Page 57 of The Fae Girl 1

“Partly.” I admitted. Sinking into the armchair. “I don’t know how to exist here. I don’t understand this world. And I don’t see how I can help.”

“Jelric will help you.” Nela said. “He’ll teach you how to use your magic.”

“That’s not what I mean. I…” I sighed. “I’m not a fighter. I’m not that person.” I could feel my eyes welling up. I could feel all the frustration finally coming to a head. “I’m not brave.”

Nela sat back, assessing me. For a moment it felt like both Indi and I held our breath, waiting for her to speak. “We were all like that at the beginning. We all thought like that. But you learn. Circumstances make you learn.”

I rubbed my palms over my face. She wasn’t listening. None of them were. They all just seemed to be stuck so steadfastly in their own beliefs that they wouldn’t listen to reason, wouldn’t see it.

My eyes drifted to the door. No doubt beyond it were more guards standing watch.Ensuring their precious Fae was locked up nice and safe.

“Stop overthinking it.” Indi said gently.

“How can I?” I half snapped. “I’m here, in this place. Where everything is alien. Where I’m not even able to go where I want, eat what I want. Do what I want.”

Indi smiled kindly. Even Nela looked sympathetic.

I slumped back in the chair. Giving up. It was like reasoning with a brick wall.

“Let’s get out.” Indi said more to Nela than me.

“Excuse me?” I sat up eyeing her suspiciously.

“The castle will be deserted at this time. We could go up, get some fresh air, see the stars.”

Nela frowned like she didn’t like the idea but my heart leapt at it. To be out of these four walls.

I looked at Nela pleadingly. She shook her head slightly like she didn’t quite believe she was agreeing to it.

“Fine.” She stated. “But the guards accompany us.”

I nodded in agreement. Hell, I’d say yes to anything if it meant getting out of this damn room.

* * *

‘See the stars’well, Indi certainly wasn’t lying about that.

We stood at the very top of what they said was the Observatory. Below us even the Upper Castle looked small, and above us, above us, I could barely describe it.

I thought I’d seen stars before. I thought I’d got the whole concept of ‘stargazing’ but this was something else entirely. It was like someone had painted the very sky. As though the entirety of heaven was glistening above us. I stared up, to the point where my neck actually hurt.

“That’s the Old Maid.” Indi said pointing to a star that seemed to flicker orange as though it would soon burn out. “…and that’s the Warrior.” She drew her hand along, pointing out the seven parts that made up what looked like a rudimental stick man.

I nodded casting my eyes around as it sunk in that even the stars weren’t the same. That the constellations themselves weren’t like those on earth. There was no Orion’s belt, no plough, none of them.

“We use the Goddess for navigation.” Nela murmured pointing right above us to the star I’d been subconsciously staring at. The one that seemed to hang right above, as though mimicking, mocking the northern star. “If you point straight up with your left arm, you should be able to spin around and point with your right to where the Messenger is. The Messenger is true north.”

I nodded hoping I’d never need to navigate like that. But then, if I wanted to escape, if I wanted to get away, surely knowing which direction I was in would be vital?

Nela smirked as she watched me. “Still planning your breakout?” She murmured.

My eyes widened. I shook my head. “No.”

“Don’t lie. I can see it, in your face, in your eyes. You’re not convinced yet.”

I gulped, looking away, knowing another lecture was coming.

She leaned over the battlements, keeping her eyes fixed on the city far below us. “You know when I first came here, I hated this place. It was too busy. Too many people, too much everything.”

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