Breya

I hated going to town.

It was always crowded and reeked of sweaty bodies and horse manure. A dreaded noisy place bursting with people and I wasn't a people person. I would be thrilled if I never had to leave my meager farmhouse that I shared with my little sister.

"Hurry up, Bre," Hugh called from up ahead, glee beaming from his face.

I wove my way through the crowd until I caught up with him. He latched onto my wrist, dragging me behind him.

"We have to hurry," he urged. "I am determined to buy a fairy."

I nearly snorted out loud at his delusion.

"There's no way you can afford a fairy," I said, bursting his hopeful bubble.

Hugh's glare cut to me. "I've been saving up. Besides." He stopped his mad dash long enough to jiggle the coins in his pocket. "I'm hoping to get a deal. Fairy traders never venture this far, so I'm assuming what they have left are the scraps that they haven't been able to sell."

I snatched my hand from his grasp, anger seeping through me and making me hotter than I already was. "That's a terrible thing to say about another living creature."

"Don't be so high and mighty," Hugh huffed, before turning back around and shoving his way through the crowd. "Fairies capture humans and use them as servants, and we do the same. An eye for an eye."

"More like evil begets evil," I grumbled under my breath.

But he wasn't entirely wrong. It had been years since the last fairy trader came through our little town, mostly because we were poor farmers living off the land without a prayer of ever being able to afford a fairy. They were always sold to the high and mighty, and we were anything but. Still, I was curious. I'd heard the stories, of course, but I'd never seen one up close, only a flicker of light and a drift of fairy dust as one darted past, too fast for my eyes to catch.

I stopped cold at the edge of the muck-covered street, where the usual clatter of hooves and market chatter had been swallowed by a restless crowd. Bodies were packed shoulder to shoulder as they forced their way forward. Their boots sank into the sludge as they shoved toward a massive tent that had been shabbily erected in the town square. Canvas flaps billowed in the breeze, and muffled shouts drifted from within.

Fear tightened around my lungs like an invisible hand squeezing. "I want to go home, Hugh," I shouted over the noise of the bustling crowd. "I don't like leaving Clara for too long on her own. She's only sixteen."

I startled when Hugh suddenly appeared before me. "She'll be fine," he scolded. "You have to stop treating her like a child. I know you have had to raise her on your own since your parents died and you feel responsible for her..."

"I am responsible for her," I interrupted.

"Be that as it may," he continued. "You can't spend the rest of your life cooped up in that small farmhouse. You never go out and enjoy life."

I rolled my eyes. This was the same speech he had given me to get me here in the first place, but the longer I was away from her and crazier the crowd became, the more I wanted to go home.

My heart lodged itself in my throat when Hugh gripped my hand. The callouses on my palms almost rivaled his as he brushed the pad of his thumb across them.

"You know," he said, staring deep into my eyes. "If you'd agree to marry me, you wouldn't have to work so hard, and you could stay home as much as you'd like."

Bile burned the back of my throat as I gently tugged my hand from his grasp. I didn't want to hurt him. I tried to evade him or change the subject every time he brought up the topic of marriage, but this time, I was cornered, wedged between bodies with no way to escape.

The truth was, Hugh was an incredible man. Kind, hardworking, with hair the color of golden wheat and dimples that could make any woman blush. But he was my friend. One of my best friends since childhood, and I just didn't feel that way about him. Honestly, I wasn't sure he felt that way about me either. He had never shown the slightest hint of romantic interest, at least not until after my parents died. And even then, it felt more like an obligation than affection.

"You don't have to propose marriage," I teased, shoving him playfully in the chest. "If you want me to go to the fairy auction with you that bad, I'll go."

I quickly wove through the crowd, slipping between bodies in tight spaces, I knew Hugh was too broad to squeeze through. The scent of sweat and dust stung my nostrils, and the press of people grew thicker as I pushed deeper. I had no desire to step into the shabby tent ahead that was stained and smelled faintly of mildew, but I had even less desire to turn around and face Hugh, or hear more of his persistent talk of marriage.

Against my better judgment, I ducked into the tent. It offered an escape from the blistering sun, but the heat inside was worse.

Unease coiled through me as the wealthier landowners stared down the bridges of their noses at me, puffing sweet-smelling cigars into the stuffy air that was already thick with sweat and musk.

"Gentlemen, let the lady through," Hugh said as he caught up with me.

I glanced down at my clothes. I actually looked like a lady today. Well, close enough. Hugh had asked me to wear my Sunday best, which was a far cry from anything elegant, but considering I usually looked like a farm boy, this was a definite improvement. My finest outfit was a pair of high-waisted, wide-legged black riding slacks, a white ruffled shirt, and boots that, for once, weren't caked in manure. I'd even managed to tame my wild dark mane, which was saying something.

Eventually, chivalry won and the men parted to let me pass.

I elbowed Hugh in his side as he guided me toward the back of the tent. "Is this why you asked me to get all dolled up and join you? To jump to the head of the line?"

Hugh flashed me a debonair smile that showed off his dimples. "That was a major perk, yes." He admitted. "But I also wanted the pleasure of your company."

I rolled my eyes. "Mmm hmm."

"This is it," Hugh murmured excitedly once we reached the front of the line.

A scruffy-looking man, with chains slung over one shoulder and enough weapons at his hips to make his pants droop, clambered onto an old milking stool to see over the crowd in the tent. There was a meanness in his eyes that sparked instant dislike.

"Attention, gentlemen," he bellowed over the noise. "And little lady," he added with a wink in my direction that made me grit my teeth. "Through this tent are some of the finest fairy specimens I've ever trapped. You'll be permitted to gawk at them before the auction starts." He pulled back one of the tent flaps. "Now, no shovin'," he warned, then let his gaze slide back to mine. "And no touching. They tend to bite." A sly grin curved his lips before he motioned us forward.

I wasn't sure why my heart was pounding, but it was banging against my ribcage as we entered the larger tent. Fairies of different sizes and colors were bound in chains and arranged along the walls like decorations. The tiniest ones had been set on stools so that the buyers could see them better. The whole thing made my stomach roll and my throat tighten.

The fairy closest to the entrance had one dainty wing that was like a brittle autumn leaf in beautiful crimson and gold. She sat motionless on a stool, her eyes dull, and arms bound in rusty metal chains.

"That's iron," Hugh explained, pointing to the chains. "It's the only metal that can bind and hurt them."

My tear-filled eyes locked onto her tiny wrists, which were raw and welted where the iron cuffs bit into her skin. She was so tiny and frightened, the glowing aura around her almost snuffed out. Bile burned the back of my throat when she flinched, and I caught a glimpse of the mangled nub where one of her wings had been. I'd heard about this before. Everyone had. Fairy traders never took both wings, just one. They said that if both were destroyed, the fairy would die. So they ripped off one wing, and kept it close, using it like a leash to control the fairy. It sounded barbaric when I heard about it years ago, but seeing it now, in person, was awful.

"Don't cry," Hugh scolded, drawing my attention back to him. "It's embarrassing. Besides, if I buy one, they'll have a better life."

"Right," I scoffed. "But they still won't be free."

Hugh ignored me, engrossed in studying the next fairy. I flicked the wayward tear away and followed him.

The next one was bigger. A blue-skinned beauty whose one wing was buzzing faster than a hummingbird's. She kept darting forward until the chain at her ankle yanked her back. Her eyes were wide with fear as people crowded around her.

"I think that's a water fairy," Hugh whispered, bending closer to me. "She would be amazing to have on the farm. Even during a drought, she could summon water."

He tugged on my arm, eager to see the next one. His enthusiasm for all of this was sickening to say the least. Hugh glanced at the next one. It was curled in the corner and no larger than my palm. Her hair drifted around her head like smoke, and she had bark-like textured skin.

"Nah," Hugh said, shaking his head. "This one looks sickly."

"They all look sickly," I grumbled as I snatched my arm from his grasp. "How can you be enjoying this so much?"

Hugh winced like I had slapped him and I wasn't a bit sorry for it.

"Come on, Bre," he whispered. "Don't be like that. I'm just thinking about our future and how much owning one of these fairies will improve our lives."

I swallowed hard. "At what cost? Look at them!" My tone rose an octave, and Hugh glanced around uneasily. "We have no right to splurge off of the misery of these poor creatures."

"Bre, keep your voice down," Hugh murmured, inching closer. "I know this is hard. Just a little longer, and I swear I'll take you home."

"You have thirty minutes," I grumbled, crossing my arms angrily over my chest. "Then, I'm leaving with or without you."

Hugh smiled like a schoolboy as he waved me to the next fairy. This one looked almost human, if not for the dragonfly wing and its tiny size. His hair was a vivid red, and his golden eyes locked onto mine, burning with unmistakable hatred.

"I think he's a fire fairy," Hugh muttered. "Probably not the best option for a farm."

Hugh's ramblings faded beneath the growing ruckus inside the tent. My gaze caught on a pair of twin faeries with glassy wings, clinging to each other and whispering in a language I didn't understand. Their tears shimmered like morning dew and I couldn't help but feel sorry for them. I wished I had the means to buy them only so I could set them free.

"Watch where you're going!" Hugh shouted.

I turned, but I was too late to get out of the way of a group of men who were shoving their way toward the makeshift podium. Their shoulders slammed into mine as they barreled past, knocking me off balance. I fell backwards, my backbone colliding with iron bars. A hiss of pain escaped my lips. Through the blur of motion and noise, I saw Hugh's head jerk in my direction. He swore under his breath and began pushing through the crowd, his face tightening with panic as he fought his way toward me.

I straightened with a wince, rubbing the tender spot on my back that would no doubt bloom into a bruise come morning. As I turned to face the iron bars, my breath caught. It was a cage. And inside that cage was something beyond words.

Fairies were beautiful, dainty creatures but the thing inside the cage was anything but.

He stood a head taller than any man in the room, arms crossed over his broad chest, every muscle taut with restrained fury. His skin was glowing and golden, kissed by the sun. When his eyes met mine, they sparked with irritation. They looked like someone had melted silver and poured it into his irises.

His gaze was unnervingly striking.

Long, ebony hair spilled past his shoulders, with a warrior's braid woven through one side. When he caught me staring, he grinned, flashing pearly, predatory teeth. A shadow of dark stubble clung to his razor-sharp jaw, roughening the edges of his face.

"See something you like, little human?" he taunted, his grin widening with amusement. "You could always buy me."

My heart nearly leapt from my chest when he stepped closer to the bars. "I'd be happy to be your pet," he purred, igniting his metallic eyes with mischief.

"Get back, you winged demon," the fairy trader from earlier spat.

My temples pounded as he slammed a metal rod with a spiked end against the bars. The clang echoed through the room as iron met iron. The dark fairy sneered angrily at the fairy trader but he never slunk back into the shadows.

"Bre!" Hugh gasped as he reached my side, pulling protectively away from the being in the cage. "What is that thing?" Hugh asked the fairy trader.

"A thorn in my side," the fairy trader spat, eyeing the fairy in the cage up and down with a sneer. "I've had him for nearly two years now. I keep lowering the price, but no one wants to buy a big, nasty warrior fairy. He's just too scary," he added in a mocking sing-song voice.

"And we don't either," Hugh answered with a cringe, urging me further away from the cage.

"You sure?" The fairy trader asked with a crooked smile. "I'll give you a good price. He might actually behave for her," he said, jabbing a finger in my direction. "I've never heard him suggest someone buy him."

Hugh cringed, shaking his head. "No, thanks." Then slid his arm around my shoulder and ushered me into a seat right in front of a wobbly podium.

The fairy trader slammed his metal rod against the podium, silencing the restless crowd. "Quiet," he thundered. "You've had a chance to look over the goods, now let's start the bidding."

My head buzzed with a low, irritating ache as grown men fought over tiny fairies. I hated the way they were paraded in front of everyone like at a livestock auction. They were so frightened and it twisted something deep in my chest. Hugh placed a few bids, but he was quickly outmatched by landowners with deeper pockets.

Time seemed to warp into slow speed as the sun climbed higher in the sky and the tent turned into a suffocating furnace. Sweat beaded on my brow, slipping down my face and dampening the collar of my shirt. The sharp stink of body odor, cigar smoke, and stale air filled my nose, threatening to choke me.

"Can we go now?" I hissed to Hugh, fanning myself in a useless effort to cool my flushed face.

My clothes clung to me like a sweaty second skin, but worse than that, my stomach had begun to gnaw at itself. I was hot and hangry, not a good combination.

"In a minute," he promised, patting my hand without ever looking at me. "I've got one last chance to buy a fairy."

All of the poor little creatures had been sold except the tiny one with the dragonfly-looking wings and bright red hair. And then of course, there was the nasty big brute from earlier, still snarling behind the bars of his cage.

The fairy trader snatched the little red-headed one off his stool, squeezing him until the creature's face blanched to a ghostly blue.

"This sprite might be small, but he is a nuisance," the fairy trader spat, giving the fairy a good shake. "He's not worth more than the cost of his feed, so I'll let him go for a good price."

The tiny fairy sneered, then sank his teeth into the trader's finger. The man howled, blood welling and dripping down his knuckles. With a curse, he flung the fairy, who hit the floor with a soft plop. The tent erupted in chaos and shouts rang out as the little creature bolted across the podium, making a desperate dash for the tent's opening.

"Oh no, you don't," the fairy trader spat.

He opened the iron box at his side and pulled out a single dragonfly wing that was the colors of dawn. Then, with a sneer that revealed his yellowed teeth, he crushed it in his palm. The fairy screamed. The sound pierced the air as he collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain. My heart lurched.

"No one bites me and lives to tell about it," the fairy trader growled, grinding his fist closed and crushing the fragile wing.

The fairy wailed again, the sound so raw it shattered my heart as easily as the trader crushed the wing. He was going to kill him. I knew you could control a fairy if you had one of its wings, but I had no idea that you could kill one if you crushed the severed wing.

A furious roar tore through the tent, whipping my head around. The caged fairy hurled himself at the bars, slamming into them with enough force to make the whole cage lurch. The metal groaned under the impact.

I surged to my feet. "Stop it! You're killing him!"

"That's the idea," the fairy trader bit out.

Hugh grabbed my arm, trying to drag me toward the exit, but I shook him off. I don't know what came over me. One second, I was standing there, and the next, I was charging the fairy trader. I kicked him square in the shin. He dropped to one knee with a grunt, and the wing slipped from his hand, drifting to the ground as softly as a feather.

"You're nothing but a big bully," I snapped. "You should be ashamed of yourself."

The little fairy scrambled to his feet and, in a blur of red, snatched up his wing before vanishing beneath the stampede of feet.

The fairy trader staggered to his feet, clutching his shin. "Curse you, girl!" he bellowed. "You let it escape!"

Hugh gripped my elbow. "Let's get out of here, Bre."

I hurried after Hugh before the fairy trader could recover and come after me for kicking him and helping the fairy escape. We dodged through a sea of people to get out of the tent but as I passed the cage, my gaze snarred, caught by the dark fairy still imprisoned inside. His scowl was gone, replaced by a look of confusion, like he couldn't figure me out. I could've easily gotten lost in those pools of liquid silver but Hugh tugged me out of the tent and back into the fresh air.

"Was that necessary? Hugh scolded as we walked toward our horses. "What if he hunts us down and demands payment for his lost property?"

I swung my leg over the saddle. "I know," I muttered, nudging my mount toward home. "I don't know what came over me... but I couldn't just stand there and let him kill that helpless fairy."

"Your big heart is going to get you in trouble one day," Hugh cautioned. "But that's why I love you."

Ugh. The L word. Could this day get any worse?

I plastered on my sweetest smile, dodging his misguided declaration by urging my horse into a gallop. We raced across the grassy plains, some of the tension between my shoulder blades untangling with the cool wind that caressed my face.

I slowed my horse to a steady trot as we reached the crest of the hill. Drosselmeyer was a massive kingdom, stretching from the silver mountains in the north to the dense forests of the south, but nothing compared to our little corner of it.

Nestled in a valley, our town was a patchwork of farms woven together by dirt roads and endless fields. For a moment, I let myself get lost in the fields of golden wheat that swayed in the breeze like golden silk.

Children ran barefoot through rows of beans and corn, their laughter carried on the wind, making me smile. It reminded me of a time long ago when my life was that carefree. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, mixing with the scent of freshly tilled earth. Life here was simple, honest, and good.

Finally, my little farm came into view. It was a far cry from the grand estates we'd passed on the way. There was no sweeping verandas or polished stone, just weathered wood and hard-earned sweat. But it was ours. Clara's and mine.

Hugh shook his head at the disarray of the farm. The fences leaned, barely held up by rusty nails, the roof needed patching, and the fields were more weeds than wheat. The animals bellowed for their feed the moment they saw me, and the fields needed to be plowed. To anyone else, it was a mess. To me, it was home.

"You want me to stick around and help for a while?" Hugh offered.

I shook my head as I swung down from the saddle, giving Chief a grateful pat on his neck. "No, thanks."

"Pride goeth before the fall," Hugh warned.

"It's not pride," I laughed. "It's..."

My heart sank like a boulder in my stomach as I glanced towards the house.

"Why is the door wide open?" I gasped. "Clara knows she's not to unlock that door when I'm not here."

Hugh swung down from his saddle. "Calm down. "I'm sure she just forgot to close it."

"Clara!" I cried, sprinting toward the door. "Clara, answer me!"

The sharp scent of herbs slammed into me the moment I stepped inside. I had strung bundles of wolfsbane, rue, foxglove, and lavender from the wooden rafters. The air was thick with their bitter perfume, pungent enough to sting the eyes but I didn't care. I'd do anything if it meant keeping the fairies away.

I gasped as my foot caught on an overturned chair, sending me crashing to my hands and knees. Pain flared through my wrist as I caught myself. My eyes stung with unshed tears as I looked up. The house was in shambles. Plates shattered, furniture overturned. Obvious signs of a struggle.

"What happened?" Hugh asked, his eyes wide and frantic as they swept over the wreckage.

Tears spilled from my eyes, splattering against the wooden planks that were covered in a fine dust that shimmered like a thousand stars. I bit my lip until the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. My nails scraped against the floor as I clenched my hands into fists.

I eased up, glancing down at my palms that were now coated in fairy dust. "Faries," I hissed. "Clara was taken by fairies."

What do you think? Should I keep posting my first draft here or would you rather be surprised?