Delphinium, or A Necromancer's Home (TCoLaD Book 2)

Caught

~ Hexday, 20th of Juvenis, 11831 ~

It was not widely known, and she did not confirm it if asked, but Perdita of Bladeren was fay. Her father was a changeling and had no close ties with Faery save for that being the land of his birth. His magic was weak, it was thought that is why he was left in this plane, exchanged for a human child, and it being unknown until the boy's features changed gradually over the years. Hair lightening was one thing, eyes going from brown to grey were another. But by that point his new parents loved the child, and while they mourned the baby that was taken, this was no less their son.

Perdita's magic, unlike her father's, was quite a bit stronger.

So now, knowing that her mistress's husband was taken into Faery, and it being Midsummer's Night, she donned her cloak and went out to try and find him, hoping she would have some leverage with being their kin and at this time of the year. It was a small chance, but she found often that such chances favored her.

The Duc's Forest was known to be close to Faery and was often where the borders of Spadé were said to begin. She had walked some of the trails before but never gone very far into the woods, feeling uneasy once past a certain threshold. Now she swallowed her fear and kept walking even after the feeling of being watched made her shiver and want to run back.

Finding a smaller clearing she saw a fairy ring in the center—large mushrooms growing in a circle that seemed to emit a soft glow. Wishes were said to be granted to those that entered it.

So she did. She wished to know what happened to her master, where he was, and that he be returned.

Nothing happened. Perhaps she had asked wrong? The feeling of being watched was getting unbearable and she tightened her cloak around herself and tried to leave the ring, but could not move her legs.

An offering. She would need to offer something of value. But she had brought no coin or food with her.

"Please," she said to the air, to the fée that were hidden in the other plane that could see her, but she could not see them. "I wish to know something, to help my lady. What do you want from me for this?"

"Prove you are of Faery," said a voice on the wind.

She knew blood was taken as payment and even better still flesh. She had a small knife in her bag that she used to cut fruit. To think about it cutting into herself with it made her feel ill. But she could not leave the ring, and old stories filled her mind of those that had died after being trapped by unseelie.

She took out her knife. She kept it on her at all times, lying that it was to cut fruit, but was in fact for her protection. Her hand was already shaking and she brought it up to her arm. She did not know where to cut, and if they wanted flesh would she have to carve herself?

Her gouge rose at the thought.

She settled the knife against a finger, took a deep breath, and cut.

Red stained the ground, the mushrooms, and even the glow seemed to pick up the hue.

Her legs no longer felt so heavy that she could not lift them and she stumbled out of the ring. Her knees grew weak and she fell on the grass right outside of it. She clutched her hand to her chest and wrapped the wound in her cloak.

A woman came from the forest. The feeling of eyes on her lessened until she felt that this woman was the only one there beside her. It should have been a comfort but it was not.

She knelt before Perdita, reaching out and gathering some of her blood from her hands. Before she could protest the fée woman had put it up to her mouth to taste.