Glenna knelt to the ground once more, unsure of what to do. Both Dimas and Foley stood nearby, though they paid little attention to the prisoners, all of which were tied securely.
Glenna shifted and a small twig snapped under her foot. She froze, barely breathing as she stared at the guards. Dimas' head snapped towards her. She could feel his gaze searching the woods, and she closed her eyes. She expected any moment for the pirate to grab her and force her forward to join the other prisoners. What will happen to me? Glenna thought. If I become a prisoner on a pirate's ship, will I ever find my way home?
A crashing noise echoed suddenly through the glen as the door gave way to Bolthor's heavy hand. Glenna jumped instinctively, wincing as she pictured the guards spotting her. Finally, after several minutes, Glenna opened her eyes.
Neither of the guards were paying attention to her. Both Dimas and Foley were staring in Pillage's direction.
"Untie me," said a voice. A familiar dark-haired fairy knelt near the building. Glenna couldn't help but gape at her. She had never heard a fairy speak.
The fairy's voice was musical, lilting, but at the same time sharp. It only heightened Glenna's distrust of the fairy folk.
"Untie you?" Glenna swallowed hard, attempting to clear her dry throat. Her croaking voice sounded quite different, and very human, to Glenna's own ears.
The fairy shook her head, disgusted. "Yes. Now," she hissed.
Glenna glanced back at the guards. They were talking quietly, all the while edging further away from Glenna and the prisoners. She sensed that they were itching to join the others inside. Loud booms and rumbles echoed from the huge building. Glenna realized suddenly that she didn't have much time. Soon, the pirates would be finished with their looting and would want to begin the trek back to their ship.
She hesitated before creeping forward. She would have to leave the safety of the clearing in order to rescue the prisoners.
The ground squished under her feet as she moved, pooling water spreading out around her boots. I must reach the building, she thought. It was only a few feet away, but without the shelter of the trees. If she could reach it without being spotted, she knew she could hide behind it and untie the fairy's hands from around the corner. Then she can help the others escape.
With one last glance at the guards, Glenna slipped behind the wooden building. The fairy moved backwards, awkwardly over the stone covered ground. Glenna leaned around the side of the building, her cheek pressing against the rough wood, and reached for the fairy's thin hands.
The fairy's skin shone translucent against the bindings. Glenna groaned inwardly as the falling waves of water from the roof splashed down on her, plastering her hair to her head and streaming down her shirt collar. It was hard to untie anything with wet fingers.
The fairy twitched as the binding tightened briefly around her wrists before finally giving way. Odd, Glenna thought, I've never seen rope like this before. Without thinking, she tucked it into her satchel.
The fairy turned to face her, her expression unreadable, before rising slowly and going towards the forest.
"Wait," Glenna called softly. "Help me untie the others."
The fairy cocked her head, a confused expression on her face. "Why would I do that?" she asked, her eyes bright. They appeared to glitter evilly.
"You mean you're leaving?"
The fairy turned and began once more to walk towards the forest, leaving Glenna behind, along with other prisoners. Glenna stared at her, mouth agape. She felt a quiet fury build inside as a burning anger replaced shock. "Why of all the ungrateful...," she started to say.
"Can't trust a fairy, dear," an old man with a long nose told her. He was peeking around the building at her, his hands tied roughly to the post above his head. "Everyone knows that."
Glenna checked the guards once more. Only Dimas remained at his post. "Where's the other guard?"
The man shrugged awkwardly. "He went to help the others in the big building. I hope they don't find the people hidden in there."
Glenna scowled. All I need are more prisoners to rescue, she thought. I hope they hid well.
"If I untie you, are you going to sneak off, too?" Glenna asked softly as she crept forward.
The man chuckled. "No, I'll stay and help," he assured her. "It would go faster though, if you had a knife."
"Sorry. I wasn't exactly planning on doing this today," Glenna whispered. She struggled with the bindings for several seconds. The knot was much more difficult to work with and Glenna began to despair of ever getting it untied. She glanced around, searching for some type of tool to cut the rope. Her eyes lit on the basket overhead.
"What's in there?" Glenna asked, pointing.
"Good idea," the man hissed, "let them loose."
"Who?" Glenna asked, but the man turned away, staring at Dimas. "He's not looking. Do it now," he said, his voice urgent.
Glenna gulped, straightening suddenly to grab the basket above her. It buzzed angrily in her hands and Glenna dropped it. It burst open on the ground, releasing a swarm of angry....
Sprites. Glenna fell to the earth, shielding herself from view as best as she could. Flutter appeared suddenly before her eyes, floating in mid-air with her hands on her hips.
"It's about time," she said.
ALSO BY LEAH PRICE
The Faire Pendant Series
The Tale of Atterberry
The Ballad of Captain Thatch
Legend of the Unicorns
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A lifelong lover of fantasy, Leah Price has spent years dreaming of other worlds and distant places. After traveling and studying abroad, she decided to write the story she always wanted to read. The Faire Pendant is a series of books dedicated to the child who lives in a world of imagination and wonder, who dreams of magic, and who longs for adventure.
Visit her website at www.leahprice.com to sign up for her newsletter and for the latest information on events, new releases, and more!
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