UnSeelie XXI

The woman, he knew, spoke to his heart and all he had was her.  The mead was too sweet for his taste but he finished off the glass allowing the amber liquid to warm him.  He contemplated the Faun and the gauntlet under hooded gaze.  The silver shone against the soft unnatural glow coming from the walls and ceiling.  He didn’t dare give in to them as much as he already had given.

“And if I don’t do what She wants?” 

“Then you will no longer be under Her protection.” 

“What does that mean?”   

The Faun did not explain further but he shivered at the thought of the possible alternatives.    His mind instantly filled with visions of limbs torn and cries so shrill it was hard to imagine ever belonging to a human.    Growing pale with the knowledge of the happened to last unfortunate soul, he glared and picked up the gauntlet.

It fit snugly against his right malformed hand.  He flexed his hand into a fist then relaxed. 

“Never touch any of the food offered or take any fruit from the trees in the realms you will enter.”  Suddenly Faun stood in front of him, lifting his chin to meet him eye to eye.   

It chuckled as he jerked away.  Faun tossed a small bag of coins onto the table.  “You will have need of these where you are going.” 

Quickly, he snatched the bag up.  “When do I leave?”

“Time is of no consequence here.”   

The floor shifted under him.  He fought to gain his balance as he reached out to grab at anything.    Cold hematite melted and he found himself falling into a vast universe.  Again he awoke before the full moon and the crashing waves of the sea.  The smell of apple blossoms clung to the air and a taint of decay filled him with dread.