The Draoi

Part 5

"Adair Uchei, You have been found guilty of Conspiracy to Murder. You are sentenced to imprisonment until your days end."

Jack kneeled in the small doorway, bent awkwardly at the hip. He'd dropped Reanna off at the palace and moved carefully through the caverns to the Court. It had been hard to believe but he saw with his own eyes as Adair was on his knees in front of Rowan, the Queen. He watched as Adair turned to leave, being dragged to his punishment. The faerie turned his head slightly and caught sight of the Draoi, a sly grin spreading across his face. Leaning towards Jack, the flittering creature spat on the ground in front of him.

"The day you die is the day I rejoice, bréagach."

Jack widened his eyes, shifting forward slowly as Adair was dragged away.

"Rowan, I heard about Adair. What happened?"

The elder faerie rose from her throne and flittered over to Jack, her weary face brightening at the sight of her old friend. Jack cupped his hand, and Rowan sank down, lounging comfortably in his palm.

"Adair was found in your home, trying to hide a Monkshood underneath your cot." She said sadly.

Jack's eyebrow rose, Monkshood was well known for asphyxiation, often referred to as 'The Queen of Poisons.'

"I fear he would have succeeded in his plan for your demise had Casey not been watching him closely. Apparently Adair had been acting strange recently, strange enough to warrant the watchful gaze of Casey." Rowan grew serious again, her face dropping with the weight of her responsibilities.

"Where is Casey? I should thank him." Jack looked up, searching for the familiar yellow eyes.

"Casey was injured in an altercation with Adair. He is resting in the infirmary, and I apologize, but the infirmary is too small for you."

Jack nodded, understanding. "I trust that I will be informed when Casey is well again?"

"Of course." Rowan patted his finger. "Now onto other matters, why is it that you have graced us with your presence? I doubt you knew of your almost death." She smiled.

Jack walked back into the main area, an open cavern with glittering lights, and enough space for him to fit.

"I came because I needed some faerie dust." He asked sheepishly.

Rowan's eyes widened. Faerie dust was very difficult to come by, as it required the natural death of a faerie. The faerie's refused to kill another for any reason. "I will have to check if any recent deaths have occurred, and even then, you know they don't always produce dust."

Jack knew, it was why he rarely made potions requiring the dust. He had some left at his cabin, but there wasn't enough for the potion he had to make.

Rowan sighed. "If I may ask, what is the dust for?"

Jack sighed. "I have told the client that It was for a strengthening agent, but..."

Rowan rose an eyebrow. "Sean, I need to know what it is actually for if I am to help."

"I want to make a love potion." Jack hung his head in shame.

The queen looked shocked for a moment, her aged face twisted into confusion. A love potion was no reason for this much secrecy, let alone for Sean to feel anxious to ask. It took her little more than a few seconds to realize what Jack truly wanted. She laughed.

"You are not the first Draoi to fall for a pretty lass. But it's rare for one to stoop to using a love potion, why not just tell the girl? You're not one to get nervous, Sean."

Jack lowered his gaze from his friend. "That's the thing, Rowan. I've never met someone like Mark. He makes my cheeks turn bright and my stomach got a fluttery inside." He looked up to see Rowan's reaction.

The faerie barely batted an eye. "Sean, I know the human world may seem a bit slow on their acceptance, but Faeries have no use for hatred in the eyes of love. Do not fear that I have a changed perspective of you. I will ask Caite if she has any newly dead for you, and get back to you."

Jack let out a sigh of relief and smiled, gently patting Rowan's small head with his index finger. She was too small for a hug, and the two were close enough for him to be this informal. "Thank you, Rowan."

The elder Faerie simply waved her hand dismissively. "I am simply doing my job, serving the Draoi."

Jack disliked that fact, he preferred to think of the faeries as friends who help him, rather than duty bound to assist. Gently letting go of Rowan, the faerie fluttered her wings and bowed slightly towards Jack. He returned the act with a head nod, smiling. Rowan turned and landed gracefully on the ground, massaging her wings.

"I trust you can show yourself out." She said.

Jack turned away from his friend and simply held out his palm in front of him.

"Snámhphointe."

His feet lifted from the ground and he began to float upwards towards the base of the tree. As long as he held his hand like this, he would continue to stay aloft. He heard quiet mutterings all around him and watched the small mouse holes, as faeries fluttered out to watch him. He spotted a small female faerie, couldn't be much older than 5 in human time. Her eyes were wide in awe as he moved upwards. He waved and gave her a smile, watching as the little one hid her face in her mother's leg. Jack saw the crack where the roots lifted and reached up an arm to grasp at the hardened dirt. The spell pushed him up another few inches before Jack used his spell hand to grab hold of the ground and gravity worked on him once again. Over the years, Jack's arms had gotten stronger and he lifted himself up with ease. Grunting, he turned over onto his back and laid there for a moment, staring up at the sky.

"Time to go back to work." He said to himself, and pulled himself up.