Read Online Bloody Fairies (Shadow) by Nina Smith - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Nina Smith
Ads: Link
head. “This must be the most absolutely ridiculous conversation I’ve ever had.”
“You’re right, it’s a complete waste of time, which I’m afraid is a precious commodity now you’ve allowed the vampire king to escape into your world,” Pierus said.
“You’re insane.”
“And you’re wasting our time.” Pierus peered intently around the cavern. “I’m sure the Apple was hidden not far from here.”
“Apple?” the woman said. “You’re here for an apple?”
“You, human woman, where are we?”
“At my dig site.” The gun, which had been dropping, raised again. “Clear off.”
“She’s worse than a fairy,” Pierus muttered.
“Hey!” Hippy scowled. “If you want my help you can just stop fairy bashing, alright?”
“Who’s bashing fairies?” the woman’s voice rose on a note that hovered somewhere between panic and disbelief.
“Pierus,” Hippy said.
“Pierus?” The woman tilted her head. “Funny, I came across that name a while back.” She gave Pierus a stern, hard look over the rim of her glasses. “Rather an obscure Greek myth. King Pierus had nine daughters and went around saying they were better than the nine muses. Ended badly.”
Pierus sniffed. “I never heard such rubbish. I assure you, nothing of that sort ever happened.”
She glared for a bit longer. Hippy began to fidget and wonder if she should let Fluffy Ducky sort it out when the woman abruptly lowered her weapon and returned it to her pack. “I suppose we really should calm down and remember our manners.” She grabbed Pierus’s hand and shook it. “Poppy Praeconius, archaeologist. Pleased to meet you.” She took Hippy’s hand. “And you are?”
Hippy shook her hand vigorously, since that seemed to be expected. “Hippy Ishtar.” The woman was only a little taller than her, so she didn’t have to crane her neck like she did with Pierus to see her face. Poppy looked as though she were in her forties. She had a few lines around her grey eyes, and otherwise rather stern features, which were currently smudged with dirt. Her glasses were crooked and her long, sandy, grey-sprinkled hair was pulled back into a severe bun. She wore the most curious trousers and tailored dress, all in khaki. “You’re the first human I’ve ever met,” Hippy added.
“Really? You’re the first lunatic I’ve ever found in a cave. I’m sure we’ll get along famously.” Poppy shouldered her pack.
“What’s a lunatic?”
“Someone who believes in fairies.” Poppy scanned the cavern.
“But I am a fairy.” Hippy’s lower lip trembled.
“Of course you are, dear.”
Pierus put a hand on Hippy’s shoulder and bent down to her level. “Humans don’t know about us,” he said in a low voice. “Try and be a little more circumspect, my dear.”
“Circum what?”
Pierus sighed. “Never mind. Come along, we’ve wasted enough time. If my calculations were correct, we shouldn’t have far to go. You, human, bring me your bright light, would you?”
“Why not?” Poppy picked up her light and followed him to the walls.
Hippy trotted behind while Pierus studied the rock. She was far more interested in the human. Really, she could have passed for a fairy if she was shorter, or a muse if she was a lot taller. But something bothered her. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.
“Here,” Pierus said.
The light stopped over a series of markings on the wall. Next to the markings, a tunnel branched away.
“These are fascinating.” Poppy leaned forward. “This is a Greek script, but I’m not familiar with it at all.”
“Of course you’re not, women have no place reading the ancient texts,” Pierus snapped. “Would you keep that light steady?”
Poppy glanced over her shoulder at Hippy. “Is he always this pleasant?”
Hippy barely heard her because underneath the unfamiliar letters, she saw an etching of a lady with snakes on her head. “Hey, that’s like the statue in your tent! The
“You’re right, it’s a complete waste of time, which I’m afraid is a precious commodity now you’ve allowed the vampire king to escape into your world,” Pierus said.
“You’re insane.”
“And you’re wasting our time.” Pierus peered intently around the cavern. “I’m sure the Apple was hidden not far from here.”
“Apple?” the woman said. “You’re here for an apple?”
“You, human woman, where are we?”
“At my dig site.” The gun, which had been dropping, raised again. “Clear off.”
“She’s worse than a fairy,” Pierus muttered.
“Hey!” Hippy scowled. “If you want my help you can just stop fairy bashing, alright?”
“Who’s bashing fairies?” the woman’s voice rose on a note that hovered somewhere between panic and disbelief.
“Pierus,” Hippy said.
“Pierus?” The woman tilted her head. “Funny, I came across that name a while back.” She gave Pierus a stern, hard look over the rim of her glasses. “Rather an obscure Greek myth. King Pierus had nine daughters and went around saying they were better than the nine muses. Ended badly.”
Pierus sniffed. “I never heard such rubbish. I assure you, nothing of that sort ever happened.”
She glared for a bit longer. Hippy began to fidget and wonder if she should let Fluffy Ducky sort it out when the woman abruptly lowered her weapon and returned it to her pack. “I suppose we really should calm down and remember our manners.” She grabbed Pierus’s hand and shook it. “Poppy Praeconius, archaeologist. Pleased to meet you.” She took Hippy’s hand. “And you are?”
Hippy shook her hand vigorously, since that seemed to be expected. “Hippy Ishtar.” The woman was only a little taller than her, so she didn’t have to crane her neck like she did with Pierus to see her face. Poppy looked as though she were in her forties. She had a few lines around her grey eyes, and otherwise rather stern features, which were currently smudged with dirt. Her glasses were crooked and her long, sandy, grey-sprinkled hair was pulled back into a severe bun. She wore the most curious trousers and tailored dress, all in khaki. “You’re the first human I’ve ever met,” Hippy added.
“Really? You’re the first lunatic I’ve ever found in a cave. I’m sure we’ll get along famously.” Poppy shouldered her pack.
“What’s a lunatic?”
“Someone who believes in fairies.” Poppy scanned the cavern.
“But I am a fairy.” Hippy’s lower lip trembled.
“Of course you are, dear.”
Pierus put a hand on Hippy’s shoulder and bent down to her level. “Humans don’t know about us,” he said in a low voice. “Try and be a little more circumspect, my dear.”
“Circum what?”
Pierus sighed. “Never mind. Come along, we’ve wasted enough time. If my calculations were correct, we shouldn’t have far to go. You, human, bring me your bright light, would you?”
“Why not?” Poppy picked up her light and followed him to the walls.
Hippy trotted behind while Pierus studied the rock. She was far more interested in the human. Really, she could have passed for a fairy if she was shorter, or a muse if she was a lot taller. But something bothered her. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.
“Here,” Pierus said.
The light stopped over a series of markings on the wall. Next to the markings, a tunnel branched away.
“These are fascinating.” Poppy leaned forward. “This is a Greek script, but I’m not familiar with it at all.”
“Of course you’re not, women have no place reading the ancient texts,” Pierus snapped. “Would you keep that light steady?”
Poppy glanced over her shoulder at Hippy. “Is he always this pleasant?”
Hippy barely heard her because underneath the unfamiliar letters, she saw an etching of a lady with snakes on her head. “Hey, that’s like the statue in your tent! The
Similar Books
