Alchemy of Love

First Steps

I got to my feet and dug out every book I had on the subject, I had gathered so many while searching for a cure. I picked up one book and flipped through all the bookmarks I had stuffed into its numerous pages. I had studied so much on the vermin that it didn’t take me long to find what I needed.

I opened the book to the page I was interested in and studied the blurred words. I swiped at my eyes to get rid of the tears so I could focus. This would have been my next branch of studying to try to save April, and instead, I was going to use it to bring her back. Unlike my other books, this one didn’t focus so much on what a fairy could do with their powers, but instead what could be done with the fairy themselves, in particular just what the blood of a fairy could do in conjunction with other alchemical ingredients.

I licked my dry lips as my eyes darted from word to word. I started to chuckle and threw my head back in a laugh. This couldn’t be more perfect. Now only would I bring back my beloved April to be with me forever and more, but I was going to get my revenge on those filthy creatures to begin with. The list was simple with most ingredients being items I already had in my personal stash. The unicorn horn would call for a trip to the forest but the one ingredient that stood out the most was the one that amused me as well. The rarest ingredient was the lifeblood of a fairy. With all of those ingredients, a resurrection spell had a chance of being pulled off and I was willing to sacrifice anything and everything to bring my love back.

“Wait for me, April,” I whispered to her. I turned from that line of research and turned to another set of books. Books that I had not touched since I had married my sweet. But she wasn’t here to object anymore, at least she wasn’t for now. I was determined to change that tiny fact. I pulled out book after book and set them aside until I had amassed my hunter collection once more.

The first book didn’t contain what I needed, but it gave me a good idea of where to start my hunt. The second fared a bit better because at least I would know what I’d need to trap the unicorn. But the third book was truly the one that was my saving grace. That was the book that told me just how to catch and more importantly, how to kill a fairy.

As I rifled through the pages reality broke in on my grief-ridden moments. I didn’t have some of the materials I needed. I would have to go to the city again. I had avoided it as much as I could but there was no doubt about it at this time.

Once more as if they were magnets that could never be separated my eyes were drawn back to my beloved. If I left she would be lonely but this was all for her sake. “Don’t worry, I shouldn’t be gone too long and this is all for you.”

As I got prepared to leave I reached out to her for a moment than thinking better of it let my arm fall to my side. I wouldn’t allow myself to touch her until I had returned with everything that was necessary to bring her back.

Turning my back on her made my stomach clench and the frozen tears inside start to thaw but I clenched my eyes shut, and threw the door open as I made my way outside. Closing the door was even harder for me. It was too much like a goodbye and I would never say that.

I left the door open a crack and turned to leave. I didn’t make it two steps away before I went back and shut the door with a firm thump. If anything happened to her while I was gone it would be far worse than a simple goodbye.

The backpack that I had slung onto my shoulders wasn’t what made my shoulders sag. The more I looked at my door the more fear kindled to life inside of me and burned away everything but my grief. A choked sob escaped me as my feet stayed glued to the ground. Taking the first step would mean letting go if even for a while and the courage to do that was beyond me.

It was not fear or grief that propelled me away from my home, it was a wave of anger burning deep inside. The lust for revenge that had raised its head in my soul. I would handle whatever that life threw at me and burn it to cinders to get my love back. Rage fueled my every step and my lips curled into a smile as I imagined just what I’d do to one of those damn beings when I got my hands on them. Payback was not a good enough term to describe what I’d get out of watching them die by my hand.

Before I could experience that brief moment of bliss however I had another hurdle to face. I had to acquire the ingredients so everything would work out. I could handle the things I needed in the forest, even catching the damn fairy once I had the materials would not be an issue. But going into a city that was filled with people? The surge of fear that washed over me was almost enough to make me give up and go home.

But I called upon my new best friend the anger that pulsed through me and steeled myself. I would do whatever it took to acquire my goal and nothing was going to stop me.

Not even having to converse with humans.