Faetality |✓|

Epilogue, Part Three - Ordinary People

I paused to carefully consider the awful decision I'd already made, reminding myself that this would save Westley's life, and mine too.

"Fine," I said, and slowly reached up to remove the necklace. I hesitated, staring down at the bright blue gem for just a second longer, feeling, somehow, like I had just lost a friend. "Here," I tossed her the necklace and deftly she caught it. I looked away from her face as she closed her hands around the sapphire, an evil smile playing across her lips.

"And the blade too," she reminded. "You can leave it on the bed."

Slowly I did as I was told, setting the blade gently on the comforter, and trying not to feel so vulnerable and exposed without it. It was worse than being naked.

"There. So we have deal, right?"

It made me uncomfortable, seeing the way she stared at Westley's sapphire. She had yet to take her eyes from it.

"Yes, I'm afraid we do," she said in a soft, low voice that was full of all the malevolence and betrayal I knew the Fae were capable of. But losing the necklace didn't matter - not when compared to what I'd gained. Because now Westley and I were free and safe from her harm. A deal was a deal.

Titania turned her back on me, as if to walk away.

"Hey - aren't you forgetting something," I called out, forcing her to turn around again.

"Hmm?"

"Rettrick. He's part of the agreement too, remember?"

"Oh yes... silly me. I quite forgot. My apologies."

I watched as Titania sauntered to the fireplace and plucked a small, square box from the mantle.

"Here you are," she said, sliding it in my hands.

"But... I don't understood," I said slowly, feeling the icy, creeping tendrils of dread begin to squeeze my heart. "What's this?"

"Why it's what you asked for, darling," she patiently replied. "It's Rettrick."

Feeling the hot sting of un-spilled tears, I squeezed the box just once before running a hand across the fine, smooth wood. I shut my eyes for a second, and bit my lip.

"What..." I cleared my throat. "What happened to him?"

"It's such a sad story," said Titania, walking away towards the fire again. I couldn't see her face, but I could hear the tone of her voice - half amused, and half mournful. I had never known anyone else to pull of both remorse and delight at the same time. "Shortly after you left the Otherworld, my faithful servant decided he couldn't bear his dismal little life any longer. And not giving a care to how inconvenient his decision would be for me... our poor, poor Rettrick decided to throw himself from the highest tower in the castle. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such a shame - he really was my favorite slave."

The guilt and sorrow hit me harder than any punch, slap, or kick ever could. Rettrick was dead and it was all my fault. I had promised him a better life. I swore that I would get him away from Titania but I had come for him too late. And now he was dead with his blood was on my hands.

"What made you this way?" I said aloud, wrenching my gaze from the box. Titania didn't turn from the fireplace, but I saw the way her shoulders tightened. "What could've possibly happened to you to make you this cruel?"

The Ice Queen finally turned to face me, looking down at the sapphire and turning it gently in her fingers.

"The worst possible thing you could ever imagine..." she said softly. " I fell in love."

And with that she cast the necklace into the fire, and together we both watched it burn, bubble, and melt.

* * *

I left the hotel room after that, still no closer to understanding Titania than I was to understanding the Otherworld, or the rest of the creatures that came from that place. But as I walked along the street, feeling the light on my skin and the ground beneath my feet, I realized that it didn't matter. I could use my new powers and have every question about the Fae answered to the fullest extent, and I would still feel out of place in that world.

In the short time since I had turned sixteen, my new powers had shown me that the truth was a deadly weapon and that the wind could carry secrets. But as amazing as those gifts were, they still hadn't given me the feeling I craved most - acceptance, the freedom to be who I was and still feel loved. No, that wasn't something my Fae side had given me. That feeling I had found here, in this world, and not in any other place.

I was hungry and tired, and judging from the strange looks that passersby shot my way I could tell I looked a hot mess. I was late for breakfast, I would probably miss first period, and by tomorrow I would most definitely be grounded. But for once, rather than worry or obsess over things I could not control... I smiled. Soon I'd have to deal with the fallout of last night, but for now I chose to simply live in the moment. During the walk home, for just a bit longer, I, Tamsyn Sable James, would just be ordinary.

With a sudden burst of energy and life I gave a loud whoop, and took off running down the sidewalk - a crazy girl, more alive and free than she had ever been.

Damn it never felt so good to feel Human.

* * *