Rue

Chapter 7

I bolted up. Moonlight shimmered through the circular window just above my bed, illuminating the attic space that was my bedroom. It doubled as storage; boxes lined the walls and several larger items were covered in white sheets.
I squinted, looking for the source that had woken me. It was a small thump, but I thought the Faerie could have broken in.
Several times in the past month I had snuck milk from the kitchen and left the bottle outside. I heard Faeries liked milk, and since it was gone every morning, I assumed that was true. The tarts were gone too, but that might have been birds.
My heart stopped. A figure lingered in the shadows, just beyond the light.
“Miss—” The smell of pine wasn’t in the air. “Henri?”
He stepped out, pressing his finger to his lips. “Whisper. If Father were to hear, we would both be in trouble.” He tossed several articles of clothing towards me. I caught them with ease and jumped out of bed.
“What are these for?”
Henri smiled, dropping onto a box for a seat. “We’re sneaking out, so get dressed.”
“Where?” I pulled Henri’s shirt over my head. The sleeves hung limp.
“The Wise Boatman in the Magic Realm. It’s a full moon tomorrow, so my friends and I plan on partying it up tonight.”
I took a deep breath. The Magic Realm was off limits to me since I had come into the care of Uncle. An off-branch dimension of Earth, it was there, but not there. It was like having an invisible bubble around the area. Animals, humans, anything, could pass through, but without the knowledge of how, passing into the actual Magic Realm was impossible.
“Uncle will kill me—”
“He won’t find out. Don’t be a cabbage. Jasper Févi will be there, and trust me, you’ll want to be there.”
My eyes narrowed at the mention of Jasper, but I tied up my boots. My heart raced, the thought of Uncle’s anger lingering in the back of my mind.
“Queen Faerydae’s son?”
Henri grabbed my sleeve. “Of course,”
My room no longer existed. It only took one concentrated thought to take you into the Magic Realm. The hardwood floor turned to dirt; dead trees reached out towards us. The sky was a deep purple. Stars twinkled around the moon. I swallowed, knowing that in a day I would be running around the woods, out of control.
Dozens of people walked on the wide path, all headed in the same direction. Many were around my age. I noticed their matching outfits. The girls wore different colored short skirts and black blouses, neck ribbons matching their skirt. The boys wore all black, their ties adding the pop of color.
“Academy students?” I asked.
Henri nodded.
“Since you never attended you might not know all the colors.”
“Purple is for witches and wizards; red is for demons? Yellow is for…”
“Necromancers,” Henri finished. “Navy blue is for wolves. Vampires don’t go here. Those are the basics, so avoid any other colors you see.”
I nodded and started to follow him.
Lights burned in the distance through the trees. More seemed to pop into existence the farther we walked. The academy grounds acted as the main area—the first stop if you wanted to get into the Magic Realm. The once quiet conversations grew louder and louder as more people gathered on the trail.
I sniffed the air, my mouth watering. “What is that?”
Henri shrugged. “Probably the meat stand.”
The trees became sparse. A wide road lined with shops and stalls was the gathering place for many students and other magical creatures. Henri waved to a few girls wearing navy, making them giggle.
We followed the path on the right into a small building. A sign dangled over the door; a fisherman with a mermaid on his line.
“Welcome to The Wise Boatman Saloon,” Henri pushed open the door.
I coughed trying to clear my lungs of the tobacco smoke. Henri grabbed my sleeve and pulled me through the crowd. I sent apologetic looks to everyone I bumped into.
“Sit.”
I did as I was told and dropped into the worn chair. It wobbled every time I shifted my weight. Henri took his place next to me. To my right was, what I assumed from his dog-like smell, a werewolf, and across me was a dark-haired fellow. His purple eyes locked into mine. His mouth moved, but I couldn’t understand the English he spoke.
“I’m sorry. I only understand German.”
“Is that so? Then how are you speaking English?” he questioned.
I frowned. “I’m not—” But I was.
A hand reached across the table. “Jasper Févi. I cast a spell on you; I hope you don’t mind. It’ll wear off in a few hours, but at least this way you won’t need a translator.”
I shook his hand, unsure of what to say to the prince. I still wasn’t sure why I was even invited.
“No spells for me, my English is well enough,” Henri said, his accent thick. He raised his hand to call a waitress.
A petite girl with long, black hair scurried over, a tray pressed to her chest. Her eyes were bright purple. She smiled at Jasper, her eyes focused on him.
“A pint for each of us, and the daily special for the skinny dog, please.”
I snapped my head towards the prince.
“I don’t have any—”
“Money? No problem. It’s all on Queen Faerydae.” Jasper leaned back in his chair.
“You’re lucky you’re an only child, Févi. Faerydae is going to bury you in a ditch one of these days,” added Henri’s friend.
A pout appeared on the prince’s face. “Worry not, young Kit, mother still loves me—enough so that I’m dragged to council meetings on a weekly basis. I enjoy looking at the lovely Rosaline Lovelock, but some of the others are just…unpleasant.”
“Like who?” I asked.
I would never attend such a meeting. It was a gathering of our world’s leaders.
Jasper rubbed his chin. “Well, I like the vampire king, Damaron, and Sphinx! Sphinx is a hoot, and like I said, the ladies are lovely to look at, but I’m not a fan of the ghouls, necromancers, and the Faerie queen.”
I stopped myself from jumping up. Any information about Faeries would be helpful when it came to figuring out the she-wolf in the woods.
“Faerie Queen?” I asked.
“Yes, yes, Titania. Pretty as a flower; it’s just too bad her habits are hard to get past. She’s called the Black Widow, so that explains itself. She only attends once in a blue moon.”
The girl returned with our drinks. A steaming plate was placed in front of me. Jasper fished out a small sac and tossed it to the waitress.
“Keep the change.” He sipped his drink.
I was distracted by the steaming rabbit on my plate. Roasted brown and covered in fresh vegetables, the wolf in me wanted to devour it all at once. I licked my lips, wanting to taste the sauce that was drizzled over top of the meat.
No. I had one chance, and my empty stomach wasn’t going to ruin it for me.
“So does Titania kill people then?”
Jasper shook his head, while Henri snorted.
“She’s on her fourteenth husband,” Henri laughed. “Or I should say was. If they anger her, she eats them.”
I stabbed my fork into a carrot, popping it into my mouth. Visualizing the Faerie queen in the form of a spider, eating her spouses was disturbing.
“Are all Faeries like that?”
“No, but they can be puzzling creatures. Why the curiosity?” The prince’s eyes narrowed.
I shrugged, hoping my eagerness didn't show. I continued eating, disappointed I didn’t get much information. If the queen ate her husbands, what was the she-wolf capable of?
I shoveled the rabbit meat into my mouth, one bite at a time. The next full moon I would probably run off again and eat, but before then, this just might be my last meal if Uncle found out I snuck out with Henri.
A few girls dressed the navy academy uniform wandered over, giggling and hushing themselves.
“Your Highness? Would you like to join us at our table?”
Henri pretended to think for a moment.
“Of course.”
I glanced at Kit, who obviously wanted to go too; but he stayed put, playing with his empty glass. Jasper fiddled with his pocket, dropping a few coins on the table.
“Care to fetch us another round?”
Kit shrugged, leaving with the money.
I felt purple eyes stare into me as I pretended to finish my already clean plate.
“Now that those two are gone, could you please spill the beans?” His voice was demanding but calm.
I shook my head. “I have no idea—”
“Don’t lie to me, please. It’s obvious you’ve had a run in with a Faerie; but which one?”
I met his eyes, holding them for a few seconds before I looked away.
“Fine. She lives in the forest and takes the form of a wolf.”
The prince nodded to himself. “Anything strange about her?”
I snorted. “It would be faster to list what’s normal.”
“Faeries tend to be that way. Well, no point of talking about it. I know nothing of them or their people. I was only pestering you.”
My tense shoulders relaxed. I wished the young prince could tell me what I needed to hear. There was no one else I could talk to about such matters other than the Faerie herself. My efforts in that area seemed pointless.
Seeming to read my mind, Jasper perked up.
“I will give you half an hour and only that time frame to find the answers you seek. Use every minute you can; Lovelocks are fickle.”
My eyebrows dipped to match my frown. He must have been talking about Rosaline Lovelock. I had no business with demons, and why she was even mentioned added to my confusion.
“What are you talking about—?”
“I will fetch you after that time frame. I hope you find the answers you’re looking for.”
“Your Highness—”
Jasper Févi‘s hand reached across the table, his finger digging into my shoulder.
“You’ve gone mad,” I protested to the empty air.
Dirt crunched under my boots as I spun to examine my new surroundings. It was hard to make out all the details in the dead of night, but soon my eyes adjusted. The path I stood on was lined with bushes, blood red roses blooming despite the layer of snow that covered them.
I gasped at the sheer size of the mansion. I had deemed my own home large, but this might as well have been a fortress.
What was I to do? I was sent here against my will in the dead of night. Knocking on the door seemed rude, but Jasper seemed confident that it was alright.
I took step closer to the door, the hair on my arms standing up. This didn’t feel right.
The light above the door illuminated the potted plants that were protected from the weather by an overhang. With all the harsh weather, they should have been dead.
The door opened. I jumped as my eyes met pink ones.
Rosaline leaned against the door frame. Her white hair was in a fluffy braid resting on her shoulder. Her face was narrow, all of her features perfectly symmetrical. I saw her a few times a child, but now that I was grown, she was a work of art. Her black, strapless dress clung to every curve. I looked away.
“I thought I smelled a dog.” Her voice was soft, but it sent shivers down my spine. Barely reaching my shoulder, this woman who could physically be the same age as me evoked fear.
Rosaline’s lips were curled into a smile, but the aura around her was dark. My stomach wanted to empty itself.
“Well? Has your master not taught you any tricks, dog? Speak.”
I nodded, gathering my thoughts. “Jasper Févi said you could help me.”
Her slender eyebrow rose. “Did he now? Take your shoes off. I don’t want your filth in my house.”
The demon moved aside, inviting me in. I passed the doorframe, feeling like a bug wandering into a spider’s web. Only, this spider was beautiful and disregarded treaties between all the species.
I left my shoes where I was told and followed Rosaline to the dining room. Each wall, hall, and room we passed was snow white. I couldn’t even smell a speck of dust.
“Sit, dog.”
I dropped my bottom into the black wooden chair. I was afraid to rest my arms on the table. Rosaline sat on the chair beside me, crossing her long legs.
Her odd pink eyes didn’t leave my face. I had no reason to mingle with demons, but I knew from the rumors that Rosaline was one of a kind. No others had pink eyes or hair like hers. Although this may have been false, I had even heard she was immune to holy weapons.
“Speak. I have a dinner party to attend soon and you’re eating away at that time.”
I took a deep breath. “I have a question about a Faerie I met in the woods.” I leaned back in my chair, letting myself relax a little.
Rosaline lifted a cup of tea to her lips. I looked at the cup. How did she have one suddenly? She hadn’t moved from her spot.
“Information isn’t free, child. I expect something of equal or greater value. Tell me, do you know what a contract is?”
I swallowed. “Trading one’s soul for a wish.”
Rosaline nodded, seeming impressed I knew that much. My hands started shaking. I didn’t want to exchange my soul for possible information. Jasper was wrong to send me here.
I stood, intending to leave.
“Sit.”
My bottom dropped into the chair.
“You won’t be signing any contracts today. Dogs don’t have very appetizing souls, and I rather hate working for my food.”
I let out a mental sigh of relief. “Then what do you want?” I asked.
The lights flickered.
“Demanding, aren’t you? Your master still has training to do.”
I hung my head, unsure of what to say. Being bullied by a woman who looked younger than me was humiliating, even if no one watched.
She sipped the contents of her cup. “I’m curious of what you would like to know. Enlighten me, and perhaps I will help if you entertain me.”
A tea cup appeared before me without my noticing. Rosaline’s eyes bore into me. I slipped my finger through the handle and lifted it to my lips. The tea was sweet and tasted faintly of honey.
“I lose consciousness when I change—”
“I am well aware of that. I’ve cleaned up your mother’s messes. Continue.”
“I…I killed a girl walking home in the woods. I don’t remember, but I think I chased her down. When I changed back, she was still alive. I watched her die.”
Rosaline frowned.
“Waste of a meal.”
I swallowed my emotions.
“The Faerie started following me after that. She’s left several flowers, and leaves as fast as she appears, but doesn’t seem scared of me. She’s very petite, has gold eyes and white hair.”
The lights flickered once more.
“Her name?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think she understands me. She just stares with a blank expression,”
The faint hint of a smile vanished from Rosaline’s face. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.
“Ah, yes, I know exactly whom you are referring to now.”
I leaned forward. “Really, what is her name? I don’t think she understands German—”
She pressed a finger to my lips. “You still haven’t bought the information you seek, child. I will say nothing until you agree to my terms.”
My shoulders sunk. Rosaline twisted a lock of her white hair around her finger, her stare never leaving me. The scent of lavender floated around the room.
“What do you want?”
Her smile returned. “For you to say yes.”
I scratched the back of my head. “To a contract? I thought—” the lights flickered.
“Not now. You won’t understand until the time comes. The next war will be long over and your eldest child grown before I remind you of our deal. I will tell you everything, if you swear your answer will be yes when I ask.”
“Can I have a hint?”
Rosaline’s delicate features wrinkled. “Don’t be daft. Tell me, will you swear?”
“There’s going to be another war? The last one just ended.”
A light bulb popped, the glass falling to the floor. I ducked my head, but neither the shards nor sparks came close to hitting me.
“I must apologize. It is taking everything to contain my power, and your silly questions are giving me a headache. Yes, there will be another war. Your country will be at the heart of it. No, I will not tell you why. I want a ‘yes.’”
I understood Jasper’s warning now. I didn’t know what I was agreeing to, which made things difficult. Did she want me to weed her garden? Kill someone? My clue was that whatever it was, the requirement would have to be fulfilled far into the future. It was hard to say what would happen in that time frame. I could be dead tomorrow.
“Fine, yes. You’ll have to remind me just what I have to say yes to.”
The remaining bulbs grew brighter. Tea cakes popped up on the wooden table. I reached for one, but she swatted my hand away.
“I will not have to. Even if you forget, in the moment it happens, you will realize what I meant.” She bit into the cake, stalling for time. She took her time, chewing slower than anybody I had ever met.
I waited for what seemed like an hour, but the clock on the wall only read five minutes had passed. I drained my tea cup, only to have it refilled when I wasn’t looking.
“Are you going to hold up your end of the bargain?” I questioned as she popped the last cake into her mouth. She chewed for a second before swallowing.
“Of course. You’ve given me what I wanted, so now it is your turn.”
I nodded, relieved I didn’t agree to something for no reason, even if that reason was a mystery.
“Her name is Rue of the Winter Colored Hair, or Rue Winter for short.”
I leaned back in my chair, the wood digging into my spine.
Rue. The name suited the petite Faerie.
“As for the blank expression and lack of talking, it is simply because her emotions were stolen from her.”
“Stolen?” I jested. “Emotions aren’t something you can just take.”
Rosaline dragged her finger along the wood of the table, following its veins. “It is when you’re Titania. Rue was angry with her queen, and Titania removed all of her facial emotions and voice as punishment. The girl understands you, but she cannot convey it.”
Things were starting to make sense. Maybe her flower gestures were her way of speaking? She left one with Eleonore, perhaps out of pity. She left several with me, but I hadn’t the faintest idea what any of them meant.
“What did she do?” I pressed on.
Rosaline shrugged her shoulders, strands of hair falling over them.
“I haven’t the faintest idea, child. Perhaps you might ask Titania one day. She is looking for a new husband, now that the old one is no longer around.”
“I would rather not. I heard she eats her husbands.” I knew Rosaline wasn’t being serious with the suggestion.
Rosaline’s lips curled up. “Only if they are pestering her. I quite enjoyed the last fellow. Cute lad with curly horns. I believe she is down to four husbands, and two wives, but I already have my dress picked out for her next wedding. There isn’t quite anything like a Faerie party.”
“The queen has four husbands? And wives? That’s absurd!”
Rosaline tilted her head. “I could have four of each if I pleased. I don’t like the one I have already; the thought of more repulses me.”
Sighing, I sipped my tea. We sat in silence for a few moments. Rosaline seemed to enjoy my fidgeting. Her lip would curl up at every movement I would make. She must have known my list of questions was endless, but said nothing.
“Why is Rue a wolf?”
“Simple. Some Faeries take on the form of animals they admire, just as some can turn into trees or objects.”
I nodded, understanding.
“Rosaline, we really must be going.”
My head jerked towards the door as a tall, well-dressed man entered. His gray suit was tailored to fit his body, complementing his broad shoulders. A white rose was pinned to his lapel. His black hair was a little long, but brushed back without a strand out of place.
What startled me was his human appearance. The bags under his eyes, and the slight wrinkle to his skin demon's didn't have. His normally red eyes were disguised as blue.
Stefan Bromwell.
One of the Demon Lords of our world, he stood on equal grounds with his wife. Spouses only took the other’s last name if the other had higher status. Unlike humans, that meant the men could take their wives’ last names. Stefan and Rosaline were both Lords, so each kept their own name.
I had heard Uncle talk of Stefan many times about how he was the unofficial ambassador and secretary of the council. He took care of all the paperwork and arranged meetings when necessary.
His eyes never left mine. Not many people were taller than me, so having to look up at this man evoked a whole new level of fear in me.
“Felken, was it?” he asked. I nodded in response. “Whatever business you have with my wife has ceased to exist. I will escort you out.”
His words were polite but stern. I jumped to my feet. He looked human at the moment, but the dark aura that clung around him chilled me to the bone. I did not want to insult a Demon Lord in any way.
“Ja, sir,” my head lowered.
Rosaline wrapped her slender arms around her husband’s waist. He seemed to take no notice of her pressing herself into him.
“I was enjoying our conversation, dear husband. Can that human king not wait? I’m tired of that fool.”
Stefan’s eyebrows dipped, creating wrinkles on his forehead. His free hand wrapped around my arm, his fingers digging in. I gasped, but his grip didn’t slacken.
“That fool needs money again, woman, and I will give them as much as he needs as long as our contract holds.”
I was dragged down the hallway, towards the door.
“Your contract!”  Rosaline snickered. “I have no reason to gossip with the queen. You must learn to find easier souls to harvest.”
I swallowed, my dry throat finding no relief.
“You must understand the benefit of having powerful people eating out of your hand, even if they are human.”
I glanced at Rosaline, my jaw dropping. Her white hair was now a light blonde, loose curls falling on her chest. A diamond necklace graced her neck; the matching earrings seemed too big for her now rounded ears. Her face was a little chubbier, and her eyes changed to green. She looked human. Disturbingly human.
“Doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it,” her accent switched to that of a native-born English woman. I was taken aback by how convincing it was.
I was pushed out the door, into the cold.
“Farewell for now, Little King,” Rosaline said.
I turned to ask what she could have meant by “Little King,” but the pair was already gone when I turned around.
I crossed my arms over my chest, letting out the breath I was holding. I got some answers, but not nearly as many as I had hoped. What a strange woman.
A chime split the silence. I jumped at the sound, spinning to look for the source. I couldn’t see anything, but my brief knowledge of London told me it was the bell tower, several miles away. Rosaline and Stefan had lived in this house before London was even thought of. My mother told me every few years that the pair had to fake their death and pretend to be new buyers to fool the humans living around them.
I sat on the front step, wondering about Rosaline’s request. She said it would be a long time before I would even need to know what she meant, but I was wondering if I would have a reason to regret it. Demons were not to be taken lightly, especially one of the Lords of our world. I had heard many stories of Rosaline’s feats and battles she’d won on her own. Many made the mistake of trusting her because of her appearance, and I might have fallen right into that trap. She looked young and innocent.
I blew air out of my mouth, watching as it formed a cloud. Jasper said he would return, but I was growing bored with waiting.
“Good evening, sir, would you fancy a lift to where the fun is?”
I looked up at Jasper. He clutched a mug of ale in his hands, the liquid sloshing, falling to the ground as he moved.
“Yes, please. I may need a drink of that myself,”
Jasper laughed; the ale fell out of his mug and onto the ground when he dropped his arm. He took no notice and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“What’s wrong? Did the queen bee sting you?”
I shook my head, smiling at the half-drunk wizard.
“Not quite, but she is…”
“Don’t bother trying to find a word to describe her. Many have tried and many have failed. As long as you got what you came for, we can be on our merry way.”
We popped back into The Wise Boatman; nothing had changed. Henri and his friend were sitting with a group of female werewolves and witches. The room stank of smoke and cooked meats—a cloud hung around the ceiling, almost like the saloon had its own weather.
Jasper pulled me over to where my cousin sat, plopping down with his almost empty cup. The witches scooted closer to him, wanting to be near their future king. I sat down between the two groups.
“Is everybody having a mighty time?” Jasper bellowed. A few cheers called the answer. The prince climbed up on his chair, raising his glass. “Clearly this is not so much of a happy place if I can’t hear the happy people. The next rounds will be on Queen Faerydae in the name of a good time. Long live the Queen!”
“All hail Queen Faerydae!”
I raised my own cup, smiling when cheers rang out. It was rude to hail a ruler that was not your own, but there were no problems with drinking to the statement. I drained my cup, finding it refilled soon after.
Henri and his group were laughing over something, while Jasper was encouraging the fiddler to play louder. I could hear the music faintly behind the chatter and laughing.

Henri slapped my back, stumbling over a few loose rocks. He raised a finger to his lips, a sloppy “shh...” breaking the silence.
I didn’t drink nearly as much as Henri or Jasper, but my mind was still buzzing. My own feet felt light as I leaned against the front door of Uncle’s house. Henri let out a silent laugh as his hand slammed against the wall.
I shot him a look, telling him to follow his own advice. I strained my ears, but I couldn’t hear anything out of the ordinary. I stood still, hoping Uncle didn’t hear Henri’s feet flopping against the ground. All bedrooms were on the second floor, while mine was in the attic. Henri had it easy; the door and stairs to his room didn’t squeak.
We made it up the stairs after a ridiculous amount of time. Henri continued to stumble, missing steps or insisting that I try and help him. I half-dropped him at the door of his bedroom and scurried off to my own room before Uncle was awakened by Henri’s howl of pain as he walked into the doorframe.