Chatoyant College Book 7: Upon What Soil

Chapter 50: Faerie Food

"That's not safe," Corrie said automatically, then looked up at her magic professor, confused. "Is it?" If anyone would know what was safe for humans and what wasn't, it was Professor Lal... but Corrie wasn't sure she trusted her to tell the truth about it, not after seeing her at the ball the night before. It seemed so long ago, like everyone should know what happened, but, she realized, she hadn't even mentioned to Professor Lal that she'd been there.

"Of course it's safe," said Professor Lal, an odd little smile hovering around her lips. At least her shark-like teeth were hidden at the moment. "Once." She beckoned with her long fingers. "But it's late and I suppose you have all had your dinner already. Let's sit and talk." She took a big bite of her apple, her long teeth seeming to splinter the fruit, then turned and started walking toward an open area beyond the market stalls. Corrie hurried after her, but Edie came up from behind even more quickly and caught up to Professor Lal.

"What do you mean, it's safe once?" Edie asked. "Does it make you sick if you eat it more than once? And does that mean all faerie food, or just what's at this market?"

"There are different things that qualify as faerie food," Professor Lal said calmly. "Most of the food here was grown by faeries. Some faeries like to use glamour to disguise other things as food; they're edible, but not really safe for humans. I know you have encountered some of that."

"Edie, what are you worried about?" Corrie asked, gently touching her friend on the shoulder. Her face was pale and she almost looked like she was about to start crying. "What's wrong?"

Edie turned to her, biting her lower lip. "Leila mentioned this market. That's where the food we had last night came from. She said I should never go here."

"What?" Corrie grabbed Edie's arm in a sudden surge of protectiveness. "Why would she even tell you about it if you weren't supposed to go?"

"I wanted to know where the food came from," Edie said. She sniffed and took a deep breath. "It was hard to believe it was safe."

"Why didn't you tell us about it?" Dawn asked from behind them.

Edie shook her head. "I forgot about it until right now, when Professor Lal said the food is only safe once."

"Then we should all be glad you did not take me up on my offer," Professor Lal said. They'd reached the grassy area, and she slid gracefully down into a cross-legged position, then gestured to the grass around her. "Please sit as close as you are comfortable. I will set a silence spell around us so no one else can hear."

The thought of the silence spell made Corrie feel a little better, and she sat down hastily, barely inches away from her professor. Edie sat down on her other side, and the others also joined them quickly, forming a tight circle. "Are we going to learn this silence spell?" Roe asked, grinning.

Professor Lal nodded. "As long as those of you who are in my class have more than minimal magic ability, which is quite likely, you will be able to do this spell by the end of the semester. Now please be silent—you should all hold your breaths for a moment." Corrie obeyed, wondering what the spell would be like. But Professor Lal just lifted her eyes for a moment, then said, "It's done. We can speak freely."

Corrie shook her head. "You never answered Edie's questions. What happens if you have the faerie food more than once? Does it make you sick? And does other faerie food make you sick?"

Professor Lal sighed. "The food you've seen with the court faeries will definitely make you sick. It's not real food under the glamour. The food here... well, it's not exactly a sickness. It's like an addiction. You don't want real food anymore, you can only eat the faerie food. And they'll demand more and more in trade."

Corrie heard Edie draw in breath sharply. "Are you sure it's only if you eat it more than once?"

"Absolutely," said Professor Lal, frowning at her.

"But how do we avoid it?" Dawn asked. "How do we know if we're eating this food?"

"You won't be, most of the time," she said. "Usually only faeries can find this market, and they don't share it with humans. Yedara probably brought some to Edie as a special treat." Corrie felt Edie relax next to her. It made her feel a little better, too. "So there's no reason to expect to encounter this food unless a faerie brings it to you or you come back to this market. Which you shouldn't."

"We won't," Corrie said fervently. "We were just looking for Leila..."

Professor Lal nodded. "Why were you looking for her?"

"It could have been any faerie, really," said Roe. "We're just trying to figure out what happened at the craft fair today."

The professor frowned and leaned forward slightly. "What craft fair?"