The Secret Plains

9

Kay's POV

"She can't be dead, she can't be-"

"Kay, my baby, where are you?"

"We are gathered here today to send off McKayla Leathe. She was-"

"I'm tired of these damn velai!"

"Death to them all!"

"She can't-Kay, please, come back-"

I wake up in a cold sweat and look to my side. Ilkesi is up, thank God, practicing her illusions. She turns to me quickly, confusion quickly spreading across her once-focused expression.

"Kay? What's wrong?" she asks, rushing over to me.

"I need to go back Ilkesi. They all think I'm dead. Even-Even Faeya....there was no body, I need to tell them I'm alive-"

"There was a body," she interrupted.

I freeze, "....what?"

"I don't know who, or how, but someone put a body there, and everyone went along with it." She put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry...I would've tried to prevent it, but I found out when they already found the body."

"When was this?"

"The day before yesterday...evening."

"You went...without me? I have a family there, Ilkesi, I have a life!"

"I agree...I went without you because I didn't think you would want to come...then when I did want to call you to come with me...I saw the body, and I didn't think you would want to see yourself...like that."

"Where did the body come from?"

"Honest to  Leaia, I don't know. I think someone planted it there."

"But I can't go back now, they all think I'm dead."

"I think the person that planted that body there wants you to stay here."

"I just want to tell my mom and Faeya that I'm alright.."

Ilkesi hums to herself, "Actually, I think we can arrange that."

The next morning...Narrator's POV

"You're telling me," Kay asked, as she and Ilkesi stood on the grass, "This is the barrier?"

"I told you it was getting old."

The barrier between Velvimr and the human realm was a translucent veil of twisting mist, between the field they were in, and the dark forest on the other side, the human realm. But Kay could see visible holes in the veil, places where the mist was moving away from each other, rather than weaving. And they were everywhere. The veil was falling apart.

"How did this happen? And how come humans didn't see the holes?"

"No one knows how it happened. A pixie disappeared once, and when he came back, he said that he was in the human realm. No one believed him, so he took the nobles to the barrier and showed them the hole. They didn't fix it, and more have appeared ever since. I don't think humans can see the holes simply because they refuse to believe there can be holes. If they just looked past their pride -no offense- they would see the holes. Magic and abilities in Velvimr come down to one key thing: Belief. If you believe that something will happen, trust me, it will happen, especially in Velvimr." She looked back at the veil. "Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

They both walked through one of the holes, reappearing on the other side.

"Welcome back to the human realm."