The queen held up a hollow crystal sphere in one hand. With the other, she scribed strange gestures in the air. Her fingers left glowing streaks of silver against the darkness. Then she pointed straight at Jennet.
“Ahh!” A sharp pain speared through Jennet, as though the queen had stabbed her in the chest. She doubled over, gasping, while agony iced her blood. Oh god. It hurt.
“Behold, Fair Jennet,” the queen said. “The answer is Life. Your essence is captured here. It will serve us well.”
Jennet looked up, tears clouding her vision. The queen held the sphere aloft. It wasn’t empty any more. Inside was a bright swirl of color, like rainbow flames. They pulsed and danced, trapped inside their crystal prison. Wavering, calling to her.
“How,” Jennet forced the words out through lips tight with pain, “how do I get that back?”
Every game had a second chance, a third. You kept fighting the last battle until you finally won. Failure wasn’t permanent. Not like in real life.
The queen laughed, and the sound carried a bitter chill. “You cannot. Without a champion, you are lost. Now go. Go! I send thee, defeated, from the Dark Realm.”
Pain wrenched through Jennet and she screamed. Golden light blinded her senses and she swirled through a sickening vertigo. Blackness waited, merciful and dark, on the other side. She opened her arms to it, and fell.
Jennet woke, aching, in the sim chair. Her hands were stiff inside the gaming gloves, and when she sat forward, fire exploded in her shoulder. She could barely lift her arm, but it was impossible to take off the helmet one-handed. Trying not to whimper, she gritted her teeth against the agony and pulled off her gear.
She had lost.
Feyland was more than just a sim game. The clues had been there all along, but she hadn’t paid enough attention until now. Now, when it was too late. And she’d done worse than lose the game.
There was a frigid hollow in the center of her chest. The Dark Queen had taken something from her—something she feared she couldn’t live without. Bright flames trapped inside a magical sphere. Her mortal essence, the queen had said.
She had to get it back.
Jennet stumbled to her bedroom. She swayed at the edge of her bed, trying to pull the covers back. No use. She toppled forward onto the blue coverlet, and let the blackness of sleep take her down.
Call an ambulance! Now!
…unusual symptoms, Mr. Carter. No signs of external trauma…
--still unconscious?
…as soon as she wakes up we’ll notify you. Now get some rest…
(sobbing)
“Dad?” Her voice was creaky, the word sticking in her mouth like it was coated with tar.
Jennet thought she’d heard him, his voice taut with panic. And later—crying? What was going on?
She couldn’t open her eyes. And then she could, the lashes parting gummily. Unfamiliar white walls surrounded her, and the antiseptic smell hit her nose the same time her brain registered hospital.
What was she doing lying in a hospital bed?
An IV fed into her left arm, and she was dressed in a dun-colored gown. The gridded lights overhead made her want to close her eyes again, but she had to figure out what was going on.
“Dad?” she called again, fear lending her voice a wavery strength.
The door opened and a blue-smocked nurse bustled in, her hair tied neatly back.
“Awake at last,” she said. “And how are you feeling?”
“I really don’t know.” Jennet took a deep breath. Nothing hurt, but her throat was blazingly parched. “Could I get some water?”
The nurse nodded. “I’ll be right back. But if you need anything else, press the call button.”
“I need my dad.”
“Contacting him is the first thing on my list.” The nurse gave her an encouraging smile and left, closing the door softly.
Jennet stared around the room. There was a big vase of hydrangeas—blue and purple and green—the only real spot of color in the place. Thick white curtains were drawn over the window, the light a bright smear behind.
The door flew open, and her dad rushed in. His hair was rumpled and he looked exhausted, but as soon as he saw her, a smile transformed his face.
“Jen! Oh, honey.”
He caught her up in a hug, careful of the tubes stuck in her arm, and Jennet clung to him. He smelled like sunshine and safety.
“I’m here, Dad.”
“I know.” His voice was thick with emotion. “The docs say they want another day of observation, and then they’ll let you come home. I can’t believe I didn’t realize you had walking pneumonia—I’m so sorry.”
“I did?” She didn’t remember being sick.
What she did remember was the Dark Queen taking her mortal essence—but that must have been a dream. Right? She had been feverishly ill, after all. The strange, hollow feeling in her chest was just an after-effect of her illness; nothing more.
“We’re through it now,” her dad said. Tears lurked in his eyes. “Let me get some light in here.”
He went to the window and pulled back the curtain. Afternoon sun poured into the room, as though it had just been waiting for an invitation. The branches of a tree were visible from the bed, dark green leaves moving gently in the breeze below the cloud-spotted sky.
Returning to the bedside, her dad sat and took her hand.
“I have some bad news,” he said, his voice strained. “It’s… I don’t know how to tell you this, but—Thomas is dead.”
“What?” She clutched his hand, her mind buzzing in circles. “How could he be? What happened?”
Dad shook his head. “He died at home, the doctors think from a stroke. It was fast, and probably painless.”
Tears choked her throat. “But I didn’t get to say goodbye.”
“None of us did.” Her dad blinked, hard, but a drop of moisture still rolled down one cheek. “I’m so sorry to have to break this to you while you’re still in the hospital, but I thought you’d want to know right away.”
Jennet pressed her lips together and nodded. She couldn’t quite believe that Thomas was gone.
“The funeral is the day after tomorrow. You’ll be home by then.” Her dad leaned forward again and wrapped her in a tight hug. “I love you,” he said against her hair.
“I love you too, Dad.” She hugged him awkwardly back, mindful of the IV.
She felt cold and empty inside, but at least she was alive, and with her dad. Thomas’s death was horrible—but she and Dad had gone through worse and come out the other side.
Not perfectly, no, but who ever made it through life without a few scars?
The Dark Queen paced the length of her court, her dress a shimmer of smoke and shadows, her midnight hair stirred by the ever-present night breeze. In one hand she held a crystal sphere where a small flame flickered. It was the barest ember of fire—but it was enough.
She had made a bargain, and she would remain true to it. The fey folk were ever bound by their word. But bargains were tricky things, and she had centuries of experience. The poor mortal who had thought to negotiate with her had gotten what he wanted, but at a price few would pay, and for a far shorter time than he believed.
The queen smiled, as bright and sharp as the stars overhead. In a swirl of night, she mounted her throne and settled into its tangled black depths. To one side stood a knot of musicians: a long-fingered creature with a wooden flute, a squat goblin holding a skin drum, and a sad-eyed man with a battered guitar slung across his back.
“Music,” she said, gesturing to the players. “I would hear a song from my new Bard—something pleasant to pass the time. A tale of treachery and deceit, perchance.”
The denizens of her court laughed, their cackles and gibbers echoing off the trunks of the tall oak trees. Pale moths fluttered away from the sound, wings beating like panicked hearts.
“As my lady commands.”
The man set his fingers on the strings of his guitar, bowed hi
s head, and began to play.
THE END
Is Jennet truly free of the Dark Queen? Turn the page to find out more about the FEYLAND trilogy, and discover a world of magic, dangerous adventure, and a hint of romance...
Thank you!
Thanks for reading FEYLAND: The First Adventure. I hope you enjoyed it!
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* You’ve just read the prequel to the FEYLAND trilogy. Other books in this series are listed below. I hope you enjoy them all!
FEYLAND: THE COMPLETE TRILOGY – All three books in one epic digital bundle ~ Scoop up the entire series now, or buy individually (titles listed below) ~
~ Buy links ~
Faeries. Computer games. A boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and the girl he's afraid to love...
What if a high-tech computer game was a gateway to the treacherous Realm of Faerie?
"Ms. Sharp is a master storyteller... The Feyland books have found a prized place on my all-time favorite books list."—Rebecca McKinnon, The Crooked Word
"This is a great series that deserves more attention. The books are quick and exciting reads, and if you like stories based on fairy tales, or if you enjoyed both the portrayal of the fae in Mercy Thompson and October Daye and the virtual world of Ready Player One, you will love this series."—Kate, Epic Chocolate Fantasy
"The series has come full circle with the great cast of characters and events that take place. Would recommend for everyone!"—Jen, What's on the Bookshelf
THE FEYLAND BOOKS:
FEYLAND: THE DARK REALM ~ Buy links ~
WHEN A GAME…
Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.
TURNS REAL…
Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her.
WINNING IS EVERYTHING…
Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late.
FEYLAND: THE BRIGHT COURT ~ Buy links ~
INSIDE THE GAME…
Jennet Carter escaped the dark faeries of Feyland once. Now, fey magic is seeping out of the prototype game, beguiling the unwary and threatening everyone she cares about.
MAGIC…
Tam Linn may be a hero in-game, but his real life is severely complicated. Still, he’ll do whatever it takes to stop the creatures of Feyland, even if it means pushing Jennet toward the new guy in school–the one with an inside connection to sim-gaming… and the uncanny ability to charm everyone he meets.
ALWAYS WINS…
Despite the danger, Jennet and Tam must return to Feyland to face the magic of the Bright Court–and a powerful new enemy who won’t stop until the human world is at the mercy of the Realm of Faerie.
FEYLAND: THE TWILIGHT KINGDOM ~ Buy links ~
THEIR LAST CHANCE…
Jennet Carter and Tam Linn are almost out of time. Feyland, the most immersive computer game ever designed, is about to be released into the world–along with the Realm of Faerie’s dangerous magic.
WIN THE GAME…
The faeries, desperate to break free from their realm, have set treacherous plans in motion. Despite magical allies of their own, Jennet and Tam have no idea what dire threats await, both in-game and out.
OR DIE TRYING…
Battling for their lives against the united powers of the Dark Queen and Bright King, Jennet and Tam’s quest to stop the fey takes them into the perilous Twilight Kingdom, where illusion reigns–and magic can break all the rules.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Growing up, Anthea Sharp spent most of her summers raiding the library shelves and reading, especially fantasy. She now makes her home in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes, plays the fiddle, and spends time with her small-but-good family. Contact her at
[email protected] or visit her website – www.antheasharp.com
Anthea also writes historical romance under the pen name Anthea Lawson. Find out about her acclaimed Victorian romantic adventure novels at www.anthealawson.com.
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