Beyond the Iron Gate (The Faery Meadow Book 1)

Far away from Elaine, Lorcan still sat crossed-legged on the boulder. The darkness blanketed over the faery wood enabled him to see the trail of faery dust the woman left behind like bread crumbs. Lorcan wanted to wait for her to call for him.

He would be able to hear. Not enough time had elapsed since she ran off for her to be out of hearing distance, especially since he was beginning to suspect she had no idea what she was.

She was unclaimed, or as many of his kind referred to the single members of their species, unmated. For her safety, and other reasons, he felt inclined to begin the process. If she grew to hate him she could weasel her way out of it. He didn’t really care about any of that right now though.

He was too busy playing cat and mouse. The woman interested him and it didn’t hurt either that she was easy on the eyes.

Her parents were not the only reason he was sent to fetch her. Something dark had set its heart on latching onto her for reasons unknown to his people. The Aeringdal court had alerted no one to this, but those of high royalty of course such as himself. Today, he saw first hand the rumors were true. He knew a demon was after Elaine and also knew a demon had escaped hell. He even heard it speak in his mind!

The court would be pleased with his findings.

He wasn’t sure what Elaine’s fate would be though when he returned with her. He already had influenced her future though in his own way and wasn’t in the mood to worry about it too much right now.

***

Elaine hated the fact that she was tempted to yell for help or go running back the way she came -- to her kidnapper.

She leaned further into the tree, but felt it give way as if she weren’t leaning against the tree anymore, but a thin piece of parchment. Her eyes widened in surprise as she fell backward beneath the tree. Down, down, she went as air passed by her face. She plunged into what felt like cold water, but when she stood she saw it to be black and sticking to her nightgown.

Where am I? Elaine wondered.

She looked up expecting to see some amount of moonlight peaking into the gap at the bottom in the trunk at which she fell. However, the ceiling above her showed her no such thing. Roots hung from the ceiling though and she wrinkled her nose when a piece of dirt landed on her forehead. The walls around her were lit with torches and her feet sunk further into the murky dark water. The bottom of the sludge pool felt like mud and Elaine huffed with fury while looking around in panic.

The black sticky liquid was up to her knees when she spotted an old arched wooden door to her right. The room around was square and felt claustrophobic as she considered herself to somehow have ended up underground.

“Hello?” Elaine called out frantically while tugging at the material of her gown.

Something moved to her left and her heart raced seeing a bulk tall shadow that appeared very alive. Was it a shadow? Elaine squinted and saw it turn toward her approaching the pool. She screamed to the top of her lungs not knowing what the thing to be.

It wore a black cloak with a tall pointed hood that stood on end. And it was massive being nearly the size of the wall in width which was at least fifteen feet wide. The top of its hood reached the ceiling and Elaine thought this could be the end.

Elaine woke up from the nightmare and sat up against her napping position from the tree. It was still night and she hadn’t even noticed before the trail of red glittery dust she left behind. A twig snapped beneath Lorcan’s boot as he approached her looking grim. His wings created a light of their own and despite her feelings toward him she smiled for the light he literally brought.

“You look afraid,” Lorcan spoke with a coy, knowing smile.

Elaine knew he mistook her fear for their limited vision. He had no idea what she dreamed of and she simply didn’t feel like sharing, “I want to go home.” Her voice was monotone and she turned around looking at the tree anxiously.

“Come on then,” Lorcan offered her his hand, he was expecting her take it. “Let’s go.”

She still didn’t.