Page 22 of Faking with the Fae King

“He brought his palace to Earth?” My friend’s eyes widen. “Damn. I knew the shadow fae wanted to find a new realm to live in, since theirs is a wasteland right now, but I never thought it would be Earth. The fae always say magic’s too weak here.”

“Severin’s magic sure as hell works. Maybe he’s super powerful or something. Although, I think the magic here is getting stronger every day. We have walking tulips now!” I make a scurrying motion with two fingers. “They run around on little root feet.”

“Severin did that?”

I shake my head. “One of the other women who are witches, but we don’t know who. That’s the other thing Iwanted to talk to you about.” I fill her in on how only some people can see magic and how we used that to figure out a bunch of us might be witches. It’s not super surprising for her—she was there when that fae said Ferndale Falls has witches. “None of us know how to use magic, though. We had a meeting here last night to talk about it. I hoped you’d be able to help us, and I need to start with me.”

Naomi pulls her crystal necklace from under her top and holds the pendant out to me. “Grab this and see if you feel anything.”

I do as she says, scrunching my eyes closed and straining for long moments. Then I drop my hand, letting out a disappointed breath. “Nothing. I really hoped this would work. I need to know my magic right freaking now.”

“Why?” She narrows her eyes at me. “What haven’t you told me?”

“So about marrying Severin… I only get to do it if I pass one of these magical bride competition thingies the shadow fae do.”

“What?” she shrieks.

I jolt. Thank god I’ve got a travel mug, because otherwise I would have splattered both of us with hot coffee. “It’s not that bad! I just need to win one of the three events, and then he can pick me!”

“Are they dangerous?”

“He says no, they’re just magical.” I pull out the invitation and hand it to her.

Her lips purse as she reads. “Are you sure about this?”

“Totally sure.” Okay, not really, but I’m determined to make it work.

“I’m going with you to these trials. It says you need a representative, so that can be me.” She levels a finger at me. “At the first sign of trouble, I’m teleporting you out.”

I hold up my hands. “Zero arguments here.”

Naomi jumps up, heads into the backroom, and returns with an armful of books. “I started ordering books on magic and witchcraft a while back.”

I pull out my phone and text Skye and Autumn.If you’ve got time, I’m at I Touch My Shelf researching books on magic.

Books!!! Magic!Skye adds five eye-heart emojis.Say less!

On my way!Autumn writes.

I grin and crack open the first book, feeling relieved. With besties like these, how can I fail?

CHAPTER NINE

Severin

Less than an hour later, Shadow steps through the door from Faerie in his fae form, naked again.

He’s followed by…

“You must be joking,” I mutter.

A flock of pixies flies into the clearing in a flutter of bright-blue. The sunlight mutes some of their usual glow, so evident at night, but each miniscule fae still looks as if they swallowed a magical candle that lights them from within. They wear clothing made out of blue leaves, matching their blue skin, hair, and moth wings. Their attire reminds me that blue birch no longer exists in Avalon, another loss to the Dark God, and I vow then and there to bring the magical trees back to my home.

“What’s this?” I arch an eyebrow.

“Your first lead,” Shadow says. “They want to open apizza place.”

“Pizza!” The pixies echo in a high chorus of shrieks, the flock swirling through the air in a complicated dance of excitement.

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