The two guards’ mouths swung open as though they were completely dumbfounded. Then, their heads whipped back and forth as they exchanged looks at each other, and then back to me.
“No one is supposed to come down here,” one of them hissed to the other, “especially not humans!”
“Shh.” The other grabbed the head of his partner, yanking it close to whisper something into his long ear. After a few moments of frantic hissing and whispering, their heads popped back up, and one of them stalked towards us, aiming his sword out in front of him.
“If you are a princess,” he sneered in a grating voice, “then prove it.”
A cold knot formed in my throat. “I… I have no proof.”
“Why are you really here?” he pressed, lowering his sword to the hem of my skirt. “Are you hiding any weapons under this pretty dress? I can’t believe the humans would send two puny girls to try to assassinate our king. How weak do they think we are?” The pair of them snickered as the nearer one used the tip of his sword to lift my skirt.
“Stop that!” Raena cried, and suddenly she dropped her hands to tug something sharp out of her boot. It glinted in the violet light as she held it out towards the guard.
An iron dagger. My heart sank.
“You are assassins!” the guard yelped, staggering backwards. “Get them!” he barked at his companion, who almost dropped his sword in shock.
“Run!” I all but screamed, grabbing Raena’s hand and pulling her into a sprint. We charged towards the round door, the dagger still locked in her grasp. “Please be unlocked. Please be unlocked,” I pleaded as the huge door came closer and closer.
Thankfully, the divine beings must’ve been smiling down on us that night, because as soon as my palms crashed against the door, it swung open to reveal a bustling night market town. Rows of stalls and carts, each one crammed full of exotic treasures, lined a winding cobblestone path. Behind them, tall, oddly-built terraced houses stood watch over the busy street, the flickering lights from the windows casting a warm glow on the people below.
That’s if you could considerthemto be people.
Flitting between the stalls, laughing and bartering with the market sellers, were dozens upon dozens of long-limbed faeries. They moved so gracefully, like fish in a stream as the unusual fabrics of their clothing shimmered in the light. Their complexions were strange, too, their skin tones ranging in every colour from natural hues to bright pastels. And while some of them were blue, none of them had the horrid, gnarled look of that ‘faery’ in the portrait.
I could’ve spent hours taking it all in. But unfortunately, with the sounds of clinking armour rapidly approaching behind us, we had no time to marvel.
With a quick breath, I charged into the crowds, Raena following closely behind. Either side of us, faeries leapt out of the way, some yelping upon noticing our human faces and then Raena’s weapon.
“Hide that dagger!” I hissed.
Raena didn’t dare argue. Within seconds, it was concealed behind her cloak.
“Why do you even have that?” I demanded, plunging deeper into the market crowds. Apologies bubbled out of my throat as our bodies bumped into so many innocent faeries.
“Why do you think? We couldn’t just come here without any sort of protection!” Raena shot back, struggling to keep up.
“We would’ve been fine if you hadn’t overreacted!”
“Me? Overreacting? He was about to lift up your skirts! I’m surprised you didn’t smack him yourself.”
Behind us, the guards’ furious shouts sliced through the market noise. “After them!” one barked. “Assassins! Human assassins!”
In the distance, a deafeningly loud horn sounded. It echoed across the streets, the shocking volume causing the faeries around us to clasp their hands over their pointed ears.
“We have to get out of here,” I said, not wanting to wait and find out what the siren meant for us. Chest burning, I raced through the crowds, Raena sprinting alongside me. Together, we moved with such urgency that I didn’t even stop to apologise as we sent a faery man crashing into a barrel of strange fruit. Golden berries tumbled down the cobbled path as we struggled to keep on our feet.
After a few more panicked minutes, we both skidded to a halt. The market stalls had disappeared and before us was a crossroad.
“This way!” I grabbed Raena’s hand and pulled her to the right, not daring to stop and think about it. Tall houses flew past us as we kept panting and running down the long winding road. From the fading sound of their steps against the stone, the two guards behind us appeared to slow. And for a moment, I thought we might actually escape. That was until, up ahead, I heard the sound of at least twenty more footsteps, and then fifty, and then at least a hundred – all charging towards us.
Suddenly, a small army of guards, their swords and spears drawn, marched down the street. When I went to whirl around and pull Raena back the way we came, another few squads came bounding over from the opposite direction.
We were completely surrounded. Every possible path was blocked.
“Oh Oceans…” Raena squealed. “This is it.”
“Stay calm. Seraphina promised they wouldn’t harm us.” Although I struggled to believe her with the faery guards prowling closer and closer, gaining on us until I could see our panicked faces reflecting in their silver armour. My eyes squeezed shut. The heavy footsteps and clanging metal was almost louder than the pounding heartbeat in my ears. Maybe death wouldn’t be so bad… Perhaps my parents would be waiting for me.
