Page 1 of The Fae Girl 1

Istared up the long drive in complete disbelief.

The teasing glimpses of a gothic style building peeked through the enormous trees that lined each side of a sweeping gravel road.

Could this really be it?I was sure I had the address right but now, standing here, seeing this, I seriously had my doubts. I pulled my phone, double checked, and couldn’t see any mistakes.

But there was no way this was right. How could it be?

Part of me wanted to turn around, find a coffee shop or somewhere and figure it out from there, but that was the cowardly part. The running part. The part I’d let rule for most of my life and where had it got me? Nowhere but misery that’s where.

But not anymore.

Not now.

Everything was different now.Iwas different now. And I was damned if I was going to go back to being the same old Alice. I was a new Alice, a better Alice. I had choices now, I could control my own life, and by god was I was finally going to live like it.

I brushed my hair out of my face and as I did I saw the sign, partly obscured by overgrown weeds. Hollingshurst Hall. The taxi had brought me to the right place.

Walking up past the wrought iron gates I stopped again, this time looking across what once would’ve been immaculately cut grass leading to an ornamental garden and lake that had clearly seen better days.

I took a deep breath and shook my head at the absurdity of it all.

At the absurdity of this entire situation.

Two months ago I was trapped in a boarding school I’d loathed, surrounded by bullies who’d loved nothing more than to torment me about all my dead family. And what made it even worse was my only living relative, a distant uncle I’d never even met, was the one who had stuck me there in the first place and had shown no inclination to do anything other than pretend I didn’t exist.

But now I was free. Free of the school and free of the bullies. And truth be told free of my uncle too. Another family member dead.

So now there really was just me.

Me and this house.

I shook my head again before picking up my bag which not only weighed a ton but seemed to get heavier with every step.

It was time to see what exactly this house was.

As I approached the trees theatrically revealed the contours of the architecture bit by bit until finally the whole place was there, in front of me, like a giant mirage.

The place was huge, gothic, and almost something otherworldly. Both the side wings were completed with large towers and the imposing set of stairs up to the entrance made you feel like the whole place was staring down at you. Judging you almost.

“Hollingshurst.” I said aloud for the first time as though I was trying to see what the syllables sounded like. What they felt like on my tongue.

The name alone made me shiver.

“Hello? Can I help you?”

I jumped and almost twisted my ankle as I spun round at the voice behind me.

“Hi. I’m Alice.” I said looking at the man but saw no recognition in his face. “Alice Gifford.”

“No Gifford has been here in over twenty years.” He replied almost crossly, puffing himself up somewhat, the look on his face saying what his mouth had not. That I was a liar. A fraud.

“Oh well, I…” I began. My cheeks already heating with an embarrassment I shouldn’t be feeling.

“Oh Hello.” A woman called walking up behind me at speed. “You must be Miss Gifford.”

I spun round again, feeling almost outnumbered by the pair of them.

“Er, yes, I’m Alice.” I replied with what was meant to be a smile of confidence but it felt more one of relief.

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