THIRD BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF FANTASILIA SERIES
𝘈 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘈 𝘥𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘺. 𝘈 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳. 𝘈 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴.
Two sides of the same coin are brought to the light...
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Reeca scowled at the scrawny man leading them at knifepoint through the barren field that once had been Rabante. The absence of any other living creature other than them was still a jarring reminder of what had happened. Cold wind drove the thin clouds through the sky and without the trees' canopies blocking the view of the sky, the plateau's gray lip was even more visible.
Wherever Brutus was leading them, it couldn't be good. Reeca cursed at the cuff made from pure glass shards around her neck. Elred tugged at it and even her magic couldn't dislodge it.
Brutus smiled. "Lesium laced with shard magic is a good combination, don't you think?"
Reeca didn't reply. Elred's face was set in a determined expression. A misplaced sentiment, if Reeca could be honest.
"How did you find us?" Reeca asked Brutus.
The shard fairy scratched his blond hair with the knife in his hand. Reeca moved to disable him but the cuff around her neck dug into her skin. She gasped as her fingers clawed at it to no avail. Brutus threw his head back and laughed. "No one can escape Brutus," he brushed a hand against his beige robe, dusting it of coagulated mud particles. "Now that we're approaching the royal courts, might as well mention to the Queen who caught you, no?"
"Shut it, Brutus," Elred snapped.
"Wrong answer!" Brutus snapped his fingers and a film of shards coated Elred's lips. He turned to Reeca and slid his knife under her neck. Stinging pain made a line on her skin. "What do you say, doll?" Brutus inclined his head at Reeca. His grin showed off crooked teeth that reminded Reeca of a banshee. "Tell the Queen of my hard work?"
"Go to hell," Reeca snarled.
The shards that covered Reeca's mouth burned and bit at her skin. How dare—
Brutus clicked his tongue. "No worries. Locals tend to stay away from politics, but not me," he shook his head like he was explaining something Reeca didn't get. "Look, I even did something those Upper City potheads couldn't do. Without us, the political families would wither away to tiny, brittle shards, yet they treat us like we're not even proper fairies."
He gave Elred a light nudge with his scrawny elbow. "Sounds familiar, Your Highness?" he grinned. Elred growled like a cornered animal. Brutus shrugged. "I have no doubt you think the same way, given your upbringing."
Brutus shoved his face into Elred's. "So, how does it feel getting captured by an industryman? Does it feel as shaming as I imagined it to be?"
The film in Elred's mouth disappeared. "Come on, answer," the shard fairy giggled and skipped forward.
"Shut it, Brutus," Elred snarled, rubbing the sides of her lips with her fingers. "Pulrin will have your head at dinner."
Brutus snickered. "Pulrin's dead," he waved his hand in the air. His knife glinted against the rising sun.
