Faerie

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

We held each other for a while, perhaps it was the fact that we hadn't seen each for a long time, that we had lost each other and became lost. The unwanted smell of dirt water and sewage wafted up my nostrils and I took it as a sign to pull away. I still didn't understand what had just happened. How did I get into my apartment? But then again, Faerie magic is complicated.

"How did you know I was here?" I murmured above the stench. I back away slightly for our own benefits.

"I was given a tip off. I tracked down one of the Sluagh and managed to get what little information he had about your whereabouts. He told me the prince had tried to get you across the river Dial but failed. That was the easy bit. If the river manages to take you down to its depths, then it will spit you out at the same area you came into Faerie."

"So, it's a portal." I asked.

"Yes. But a portal to only get you out of Faerie, to get you home."

Images of the young marrow dragging me quickly through the waters unnerved me. My hand subconsciously came to rest at the base of my neck.

"What now? Surely The Unseelie Prince and his entourage will be looking for me." I said as I thought about Kieran. At one point I had compared the two boys. Kieran looked dark and terrifying but was kind and respectable and respected me. Where Mac, now standing in front of me, had been cold and awkward towards me. Macs jaw tightened at the mention of Kieran and wondered why they disliked each other.

"We must get back in to Faerie as soon as possible. Time is running out." Mac replied and moved to grab my hand.

I flinched away. "First I need to freshen up." I said. "And so do you."

***

The dark night was starting to pale and on the horizon it was lilac. Dawn was fast approaching as we dashed towards the round church. We just passed a pastry shop with fancy cakes displayed in the window, my tummy rumbled but I chose to ignore it.

The church was a little further up and the smell of cinnamon made me feel good. I had showered in my favourite gel and put clean clothes on, my own clothes. A pair of boyfriend jeans that cuddled my waist, a white top that had a line drawing of a blank Polaroid picture, that read 'selfie' on it and a thick woolly purple cardigan, thrown on over the top and I wore my leather ankle boots. I also had the inkling to braid my long hair into a fish tail. This time I knew what I was getting myself into, so I dressed, prepared. I couldn't say the same for Mac who had showered but didn't have a change of clothes. Never mind.

I could see the path leading to the church and as we came to stand in front of it, my stomach dropped. Circling the old building was scaffolding and it was covered in white, plastic sheeting to protect the exposed from the weather.

Thick corrugated metal surrounded the whole area and was locked with a large, chunky chain and padlock.

"You can still open it, right?" I asked Mac, who was eyeing the metal fence with narrowed eyes.