Sophie:

I felt light on my skin, and I had never felt light before. You feel heat, and you feel on your eyes bright lights, but this was something different entirely, I physically felt the light, and it sort of felt the way steam or smoke feels, but bouncing back and forth on your skin in a comforting way.

But, despite this comfort, I was awoken by a bouncing, as if I was riding a horse, back and forth on raw wood. I heard the noise of wheels on dirt or gravel, and shouts coming from the distance.

What the hell? I shifted, half asleep half awake, rolling over onto my back. The sudden, twinkling, noise of bells sounded as I did so.

Before I even had time to register what was happening, someone was grabbing my back and flipped me forcefully from laying on my side to laying on my back.

"Get up, brood parasite," a gruff voice spat, shaking any remnants of sleep away from me. I was pulled up by the hair by what seemed to be a large burly man.

"Get your hands off of me!" I screamed, kicking and thrashing as anything I could reach. Fight or flight mode kicked in, and I guess fight was my first option, which was funny, considering I was a runner.

"Hands off the queen's cargo," another voice called, with just as much resentment as the first one's, but even more demanding.

I didn't have time to get much of a look at my aggressor before he threw me back down on the hard floor. I was surprised that not every single bone in my body broke as I forced myself back up and ran towards the man- I think it's a man- and reached for what looked like a dagger at his belt.

I grabbed it, and pointed it at him. He turned around to me, with pure hatred in his eyes, and he laughed a slow and menacing laugh as we rolled to a stop. I stayed as steady as I could, refusing to show any fear as my eyes raked up and down him. He was huge and round, reaching to be much taller than I was. His skin had a faint twinge of green to it that grotesquely contrasted his yellow-brown hair. His eyes were a deep black staring straight at me.

Suddenly, the wall behind me fell open, to become a sort of ram to whatever cart I was being dragged in. Slow clapping sounded from behind me in a sarcastic manner.I flinched as panic filled my body.

"That was quite the show, but put the knife down. I have no intention of hurting my gift, unless you disobey my orders," a female voice drawled.

I slowly put the knife on the ground, and held up my hands in the air to show I was unarmed as I stepped slowly backwards down the ramp. With each step I took, bells sounded, and I looked to my wrists and ankles to see bracelets made of many many tiny bells, making it impossible for me to move even remotely silently. Thankfully, I was still wearing my dress and Conall's jacket from the night before.

As soon as I was off the ramp, I turned around to face a woman of unprecedented beauty. Her black hair was curled and done as if she was in an old Hollywood movie, and her fair skin, red lips, and black eyeliner only added to the look. She was wearing a Golden dress that draped around her Marilyn Monroe level curves, leaving little to the imagination with a cut out in her chest and slit on the skirt. She was the image of a femme fatale, and part of me respected her for it, but the majority of me resented her.

"Gift?" I spat, anger seething out of every pore in my body.

"Why, they didn't tell you?" Her voice had an airy innocence to it, that seemed like out of a cartoon, but also seemed extremely sexual at the same time.

"Tell. Me. What?"

She laughed a soft laugh, "That village you hold so dear practically handed you over to me, along with all the other fruits and presents. You're mine now."

I shook my head in utter disbelief, "There's no way they would of done that, at least, not knowingly."

"They knew you were an offering," She said, careful with her words. I shoved them away, to think on later.

"Come," She demanded, and I reluctantly followed her, remembering her warning from moments before. "Oh, and welcome to the Samhradh Court of Tír na nÓg."

I looked up and around to see one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen. The building before me looked like nothing I had ever seen before. It reminded me of the Trevi fountain in Rome, but as if it was a giant castle. It spanned as far as I could see in both directions, and this woman was walking towards it. I looked behind me to see a glittering cerulean lake.

Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore, I thought to myself, or rural Ireland for that matter. Or Earth.

I found myself quickly following after her, but eyeing everything we passed. I heard music and shots of rivalry coming from somewhere in the building. I followed her as she quickly led me up giant marble stairs, and through more and more blue and white marble buildings.

I suddenly felt her drag me into a room and throw something at me. I looked at the silverly material, (not that there was much or it) in confusion.

"As my new prize, I expect you to be dressed and well behaved tonight. Well, you may be as badly behaved as you want. You may not leave this room, and may only speak to the other girls working with you, and any customers interested in you," She demanded, her voice icy and lacking any innocence it had moments before. "Oh, and you may address me as Queen Étaín, Queen of the summer court and all the fae that abide in it."

And with that she slammed the door. My jaw dropped to the floor. Am I high or was I sold into a fairy prostitution ring?