Fairy War

Chapter 17

When we materialised we were in a large, almost pitch-black forest illuminated only by little flecks of light – which looked like fireflies – flitting between the trunks. Other than the occasional wolf howl and bushes rustling there didn't appear to be any sign of life.

Selina started walking towards the largest cluster of fireflies, stopping when she realised the rest of us had stayed on the same spot. "You're safe here, I promise," she said. "Those things aren't animals; they're magic cast by the person we've come here to find. Just be careful where you walk, I can't promise this place is 100% safe."

"Can't you at least..." I started asking before realising she was vanishing from view, the flecks of light forming a path for us to follow. We trod carefully, looking around to admire our strange surroundings – or as much as we could while trying to avoid any potential hazards.

"You'll have to excuse my daughter," the President said, chuckling lightly. "She gets it from her mother more than me. Once she gets an idea in her head – unless you can give her a good argument for changing her mind – she'll focus on it to a scary degree."

"Do you know this place?" Niana asked, keeping a firm grip on my hand. "Even my home forest is nothing compared to this."

"I can't say I do," he replied. "Although, frankly, I think pretty much anyone would struggle to identify this place in these conditions."

"Are you guys deliberately walking as slowly as possible?" Selina moaned from somewhere up ahead.

We followed her voice, eventually finding her location: she was in a small clearing, at the centre of which was a large, green-flamed fire. She was leaning against a tree, the firelight enhancing the shine of her green eyes, and sitting on the opposite side of the fire from her was an older fairy, his wrinkled forehead almost hiding his dark grey eyes and a disorganised mop of grey hair on the top of his head. His clothing mainly consisted of a plain blue tunic, and he had a long brown cape thrown over his shoulders. It was only when the fire flared up for a moment that we noticed the strange drawings covering his face, some of which looked like animals, while others were entirely unfamiliar.

"I thought we were going to the UN?" I asked. "I don't see how coming here is going to help us in the slightest."

"He's the only way we can get in there," Selina explained. "At least, the only way we can get in there without having half of the NYPD turning up to arrest us, but I should really let him explain that to you."

"My name is Herian," the male fairy said. "My kind once shared lands with the Native Americans, back when there were many more of us." He smiled briefly. "I have many talents, but only two relevant to your needs." He snapped his fingers and suddenly Selina transformed into a tall, middle-aged man – much to her own surprise, never mind our own. "I can make people see you however you wish them to," he explained, chuckling at the astonished gasps that had escaped our lips.

"That's all well and good," the President said as Selina turned back to normal and consequently breathed a sigh of relief, "but they're going to want to see our ID – if we're not on the list of delegates we'll be lucky if we're not in a New York jail within an hour of trying to enter the place."

"You're forgetting something, Mr President," Herian replied. "We magical beings can make your kind see, and indeed not see, whatever we wish you to." At that he glanced at Selina – who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze – before turning his attention back towards the President. "I simply need identification cards I can enchant; I'll do the rest."

"We'll come with you," Selina said as her father and Herian started to move away. "Surely if something goes wrong, we'll be in a better position if there's more of us?"