Kingdom of Equinoxes

Chapter One

Soft, dim moonlight coated the backyard of a small house nestled on the street of a southern neighborhood. Antiques and freshly created items littered the yard, both crafted for the sole intention of attracting fae. A bird feeder repurposed and filled with coins; an old, wooden statue carved to resemble a pixie; and at the center were two teenagers, Noelle and Nicholas Ashton, mindlessly swaying in rocking chairs.

Noelle was very bored.

"C'mon, Nick. Movies, arcades, amusement parks? That's all basic stuff we do any time we go on summer break," Noelle began. "I want to do something different, something worth remembering since I'll be graduating and on my own next year."

"Noe, I get that, but what do you plan or think of when you say stuff like that?" Nicholas asked.

"I don't know. Zoos are boring, we barely share music tastes to go to a concert, and there is no way mom and dad are flying us to another country."

"Really?" Nicholas scoffed. "My ideas are basic and bland, yet you seem to shut down any possible alternatives."

"Look, I'm not saying they are bad ideas. Simple can be good. I just..." She sighed and leaned back in the rocking chair. "I want to experience something out of this world."

"That's a lie."

Noelle rolled her eyes. "Mind explaining how?"

"You're doing that lame thing where you run circles around a topic and avoid the real thing you wanna say," Nicholas said. He leaned forward in his chair. "I'm not someone you should hide things from."

Noelle grumbled something under her breath before pulling a tiny book out of her coat pocket. "Here," she said.

Nicholas took the book from her hand and signed in annoyance. "You gotta be kidding me." The book was a guide to the different fae that exist in the world, including how to lure and trap them.

"I'm serious!" Noelle insisted.

"I am not hunting any fairies. Ain't that rude and can lead to generational curses?" Nicholas crossed his arms.

"Relax, Nick. I'm not trying to hunt them down like wild animals. I just want to fulfill a childhood dream of mine," she explained. "Ever since I learned about them, I always wanted to see one. To befriend these mysterious fae. I won't have that privilege once adulthood comes."

"Once again, lies."

Noelle sucked her teeth. "Which part? The befriending, childhood dreams, or adulthood part?"

"All the above," Nicholas retorted.

"Whatever, man." Noelle rose from the rocking chair and stretched. "I just know this is something I want to do." She removed the miniature guide from her brother's hand. "I'm going back inside. Are you staying out here?"

Nicholas shook his head and stood. "It's getting late, and I'm sure we'd get lectured if we stayed out any longer. Although sometimes you do need a good lecture."

Noelle rolled her eyes.

The two siblings prepared to head back inside when a strange glow caught Noelle's attention. She grabbed her brother's shoulder. "Nick, you see that?"

He turned toward the mysterious light and nodded. "Yeah, I see it. Probably fireflies." He moved to the back door before getting grabbed again. "Noe!"

She shushed him. "It's coming from the woods. Do you think—"

"No. No, I don't think it is." He shook her off. "It's not smart to even go there if it is."

"Nick, please, we gotta go. We don't have to do anything, just quietly watch." She clutched the fairy guide.