She stopped in her tracks.Looking up at the pink sky with shades of purple and blue.“There are two suns,” she said.
Jenna nodded.“Yes.We get beautiful rainbows when it rains.The unicorns love it.”
She swallowed audibly.“I fell and hit my head, didn’t I?Or I must’ve been given some shrooms by those bastard shifters.I thought the jerky tasted a little too good.Dammit.I’d hoped I really was being whisked off to some magical fairytale place.”
Her hands covered her face, wondering when reality would return.Her hands didn’t feel tingly, but she should’ve known something was wrong when she’d thought she was a silver fucking wolf with massive paws.
“Starla, you’re not hallucinating.You didn’t take any drugs, and you’re truly a beautiful silver wolf.Also, those wolves who took you weren’t all bad.The alpha, he was, and a couple others, but you were right about the funcles.”
The hope she’d thought life had distinguished flickered back to existence.She swallowed hard, unable to fully believe life would become as good for her as Jenna’s.She’d lost her parents when she was seven.Now at seventeen, she’d lost the male who was supposed to be her mate.
“I will not die from a broken heart, Jenna.I might be broken, but—I will survive.”Starla turned back the way Jenna had started walking.
“This is my home, Starla.The Fey Realm can heal many things if you give it a chance.See this placard?”Jenna showed her the window that slid back and forth on the door.“This is a way to let visitors know you don’t want anyone to knock.If it’s open, then you are saying you welcome others.If it’s shut like this, then nobody will bother you.Your choice for the first few days.After that, you can’t shut me out, though.”
Starla laughed.“So you can come and go even when I don’t want to talk to anyone?”
Jenna walked into the cottage, waving her hand in the air.“Obviously.If I didn’t set up parameters, some of my people would become hermits and waste away to nothing but husks.I cannot allow that, child.”
“I’m not a child, Jennaveve.I’m officially eighteen.”She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Yes, and if you were in a better state of mind, I’d organize a grand party with all of Fey.However, I fear you’d turn all wolfie on me and bite someone.”Jenna waved her hand around the room, brightening the space.
Starla’s eyes widened as bits of pink appeared.The grey sectional sofa looked roomy and comfortable with a velvety fabric she wanted to touch.She blinked as pink throw pillows appeared on several surfaces, including the sectional and barstools by the kitchen island.A reading chair that she swore three could fit in sat near a set of French doors, Starla could see opened up into a garden.She wondered if Jenna created the space with the thought of her and her males.
However, her gaze kept going to the tree growing in the center of the room.The thing astounded her.She moved closer, wanting to touch the fairy lights.They looked as though they were part of the structure.
“Is that real?”Starla asked, moving toward the majestic wood trunk.The branches stretched across the ceiling and flowed along the entire first floor, extending and swirling.Across the wall on one side, there were floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.Starla couldn’t imagine what sort of stories it held.
“You’re welcome to read anything your heart desires.There are spells on all of them that will translate the language to the reader's home tongue.”
“We’ve enchanted the kitchen, so you’ll find all the amenities from the human world right in there.Whatever your heart desires, the house will give, as long as it does not bring harm to you or any of my people.For instance, if you want a hamburger, you only need to open the fridge, and it’ll be right inside.If you want to cook it, that is.Now, if you want it all done and ready to eat, you just have to imagine it and bam, it’s ready where and when you want it.You only need to use your imagination.”Jenna stood next to a stainless-steel refrigerator that Starla was sure could fit ten people inside with room for a child or two.
“Wow, I could become a total slob.By the time I return to Earth, I’ll be like the guy from the Austin Powers movie.When I point to my stomach and sayGet in my belly, I’ll have people running in fear.”She poked her stomach, which thankfully happened to be flat at the moment.
“I’m not sure what kind of accent that was, or who this Austin with powers is, but I will not allow him to put you in his belly.That doesn’t sound fun.”Jenna looked alarmed.
Starla paused.“Jenna, have you never watched an Austin Powers movie?”She was horrified.When Jenna shook her head, Starla walked closer and took her hand.“Everything is going to be okay.Mama Starla is here.I’ll correct the injustice of your lack in movies.”
The poor Fey Queen blinked as if she were scared and slightly excited.Starla patted her hand again.“Continue with the tour, my Queen.”
Jenna slowly blinked but did as Starla said, moving toward a door at the other side of the large space.
“This is to be your bedroom.It is designed to your tastes and will change as you age.”
She followed Jenna into the large room, dismissing the words about aging.Her hand covered her mouth as she caught the first sight of the majestic room.Another tree cradled a bed massive enough to hold several people should she have a sleepover.Lights seemed to run through the bark like veins.A white and pink comforter so thick she had a feeling she’d burrow within and never want to come out.
“Where do the stairs lead?”she asked.The stairs were next to the bed and circled upward to the top of the tree.Windows made up the entire side of the room.As she watched, the light dimmed.
“You can set the light filtering if you don’t want to be awakened by the suns.As you noticed, we have two suns and two moons.Once you lie down or enter the room, you only need to think you don’t want the sun to wake you, and the windows will not allow the rays to enter.”
She sat down on the bed, feeling exhausted.“I...it’s a lot to take in.”
Jenna settled next to her.“Take a day to get yourself acclimated.Tomorrow we’ll begin training.”
“You think it’ll only take me a day to get acclimated, as you say?”Starla laughed.
“Trust me.You’re already more mature than you were an hour ago.”Jenna stood and left Starla on the bed.“You only need to think you want pajamas on, and you’ll have them.”
