FATESWORN

2 ~ leaving

I slip into the apartment I share with my sisters, and as I walk in and check the nearby clock, I realize it's almost five am. Shaking my head, I slip into my room. Not quite sure how to shower with this new pair of wings, I just wash up and change. It's as I'm trying to put a shirt on that I realize I need to make a pair of holes in the shirt.

Sighing, I toss my shirt aside and sit down on my bed, curling my wings around my body, and looking at the soft, silvery feathers. My wings are fucking huge, and as I sit there and stare at them, a word pops back into my head.

Changeling.

So, I take my phone out and search the word.

A quick search tells me that a Changeling is a child who was taken from their home and placed with a surrogate family as a baby. But the baby, at least one of them, is a faerie. And sometimes, the fae will swap their own baby with that of a human newborn. When I look at my image, as I pull up my camera app, I gasp.

My features have become sharp. My cheekbones are sharp enough to cut someone. My jaw is much the same. My pale skin is now beautiful, not too pale, but now it has a strange glow to it. My hair, which was once a very dull, dark and dim blonde color, is now bright. Radiant, almost. My eyes are now silver. Not blue anymore, a beautiful, unearthly version of silver.

I stand up. My wings unfurling behind me, and I walk over to the window. My room is not very big, but it is the largest one we have. The twin size bed is against the left wall, and posters and photos hang on the walls all over, and I see the beautiful bisexual pride flag that I draped over the window, making it glow as the sun begins to rise. The sky is dim, barely lit, once I peek outside. But then I realize why my eyes are silver now.  I am able to see better, now.

I see my reflection in the window, and I freeze. My ears are different. Longer, shaped almost triangular. Pointed. I tilt my head, poke at them. But they feel like my ears, not some false thing. Confused, I walk out of my room and head to the small kitchen we have.

But once more, I freeze. Because sitting at the table, is not either of my sisters. But a man, or rather, a .... Faerie. Like me.

He turns, his green eyes the only glowing thing in the room which is otherwise dark. But I can still see him. His olive skin is flawless, until I see a scar running down from his left eyebrow, then down to below his eye, on his cheek. He frowns at me, tilting his head. A lock of black hair falls over his forehead, and he brushes it aside. His massive, bat-like wings flick a bit as he stands up, casually setting down an apple he'd picked up from the bowl on the table.

"Get out of my house," I growl.

"Now, is that any way to speak to a guest?"

"Who even are you?" I ask.

His green eyes fix on my wings. "You are not what I thought you would be."

"Yeah, well, sorry to bother you.  It's not like this is my house or anything."

"Your sarcasm is not appreciated," he grumbles. His eyes flash.  "I am Thorn Husfortap. And you are a Changeling, right? One whose nature was just exposed?"

"Thorn? What the fuck? .... Okay. My night has been weird as fuck. I went in search of some answers, and I got far more than I'd bargained for."

He smirks and shrugs.  "I'd certainly say so."

"Okay, you know what, Thorn?  You can fuck right off!"

"Alright, Changeling. The swearing isn't needed.'

I snarl. "My name is not Changeling. But nice try. I may not know what the hell's going on, but one thing I do know is that I am not telling you my name."

This earns a soft chuckle. "Of course, I know."

"How  did you get in my house?"

"Really?" He scoffs and sits back on the couch. "And here I thought you were a smart one."

"Whatever.  Why are you here? What do you want?"

"What do I want? Hmm. Interesting...." He clears his throat and flicks something off his shirt, which is a dark purple tunic type. He looks back to me. "Actually, this is horrifically embarrassing, but ... I need your help."

"My help? With what?" I demand.

Thorn stands.  "You're a fae now. But not just any kind of fae. You are a Vralani fae."

"I ... don't know what that means, but ..."

There are five types of fae," he says. "Well, technically, six. The sixth is the rarest. And I am building a team of Vralani. So, you're joining us."

"Vralani," I say. "What does that mean?"

"You are one of the rarest versions of faeries that exists. So, that is why you must leave this place. Now. With me."

"What?" I ask, eyes wide. "I have a family. I can't just leave, Thorn!"

He sighs.  "Changeling girl, you have always been a faerie. But tonight, your body was changed into that of a true Vralani. You are magical, powerful. Full of unadulterated and pure magic. So, you are a fae now, but that doesn't mean it is all over now. No, you are now more than you could ever be."

"Please," I whisper.  "Don't take me away...."

"I have no choice," he says.  "If I don't do this, you will die. Your human family will turn on you. You will die, Changeling. And that cannot be allowed to happen."

"You just want to use me!" I hiss.

Thorn shakes his head.  "It is far more complicated than that, Changeling."

"Stop with the whole secretive thing! I am not a tool to be used!"

"I never said you were," he says.  "Please, come with me, Changeling girl. And if you do, then.... I will help you become more powerful than anything in the world. Trust me, okay?"

"How can I trust you? Fae are not to be trusted!"

He snorts.  "That's rich, coming from someone who grew up as human."

I shake my head.  "If you really want me to come with me, then you'll start treating me with more respect."

"You're right. I'm sorry," he says. "You do realize that you can tell me your name, right? We are both fae, so there's not much I will do or could do with that. So, if you could tell me your name?"

I groan. "Call me Kesh."

"Kesh," he says. "That is a fae name, you know?"

I shrug. "... Can I... say goodbye to my sisters?"

Thorn shakes his head, his expression sad. "No, I'm afraid not. If they were to see us as we are right now.... it would not be good." He holds out his hand, a soft smile on his face. "Please. Come with me, Kesh."

I sigh deeply. And take Thorn's outstretched hand.