The Faerie Curses

Chapter Fourteen: The Sprite Lair

"Marissa. Marissa."

I jolted back, and found Diandre gazing into my eyes.

"You're remembering what happened, aren't you?"

"How could I not?" I growled. "What are you doing here, anyway? Have you come to kill me for your master?"

Diandre sighed. "No, that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I want to help you."

"Help me? Did you just say you want to help me?" I exclaimed, and I fought back the urge to stab him with my sword then and there. "Do you really think I'm that thick, Diandre? There's no way I'm going to fall for that trick. How did you even know that you'd find me here?"

"I know you better than you think." Diandre replied. "I caught wind of how you showed up during one of the attacks, and I knew that you'd try and rescue those children. I had a feeling that you would be poking around here."

"Clever." I snarled sarcastically. "You deserve a round of applause."

Tree branches rustled in the summer breeze in the Colorado woods around us. Beside me, I noticed that something was moving in the underbrush. I stiffened. Was it another sprite here to ambush me? Or was it a faerie hunting for me? I held my breath and the figure stumbled into the clearing. I snorted. It was just Glen.

His autumn colored hair was askew, and his jeans were slightly ripped. I noticed a few leaves stuck to his black jacket.

"Thanks for trying to find me, partner." He said sarcastically. "I would have thought that after I fell out of the sky, you'd be more concerned."

Glen froze when his gaze locked onto Dinadre and me pointing my sword at him. His wings instantly threw open and his oak staff appeared in his hands.

"Who's this guy?" Glen asked, his eyes narrowed as if preparing to fight.

Diandre looked astonished at seeing Glen there.

"The summer prince came with you?" He exclaimed. "You're in real trouble now. The whole Summer Court will be searching for him."

"Technically, Glen blackmailed me into letting him come." I glared. "And Summer Court has already tried hunting us. The proof is right there."

I jabbed my finger at Nanos the assassin, whose body lay slumped in the grass.

Glen whistled.

"Nice shot, partner." He said, indicating the arrow stuck in Nanos' back.

"Actually, I shot him." Diandre corrected him.

Glen glared. "Well, in that case, you could have aimed better."

"OK, we really don't have time for this." I groaned. "We need to save those children instead of wasting time."

"That's fine by me," Glen responded. "I say we tie up sprite boy and get going."

Diandre raised an eyebrow. "You won't be able to find the sprite lair without me, you know."

"We'll take our chances." I told him.

"Why would we even trust you, anyway?" Glen crossed his arms over his chest, gazing skeptically at Diandre. "Even if we did let you come, you'd just betray us and turn us in to your sprite friends."

"You don't know me, summer prince." Diandre growled.

"And she does?" Glen exclaimed, pointing to me.

Diandre gave a small nod.

"Yes," He said softly. "She knows me."

Glen reeled around to face me. "Am I missing something here?"