and turned back to her companion.
How rude.
“It is perhaps for the better, Maiden. We would prefer to remain that way,” Finvara remarked, trailing a finger across the back of her hand. He smiled as she quickly looked down to follow the movement.
“Why are you all so cold? Your touch burns me.”
His expression became rather cool at her curious question. “It is the High Magic inside of us. You are part Fae - a very small part - but the mortal side of you has no immunity against creatures of magic.”
Chelsea’s green eyes widened as something occurred to her. “Could I use magic too?”
A faint look of disdain flashed in his gaze and then was gone. “ No .”
“Oh.” Well, that makes sense , she supposed.
“You are too human, fair one,” the silver-haired prince went on rather condescendingly.
And once again, that explained very little, but Chelsea nodded.
Chapter 6
Over the next hour, the mortal girl listened to the murmurs of conversation around her and her gaze kept finding something, or someone, new to watch in fascination.
The prince allowed it and was silent, unless she addressed him, answering any questions that popped into her head. She couldn't believe that she was really in a Faery Court, at a feast, and sitting next to a gorgeous prince. It was like some beautiful dream and she didn’t want to wake up from it.
Something inside Chelsea was still convinced that she was asleep and would wake up any moment.
She was eating a lot too, unable to stop devouring the delicious fruits and nuts, nor the wine that made her mind buzz pleasantly. The trays of food were replaced as she emptied them and she knew that tomorrow her stomach was going to protest, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
The thing that bothered Chelsea the most was that no-one else ate, or drank, a thing. Prince Finvara had mentioned that none of them were permitted to eat until later, but it didn’t make her feel any less embarrassed to feed her face. They watched her as she did so, with strangely rapt expressions that she could not get used to, as if she was some exotic creature.
Chelsea sighed, and turned her head to stare at the beautifully garbed woman on the throne of carved wood and flowers. Her green eyes had gone over to queen Mab many times during the night and her companion had noticed.
“Mab is most beloved by our people,” he murmured.
“Why does she cover her face like that?” Chelsea whispered back curiously, trying not to be overheard and thought rude.
“Our queen's beauty far surpasses that of any in the mortal realm. To gaze upon it would steal your sight.” Finvara warned her. “She covers her visage out of respect for you.”
“My sight?”
“Yes, it is unfortunate, but in the past our honoured guests have had their very eyes burned from their heads when introduced to Mab. Her power and visage are too much for mortals.”
The queen was so beautiful that looking at her burned human eyes out of their skulls ? Chelsea was suddenly supremely glad that the woman had worn that veil. She found herself straining to see more beneath the white filmy material, but a hand on her wrist stopped her.
Finvara smiled at her, sensing her unease and awe. “Do not, Chelsea. It is best if you merely imagine what she looks to be, rather than the reality. I can tell you that she is the fairest in the land and many weep as she passes; falling to their knees in worship with voices raised in song of praise. The very forests come to life, with the most rare and delicate of flowers springing to existence at her feet, butterflies dance in the air, and the springs of water taste of such purity that you would think it had rained from the Gods themselves.”
She felt awkward before such flowery prose, which she had been trying to mimic, but she found herself listening in wonder to each phrase. “I wish that I could see it.” The red-haired girl’s tone was wistful.
Chelsea watched as a very pretty little
How rude.
“It is perhaps for the better, Maiden. We would prefer to remain that way,” Finvara remarked, trailing a finger across the back of her hand. He smiled as she quickly looked down to follow the movement.
“Why are you all so cold? Your touch burns me.”
His expression became rather cool at her curious question. “It is the High Magic inside of us. You are part Fae - a very small part - but the mortal side of you has no immunity against creatures of magic.”
Chelsea’s green eyes widened as something occurred to her. “Could I use magic too?”
A faint look of disdain flashed in his gaze and then was gone. “ No .”
“Oh.” Well, that makes sense , she supposed.
“You are too human, fair one,” the silver-haired prince went on rather condescendingly.
And once again, that explained very little, but Chelsea nodded.
Chapter 6
Over the next hour, the mortal girl listened to the murmurs of conversation around her and her gaze kept finding something, or someone, new to watch in fascination.
The prince allowed it and was silent, unless she addressed him, answering any questions that popped into her head. She couldn't believe that she was really in a Faery Court, at a feast, and sitting next to a gorgeous prince. It was like some beautiful dream and she didn’t want to wake up from it.
Something inside Chelsea was still convinced that she was asleep and would wake up any moment.
She was eating a lot too, unable to stop devouring the delicious fruits and nuts, nor the wine that made her mind buzz pleasantly. The trays of food were replaced as she emptied them and she knew that tomorrow her stomach was going to protest, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.
The thing that bothered Chelsea the most was that no-one else ate, or drank, a thing. Prince Finvara had mentioned that none of them were permitted to eat until later, but it didn’t make her feel any less embarrassed to feed her face. They watched her as she did so, with strangely rapt expressions that she could not get used to, as if she was some exotic creature.
Chelsea sighed, and turned her head to stare at the beautifully garbed woman on the throne of carved wood and flowers. Her green eyes had gone over to queen Mab many times during the night and her companion had noticed.
“Mab is most beloved by our people,” he murmured.
“Why does she cover her face like that?” Chelsea whispered back curiously, trying not to be overheard and thought rude.
“Our queen's beauty far surpasses that of any in the mortal realm. To gaze upon it would steal your sight.” Finvara warned her. “She covers her visage out of respect for you.”
“My sight?”
“Yes, it is unfortunate, but in the past our honoured guests have had their very eyes burned from their heads when introduced to Mab. Her power and visage are too much for mortals.”
The queen was so beautiful that looking at her burned human eyes out of their skulls ? Chelsea was suddenly supremely glad that the woman had worn that veil. She found herself straining to see more beneath the white filmy material, but a hand on her wrist stopped her.
Finvara smiled at her, sensing her unease and awe. “Do not, Chelsea. It is best if you merely imagine what she looks to be, rather than the reality. I can tell you that she is the fairest in the land and many weep as she passes; falling to their knees in worship with voices raised in song of praise. The very forests come to life, with the most rare and delicate of flowers springing to existence at her feet, butterflies dance in the air, and the springs of water taste of such purity that you would think it had rained from the Gods themselves.”
She felt awkward before such flowery prose, which she had been trying to mimic, but she found herself listening in wonder to each phrase. “I wish that I could see it.” The red-haired girl’s tone was wistful.
Chelsea watched as a very pretty little
Similar Books
