Hunted by a Night Fae

Chapter 6

After I had entered the clearing, a long line of women approached us one by one, ferreting us off to a corner in the large circular area. A faerie, Marlais as she had introduced herself, kept glancing around with narrowed eyes as she hurried me off to a corner. 

Her overlarge eyes gleamed as she looked me over, hungry for something I was just beginning to comprehend. Then a frown pulled at her periwinkle lips.

"Sweet Galina, what have you done to your hair."

Everything about her was blue, from her shimmering skin to dark indigo hair that fell in sleek waves down her back. Small little wings flapped with irritation as she lifted a strand of my tangled and matted hair.

"It's no good. You won't get the prince this way."

I stared at her in silence, not sure where to begin. Dirt still caked my toes, and a small pile of leaves and twigs now littered the ground beside me while Marlais muttered around my head. I had danced until my feet nearly fell off me, been knocked out by some kind of faerie magic, and now I was what, getting a makeover?

My head spun as I tried to connect everything at once. My eyes darted around wildly. I needed to escape, but I didn't want to die. If I acted impulsively like the other girl had, I would fail too.

Think, I told myself. Get it together.

I was in Faerie. I had danced until I almost died, and now I was surrounded by fae, getting ready for something. Something big. I could feel the tension and excitement in the air.

What could have the fae so excited?

Marlais looked at me for a moment, then sighed and threw her hands up in the air at my lack of response.

"The prince!" she exclaimed. "His Highness Prince Eirian. He is Queen Deirdre's son, the Crown Prince to the Seelie throne. Don't you know anything?"

"No," I said bluntly. "The last thing I remember is getting stolen on my way home from a bar." I watched her with narrowed, tired eyes. I needed to know more about what was going on, and she didn't seem like she wanted to hurt me.

Not yet, anyway.

Marlais paused, her dark blue lips parted. Then she smiled brightly.

"Oh, lovely, you can speak."

She sighed again and yanked another large twig from where it had bound itself in one of my wild waves. It came free, taking some of my hair with it. I hissed, moving my hand up to my head as I glared at her, but she didn't seem bothered.

"It's fine. I can explain. You mortals are so stupid sometimes. I'm used to it."

 Her voice was high-pitched and absolutely nerve grating. Especially when she poured a bucket of cold water over my head. It was cold as Ice and I sputted as I pushed my hair off my face.

"What the fu--"

She continued talking, cutting me off, "There are two main Courts here in Faerie. The Day Court—where our sweet and handsome Seelie Prince Eirian is from. He hails from Aquania, the Water Court—or Summer Court as some call it. The Seelie are comprised of The Water Court, the Air Court—my home, I'm from the beautiful kingdom of Galina, you would like it there— and the Earth Courts. Then there are the dreadful Night Courts, home of the Unseelie." She puckered her lips with distaste, straightening me up as I shivered, damp under the night air. She held out a long thin fingernail and lifted a layer of my dress. My hands shot up to stop her with alarm.

"You can't cut off my dress!" I gasped out through my chattering teeth. I looked around for some kind of help only to see other humans in various states of undress, faerie attendants treating them like rag dolls as they hurried to get them ready.