The Secret Plains

11

Narrator's POV

Not only was Faeya furious, but she was also devastated and relieved all at once.

"We all thought you were dead! Why would you do this to us? How are you even here?! We saw your body—we—"

"Faeya," Kay interrupted, her voice steady but trembling, "I'm still alive. I don't know who planted that body, but it wasn't me."

Tears streamed down Faeya's cheeks as she stammered, "You're just a figment of my imagination, right?"

Kay offered a sad smile. "It's me. In the flesh. I'm here, Faey."

Overwhelmed, Faeya broke down, wrapping Kay in a fierce embrace as if she could never let go. This was a hug born from the depths of despair, from someone who had believed her other half was lost forever.

"Where have you been...? What happened?" Faeya whispered, her voice barely audible.

"I'll explain everything, I promise. But you have to promise me something first."

"What?" Faeya pulled back, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Don't tell anyone else that I'm alive. I'm going to tell my mother—she will understand. But no one else can know. I don't want anyone waiting for me. I'm not coming back."

"Not coming back? Where... where are you going?"

Kay sighed, her expression heavy with truth. "I'm a Velai. I don't belong here. If I stay, my powers could spiral out of control. My being in Velvimr is safer for all of us."

Faeya's face twisted with anger. "A Velai? You're a Velai? What happened that night?"

"Can we please sit down? I'll tell you everything, I promise."

They sank onto Faeya's bed, the weight of their shared history hanging in the air.

"Ready to tell me now?" Faeya asked, eyes wide with anticipation.

Kay nodded, determination shining in her eyes. "I'll answer any question you ask."

"Great! Did you get attacked by a werewolf?" Faeya fired off immediately.

"Well, yes, technically I did. But that werewolf is now my teacher, so—"

"Hold on! Rewind! You said what?!"

"I was walking home, a werewolf appeared behind me, I panicked, hit my head, and then a fairy saved me, yadi yadi yah..."

"Kay!" Faeya slapped her arm. "Be serious! Were you hurt? What actually happened?"

Slowly, Kay recounted her journey to Velvimr, and by the end, Faeya was left dumbfounded.

"So a fairy saved you? And she helped you get here? I thought all of them were evil," Faeya mused.

"Quite the contrary," a voice emerged from the shadows, rich and sharp. "That's quite offensive, actually."

Ilkesi stepped into the light, arms crossed, a playful smirk on her lips. Faeya's eyes widened in shock.

"Th-that's a—"

Ilkesi turned to Kay. "You were taking too long, so I thought I'd check in."

Kay glanced between her human friend and her fairy companion. "Um, Ilkesi, this is Faeya. Faeya, this is Ilkesi, the fairy I told you about."

Faeya stared, astonished. "You're a fairy? But you look so... normal."

Ilkesi scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Those pictures of fairies as tiny beings wearing leaves are ridiculous. Sure, we can shrink, but we usually don't. It's not taught until Level 3. And we wear perfectly normal clothes." She gestured to her sleeveless top and jeans as proof.

"Don't you have... wings?" Faeya asked, nervous curiosity creeping in.

"Things are different in Velvimr than in fairytales," Kay explained. "Fairies rarely show their wings. Werewolves are just like humans, except for their eye color. They don't transform involuntarily here; they choose when to shift. Every being is just like humans, except for a few special features, which they can control."

Faeya struggled to process this new reality, discarding all the fairytales of her childhood. Then, a thought struck her.

"If Velai aren't evil, then what's up with all the strange disappearances of humans?" she asked.

"Disappearances?" Ilkesi turned sharply to Kay. "You didn't mention anything about that."

Kay's face fell, guilt creeping in. "Yeah, I know. It slipped my mind. When I was here, some people disappeared, and a few even ended up in Velvimr and came back... different."

"What? The only ones who can inflict madness are advanced seers! Not even advanced casters can do that!" Ilkesi argued, her eyes wide. "The only gateways to the human realm are at the edges of Flairya, Lythanroe—the land of werewolves—Mageia, the land of witches and wizards, and Bloedzuiger, the land of vampires. Seers live in the middle of Velvimr. For anyone to go mad—"

"They would have to reach the center of Velvimr," Faeya realized.

"And before they got there, they'd have been stopped by at least two species, who would have sent them back to the human realm," Kay added. "I don't think Velai caused that madness. Sure, some of the culprits might be Velai, but I doubt it was a coordinated effort. I don't think it was known!"

"Lucas and I live in the lands where humans would first arrive in Velvimr. Unless Lucas is hiding something, which he never does, hardly any humans have crossed the border. The few who have—we just alter their memories and send them back," Ilkesi chimed in. "Mageia and Bloedzuiger have some of the worst gossips in Velvimr, so if anything unusual happened there, trust me, we would know. Everyone would know, because those two lands are right next to the Middle Land, where the largest school in Velvimr is located. Six out of the eight species attend that school, and news travels fast. It's the best place to hear the latest about Velvimr."

"So, Faeya, Velai aren't responsible for the madness or disappearances. I think some are, and they're not good people. Something sinister is stirring in Velvimr, and I have a feeling they're the same ones who planted that fake body in the forest," Kay concluded, her eyes darkening with resolve.