The Girl in the Woods

Chapter 1

Ildor met my eyes as Myrnah busied herself around the coffee table pouring tea, and I looked away hastily. His resulting chuckle was amused and beautiful.

"Apollo."

Beside me, Apollo looked up as Ildor spoke his name.

Ildor's eyes were still on me. "I believe you have neglected in telling you're lovely human what we are."

I could feel my cheeks burning. Beside Ildor, Isidre tossed her beautiful hair over her slim shoulders. Like Ildor she was watching me with amusement, but there was something almost calculating about it. The lovely woman was watching me carefully, and I had no idea why.

"It seems I have." I looked over at Apollo's voice. He offered me his hand and I took it; the resulting squeeze he gave my fingers was reassuring. "Lilah, Ildor and Isidre are elves. That's why they are so unique."

Ildor laughed. His blue eyes were friendly, and they continued to watch me in amusement. He lifted a hand to pull back his silvery hair, and I stared in amazement at his long, pointed ears. They looked exactly like the ears depicted on elves in fairytales, except these two were much more lovely and ethereal than any cartoonist could have captured on paper.

There was an awkward silence, and I realized that they were all waiting for me to make a reply.

"Wow." I said shortly, my voice higher pitched than usual.

Everyone laughed at my sentiment, as if it was the most charming thing in the world. I felt like I was in junior high again; struggling desperately to get the amazing high school kids to like me. But then again, this was way cooler than trying to impress a bunch of small town teenagers.

"She's absolutely lovely, Apollo." Isidre spoke for the first time, her voice like the lilting notes of a wind chime.

"Thank you." Apollo said politely, and I caught a look that passed between them. It was only a moment, but I saw it. Isidre had a look that was almost challenging, and Apollo looked positively irritated. After a second it was gone though; they both composed themselves simultaneously. Before I could ponder the strange exchange, Apollo spoke again.

"So Ildor, what brings you and your cousin so far from Newfoundland? I was under the impression that elves don't usually leave their drens."

"You are correct, dear Apollo." Ildor sipped contently at his tea. The cup in front of Isidre remained untouched. "When was the last time I saw you? When you were still in Greece?"

"A very long time ago." Apollo smiled with his voice.

Ildor laughed. "Accurately described. Yes, you are right, we only leave our drens when something stirs up the Dark World enough."

"And what has stirred up the Dark World?" Apollo asked curiously.

The two elves glanced at each other.

"It's the faeries." Isidre said simply.

"What about them?"

Ildor looked at Apollo sombrely. "Someone is slaying their women and children."

Apollo was very still. "Who."

It wasn't a question; it was a statement. When I looked at him his face was still composed, but his eyes looked stony. I hadn't known faeries had existed before, but they were extremely real from the restrained anger Apollo was exhibiting.

Isidre shrugged; the movement made her hair shimmer like a waterfall. "No one knows. At first they blamed the vampires - "

Apollo stiffened, and his hold on my hand became almost painful.

" - however, the bodies aren't missing any blood. What vampires do you know of that simply tear apart their prey, instead of devouring it?"

"None." Apollo replied quietly.

"Exactly. Plus, no faerie has been touched by a Blood Drinker for over a thousand years, not since the Varaii Agreements. The Weres swear they didn't do it, and the mongools haven't bothered responding, as is their custom."

"The goblins? The witches? How about the dwarves? And the klaae?" Apollo's voice was demanding.

"They all deny it." Ildor told Apollo firmly but gently. "Obviously the merpeople have no part of this, and the solstae saw nothing because the trees obstructed their view."

Apollo was quiet as he contemplated this, his face still composed. I looked between him and the elves in complete confusion; before today, I hadn't even contemplated the existence of other folk creatures besides vampires and shifters. Now, my head was ready to explode with the thought of witches and merpeople and whoever the heck the klaae were.

Damn, I need some Advil.

"So what action are the faeries taking?" Apollo finally asked.

Ildor cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well, that's why we came to see you. The Dark World is holding a council to decide what to do, before the faeries do something rash."

Apollo's eyes were narrowed. "What are you keeping from me, Ildor?"

The beautiful elf couldn't meet Apollo's eyes. "Apollo, listen now - "

"The solstae have reported seeing the faerie folk preparing battlements." Isidre's clear blue eyes held Apollo's almost coldly. "If we do not do something fast, the faeries will declare war on all magical parties. You and I both know their numbers are great enough to demolish us."

The following silence seemed to roar. No one seemed to want to interrupt it; Ildor stared morosely into his teacup as if it contained the answers to life, and Isidre was still staring coldly at Apollo. He was staring back at her with his face absolutely devoid of any emotion. The expression chilled me to the bone even though the sunlight drifted across my lap from the window; it reminded me of a nightmare I once had of Apollo drinking my blood.

"So,"Apollo said softly into the dead air, "this could mean the end of us."

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