Cassie knew she should feel scared or upset but really all she felt was a morbid curiosity about the boy who kidnapped her and this strange place. She thought back to her freshman year in highschool and the play they read in English class "A midsummer's night dream" . Cassie's recollection was hazy at best, unfortunately at the time she had been too busy trying to take care of her mother. Cassie had always looked out for her mother. When she spent all of her salary up at the nightclubs and bars uptown, Cassie and Claire covered the bills, When her mom fell into deep depressive episodes she would get her out of bed and make sure that she ate and showered. Cassie spent many nights on the phone with her grandmother, trying her best to sound convincing when asked how her mother was doing while simultaneously fishing her head out of the toilet. But eventually the lies became less believable, her mother's erratic behavior couldn't be contained. One night her mom asked Cassie for the keys to her car, she remembered being surprised but pleased. Her mom was going on and on about a wealthy gallery buyer in the next town over who wanted to feature some of her artwork. Cassie ended up being the one to answer the phone that night, Claire had been at work. "Hello, this number is listed as the emergency contact for Thalia Grey?" Apparently Cassie's mother had stopped at some bar after the meeting with that buyer. It was raining that night, and the temperature was close to freezing. Her mom totaled the car and ended up in the hospital with a broken wrist. That's when Cassie was forced to move in with her grandma. Cassie had always been hypervigilant but even more so after the accident. That's why she was surprised at the level of calm she was displaying now. She coughed awkwardly to grab the boys attention.
He looked down at her with inquisitive eye's. "Are you unwell?" He asked Cassie shook her head, " No I was just wondering where my things are." The boy gestured to a black leather satchel that was slung over his shoulder. " All is as you left it." "I'm guessing that's not the only thing you were curious about though." He said in a mild tone. Cassie shrugged trying her best to seem unfazed by his inhuman beauty and the dark forest he was leading her through.
"I..." Cassie trailed off feeling nervous.
She inhaled deeply and her words came out in a rush.
"Where am I?" "And who are you?" "I demand to know this instant."
The boy stopped walking abruptly and spun around gracefully "You are not in any position to demand things of me mortal." Cassie took an exasperated breath. Who did this guy think he was? He was the one who had been stalking her for weeks, and he had promised to answer her questions. But then again what could she expect of someone who kidnapped her. Now Cassie didn't consider herself an expert or anything but she did watch a lot of true crime. She knew that things like this typically didn't end well and by not ending well , usually whoever was taken ended up dead in a ditch somewhere. So she figured that the best plan of action would be to apologize, especially because her captor had an extremely capricious temperament.
And deep down Cassie knew she was being hostile.
"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm hungry, I'm frightened, and I don't understand what's happening." Tears suddenly weld in Cassie's eyes.
His face seemed to soften. He reached out a black gloved hand and gently brushed the tears from her cheeks, then he pulled a small cloth from the leather bag and placed it in her hands.
Cassie slowly unwrapped it and found bread, cheese, and a slice of apple.
She reached out a hand but stopped remembering his warning.
"Do not worry, it is safe to eat, it's been salted." "Salt wards off all enchantments." He reached out a hand and ran his long fingers softly through her hair. Cassie shivered.
"Thank you." She whispered
" Your thanks is accepted." " And to answer your intrigues, you are in the land of Faerie where my kind reside."
Cassie listened closely "I am a knight in my Queen's Court. Cassie swallowed the last bit of apple she had been eating , she had to admit that her curiosity was peaked. "What's your name?" She inquired. The boy's face tightened, "My people are not in the habit of giving out names." "Names have power among my kind"
"What kind of power? Cassie asked curiously.
The knight made a face like this wasn't something he wanted to talk about. "The kind that if you were to call me by my true name and ask me a question or tell me to complete a task I would have no choice but to oblige."
"Oh." Cassie replied "Couldn't you just lie about your name?"
"The fae can not tell an untruth."
"Interesting." Cassie had to admit, she was fascinated.
"Can you do magic?" She glanced up at him quizzically.
The knight sat down on a moss covered rock, close to a glimmering pool of water. It was then that Cassie realized the strange passage of time there. Logically she knew they had been only walking for a short while, but by her surroundings it looked as if they had been walking for hours. The sky looked as if salt had been poured over a dark cloth and a crescent moon was high above them, making the rocks and the sand of the bank shimmer. "Yes my people can do magic, it comes from nature and just as nature is unpredictable so is our magic." And there are seldom Fae that use their power for good when it comes to mortals." He sighed looking at Cassie with an unreadable expression. " Our magic is often dark, cruel, and the price to pay for enchantments is high and rarely is it worth it." "Try to avoid our enchantments and glamorous the best you can." "I also wouldn't recommend bargaining." "And if you do choose to bargain with my people be prepared to be disappointed with the outcome."
Cassie narrowed her eyes and sat down next to him straightening her spine. "How do I protect myself from them?"
"Salt your food, wear a string of Rowan berries in your hair, never partake in faerie food or drink."
" And to protect yourself physically, use iron." "It burns us, could kill us even." He smiled in a self deprecating manner. Cassie stared "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I wish for your safety." Color washed over his cheeks
"You don't even know me." Cassie replied, dumbfounded.
He swiftly grabbed her hands and kneeled at her feet. " It is true that there are things I don't know, but from watching you for as long as I have I have come to realize that you are truly lovely." "You are kind and compassionate." " You feel deeply and would do anything for those you love, even those you don't know." He swallowed. Cassie was stunned, she could tell he truly felt that way about her. "I thought faeries hated human's." She murmured
" I will admit faeries are not fond of mortals, but I am fond of you." Cassie swore she saw him blush. " And there are cases of faeries who have human consorts." Cassie's eyes widened and her face reddened. The fae boy, observing Cassie's expression, blanched realizing what he had implied. "I mean not that we... Not that you..." He stammered
"I know." Cassie found his embarrassment endearing "What should I call you?" She asked
"Onyx."
"Is that your true name?"
He hesitated "Yes."
