Awake - Book One of the Spinner's Curse

Chapter Eighteen: Bound

  

Chapter Eighteen:

Bound

　　　　

          I followed her. I had no choice. This woman held the key to my freedom, and more than anything I needed to be free from my curse. This time I didn’t stumble and fall over every tree stump that came across my path—it was as if an invisible hand was holding me up. Jack’s grandmother said nothing to me as we walked and I did nothing to alleviate the silence.

          Instead, my eyes wandered to the rapidly changing scenery. The trees, which had been mostly thin and tall, were now fat, their trunks swelling until they resembled carriages. The ground we walked on began to clear, until we were stepping on paths that led into the forest. “Where are we?” The awe in my voice was clear—I’d never seen anything like this.

          She laughed, this time happily. “This is my village. This is where most of the world’s fairies have chosen to live.” I blinked, suddenly noticing tiny holes dotting the trunks of the trees around me like windows. Some glowed with faint light, the illumination dancing along the rims of bark.

          “I thought….Jack said we were still another day away from your village. How did we get here so quickly?” She laughed again, although I could tell the joy had fled from it.

           “That’s because Jack is only half-fairy. This forest tends to push outsiders away. Only a true fairy can find its heart without trouble.” She turned to glance at me, her green eyes seeming to glow in the twilight cast from the thick branches overhead. “You may be the first human who has seen this village in over a hundred years.” She pointed between the gaps in the trees towards the biggest tree of them all. It was fat and tall and seemed to stretch up beyond where the eye could see. “That’s the heart of our village: where we have discussions and parties.” She moved her hand until she was pointing to a light filtering through the trees. “That is where we eat,” I nodded, trying to take it all in, “but that’s the end of my tour.” I turned, wanting more. She held up a hand.

          “You can’t stay here, little princess. I won’t allow it. You may be the first human who has come in a hundred years, but that doesn’t make you welcome. My grandson is the only human I tolerate, and even that’s pushing it.”

          “What about his father? Has he never been here?” I asked, making her frown.

          “Of course not: my daughter would never have met him if it were up to me. She snuck off behind my back and married him. She didn’t tell me she’d done it until she brought Jack home.” She spat on the ground to show her distaste. I was shocked. I had known there was animosity between humans and fairies but I had always assumed it was one sided; that our fear of the unknown had blinded us to the good in fairies, that the one who’d cursed me had been an anomaly.

         “But Jack’s your grandson. He’s your flesh and blood.” I stared at her, unable to believe she could reject her own grandchild in such a way.

          “Tainted. I still love him, but he’s tainted. He’ll never be a fairy, him or his mother. They care too much for your kind, and that’s not natural.” She pointed a finger at my face. “Now don’t question the love I have for my family. I’ve brought you this far haven’t I? I’ll do my best by you, if that’s really what he wants. That’s all an old woman like me can do. I can’t change them, and they can’t change me, so we might as well accept the way things are.” She turned away from me again and started to walk away. I trotted after her, my mind whirling.