Give Me Bronze Coins

Chapter 1- Rabbit Holes

Chapter 1

I closed my eyes. The music, the alcohol, the sweat everything was too much. My head pounded as I pushed through the crowd, trying desperately, to get out of the stuffy apartment. I finally made it to the door of the balcony and I stepped outside taking long deep breaths in the cool night air.

I tried to focus on my breathing, to shut out everything. My hands shook nervously at my sides and I suddenly wished that I wasn’t wearing this skimpy, black dress but had something with pockets, so I could hide my hands.

“Trouble in paradise Ria?” asked a familiar, obnoxious voice.

I was shocked. I had been in such a state of panic that I hadn’t even noticed there was someone out here with me.

“I wouldn’t call this paradise,” I sighed and turned to face Cricket. He looked as bored and tired as I was and stood leaning against the wall with a cigarette between his lips. “Would you cut that out?” I stomped up to him pulling it out of his mouth and throwing it over the edge of the railing. “You do know those things kill you right?”

“I don’t doubt they do.”

“It’s a disgusting habit really and unless you want a visit from death you should stop.”

“What I want now, is to get out of here. I am so fed up of these parties they’re no fun anymore,” he pouted.

“And you’ve decided to give yourself lung cancer so you can leave; how about the door?”

He grinned, “You are a genius Ria, the door!” He drawled sarcastically and grabbed my hand and dragged me with him, “Let us get out of her, let’s go somewhere.”

“Where?”

“The Chinese takeaway, I’m having a bit of a craving”

I shrugged and followed him out; I was looking for an excuse to get out there anyway. Not just the apartment itself but this lifestyle in general, the high life with the parties and the fashion shows was not for me. The people were boring, I guess Cricket was good enough company now and then but I guessed he wanted more than just a casual friendship, from me, which I was not prepared for. He had taken me out for a drink a couple of times but I really only wanted some human interaction with someone who kind of had the same interest as me- not a relationship.

We walked down the streets of Beverly Hills which were unusually empty and quiet for this time of night. Usually people were going to the clubs or there would, at least, be some drunken girl stumbling home. We were just walking in a comfortable silence when Cricket took sudden turn into a back alley. “What are you doing?” I gasped.

I must have sounded frightened because he just shook his head in annoyance that I would ever think he would do anything to me. He pointed to the sky, “look you usually can’t see them in the city because there is too much light but you can see them perfectly from here.”

I rolled my eyes; this was his idea of a romantic gesture, to show me the stars. I guess it was nice to see them, I had really missed them. I heard in the background somewhere Cricket telling me about each one; outlining ‘Orion’ and other constellations but in the forefront of my mind I heard a sound. That sound reminded me of someone who was moving around who didn’t want to be heard.

“Can you here that?” I asked stupidly, as if someone with normal senses could pick up this scuffling.

“Actually, yeah I can.”

“You can?” I asked incredulously

“Oh course,” he chuckled.

I was utterly bemused, I never thought a chuckle could sound sinister but Cricket was certainly pulling it off. Had I really thought I would be safe with some random guy? I just thought I was secure with him because I had known him for a year; but I guess that doesn’t matter because I could easily overpower this gangly ginger boy if he tried anything. He kept in grinning and as minutes passed by I felt more and more on edge, something was up with him and I was beginning to think that he was waiting for something otherwise he would have attacked me by now. I breathed shakily; I couldn’t believe I allowed myself to be dragged out here, alone. It’s just that with a name like ‘Cricket’ I couldn’t take him seriously. I mean who on Earth would name their child after an insect?

Then it dawned on me. The pieces clicked and my muscled tensed because I was right; no-one on Earth would name their child ‘Cricket’.

I stumbled away from him, “you are one of them’.

He stood where he was; “‘them?’” he looked almost hurt, “It’s not as if you aren’t one of us.”

“Just stay away from me .OK?” I looked around suddenly, someone was watching our confrontation, I could feel their gaze on my back. “I don’t want any part in this, don’t hurt me. Just let me go and I will never walk into the Unseelie court.”

“I never would be able to hurt you,” was all he said before something slammed me into the ground.

Pain roared through my shoulder and I squeezed my eyes shut.

“You are charged guilty with treason against The Unseelie Court,” began a rough voice, “and I as captain of his majesty’s imperial guard have been ordered to escort you to Fey so that you may serve your sentence.”

My eyes snapped open, “What might my sentence be?” I snarled through gritted teeth.

“That all depends if you co-operate.”

“Get off me and I will.”

The captain dragged me up gently and set me on my feet. I looked around for Cricket, but he was gone, which was no surprise, he probably felt guilty for leading me into this trap. As well he should.

I considered my position for a second and decided that, in fact, I did not want to die. No, I would much rather live a boring life in Beverly Hills then have my head on a pike in the Unseelie court. I would co-operate, I will play along with the king’s twisted games and will follow his soldier into the unknown.

“Lead the way Captain.” I said wincing at the pain in my shoulder.

He knelt on the ground and started drawing the entrance rune.

“Wait, this in an entrance into Fey?”

“Well, they can’t all be glamorous,” he huffed.

He finished drawing the rune that opened the door and we both stepped back. There was no gust of wind or glowing light; in the real Fey world or (sigh) ‘Faeryland’, as it is more commonly known in the ‘Wold Above’ magic doesn’t work like that.  It is more subtle, evolution I suppose. You don’t want others knowing how powerful you are, in case someone decides they want to kill you and take your magic. Yes, magic is not showy in the least, that’s the rule be inconspicuous don’t get noticed. That is a lesson my parents learned the hard way. Let them know you have power and they will kill you so they can claim the power for themselves.

I balled my hands into fists. No, I would not think of how the Unseelie king killed my parents, the rightful rulers and took the throne from himself. No, I would not think of how he planned to have me publicly executed, but I had managed to escape by climbing through sewers while rats gnawed at my feet. Yes, I would think of how I was going to face my parent’s killer and face him with dignity.

I looked down, the rune had made a sort of hole in the ground which ,I guess, I was expected to climb into.

“Ladies first,” the captain motioned for me to go. I took a final breath of air from the human world and like Alice into the rabbit hole I went.