Glamor is a funny thing.

It's like a clear coat on nails or water on glass, a shimmer of illusion and then it's gone in the blink of an eye. It's disorienting to look at so you're forced to turn your gaze.

Glamor skims the surface of your mind, leaving a ripple of doubt but nothing more. 

On the outside, the bookstore didn't look like a burning hellscape with more colourful lights flying about like a disco ball in the 70's. It probably looked normal.

Fallon and I ducked as the spear came flying out of nowhere, embedding itself in the cardboard boxes. The fire started quickly, climbing to the ceiling.

"Damnit, I just ordered those."

Fallon reached between us and closed the door to the burning storage room.

"That's what insurance is for."

Darien was fighting the ghouls with the bright blue eyes. Its half-melted face formed a snarl as he threw a table at him.

There were different creatures now. There were five tall skeletal men in silver chain mail, their eyes burning red as coals. They reeked of death, I instinctively covered my mouth and nose.

One of them swings its large axe at Darien who grabs it by its jaws and slams it to the floor.

He growled as he stomped down on its skull.

"Ugh, Skeleton Warriors. I hate these guys."

"Should we—"

"On it!" Fallon summoned her fire and ran towards the skeletal people. "You stay down."

"Yes, ma'am." I gave her a mock salute.

I had to admire her straightforward approach. I hid behind the cashier's desk, grabbing the heaviest books I could find and tossing them at one of the skeletal warriors.

The ghoul—Lichen—knocked its thick meaty arm into Darien, sending him flying. He landed atop a pile of smouldering Nicholas Sparks books, blood dripping down his nose.

Our eyes met each other. I wave my hand.

"Hey," I said, clutching a dictionary to my chest. "Having fun?"

He wiped at his nose with the back of his hand, leaving a smear of red behind. "I wish I could say I was—Fallon, don't!"

The bookstore was lit up in a brilliant light. I could see the shadow of Fallon as the light nearly blinded me, the skeletons creaking in their silver chain mail before their bones were washed away in the light.

The store went quiet as the light faded.

Darien helped me stand up, his arm wrapped around my waist.

Fallon was passed out, her sword on the floor. It was glowing a soft orange, the sigils fading.

The ghoul was nothing more than dark rotting flesh that dripped blackened blood. Only parts of his face were left, nearly eviscerated by the spell.

The ghoul was still standing despite it all and Fallon was at his feet.

The shadows around us were pulled towards him. The rivers of ink pooled around them.

I could only watch as dark tendrils encircled Fallon's fallen form, pulling her into the depths.

"The Princess of Blue Flames is ours. Do not interfere with my master's work."

Darien growled and threw his knife. It lodged into the ghoul's eye socket, shattering the blue eye.

The ghoul opened its unnaturally loud mouth and started to scream. I sank to my knees as pain flared up inside my head. It felt as if a thousand glass shards were piercing my scalp and neck.

Darien was at my side in an instant, using his body to cover mine. He was saying something but it was hard to hear him. I couldn't even read his lips.

Run from the Fae Folk, human. My master is not tolerant of those who seek to intercede.

He was in my head. How the hell was he able to do that?!

Darien's grip on my arm was nearly painful, I could see him screaming now.

G- Get out of my head!

My master—

To hell with your master! Give me back my friend.

It is not possible.

Fuck you!

Lichen stopped screaming as the shadows finally engulfed his form. The last thing I saw as I lost consciousness was the smile his mangled lips formed. 

And then he was gone.

<:——<<

I woke up to the smell of ash.

Everything hurt immediately. My head felt heavy and my foot felt like lead as I tried to wiggle my toes.

A painful whimper escaped my throat as I sat up.

"No, you don't." Cool hands pushed me back down. "Don't even think about it, Maria. I know you."

"Darien?" My voice sounded raspy to my ears. "Dear god, what happened?"

He smoothed the hair from my hand and pulled the blanket over me.

Darien wasn't as gravely hurt.

His right cheek was bruised. I reached up, tracing my finger over the edge. His skin was smooth and warm, a hint of dribbled grazed along my fingertip.

There was a cut on his neck which was shallow. He had already bandaged it.

"How much do you remember?" He asked, staring at me.

"Enough to call bullshit on whatever story you're going to try to feed me," I said, wincing. "If I wasn't so high on glamor, I wouldn't believed that I fell two stories from the balcony." 

He sighed deeply, running a bandaged hand through his curly locks.

"You can see through glamour." He muttered to himself. "Damnit."

"Unfortunately for you, I can."

"Fallon is going to kill me."

"She can't do that though. Those jerks took her away."

The apartment was quiet again. I hated it.

Darien was packing a bag and from the looks of it, he was packing light. He shoved a flashlight into one of the pockets before zipping it up.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To find her."

"I'm coming with you," I said, swinging my legs down. The wooden floors were cool. "Don't even think of leaving me here like this, Darien."

He shook his head. "Fallon will kill me. We've dragged you into this mess and I won't have your death on my conscious." He pushed my shoulder as he passed by me, causing me to lose my footing and land back on the sofa with an 'oof.' "The brownies will clean this place us. Don't worry about anything, if they act up then just toss them some taffy."

"Hey! Darien!" I grab the fabric of his coat, pulling him back. "You know I'll just find another way into the Fae Realm, right?"

"Oh, yeah. And where would you start?"

His tone is infuriatingly condescending. If I had enough strength, I would smack it off his face.

I get up again, gripping the armrest for support.

"Somewhere. God knows where but I'll go figure it out." I said, feeling a rush of determination. "And you know what, Darien? I'll probably have to make a deal or sell something vital to get that information. It's been dangerous. Hell, I might get cursed or die. But there are three things I know for sure.."

"And what would that be?" He hissed, whipping around.

I held up three fingers.

"One, there's no way I'm letting Fallon go like that. Two, I can't go back to how things were." I stepped closer to him until our chests were touching. Pine invaded my mind but I huffed out a huge breath, pushing it to the side. "And three, out of everyone else in the world, I feel the safest with you."