Be Sure to Wear a Disguise

"Stop this."

The words close in on me as a hand grasps at my shoulder. My eyes snap open, like they've been closed the whole time, and I look down at my feet where I'd though a swimming whole was. Instead my throat closed to see a sharp drop, then a black silty sludge at the bottom. The sea-foam shard glass boy was gone, replaced by an inky black thing that writhed in the sludge, smoky black claws on the walls, waiting for me.

I shrink away from the edge, so fast I kick a shoe over the edge and cut my foot on the rocks. I hear a hiss from the creature and a soft sound of my shoe being sucked down into the sludge. My ribs won't expand and I'm losing air. I almost lost my life. I was tricked. I see it all now, like when my eyes snapped open. With that, my eyes dart up, to where the figure stands that stopped me from jumping.

"You..." My lungs use their last bit of air to squeeze out a word that is neither question nor calling.

The Fae's gold eyes look at me solemnly as my vision fades to black.



You're alive. Open your eyes.

My eyes open, slits of light bleeding into my darkness. It's soft light, like a candle in the far corner, but it's light. The roof is low, and thatch. The world filters in with smells. Earth and some spice, something sharp that wakes me further. My eyes open all the way and the candle light casts great shadows.

The Fae.

She sits on a low stool by the foot of the cot, a bowl in her hands. I prop myself up on my elbows. Her gold eyes flash up from stirring the bowl. The flickering like shimmers in her irises. Her head tilts and a curtain of purple black hair falls, creating a shadow over her face in the soft light.

"What happened?" I manage a hoarse whisper. Her slim arm extends and her finger points to some place beside me. I'm confused till i realize that she's actually pointing to a table next to me. There is a jug and when I look back at her, she nods. I take the jug and tilt it back. Water. I feel selfish, but drink it all.

A kelpie tried to eat you.

Her voice seems to come from in my mind, like it were a thought of my own. It's like a landscape. I don't know if that's a way to describe a voice, but that's what I can think of. Hills and valleys, soft grass and jagged rocks, dead trees and lush rivers, all of it seems to fill the memory of her voice. I look at her, trying to figure her out, to see her even, but she hides behind the curtain of shadows she's created for herself.

Her hand continues to stir the contents of the bowl. Then the spoon lifts out and the bright red paste catches the light, flaring off its colour. I raise an eyebrow, wondering what kind of use such a thing would have.

It's a spice. For food.

Again, the voice resonated as if I've thought too loudly to myself. It makes me knit my brow in confusion. The Fae stands and walks over to an antique chest, sets the bowl on top and then moves out of the room. After a bit, she walks back in with another bowl. She spoons some of the red spice into the new bowl and stirs. It looks like rice. She walks to the foot of the cot and gently kicks the stool closer to me.

I sit up and take the bowl as she hands it over. I eat quietly, the weird spice filling my mouth. The Fae watches me for a moment, her gold eyes emotionless. She turns away and pulls her stool with her, back to the foot of the bed. I watch her as a eat the rice and notice for the first time that my right foot has a bandage wrapped around it.

From the stones by the pool.

I shiver a little, thinking of the black sludge. The Fae unwraps the bandage, and my foot starts to feel the sting of the cut. She wraps the bandage around on itself and cleans the wound out and rewraps my foot with a clean bandage.

"Is it bad? It'll heal soon, right?" I ask. "Where's Caan?"

Her lips turn up at the corner, in a kind smile. She stands and walks out of the room again. I finish the rice and set the bowl on the low table beside me. There is a bustle and a rustle and then Caan bursts into the room and engulfs me in a hug. My arms coil around his body and his warmth seeps into me. He pulls away and looks down at me.

"You're okay now," He whispers, "Don't wander off."

I smile and a small laugh bubbles out. I bury my face into his neck and pull him tightly into my arms. I feel him tighten his own grip.

"I won't."