Feyland: The Bright Court

Chapter Twenty-Three

Tam stood on the sidewalk in front of Crestview High, waiting for Jennet. The early-morning clouds hung low, still shadowed with the memory of night. It was cold - a dry frigidity in the air that chafed his lungs. He shivered and shoved his hands in his pockets.

He’d only waited five minutes before her sleek black grav-car pulled up. The door slid open and Jennet hopped out, looking warm in a coat lined with fur. Probably real. He hunched his shoulders against the sharp chill.

She gestured to George, slung her bag over her shoulder, and hurried over to where he stood.

“Hi, Tam.” Her words left little puffs of white in their wake. “Glad you could meet me so early.”

“Yeah, well, Mom mostly takes care of the Bug now, so…” He shrugged, hiding the fact that he’d meet Jennet anywhere, anytime. “How’d it go, yesterday? You didn’t say much in your message.”

She pressed her lips together. “It was freaky - and frightening. I wanted to tell you in person.”

“Let’s get out of the wind.”

He jerked his head toward the side of the building. It wasn’t much cover, but at least they wouldn’t be quite as exposed. This was a somewhat decent neighborhood, but a lifetime of caution had kept him alive. So far.

Once they reached the shelter of the wall, Jennet described going in-game with Roy and Marny. She told him about killing the chimera, and the blisters on Marny’s arm that had carried over to the real world.

“And then…” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Then, Roy did something to Marny. Some kind of energy suck.”

“What - like he went vampire on her? Right there, with you watching?”

His throat went dry with fear. A deep, restless part of him wanted to grab Jennet and pull her into his arms. Hold her tight, keep her safe, no matter what.

“Yeah,” Jennet said, shivering. “He wrapped his hands around her arm and they started to glow. Marny slumped back with her eyes closed. It was like she wasn’t there.”

“Damn. That’s grim.” Tam turned one shoulder to the wall, blocking the worst of the wind from Jennet. “Did he do anything else? Chant or, I don’t know, say an incantation?”

“No. Just the touch. And his eyes were doing that freaky thing.”

“So - he’s pulling energy from people, just by touching them. First Keeli, now Marny. I wonder how much he needs. How much he can hold.”

“Maybe he stores it in a talisman of some kind,” Jennet said. “Like how the Dark Queen kept my energy in a glass sphere. I’ll have to go back over to his house and look.”

“No.” He reached out and caught her by the shoulder. “You’re not going to Lassiter’s, ever again.”

“Funny,” she gave him a crooked smile. “Roy said the same thing, after I accused him of using fey magic.”

“And did he admit it?”

She shook her head, the dawn light gleaming on her pale hair. “He acted as if I was insane, but he was lying. I could see it in his eyes. Tam, we have to get Marny away from him.”

“Of course. Today, we make the faerie ointment. I got the clover.” He patted his coat pocket.

“I bought the herbs and things, last night. So all we need now is grass from a faerie throne. I wonder what the Bright King’s throne looks like.”

“Me too.”

For a moment, he was caught up in memory - a clearing where grotesque and graceful figures danced around a strangely purple bonfire. On the far side stood a throne made of vines and shadows. And sitting upon that throne, the Dark Queen. Midnight stars were tangled in her black hair, her gossamer dress was made of stolen moonlight, and her fathomless eyes held secrets no mortal should know.

She smiled at him.

Tam’s breath left his lungs - but who needed breath when she was there? Shadowy promises brushed through him, tingling his senses, bright, winged sparks that flashed by like shooting stars.

“Tam?” Jennet’s voice pierced the vision, calling him back to the present. “Are you all right? Tam…” Her breath was warm against his cheek.

He blinked, to find her concerned eyes staring into his, her hand wrapped tightly around his arm. Behind her was only the dingy wall of Crestview High - no mysterious clearing, no bonfire with dancing fey folk. No Dark Queen. He exhaled, from lungs that felt too tight.

“I, um… yeah. Just thinking.”

Her brow still furrowed with worry, Jennet let go of his arm. He wished she hadn’t - her touch had been warm and solid, anchoring him. He glanced down, letting his hair fall across his face. Why was he suddenly thinking of the queen, when he had a perfect, human girl right in front him?

“How are we going to get the grass out of Feyland?” he asked, breaking the silence before it veered into awkward.

She frowned. “If Roy really does have a talisman from the Bright King, then it must be possible to move stuff from Feyland into the real world.”

“We’ve brought back plenty of injuries,” he said. “That has to count for something.”

The squeak of brakes interrupted him - the first of the buses arriving. In another few minutes, Crestview High would be full of talking, jostling students.

“Come on,” Jennet said. “We need to go back to my house, right now. Dad’s at work, and I don’t care if the staff says anything - as long as we get the ointment done.”

She headed toward the curb, where George still waited with the grav-car. Either she’d told him to stay, or he was keeping an eye on her.

“Are you sure?” He didn’t mind cutting school, but she could get in serious trouble.

“Yes. If everything goes right in-game, we can get back before school ends. Even if we can’t save everyone, we can at least save Marny.”

Tam paused beside the open car door. “Do you think we can make it all the way to the Bright Court?”

 “We don’t have any other choice.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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This book will be completely uploaded by July of 2014, at the rate of a chapter every 2 weeks. Can't wait? Feyland: The Bright Court is published and for sale in both print and digital formats (only $4.99 for the e-book version) from all online retailers. Did you miss the first story? Feyland: The Dark Realm is here on Wattpad, and also available from all online retailers.

NOW AVAILABLE: Feyland: The Complete Trilogy in one epic digital bundle for only $8.99. Three full books - The Dark Realm, The Bright Court, and The Twilight Kingdom - in one awesome adventure~     http://www.amazon.com/Feyland-The-Complete-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00B73TD9I/

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