The Hybrid Fae: Discovery

Chapter 1

The shadows in the bedroom danced all around as I lit the candle by my bedside. My foster parents had grounded me last week because of an incident at school that wasn’t even my fault.

A girl named Lily was all up on my best friend Drake last Thursday, telling him that I was a witch or some shit. Anyway, I told her to leave him alone, and she dared to even push me. That was when shit got weird. Everyone in the hallway started to chant some mumbo jumbo. I freaked, so I ran outside, getting soaked in the process. I stayed out there for the rest of the school day, afraid that something else could happen.

Well, since my foster brother Matt always keeps tabs on everything I do, I knew what was going to happen when I got home. Only my foster dad was home at the time, so I was lucky I had only been grounded for a month.

The candle had a strange glow to it, as if trying to decide to either go out or burn brighter. I took no notice of it, however, as I read through the books that I checked out from the library on Monday. So far, I haven’t found anything that could possibly be related to what I had heard or seen, which makes things complicated on my end. Most of the kids at my school now think that Lily is some type of witch and now I’m on the top of her list of people to mess with. 

I honestly never seem to get a break, can I?

Laying the books back on my desk, I go back to the night stand to blow out the candle.

“I wish someone could tell me that I don’t belong here,” I whispered in the darkening room.

The street lights dimmed as Raegan ambled down the street swiftly and silently. It was a quarter past four, still too early for dawn. When he found the address, Raegan walked across the road and sat down at the bus stop, waiting for her to wake up so she could meet someone who has been waiting for her for so many years.

It was eight minutes to six when I walked downstairs to the kitchen. Mom and Dad left an hour ago, taking Matt to his piano recital, which was at eight thirty. It really seemed odd that they left me here by myself when I’m supposed to be grounded. Grabbing a granola bar from the cabinet, I grab my book bag and head out the door.

Taking my usual route around the side yard and down the dirt path, I arrive at the bus stop in less than five minutes. I sit down and eat my granola bar, knowing that I had seventeen minutes until the bus came. I barely noticed the young man with a black hood over his head sitting nearby. It wasn’t until he spoke that I remembered something from my past.

“I take it you’re Saroya?” he says with a deep accent.

“Yes,” I reply bluntly. “Who else would I be? The Wicked Witch of the West?”

“Well, your skin isn’t green, and you’re not from the Land of Oz,” the young man replied.

“What is your name, and why are you here?”

There is nothing but there a slight breeze for a moment.

“Raegan, Raegan Phoenix. I am here to help you escape this dreaded place.”

I turned to see if he was actually serious. There was a small smile on his illusive face, and I knew right then that I was in the middle of something that was nowhere close to being normal. Heck, what did I ever know about normal? Here I am, talking to a guy who seems to have jumped from a fictional novel and is willing to help me run away from a life that I was forced into when I was only two years old.

Looking at my watch, I continue to ponder through my thoughts for a few minutes before making a decision. If I don’t go, I’ll have to deal with Lily and her clan of misfits. If I decide to leave, then there would be no more foster parents, no more Matt, no more Lily. I smiled at that.

“When do we get out of this hell hole?”I blurted out.

Raegan laughs.

“Whenever you’re ready Saroya,” he replied.

Standing up, I pull my bag over my shoulder, and look over at Raegan, who had yet to start moving.

“I’m waiting,” I said with a yawn.

Raegan stood up and smirked at me.

“My, my, you really do want out of this dump,” he said, turning to his left and taking out an artifact that was very peculiar and beautiful.

As Raegan started to chant something in a strange language, a portal started to materialize in front of my eyes. Many thoughts came to me, but I let them pass. When the portal was complete, Raegan took a few steps back to let me go through first.

When I made it through to the other side, I was suddenly mesmerized by the stunning beauty of the landscape in front of me. In all of my life, I had never seen such a magical place like this. There were macaws that were purple and monkeys the color of rainbows, and the marvelous thing about this place were the trees. They danced and swayed, and I could barely make out the tune of a merry song being sung by people with pointy ears. Wait. Could they be elves?

Before I started towards the elves, Raegan at last came through the portal, which then disappeared as if it had never existed.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” I said, ignoring his glare. “While you were taking your time, I noticed some elves over yonder.”

Raegan sighed.

“If you only knew the half of it,” he muttered. “So, you said that there are elves around here?

“Yeah. All you have to do is follow their voices, since they’ve finished their singing.”

Raegan turns to look at me.

“I’ll go and talk to them. You just stay here and keep out of sight. Don’t let anyone see you. Understand?”

I nod my head.

“Good. Normally, it is hard to resist an elf when they are in song, but you seem to be alright. I’ll be right back. But just in case I don’t, you wait twenty minutes and then make a run for it. If you are being followed, the best thing for you is to climb the trees.”

“Got it. Wait for you. If you don’t come back, run. If followed, hide up in the trees.”

Raegan smiles for a moment.

“Smart girl.”

He vanishes through the ferns in the direction of the elves. Crouching down in the grass, I wait patiently for him to come back. Even though I knew him for less than an hour, I feel like I can trust him. I start to think of Derek and Phoebe, and a small hole forms in the center of my heart. I abandoned my best friends, and I’ll never see them again. I feel like such a terrible person right now. Why does there always have to be consequences for everything I do?

Raegan ducks under the ferns, followed by a boy with fair brown hair. I looked closely to make sure that the boy didn’t have any weapons before coming out of my hiding place in the underbrush. The elf was startled by my sudden appearance, but quickly recovered himself.

“Is this Saroya?”he asked. 

Raegan nodded, and I smiled. The elf bowed.

“It is an honor to make your acquaintance Saroya,” the elf says. “I’m Arthur.”

“It is very nice to meet you Arthur,” I reply, relieved that nothing out of the ordinary has happened yet.

“We must leave,” Raegan suddenly cuts in. “The Royals will send guards after us if they hear of your return.”