Page 23

He turned his scaled face to the female who spoke the words. A tiny fairy, no bigger than a human’s palm and fingers, floated towards him. Her wings shimmered as glitter seemed to fall from it.

“Because, Fairy Queen of these woods, she said that your kind often visit her home, and she is no longer safe there.”

“And why do you care what happens to a Witch?”

He gave a snarl while snapping his jaws right in front of her, expertly missing her.

“Do not question one such as I, or I will smite your entire tiny fairy kingdom.”

He noted heads started peeking around branches, leaves, and those mushrooms around the clearing. It was slow at first, a head here and there popping up, until eventually he had a swarm of eyes on him. They wanted to watch what was happening between him and their queen.

“I do not know or trust this Witch.” She waved her hand dismissively while giving him her side. “Take her away from here.”

He turned his large head down to the unconscious woman in front of him.Did she lie?His lips drew back over his fangs.Deceiving Witch.

His head lifted when a small handful of fairies approached him. Well, not him but the woman at his feet.

“Queen Starlight,” one of them said, a male. “A few of us have been bringing injured animals to this Witch for quite some time.”

“How dare you do something so reckless! How dare you break our laws! You are never to reveal yourself to Witches or humans,” the queen yelled. “You know better. They are dangerous, treacherous beings.”

A female near the Witch spoke this time, her voice soft. “She saved my life.” Everyone turned their heads to the new fairy. “A pixie attacked me, and her cat brought me to her home. She mended my broken wings and leg. I thought it was so that I was able to be of value, but then she released me.”

“You mean a Witch healed you and then freed you?” the queen asked as her anger vanished.

“Me as well,” another fairy hovering with the small group said, this one male as well. “I did not know anyone else had been visiting her, but after she saved me, I started bringing her animals to heal. Ravens and racoons that now refuse to leave her roof. I speak to them often, and they tell me about all the good she has done for others.”

“Has she ever...?”

The queen turned her gaze down to the woman while hesitantly flying a little closer.

“She has never killed another from what the animals have told me, or from what she has said to me.”

“You have spoken to her?!”

“Hard not to when she talks to you while she heals you,” he said, and the queen’s eyes narrowed.So her chatting is not uncommon.“I have also seen her release a pixie in her care.”

“She takes care of them too?”

“She feels awfully bad when she smacks them with her broom,” he laughed, and a few of the fairies hovering over the Witch’s chest giggled. “She is rather sweet.”

“I did not think there were any pure-hearted ones of her kind left.”

“Is it settled then?” Rurik finally cut in. “May I leave her here?”

“I do not see why you would bother,” the queen answered him. “She will most likely try to kill herself when she wakes.”

He was just about to ask why, but then the small collection of fairies that had pleaded her case fluttered down to her ankles.

“She will never walk again,” one of them whispered.

Rurik hadn’t cared to look at the extensive injuries on her until now. It was true, she’d most likely never walk again and would live the rest of her life in pain.

Her skin was coal black with the toe bones easy to see around melted skin. The fairies would never have enough magic to heal this kind of wound.

“You would be better off putting her out of her misery,” the queen said. “Right now, she is in peace. Give her the mercy of a quick death before she realises what kind of pain she is truly in.”

He’d never hesitated in killing a Witch before. This should be easy for him to do, and yet...