Chapter 3

Three

EMORY

Somehow, I thought walking through the veil between the realms would be… I don’t know, more? Mostly, it’s just loud and kind of smells weird. The air doesn’t stink exactly, but it’s not as fresh as it was, even though I still stand surrounded by trees.

Aside from that, I can’t find it in myself to complain as I feel the pull of my mate bond stronger than I’ve ever felt before.

They’re here!

Knowing this trip isn’t for nothing fills me with so much excitement I’m moving through the trees without thought, running in the direction the bond leads me. It doesn’t take but a few minutes before I hit the edge of the woods and come to a grinding halt.

What the hell is this place?

Where I was surrounded by trees as far as the eye can see a moment ago, I now stand with the trees to my back, facing out at what I can only assume must be one of their cities.

Shit, it’s so big.

Alright, don’t panic. You knew this wouldn’t be easy. Nothing ever is.

First things first, I need a guide.

I stare at the mass of buildings for a moment longer before I pull myself away and head back into the forest.

Having never been to the mortal realm wasn’t something that used to concern me. Unlike the rest of the court and fae, I never really cared to venture here, but for those who had been before the ban, it was as if they craved it. Stories of the mortal realm were always the highlight of almost everything. It was as if the more stories you had, the higher your status. Which was obviously bullshit, but listening to them always piqued my curiosity. Everything sounded like part of a fever dream or made up. Cars, planes, the noise, and the sheer amount of people were impossible to imagine. All the stories hadn’t prepared me for this.

I’m not sure anything could’ve.

Thankfully, Zephyr had thought of damn near everything and insisted we made a plan. I should probably thank him when I get back. Not with words, though. I’m not sure his ego can handle more of a boost, but there are other ways.

I don’t have to go far before I come upon a wildflower bed under a large tree.

Perfect.

I’d only packed a few things for my trip. Even with less magic, most things are easy enough to craft, for example, the jar I’ll need. In my realm, I simply could have conjured it without a thought. Here, it takes a bit of concentration, but nothing too strenuous. Not everything can be made like that though, for example, nectar cakes.

As a whole, we fae folk have a terrible sweet tooth. Seelie, Unseelie, banished, or here in the mortal realm, that doesn’t change. Nectar cake just so happens to be one of the sweetest treats in either realm and is incredibly hard to get, even for the royal courts. The only reason I was able to get my hands on it was because I’d asked my father for it for my birthday. This year, I turned three hundred. While my stepmother loves to ignore my existence as often as possible, this year, her reputation was on the line, and she couldn’t have that.

Turning three hundred meant I would be going to Ironcrest Academy, which is something she’s expected to celebrate as I’m her heir. I have no doubt it was the only reason she allowed Father to get the one thing I requested. But the reason doesn’t matter so long as I have it.

Keeping the cake for the last week was hard as hell. All I wanted to do was eat it, but I knew I needed it to ensure this worked. It was the only thing I could guarantee would lure a pixie to me.

Pixies might be mischievous little assholes, but they're smart enough to stay away from the rest of the fae folk. Their games don’t work on us as easily, and we often see through their deception, something I’ve heard mortals are not great at doing. Which means they aren’t likely to take any other bait, especially from the royal bloodline.

Stupid bloodlines.

The sliver of cake is tiny, given how rare it is, but it should be more than enough to attract a pixie or two. Pulling it from my pack, I crumble it in my hand before letting the pieces fall into the flowers. It takes everything in me not to drop to my knees and eat them from the dirt. Somehow, I manage to move away to a nearby tree, where I take cover and wait with my jar.

I hear them before I see them. Their tiny wings beat rapidly to keep them in the air. They’re quick, zipping around as they beeline toward the bed of flowers without a thought.

“It’s mine.”

“No, I smelt it first!”

Their tiny, squeaky shouts bounce around the otherwise quiet clearing loud and clear, and I fight the urge to cover my ears from the high pitch. They argue all the way to the flowers before three little streaks of color zip by, disappearing, no doubt searching for the sweet treat they smell.

The second they disappear, I’m moving. Pixies are tiny, quick, and ravenous when it comes to food. If I wait too long, I might very well miss them, and I can’t have that, especially not now that I gave them my nectar cake.

On silent feet, I make my way to the flowers, listening. Their tiny voices continue to argue, but I can hear their jaws work as they devour the cake. Any second now.

“I got the last piece!” one of them squeals, shooting up into the air with a piece in hand, avoiding the others and flying right into my path. She’s flying freely one moment, and the next, she’s nestled behind the glass as I quickly pop the lid in place. Shock drops the smile from her tiny lips, but she doesn’t drop the cake, instead shoving it all in her mouth before she yells at me with chipmunk cheeks.

“Let me out, demon spawn!” she hisses or tries to. Her words are a bit jumbled, but my hearing is good enough that I get the idea. Many don’t like my stepmother, regardless of what court they hail from.

Hell, I don’t like her either, but most don’t know that. They wouldn’t have the slightest idea of the torture I endure at her hand or command. She’s another reason I need to find all my mates and be as powerful as possible.

Once, both the Seelie and Unseelie queens had multiple mates, but two of them were killed. Nobody knows for sure who did it or what happened, but I’d bet a whole nectar cake it was probably them going after one another. Their crazy quest for power put the entire realm in danger, so I wouldn’t put this past them, either.

“Sorry, I can’t do that, at least not yet,” I say, and that’s enough to get her attention. Pixies hate to be restrained, though I’d imagine most things would.

“I need to find my mates, which means I need you to help me understand the mortal realm.”

The pixie is quiet for a moment before she begins to laugh hysterically. She laughs, getting progressively louder despite her tiny body until she finally laughs herself right out of the air, landing with a thud on the bottom of the jar.

“Stupid girl, fae don’t mate with mortals, at least not anymore,” she tells me as she pulls herself onto her feet, still clutching at her stomach.

I shouldn’t let it get to me. I know how pixies are, but something about the way she continues to laugh really rubs me the wrong way. She has no idea what she’s talking about. Yes, it’s been a long time since someone came from our realm to collect a mate, but that’s not because we don’t mate with mortals. It’s because we're not allowed to come for them anymore. Anyone with a mate on this side is expected to leave them, forever missing a part of themselves. It’s disgusting and wrong, but what the queens say is law, and as far as I’m aware, nobody has dared to go against them, until now.

“Yeah, laugh it up, but you’re not getting out of this jar until I find them, so you better hope you're wrong.” The smile melts off her face at my words.

The other pixies had been quietly watching until now, peeking out behind the flowers but not daring to come closer, probably in fear that I have more jars to get them with. I don’t, and I wouldn’t. Having one of them is going to be more than enough stress as it is, but they don’t need to know that.

With the pixie safely sealed in the jar, I start back toward the city. I don’t need her to tell me my mate isn’t simply lurking in the woods, but I get the feeling I’m going to need her for just about everything else.