Destiny

Chapter Eight: The Mountain

After a few hours of rational thinking, I'd agreed with myself that leaving Nathan was a really bad decision, after all, he couldn't be blamed for how Sam had reacted.

On a whim, I'd gone back to the park but Nathan wasn't there - not that I'd really expected him to be.

My stomach had rumbled, and fishing out an old creased ten pound note from my pocket, I'd left the park and gone in search of a corner shop. The sun was out by now and the birds sung songs of tragedy on the air.

The village was almost medieval, every thing was made from the same old, cracked grey stone. Still, the oldness of it looked nice. It was quaint, and the abundance of old people quelled all of my fears.

As I passed a modern pub, I stopped on the tarmac path. Inhaling, the scent of fresh lemon invaded my nostrils. The scent was one I'd come to recognise as a sign of Fae. The blood in my veins pumped more vigorously, my heart pounding with joy that there were more of my kind here.

With a strong feeling of vigour I made my way inside the pub.

Leaving my bags in the designated storage section, I furrowed my brows. Surely this wasn't what a normal pub did?

"Lost, little Fae?" a grating voice asked.

"I'm just wondering what this place is."

The man laughed, a deep guttural sound that cause a violent shudder down my spine.

"It's a safe haven for the Fae. After the downfall of the Realm, places like these became very common. Only the Fae can enter, because only the Fae can see it. To anyone else, it just looks like blank space; there's nothing here to them. A bit like a perception filter, really. Anyway, you stop here for as long as you like.

"Just one thing, though, watch out for those Nixies, they're cunning little things. Don't eat the food they offer you."

Perplexed, I nodded my head and pushed past the man.

Inside, it was chaotic.

Bodies were pushed together, and the smell of sweat was strong in the air. Blinding lights, of all different colours flashed in the air and a disco ball swizzled on the ceiling, sending an overload of colour to my eyes.

My mind struggled to keep up with all the noise and light. Pounding music was being blasted from a speaker, and, on top of that, the cacophony of noise from people who were shouting at an attempt to be heard over the music, were only adding to the horrific noise pollution.

Tiny, gleaming white figures darted around in mid air.

The Nixies.

One darted into my line of vision, and the next moment, my hair was being pulled away from my ear and a sickening sweet voice said: "Why, pretty lady, you look so hungry. Won't you take some food?"

And suddenly, a moist piece of chocolate cake was hanging in the air above me. I desperately held on to my last shred of humanity and refused the food. What was I even doing here?

The Fae, you smelled their scent, I reminded myself.

Pushing through the crowd, I came to a halt in front of a few tables. At them, groups of extravagantly beautiful people sat. Their wings fluttered in the air and I resisted the urge to extend mine; for then people would figure out who I was.

Some Fae had black, soulless eyes, some had bright blue or pink. Other had snakes for hair, one person even had butterflies hanging at the ends of her braids. Some had golden, dusted skin, others blue and even purple.