Queen of Ice and Ruin

Chapter Four

Telos prepared a cup of tea for me as he spoke. "The relationship between Faerieland and the human world has always been... strained since our creations. We don't exist in the same physical world, and we still struggle to determine exactly how we are related. You can think of it as an alternate dimension, in a way.

"Long ago, there were ways for faeries and humans to travel between the worlds. Doors between the dimensions. Despite living amongst each other, it was a tumultuous relationship. The Fae are proud people, and this led to prejudice. The High Fae complained of common humans who dwelled among us, believing that they were lesser due to having no innate magic. Some faeries were willing to train humans to use magic like we do, but the numbers dwindled, and eventually it became illegal to teach a human faerie tricks."

Telos paused and looked at me. I nodded, indicating that I understood so far. "No questions yet," I let him know.

He took a sip of tea and continued. "Humans, understandably, were angry about this. They had made no laws to discriminate against the Fae but began doing so in retaliation. Soon, faeries found that they were unwelcome at the balls that they had loved to attend, and were unwelcome in places of business."

"How long ago was this?" I asked. "I didn't even know that faeries existed until yesterday."

Telos pondered that. "I personally do not remember a time when humans and faeries lived alongside one another, so it has been at least 250 years."

He laughed at my wide eyes. "Didn't you know that faeries are immortal?"

I sputtered, "Well, yes, but I didn't realize you were 250 years old!"

"Actually, I'll be 252 later this year," he replied, grinning at me.

I shook my head in disbelief. 252 years old? Granted, I didn't know how old I was, but I assumed I was much younger than that! "Just keep going," I requested, still in shock.

Telos obliged. "This all came to a head when a human kingdom requested help from the Realm of Fire to win a battle. The King of Fire was highly insulted, believing that the humans saw us as nothing more than means to learning magic. The Nine Kings and Queens met, and decided to close the doors between our worlds. They combined their power, and with the assistance of our Elder Scholars, our leaders shut the door between the worlds."

He watched me expectantly, waiting for me to understand what he was saying. It took longer than I'd like to admit for me to understand, but I felt my head spinning once I began to realize. "There has to be a way to get through to the human world." My voice shook as I spoke.

"No one has traveled between the worlds since the doors were closed," he whispered. "It took all the might of the Nine Kings and Queens to close them, and even that was almost impossible."

Tears welled in my eyes as the information sunk in. "I can't go home."

"We just don't know how yet," Telos corrected. "I assure you, Corrin is doing all in his power to find a way."

I shook my head. "He's just wasting his time, though, isn't he?"

Telos tentatively put a hand on my shoulder. "You came here somehow," he assured me. "If you came through the door, surely you can go back."

"Can you just take me back to where you found me? Maybe I can go through the door there!" My eyes lit up, hopeful.

"That's the thing..." Telos explained. "There's no door there."

"How is that possible?" I demanded.

Telos rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Our current theory is that someone brought you through the door and then carried you to our border."