Rise of the Night Witch

Chapter 5.4 - Final Piece

Recap: Last time, Marissa called Nathan into the Library before the Library broke apart.

Wooden planks fell faster than the raindrops summoned by the storm.

We were exposed. It had been clear from the start that this desolate library couldn't shield us from natural forces. With its abandoned nature, it provided minimal protection from creatures needing to be invited.

A plank of plywood hit Darcy straight in the face. Leaves, loose branches, and small items were blown into the library by the vengeful wind.

Isa, Simon, and I formed a circle before Nathan as he drew the chalk circle at which we had to throw our nails. He claimed a pentagram would have worked if taking our time didn't get us killed.

He spoke Titania's true name silently enough to drown it under the howling wind. Once he spoke it three times, a smoky dome shielded us from the wind. It gave Nathan a time window to light candles as the subtle magic coursed through the air and trickled through each pore of my soul.

White mist glimmered in the candlelight. It opened like a curtain to reveal a tall, stunningly beautiful woman standing in the chalk circle. Pointed ears stabbed out of her long, flowing hair. Her dress was green like that of Tinkerbell and consisted of a tunic as they wore it in Early Medieval and Byzantine times. A sparkly, flower-motif tiara like that of a fairy tale princess sat on her forehead, just above the various daises she had woven into her hair.

None of them got blown away by the wind. It neither made her hair nor her dress flap. She resisted the storm like a marble statue and, if she wanted to, she could have ended it with a single spoken word.

She greeted us with a smug, self-satisfied smile that turned the innocent fairy tale princess into a malicious queen from one moment to the other.

"Do they all look like that?" Simon asked.

Darcy facepalmed.

"I can answer this question," Titania spoke. "But what can you give me in exchange?"

"What do we have to do to make you help us?" I asked. "I need to know the Erlking's real name!"

"Normally, I do not meddle in mortal affairs, but the Erlking has made me an offer," Titania said and pointed at me. "Should I get you to put your name into his book, he will barter with an entity that will free from the Veil's restraints."

"Nathan called him a scumbag," I said. "I'm sure there's a 'but' here."

"But the Erlking is not a moral man. Therefore, I might grant you a small wish without demanding one of your names. You merely need to prove yourself worthy."

"And how do I prove myself worthy, dear wise oracle of wise wisdom?"

An eerie little laugh drifted from Titania's mouth. "Answer my question."

"Is it a riddle?" Isa said. "I like riddles, please have it be a riddle."

"Not a riddle, young mortal. It is a very simple question. You do not even have to think about it very hard. How do you get a man to remove his coat? Through the wind or the Sun?"

My face went blank. What weird question was that?

"Does fire also work?" Isa said.

"I think both works," Simon said. "If there's a heavy wind, he might lose his coat, but if there's a lot of Sun, he might take it off because it's so hot."

"Is this your final answer?" Titania asked.

"No!" I said.

The summer fairy looked at me, her eyes piercing me like knives.