SHROUDED WITHIN THE MISTS OF TIME when the elusive realm of faery had few boundaries, one could easily trespass into a world of enchantment that sometimes offered rich reward but more often led to danger. Within these realms dwelt scores of magical creatures. The forms of faery were varied and numerous, with many names. One such faery, that of a dark ilk, is the subject of this tale. This deadly faery took on the guise of an irresistibly beautiful human so as to spellbind its victim until the moment it revealed its hideous form.
So it was that a young maiden named Mae was picking berries in the forest one day. She knew the berries were most plentiful near the heart of the forest, even though she’d been warned never to go more than ten trees deep into the woods. It was said that an evil grove had grown from the acorn of a cursed oak. These sinister, pixie infested trees moved to confuse many a woodsman’s path and steer him to certain danger. But Mae trusted that there was goodness in all things, even in the heart of the most evil of creatures. Therefore, she ignored the warnings and went in alone.
Yet she was not alone. Something hid in the shadows. A repulsive creature crept from behind and slithered up a tree to hang its loathsome head over her crouched figure. While Mae sang and filled her basket, she was unaware that the dark faery of those cursed woods was taking in the delicious odor of fresh human meat.
When she felt a tickle on top of her head, she lifted her hand and touched something unfamiliar. Curiosity, rather than fear, kept her hand exploring. The dark faery froze under her inquisitive touch while her fingers ran over its misshapen face, and when Mae felt its row of sharp fangs she did something quite unexpected.
She giggled with delight.
In that very moment, something miraculous took place within the dark faery’s heart. Warmth never felt before began to spread where only ice had lived for centuries. When Mae lifted her gaze, the dark faery vanished before she could witness its true form. For the first time in its ancient existence, it felt searing shame for its evil intent.
Mae called out to it, saying not to be afraid, that she meant no harm. The irony was not lost on the dark faery and, try as it might, it could not find any malice in its heart to harm her, nor could it leave her welcoming presence. So it shed its monstrous skin, and out from the scaly heap stepped a handsome young man.
He appeared before Mae. His noble features were warmly colored, his eyes a gentle brown. He wore the garments of a hunter and carried a crossbow in his hand. Giving her a gracious bow, he introduced himself as Callum and reassured her he’d killed the horrible monster that had come all too close to devouring her. Mae was horrified by this and sobbed. Callum was both surprised and confused by her reaction. When he tried to console her, she would have none of it. She told him she could never forgive him for killing her new friend, and ran home.
Contrary to his malicious nature, the dark faery allowed her to leave, not by means of compassion, but because he loved her all the more for the grief she felt toward a vile monster’s demise. Yet here was a true dilemma. If the dark faery could not have Mae’s love, he did not want to live.
The next day, Mae’s father discovered a crate containing twenty chickens outside the door of his humble cottage, a welcome gift for a poor family. Thereafter, the family received ten goats, then five cows, one bull, four fine steeds, six turkeys, a hundred bushels of wheat, bolts of fine fabric, rounds of cheese, barrels of apples, an array of spices, a new wagon, a sack of gold, and finally, a silk wedding gown trimmed in pearls.
Upon the arrival of the last gift, Mae’s father opened the door and welcomed Callum with great enthusiasm. When he asked for permission to marry Mae, her father gave her hand gladly.
Mae was far less willing to marry the man who had murdered her friend, but she couldn’t ignore Callum’s generosity to those who had known only poverty. And she didn’t doubt the love in his eyes when he looked at her. She agreed to marry him that very day, but only on one condition. She pledged that her heart would beat solely for him if he vowed never to kill another living thing again. The dark faery willingly whispered this promise to her.
Word spread, and many came to witness the marriage between the mysterious nobleman and the peasant girl. One of the guests, a wise man with the gift of Sight, was horrified to see a monstrous creature of fae standing next to Mae. With his staff pointed at Callum, he spoke an incantation for drawing false veils aside and revealed the truth to everyone.
The frightened guests drew back when they saw Callum’s true form. Mae was the only one who stayed by his side. She put her hands on the gruesome face staring back at her and smiled in recognition.
Those carrying swords were quick to attack the revolting creature. The dark faery could have killed every one of them, but he would not break his vow to Mae and surrendered. His attackers did not care that he didn’t fight back. They slashed the dark faery into bloody pieces.
After the chaos ended, Mae’s father wailed with grief. His dear daughter lay lifeless on the floor without injury. Her death remained a mystery. No one could have known that her heart beat solely for Callum, whose promise to never kill another living thing had also unwittingly meant the death of his one true love.
I hope you enjoyed A Dark Faery’s Love – one of eight grim fables – from Fate’s Fables, book one of Her Dark Destiny.
Fate can hardly tell what’s real and what’s not. Especially when it comes to the young golden-haired Scottish boy who looks as if he stepped straight off the pages of her secret journal. Trapped together within a deadly fairy tale world bound by the Book of Fables, their only escape is to travel through the cursed book’s eight unfortunate fables and change them into happily-ever-afters.
Brimming with fierce magic, breath-taking action and a slow-burn love story, this romantasy series is perfect for readers of Holly Black, Sarah J. Maas and Brigid Kemmerer!
Are you ready to risk your heart?
Fate’s Fables is available on Amazon and free in Kindle Unlimited.
Click here to start reading!
