The Secret Plains

4

Kay's POV
It has been about a week since I arrived at Fairen Province, and it's beautiful. It's quite easy to convince people I'm a fairy (when I'm probably not) when they speak to me in Flaren and I respond. But the facade is breaking because instead of replying in Flaren I reply in English. So Ilkesi has made it her mission to teach me Flaren. So far I've learned:

Zi lein si- I am fine
Dinr lein jin?- How are you?
Zi lein Ilkesi renamsi- I am Ilkesi's cousin.

The last sentence is important because I need an explanation of why no one has seen me in the area before so I should have a reason. And if they ask me why I've been absent from the Province for this long, I should say:

"It's 'virkolai' not 'virkoila!' " Ilkesi tried to say.

"Same thing!" I said, annoyed.

"No! It isn't! 'Virkolai' is 'explorer', 'Virkoila' is a fairy drink that makes people high!" She breathed in. "Let's try this again: Zi lein destri hen fairy virkolai, meaning I am a level 2 fairy explorer. Say it."

"Zi lein destri hen fairy virkoila!" I repeat, and Ilkesi slams her head on the table in front of her.

"Virkolai, not virkoila. Kolai, not koila. Got it?"

"Got it. Virkoila."

"Virkolai! As in your human word Collide! Virkolai!!"

"Oh, you should have said that. So it's Zi lein destri hen fairy virkolai." I smile and nod, and Ilkesi breathes a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." She smiles.

"The human word examples make it way easier."

"Well, don't get used to them. I told you I'm not fluent in English."

It's still trippy to hear fairies speak English but their mouths are saying something different. Like, totally different.

The woman, who I know to be Mrs. Lysen, aka Ilkesi's mom, came into her room and saw us learning.

"Hey, girls! Kay, did you learn a new sentence?" She raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah, I did! Zi lein destri hen fairy virkoila!" I said. I saw Mrs. Lysen's face drop. "I mean, virkolai!" I quickly corrected it.

"You've gotta learn the difference between virkolai and virkoila. If people heard you they'd think you're crazy."

"Eh, I guess. So where are we going today?" I ask.

"We need to go back to school shopping for Ilkesi. School is starting in 2 weeks." Mrs. Lysen says.

"Do I need to go this semester, Mom?" Ilkesi groaned.

"This is the semester you advance to Level 3, so yes, you need to go. Do you want to become a Nitta?"

"Oh, yes I do!" Ilkesi exclaimed.

"Exactly, so you are going to school. As for you, Kay, I think I'll enroll you in her school too, as a Fairy explorer level 3."

"But I don't even know what level 1 and 2 are. And it's not like Ilkesi can teach me because she's a magic-caster, not an explorer." I grumble.

I know someone who can teach you. He's not a fairy, but he's a level 2 explorer." Ilkesi says.

"Who?" I ask.