Faery Tales & Nightmares

Seth sat down on a log that was off to the side of the fire pit. “What sort of trouble?”

“Well, you see … there was a protest.” Linda smiled. “I was very reasonable at first. It wasn’t quite a sit-in, like we used to have, but we were peaceful. A few placards, some mild yelling, and walking.”

The supportive look on his father’s face didn’t waver, but he didn’t speak, either.

“And then?”

“Well, I may have lost my temper a bit.” Linda reached out and tucked his hair back as she had when he was a child. “You know how it goes. I chained myself to some of their machinery. Very calmly, though!”

“And?”

“Well, there’s a fine.” Linda smiled. “We don’t really have the funds since everything went to you.”

“You had me come all the way out because you needed money?” Seth rubbed his forehead. “Seriously?”

“No… you see … afterward, there was a bit of a problem with a few locals too.”

Seth looked from his mother to his father. “What kind of problem?”

Linda folded her arms. “I don’t think they’re bad, and I’m not… I’m not sure why we thought you should come. It just suddenly seemed urgent. It doesn’t make sense.”

His parents exchanged an odd look, and Seth felt his unease grow. Calmly, he started, “Okay. Tell me everything without me dragging it out of you. I’ve spent—days… getting here, and I’ve had a bit of a rough few … weeks.”

“Doing what?” his father asked. “You’re unemployed, not in school, and have no dependents. What could possibly be so rough about that?”

Seth closed his eyes, counting silently to ten, and then smiled. “Mom just admitted she got arrested, so I’m not sure this is the best time to lecture.”

“Don’t take that tone,” Linda snapped.

At that, Niall gave Seth a questioning look; Seth shook his head—which his father saw.

“What kind of friend is Niall?”

“One willing to drive your son to see you,” Niall said loudly enough to carry across the distance.

The warning look Seth shot Niall was greeted with a grin. The Dark King looked around. “I think I’ll check out the perimeter.”

“The perimeter?” James repeated.

“Of the camp.” Niall gestured. “If you’re having trouble…”

At that, Linda blurted, “They didn’t seem to think we should, um, leave the campsite. Every time we try, we get escorted back here. They haven’t hurt us, but they’ve been very firm. Do you really think that’s a good idea to disobey?”

“Oh, I definitely do,” Niall murmured as his gaze drifted around the woods surrounding the campsite.

“You will stay here,” Niall ordered.

Seth winced again. The Dark King wasn’t used to being around mortals. “Broth—” Seth stopped himself, flushed guiltily, and walked over to Niall. Seth clasped Niall’s arm and said in a low whisper, “I could go. They’re my parents, not your responsibility.”

The look Niall gave him was a shade away from incredulous. “You are still my responsibility.”

“I’m not—”

“Stay. I’ll be right back,” Niall ordered.

And even though Seth didn’t need to obey, he wasn’t an idiot. A few months of training with the Hunt was nothing compared to the centuries of experience Niall had with conflict—and with faeries. Are they why we’re here? The faeries were now watching them attentively, albeit from farther away now that the Dark King had looked their way. Is it normal for there to be so many faeries in the woods? They weren’t fey Seth could identify, and the reality of how much Seth didn’t know about the world outside the courts struck him. Are they friendly? Dangerous? He assumed they were solitary faeries, those who existed outside of any regent’s influence, but beyond that he had no idea. All he truly knew was that he was very grateful to have Niall by his side.

“Stay here,” Niall repeated.

“Right,” Seth acquiesced. “Maybe I’ll wait here with my parents while you go for a walk.”

Niall grinned. “Brilliant idea, brother.”

Expectantly, Niall rolled his shoulders as he walked into the shadows of the woods. Seth was right: this was far more satisfying than sitting in the dark sulking. Once, centuries ago, Niall had enjoyed roaming. The mortal world was filled with solitary faeries, willing mortals, and amazing sights. Who wouldn’t want to roam? He stalked toward a clustered group of solitary fey who watched him.

One, a faery with distinctly ursine traits, stepped forward. “Don’t have any business with the Dark.”

“You glamoured yourself and caused trouble for those mortals?” Niall asked.

Faeries spread out in a semicircle, leaving him the option of retreating. One bird-thin faery started to walk behind him.

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea.” Niall glanced over his shoulder. “Striking the Dark King isn’t usually a choice that ends well for anyone.”

“Says you.”

Another faery darted out and grabbed the birdlike one’s arm. Stumbling over each other, they moved back to the clutch of faeries who stayed together. The ursine fey watched all of it with an unreadable expression.

Niall frowned. He couldn’t taste any strong emotion—no anger, no fear, nothing.

“What did you hope to gain by trapping them?” Niall asked.

A halfling stepped up beside the ursine faery. She was feral in a way that made Niall suspect that her lineage was his court. Shocking violet eyes were even more arresting because of their total lack of lashes. “We want to talk to him.” She nodded toward the campsite. “Their cub.”

“Son,” Niall corrected.

“Whatever,” the girl said.

“He’s mine to protect. The Dark Court would not look kindly on any who harmed Seth.” Niall shook his head. “Actually, he’s under the care of a lot of regents: the Summer Queen, the High Queen, and the Shadow King are all fond enough of him that troubling him would be unwise.”

Another faery laughed. “Don’t want to hurt him. We hear he’s made himself our champion. Thought we’d meet him.”

“You can’t harm his parents.” Niall shook his head. “You ought to protect them. If he’s your champion…”

The faeries shifted and exchanged looks. The ursine nodded once, and they all started donning mortal glamours. One after another they became as mortal-looking as they could. In a few moments, they all looked a lot like the mortals who camped in these mountains, clad in sturdy hiking boots, layered shirts, and worn trousers.

The ursine faery gestured toward the campsite. “We will meet him now. We … influenced them to summon him. Now we will greet him.”

“I’m not sure—”

“Gave you the courtesy of conversation first because we don’t want trouble with the Dark. Now, we will meet him, unless you think yourself able to stand against all of us,” the ursine continued.

The Dark King grinned. “You think I can’t?”

For a moment, no one moved, and then the woods seemed to come to life. Several hundred faeries had waited in the shadows. They dropped from trees, stood from within shrubs, and seemingly rose up from the pine needles on the ground.

The ursine smiled. “I think you are one faery, king or not, and you are not so foolish to take on this throng alone—especially as we mean no ill.”

Niall’s eyes widened as he took in the still-growing number of solitaries who came forward. “I’m not sure this many fey should go to—”