Return to Faerie

Chapter Five

Dreams of the Dark Ones haunted Layla all night. She woke up several times, imagining one of the inhuman, slender beings creeping into the room and snatching her from Jack's arms. Her parents' terrified faces flashed in her mind's eye, their screams echoing into the night, but each time the dream replayed, Layla found herself unable to scream or run, powerless, as if she had been frozen in time behind a glass screen.

She woke up feeling more exhausted than she had been the night before, finding a steaming cup of what looked like coffee and a clean dress on the table in front of her. She sat up and looked around the room for Jack, but she heard him before she saw him.

"Nettle leaf tea," he said, bursting into the room as if he had already drunk five cups of coffee himself. "My mother's recipe. It's delicious and it makes you feel like the King of Faerie, or I guess the Queen in your case," he shrugged. "And that's my mother's dress. Don't worry, it's clean and there are dozens just like it hanging in her old closet."

"Okay first of all, whoa," Layla said, lifting her hands in mock defeat. "You're operating on about five cylinders and I'm going to need you to come down to one. And second, your mother?" She looked up at Jack with a questioning expression painted all over her face.

Jack looked clean and fresh in a stark white tunic, breeches and leather boots. A gold chain hung from his neck Layla had never seen him wear before. In fact, she had never seen him dress this way at all—it was like he had stepped back into medieval times, similar to the clothing of the other faeries she had met so far. This must be his faerie garb, she thought, drinking in his tall, wiry yet strong frame, pale skin and jet black hair.

Jack looked back at her with intelligent yet sad eyes, as if he could communicate his entire life story to her with just one glance.

"That's a story for another day, LO," he said, sitting in the armchair opposite the daybed. "Now, we have a long journey ahead of us. Drink your tea and put on the dress. You can wash up in the lavatory down the hall."

"No offence to your mom, but do I have to wear this? It's not really my style," she said, fingering the delicate embroidery and frilly lace sleeves. It was beautiful, Layla thought, but she would prefer to stay in her tank top and jean shorts, à la human world, thank you very much.

"Hate to break it to you, but yes, it's a very necessary precaution. The Dark Ones will smell your human scent, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to go undetected for as long as possible. Faerie is full of dangerous beings who haven't seen a human in millennia, and while most are benevolent, many aren't. Last night was risky, I should have warned you earlier," Jack said like a schoolteacher scolding his student. Layla felt slightly irritated by his tone, but she bit her tongue, sitting back to finish her tea instead.

Later, after she had taken a bath in Jack's claw-foot tub and helped herself to a generous amount of lavender talc powder, she surveyed her reflection in a gold-edged mirror hanging on the wall. She had twisted her hair into a long braid draped over one shoulder to keep it out of her way in case they had to run, and despite her protests, she was wearing Jack's mother's gown. Although she resented having to give up her jean shorts, she had to admit it was a stunning garment. Its bodice was laced with delicate gold ribbon tied into a bow in the middle of her torso, and the skirt fanned out into a lavish display of sparkling embroidery and complex needlework. Layla could do without the puffy sleeves, she thought, but it would have to do for now.

"You look beautiful," Jack said as she emerged into the front hall where he was waiting for her.

"Thanks," she said, suddenly feeling self-conscious as he drank in her appearance. "We should get going, we can't afford to waste another second."