Beyond The Veil

Chapter 3

"Wait! Emery!" I heard Airell call out to me, but I was not in no mood to talk. I went straight for the water where Scully was, once I got there, I dove in. I peeked my head out of the water and Airell was still standing at the edge of the water. 

"You don't have to hide." Airell said as he kneeled to me. 

"I'd rather hide." I said in a small voice, I just wanted this day to be over already. "Have you ever had a lily pad on your head?" I asked. 

"No." 

"Then you wouldn't know how it feels..." Mr. Perfect. 

Airell half smiled, then he sat down at the edge of the water. "I have been embarrassed before; I know the feeling." 

'I doubt that' I thought to myself.  

"When I was younger, my brother liked to pull pranks on me. One of them he decided to do when I was reciting poetry..." Airell then looked at me. "Now if I tell you this, you'll have to promise me you'll come out of the water." He said with a smile. 

"Hm, depending on how good the prank was." I said then he chuckled. 

"Well my brother was practicing Earth magic and he had planted a seed below my feet. It started to grow, and he had me hanging 20 feet above the ground, I stayed there for a good while before someone cut me down. I was furious with him." He said and I could not help but giggle. He raised a golden arched brow to me. "So, are you coming out?" He asked as he handed me his hand again. 

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I said before grabbing his hand.  

"Would I be to bold to say you interest me?" He said with a warm smile, my chest fluttered again. Looking at him was like looking at a perfectly etched statue. I cautiously grabbed his hand and he pulled me out of the water with no effort at all. My hands landed on his chest, I could feel heat radiating from his body. I had never been this close to a guy before, it almost felt unreal but exciting. He smelled like an Oak tree, it reminded me of my home. 

I stepped back from him and tucked my hair behind my ear. "Thank you." 

"It was my pleasure...Emery."  He said then gently kissed my hand. "I hope I will see you again." He said. 

"I'll be around." I felt my cheeks flush. He glanced back at me once more before he walked away. 

I felt like I could finally breathe once he left. "Ooh my god..." I said, as I tried to catch my breath. This was unbelievable, the Forest Prince was looking for a bride here...I wonder if his interest in me means I am a prospect? But something bothered me a bit. Why marry an ordinary Fae when he could have a Princess instead? 

I questioned his interest because I never had guys pay that much attention to me before, but It felt good to be seen by a guy. I heard a squeal behind me, and a splash of water sprayed on my back. I turned to see Scully chirping and squeaking as he splashed around in the water. 

"Oh, hey you!" I jumped into the water with him. He had grown a little bit which was good, soon he could move to another lagoon. 

"Emery?" 

Uh oh...I thought as I heard Odessa's voice. I quickly got out if the water. "Scully, hurry!" I ushered him and he dove under. Odessa came into view. I did not know if she was mad at me or not for running off, but I had reason too. 

"Are you alright?" She asked.  

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Airell was here with me." I said, Odessa's eyes widened. 

"Oh? Really, he must have taken a special interest in you...I am sorry for Colleen's immature behavior today." 

"And yesterday." I added, which bothered me that Odessa did nothing about it. Wasn't she supposed to look after us? Yet she gives Colleen a mild reprimand that does nothing to her. 

"She will get what's coming to here." Odessa said. "Come I wanted to show you something." She led me deeper into the forest where the Veil was. I stopped as we came close to it. "You won't get in trouble, you're with me." She reassured. She stepped up to the Veil and pressed her hand up to it and chanted something under her breath. Then a section of the Veil started to fall away. I gasped and backed away. 

"Nothing to fear Emery, I am the only one going in. I need you to stay here for me to come back. Understand?" 

"Uh yeah but why me?" Odessa did not look at me.  

"I trust you." She said with a smile. "Stay here, I will be back soon." With that she slipped into the Veil. I stood there like she said waiting for her to come back but it was getting dark and she still had not come back. I turned to the Veil trying to see if I could make anyone out, but I could not. 

"Odessa?" I whispered, I did not know why I thought she could hear me, but of course I heard nothing back. I put my hand up against the Veil, it felt like it had its own heartbeat. Then I felt a hard thud slam against it. 

"Odessa? Odessa?! Was that you?" I could hear her voice, but there was another voice as well...A deeper voice, one I had never heard before. Then the Veil lifted, and Odessa ran back through, her dress was torn, and she had one hand over her abdomen, her hand was soaked in blood. She then fell to the ground as the Veil closed.  

"Odessa! What happened? What-What do I do?!" I tried to apply pressure to her wound. 

"No. No, you need to send for help." She said as she swatted my hand away. I looked at my hands and saw that Odessa's blood was black and oozing... 

My hands shook, as I looked at Odessa again and saw that her face had changed. It was not her beautiful, colorful face anymore...it was pale and lifeless. Then her eyes changed, they were all black no white could be seen. She smiled and showed sharp white teeth. 

This was not Odessa... 

I started to back away. "Oh, why the sudden change of heart little fairy." She said in a deep eerie tone that made my spine tingle. Her whole appearance started to change in front of my eyes and soon she was no longer Odessa. She was something that only appeared in story books and scary camp tails 

A Demon escaped the Veil.