Des'Tai: Book One

92: Faye

Faye had squirmed around in Maverick's hand just as the gates to the temple closed and she could see the swarm carrying off a struggling Tyron. She'd never intended on getting anyone hurt by hiding her and the one person she worried about most was Tyron. She tried to reach out for him, but she was bound by Maverick's hold.

"Let me go!" she screamed, flailing and slapping her small hands atop Maverick's. "You were meant to protect both of us, not just me! We need to help him!"

She could feel her temperature rising and if Maverick hadn't been shocked by her uniqueness before, he was about to see a cherry red Faye in the palm of his hand. He attempted to calm her by hushing and trying to soothe her saying Tyron would be okay, but she was being stubborn as usual.

"You aren't listening to me! He's my savior, not you damn it! Let me go you big buffoon!" she continued squirming about until she felt Maverick's wrist pop and her whole body shaking up and down.

"Look fairy," he finally spoke, his words seething through his lips after he'd rattled her like a pepper shaker. "I don't have time for this shit. You're closer to the King now than before so you'd better just put a lid on it and worry more about us than him."

Faye felt her head swirling lightly and she was trying to gain focus on her current surroundings, but he'd shaken her so hard she could literally feel her head swaying in circles.

"Damn...I almost killed you," he sighed quietly, opening his palm so she could rest back and gain some composure.

"Maverick?" a raspy yet charming voice ran through both their ears, causing the guard to close his fingers, caging Faye in as he slowly turned around and found the man everyone was looking for.

"Artemis," he bowed his head and held out his hand to show the small fairy creature he'd hidden in his palm.

If Faye hadn't still felt dizzy from her shaking, she would've jumped right out of Maverick's hands and into Artemis's. Instead, Artemis gently picked Faye up and placed her into his own palm, a quiet hum rumbling in his chest.

"Well this is strange little lady, you weren't supposed to be human," he began slowly, eyeing her slowly, her brows wrinkling in thought. "And by the chaos surrounding us, I'd say you had been for a moment."

Faye propped herself up on her elbows, shaking at the anger and fear she felt rising up in her veins.

"Luna changed me back for a day, but when the meteor shower hit she changed me back to this...I'm a freaking bug!"

Artemis turned around in thought, his free hand rubbing at his chin.

"Mr. Thorn kissed you correct? It's why the stars fell from the heavens..." he muttered to himself, not allowing her to answer. "Which means the process has begun...I wonder."

He continued pacing in a small patch of grass, a few other elves passing by whispering as pointing in his direction. Faye attempted to listen to what they were saying as well as what Artemis was thinking aloud, but nothing was comprehensible. Maverick had shaken her so hard, she felt like throwing up. Tyron would kick his ass had he seen what he had done, Faye was sure of it.

"Has he said he loved you?" he inquired, one brow lifted higher than the other.

Faye was speechless, her eyes wide and her mouth agape at the thought of Tyron loving her. She was a fairy/human/fairy...there was no love to be had. This elf was outrageously insane. Glancing over his shoulder at Maverick, he turned his body and strode towards him.

"I need you to take Miss Abernacky and Mr. Thorn back to my wife," he held out his hand and then recoiled, "But if you shake her again, I'll kill you."

The fear washing over Maverick was intense and Faye felt it radiating off of him as he gently scooped her up and placed her in his pocket, apologizing quietly as he watched Artemis wander off.

"Sir," he called out, taking one bold move forward, the nervous sweat dripping from his brow, "Thorn is with Esmerelda. How do I..."

"Not my problem Mav, what do I pay you for?" a hearty laugh jiggling his small belly as he disappeared behind a few trees, leaving the two of them speechless.