Nahtaia: A Faery's Tale - A Wattpad Exclusive

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

The pine chair Nahtaia slouched on needed a good sanding. She would definitely have to replace her stockings after an hour of sitting on it. I'm in trouble now, she thought to herself, eyeing the larger chair on the other side of the desk—the desk belonging to Moriel, the Faery Forest's Minister of Fae Assignment.

It was the second time in four days that Nahtaia had been called for a meeting with Moriel. Last time, it was a scuffle with a local squirrel earning her the seat before the rather intimidating minister. She was not looking forward to his scolding gaze as she had already lost too much sleep to nervousness the memory of it caused."

The door creaked open behind her and Moriel entered. With a lump in her throat, Nahtaia watched as he made his way to the seat, his long white hair cascading down his back, smooth as silk. After taking his seat, he folded his hands, interlocking his slender, lengthy fingers and raised ivory eyes to hers.

The heart palpitations began. Those empty white eyes could bring anxiety up from the bravest of hearts. That's why they sent the bad little fae to him—because he could guilt trip a person just by making eye contact. It was his gift.

"Nahtaia," he began in a strong voice of composure. "Must I remind you at every meeting to bring your manners?"

Her brows raised with dumb curiosity.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat and sat up straight.

"Oh," she squeaked, straightening her back and pulling her feet together. "Sorry."

An exhausted sigh came from his pale lips. "Nahtaia, I called you here for a reason. It seems we're running out of—"

"It wasn't my fault!" Nahtaia blurted in defiance before he could go on. The all-knowing abysmal eyes of the minister were just too much. "That half-witted bull stepped into my ring!" she continued. "He ruined the perfect composition! I put so much hard work and focus into growing those mushrooms and he comes prancing about like a dunce!"

Moriel's jaw slowly dropped and his eyes widened. Nahtaia thought she even saw one of his eyelids twitch.

"You charmed a minotaur?" he croaked, nearly choking on the words.

Nahtaia paused and narrowed her eyes. "What exactly am I here for?" she asked, biting her nail.

Moriel dropped his face into his palms with a moan. "Oh, by the Highest. I was worried about the dog you turned into a pig, but this?"

Nahtaia's eyes brightened and she furrowed her brows. "Hey, that wretched animal nipped my wings! I had every right—"

"You shouldn't be in human territory in the first place! Just because you can use magic of such sorts does not give you the right to! Nahtaia, you..." Moriel stopped short. After taking in a deep breath of resignation, he continued. "Nahtaia, these meetings have become a habit I do not care to entertain. Your assignment was to keep watch over the forest's edge, not to go meandering into the neighboring farms. You know how much the humans detest faeries."

Nahtaia's wings flinched. That was not altogether true but she couldn't very well tell the minister that. He'd stare the truth out of her in a matter of seconds, and everyone knew what happened to faeries who wandered too far into human territory. Banishment.

Goosebumps rose all over her body at the thought of being denied any contact with Lyra. But even worse than that was the risk of losing her wings. Banishment wasn't simply cutting off a faery from her people; it was cutting off a faery from everything she was. No more magic. No more flight. Banishment was indeed harsh, but believed to be necessary when dealing with threats to the species. And approaching humans was practically inviting a threat. After all, history proved that humans caused the vast majority of faery deaths and homelessness.