to nowhere, and now Pup was unconscious and she wasn’t sure if he would ever wake up. She couldn’t just leave him here, defenseless, to go get help. Norah struggled to pull Pup’s head into her lap and straighten out his legs to make him more comfortable. He had to wake up, eventually.

Stupid Rellan! Night had fallen, and while cold was not a concern for either Norah or Pup, predators were. Norah was no fighter. She shivered in the dark, holding Pup’s body close to her as she listened to the various sounds of the forest at night. They were unfamiliar sounds, and she tensed at every rustle, thinking of bears or foxes or even wolves. When dawn finally broke, she breathed a sigh of relief, and let some of the tension drain out of her limbs. Her eyes fluttered shut.

She dreamed. Instead of this deserted stretch of forest, she was swimming in blood-warm waters beside Breyan. Breyan! His thoughts curled gently around her mind, as his body circled hers in the warm water, barely touching. Oh, how she had missed him!

She woke up clutching the blood-red pendant Breyan had given her, and glanced down at Pup’s slack face. Gently, she pushed the hair away from his eyes. “Wake up, Pup. Please.” But he didn’t. Sighing, she laid his head on the ground and went to refresh herself. Her stomach growled. She was hungry, but she could ignore that. They needed water. Norah could sense the river pulsing just beyond the next patch of woods. She went back and grasped Pup underneath his arms, intending to drag him the small distance to the river. He was heavier than he looked!

Eventually, she got him to the edge of the river, only to realize it was at the top of a high cliff. How was she going to get him down there? She laid him down gently and started to look for a way down herself. Maybe if she went into the water, she could bring him some back in her hands. Although how she would get it up the cliff without spilling it . . .

’Norah, are you all right?’ Warm hands grasped her shoulders, and she looked up into Breyan’s concerned eyes.

‘Breyan! How did you get here?’ Norah’s face crumpled and she let herself fall into Breyan’s arms.

‘You called me. What’s wrong?’

The pendant. Sighing in relief, Norah didn’t know where to begin. Breyan was really here. He was so different from that other one, Rellan—

‘Rellan? Rellan was here?’ Breyan asked in astonishment. ‘Are you all right? What did he do to you?’

So Breyan knew Rellan also. He sounded worried, however. ‘Nothing,’ Norah replied. ’Not to me, anyway. Pup—“

For the first time, Breyan glanced over to where Pup lay motionless on the ground at the edge of the cliff. His eyebrows furrowed. ‘It’s just a glamour. He’ll awaken sooner or later. What were you two doing out here?’

Breyan’s mental voice was even, curious, but Norah couldn’t help feeling a little defensive. ‘The hunters took my brother Adam,’ she explained tersely, not even sure why she was annoyed. ’We went after Valin and Leane to help get him back, but I got sidetracked. I didn’t know it was Rellan I was sensing until it was too late. Now Pup is unconscious and I have no idea where Valin and the others went. Can you help him?’

‘That is why you called me?’ Breyan asked, his mental voice giving nothing away. ‘To help him?’ Breyan grinned merrily. “I thought perhaps you wanted to see me,” he said out loud, letting go of Norah to stand over Pup, his head tilted curiously.

That, too, Norah thought to herself. “Yes,” she answered out loud. “I’m worried about him.”

“Aha, then we shall remedy the situation!” Still smiling brightly, Breyan scooped Pup up and threw him over the edge of the cliff into the water below. He didn’t acknowledge Norah’s horrified gasp, following Pup’s hurtling body into the water himself. He let the mortal boy sink nearly to the bottom, watching carefully, before he hauled the boy back to the surface. Pup sputtered and coughed, blinking hazily.

A splash nearby caught Pup’s attention. “Norah?” he said, as Breyan abruptly let him go. Pup floundered for a moment, too confused to get his bearings, but then he realized he was in the water and started treading lightly. While not a true sprite, Pup was a Sprite, and no stranger to water, thanks to Neistah.

“See?” Breyan swam in a tight circle around Norah, keeping to the surface. “He’s awake!”

‘Breyan, you could have killed him!’ Norah sent, appalled at Breyan’s recklessness.

‘I could have, but I didn’t, Norah,’ Breyan replied silently. “Now, shall I help you two find your lost little brother? Or do you not need my help any longer?”

Norah had not seen this side of Breyan before. She’d seen it in Neistah, and in Leane, but she hadn’t thought Breyan had that same streak of cruelty, or was it really just mischief, in him. Or perhaps he had not chosen to show her this side of him before. She wasn’t sure what to think about it.

“Please, we could use your help,” she said aloud. Pup had begun swimming strongly towards the shore. She flanked him, moving sinuously on his left, while Breyan automatically took up the same position on Pup’s right. The changeling’s eyes darted uneasily from side to side, and Norah felt a pang of regret. Pup was seeing her in her own environment, and recognized her as something alien, not human.

“Thank you,” Pup said gravely to Breyan as they stood upon the shore. “I don’t know what happened to me.”

“The bright fae happened to you,” Breyan said, and Norah, behind him, took a sharp breath. The bright fae—as opposed to what? Breyan explained, raising an eyebrow at Norah’s unspoken questions. “The bright fae, unlike us, do not keep company with mortals. You are lucky that you were only stricken with glamour, and not with something more deadly.”

“What was he doing here?” Norah asked. Her questions about bright fae and—other—would have to wait. There was more to faerie, apparently, than Anais’ watery world. Breyan shot her an amused glance.

‘The ways are opening once more,’ Breyan replied silently. He had no intention of speaking of faerie in front of this mortal boy. ‘Anais holds this land as it borders upon her own realm. Rellan is an—acquaintance—from long ago. He would have sensed the thinning of the walls and may have been merely curious—we can only hope that’s all it was.’ “Forget Rellan,” he said out loud for Pup’s benefit. “Likely you will not see him again.”

Norah would be happy if she never saw Rellan or anyone like him again. ‘Breyan, is it all right for you to be here, with me, in the mortal world? Do you have to go back?’

Breyan grinned, and wrapped an arm around Norah and Pup both. “I said I would aid you, and I will,” he answered her unspoken question. “I think I’ll stay for a while.”

Pup grinned back. “Glad to have you with us,” he said. “Do you know Neistah?”

“Do I know Neistah? He and I are practically brothers!” Breyan chuckled. “It’s about time I found out what he finds so fascinating about this world—besides its lovely beauties, that is!” Breyan’s eyes slid sideways to Norah, and she blushed.