Read Online Faerie Path #6: The Charmed Return by Frewin Jones - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Frewin Jones
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mother say.
“Not exactly, Mrs. P,” Jade replied. “I kind of skipped out before she got home. The lily pond got wrecked. I need time to come up with a plausible explanation for what happened. Don’t worry about it—it’ll be fine.”
The voices faded out of Anita’s consciousness. She could think only about her father now. She stepped into the garden and walked toward him.
“Dad?”
She had been beside him for close to half a minute, and he hadn’t looked at her once, nor said a single word. His hands were pushed deep into his pockets and his head was down, caught up in his own thoughts.
The lawn was churned by tire tracks. The back fence broken. Physical proof that Faerie was real—that Anita Palmer was also Princess Tania Aurealis.
“The roses are doing well this year,” her father murmured. “This particular strain is called Deep Secret. It’s a hybrid tea rose. I bought it for the fragrance.” His voice cracked with emotion. “You always loved the smell of roses when you were a child.”
She stooped toward the dark red roses and breathed in deeply so the powerful, sweet scent filled her head. “I still do,” she said gently. She reached out to him, tugging his reluctant hand out of his pocket and twining her fingers with his. “You hate all this, don’t you? All this Faerie stuff?”
“I hate what it does to you,” he said. “You don’t remember how it was tearing you apart. This is the first time since your birthday that you’ve been yourself. And now . . .” He choked and was unable to continue.
She squeezed his hand, folding her other hand around his arm and pressing close against his side. A thick lump filled her throat.
There were tears in his voice when he spoke again. “I’m afraid I’ll lose you,” he said. “I’m afraid you’re going to go away from me and never come back.”
“I’ll never do that.”
“You can’t make that promise. You don’t know .”
“Well, that’s certainly true.” Anita sighed. “In fact, apart from Jade, I’m the only one here who doesn’t know a single thing about Faerie.” She looked into his eyes. “You and Mum have been there, Dad! You’ve seen stuff I’ve totally forgotten. It’s all just words to me right now—but you know it’s real.” She paused, gathering her thoughts. “I’m part of their world, Dad, even though I can’t remember it. They came and found me because they know I can help. I can’t let them down.”
He smiled bleakly. “I know, sweetheart. I know.”
She clung to him. “This whole thing is unbelievably scary, Dad. I need you on my side so that I can do whatever it takes to help them.” She looked into his face. “I’m not a big hero, Dad—I’m totally freaked—but a whole country full of people needs me.” She could almost have laughed! Saying it out loud didn’t help at all. It still sounded insane.
Her father looked at her. “So? You want my blessing? Is that what you need from me?”
She squeezed his hand even more tightly. “Please.”
“Then you have it,” he said.
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”
Muffled cries sounded from the house. Edric appeared at the back door and called to them.
“It’s Zara. She’s awake!”
Chapter IX
Anita ran in from the garden.
Zara was standing in the kitchen doorway, flanked by Rathina and Edric, her flowing Faerie gown a stark contrast to their everyday clothes. Her face was drained of color, but her eyes had a new light in them.
“Come in, Zara,” said Mrs. Palmer, pulling out a chair from the table. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel newborn. . . .” murmured Zara, sitting down.
“May I get you a drink?” Edric suggested, moving to the fridge.
Zara nodded. “By your courtesy, Master Chanticleer.”
Anita was aware of an air of suppressed excitement in the room, as though everyone was being careful not to overwhelm the pale princess with their attention.
Anita stepped forward, and Zara seemed to notice her for
“Not exactly, Mrs. P,” Jade replied. “I kind of skipped out before she got home. The lily pond got wrecked. I need time to come up with a plausible explanation for what happened. Don’t worry about it—it’ll be fine.”
The voices faded out of Anita’s consciousness. She could think only about her father now. She stepped into the garden and walked toward him.
“Dad?”
She had been beside him for close to half a minute, and he hadn’t looked at her once, nor said a single word. His hands were pushed deep into his pockets and his head was down, caught up in his own thoughts.
The lawn was churned by tire tracks. The back fence broken. Physical proof that Faerie was real—that Anita Palmer was also Princess Tania Aurealis.
“The roses are doing well this year,” her father murmured. “This particular strain is called Deep Secret. It’s a hybrid tea rose. I bought it for the fragrance.” His voice cracked with emotion. “You always loved the smell of roses when you were a child.”
She stooped toward the dark red roses and breathed in deeply so the powerful, sweet scent filled her head. “I still do,” she said gently. She reached out to him, tugging his reluctant hand out of his pocket and twining her fingers with his. “You hate all this, don’t you? All this Faerie stuff?”
“I hate what it does to you,” he said. “You don’t remember how it was tearing you apart. This is the first time since your birthday that you’ve been yourself. And now . . .” He choked and was unable to continue.
She squeezed his hand, folding her other hand around his arm and pressing close against his side. A thick lump filled her throat.
There were tears in his voice when he spoke again. “I’m afraid I’ll lose you,” he said. “I’m afraid you’re going to go away from me and never come back.”
“I’ll never do that.”
“You can’t make that promise. You don’t know .”
“Well, that’s certainly true.” Anita sighed. “In fact, apart from Jade, I’m the only one here who doesn’t know a single thing about Faerie.” She looked into his eyes. “You and Mum have been there, Dad! You’ve seen stuff I’ve totally forgotten. It’s all just words to me right now—but you know it’s real.” She paused, gathering her thoughts. “I’m part of their world, Dad, even though I can’t remember it. They came and found me because they know I can help. I can’t let them down.”
He smiled bleakly. “I know, sweetheart. I know.”
She clung to him. “This whole thing is unbelievably scary, Dad. I need you on my side so that I can do whatever it takes to help them.” She looked into his face. “I’m not a big hero, Dad—I’m totally freaked—but a whole country full of people needs me.” She could almost have laughed! Saying it out loud didn’t help at all. It still sounded insane.
Her father looked at her. “So? You want my blessing? Is that what you need from me?”
She squeezed his hand even more tightly. “Please.”
“Then you have it,” he said.
“Thank you. Thank you so much!”
Muffled cries sounded from the house. Edric appeared at the back door and called to them.
“It’s Zara. She’s awake!”
Chapter IX
Anita ran in from the garden.
Zara was standing in the kitchen doorway, flanked by Rathina and Edric, her flowing Faerie gown a stark contrast to their everyday clothes. Her face was drained of color, but her eyes had a new light in them.
“Come in, Zara,” said Mrs. Palmer, pulling out a chair from the table. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel newborn. . . .” murmured Zara, sitting down.
“May I get you a drink?” Edric suggested, moving to the fridge.
Zara nodded. “By your courtesy, Master Chanticleer.”
Anita was aware of an air of suppressed excitement in the room, as though everyone was being careful not to overwhelm the pale princess with their attention.
Anita stepped forward, and Zara seemed to notice her for
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