Her Fae Lovers

“Not enough time…” The voice whispered, Lola’s eyes darted about the trees as she turned around trying to find the source.

***

“Lola, Lola.” Merrow said from outside the ring.

“Come on, acushla.” Bodach whispered as he stood outside of the fairy circle. His heart clenching in his chest as Lola looked wildly around her. Eyes unseeing them as she called out his name.

“Of course, she calls for you.” Merrow said with a frown as he walked around the circle.

“I was the closest to catching her.” Bodach said before he called her name once more. His heart twisting in his chest as she called his name again.

“What has happened?” Puca asked as he walked up to the others.

“She is trapped.” Merrow said, moving to stand beside his lover.

“But why?” Puca asked. The magics that surrounded the circle felt familiar, like the first day of fall or the first rays of dawn’s light on your face.

Puca looked towards Lu and the other man nodded his head, recognizing the feelings of Holy Court.

“She’s being tested and tried.” Lu whispered as he stepped closer to the circle. Lola was close enough for him to touch, and he wanted to bring his hand up. To touch her skin, quiet her worries. He knew it was useless though, as long as she was trapped in the fairies ring. “Lola,” he whispered, his face dropping as she called out his name, her hair whipping about her shoulders as she spun around towards a sound that only she could hear.

“What do we do?” Merrow asked.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“We could wait until the enchantment is done?” Puca said, even knowing as he spoke that that was not an option.

“Nay,” Bodach said as he walked closer to Puca. “We can pull it down.”

“We can not,” Merrow grumbled, crossing his arms.

“We’ve done it before.”

“It didn’t work in the box.” Lu chimed in, remembering all of their failed attempts to escape their prison.

“It’s different now.” Puca said, his golden eyes meeting Bodach’s red ones.

“It’s Lola.” He said with a nod.

“It won’t hurt her?” Merrow asked as they dropped the picnic basket and the quilt.

“I wouldn’t risk it and neither would Puca.” Bodach said as he held his hand out to the merman “Remember that time with the banshee?”

“We broke her wailing.”

“Aye.” Puca said as he linked hands with the others. “Hopefully, this hurts less.”

“I hope so as well. It took weeks for my ears to heal.” Merrow said. He could feel the ring in front of them. Feel the old magic lingering in the air. “Bodach, you are up.”

“Aye.” he said, as he watched the air shimmering with sparks of light. Pressing his lips together, Bodach focused on the swirls that it created in the air. Following at it as he had with the box in Lola’s room.

“Are you locked in?”

“Aye.” Bodach said, feeling the cold sweat beaded up on his forehead. He sucked in a deep, shuddering breath.

“Lu.” Puca said.

“Aye, I’ve got it.” Lu said. He could feel the tendrils of trickery floating around him. Snatching one from the air, he let out a growl as he tugged and tested the strand.

Merrow glanced over at Puca, “Are we not needed.”

“Nay, my friend. Just let them pull from your strength. Let Lola pull from it when she’s able to, we do not know what is in there with her.”

“I do.” Lu said, pressing his lips together as he worked on the knot that the others couldn’t see.

“We can’t be sure.” Puca said, trying to deny the truth.

“If the Unseelie are interested in her, then so is the other side.” Merrow said. Feeling the hot stinging in his hands as his companions pulled what they needed from him.

“You are right.” Bodach said through gritted teeth, “I can feel her in there.”

“Her?”

“Yes, I can feel it the same as before.” Bodach said, his gaze traveling along the circle as mushrooms started to spring from the ground. Small lights started to flicker in the air as he neared the end, trying not to pull too much magic from the others as they worked. He didn’t know if they would need it when the circle fell and he’d rather be safe than sorry.

“Lola,” Puca whimpered. He watched the way her eyes filled with terror. How her body shook. It was clear that whatever she was going through was terrifying her. His eyes were glued to her as he watched her fall to her knees. Her hair hiding her face as her shoulders shook.

***

It was dark, so incredibly dark. The type of dark that you couldn’t even see your hand in front of your face. The voice was the only thing tethering her to reality.

At this point, Lola didn’t even know if this was real. Her fear was.

“Great danger…” The voice whispered across her skin, closer this time, and she fell to her knees. It didn’t matter where she ran. Or how loud she called out for her lovers. She was alone and it was dark.

She felt small and helpless, the memory of being trapped in the darkness as a child overcoming her. She let out a hiccupping sob. Her shoulders shaking as she tried to hold herself together.

The teasing whisper was coming again, and she brought her hands up to her ears. Trying to block out the sound, it was like it reverberated through her as she curled up on the ground.

“Be careful of the choices you will make.”

“I don’t understand, please let me go.” Lola said with a sob, closing her eyes. Trying to think of anything but the overwhelming darkness that surrounded her. “Please.” She pleaded again.

“Our time draws to a close as they figure out my enchantment. Think about the things I’ve said to you.” It said, the sound of the disjointed whispers whooshing about her.

Arms wrapped around her and pulled her against a firm chest, and she let out a choked sob. Hands moved through her hair, pushing it away from her face, but Lola was afraid to open her eyes.

What if it was still just as dark as it had been before? What if this was some type of trick?

“Lola.” Puca’s voice filled her ears as he stroked her back, “You are safe, go halainn.”

“Open your eyes, my darling.” Shaking her head at Bodach’s words. She wrapped her hands in Puca’s shirt, burying her face in the soft material.

“Lola, I promise you it’s okay.” Merrow said and she felt a hand touch her calf, giving the muscle a gentle squeeze.

Cracking open an eye. Her body still shaking, the faint traces of light filtering in from her peripheral view.

“What happened?” Lu asked as he trailed his fingers through her hair. His voice was low as he tried to soothe her.

“It was dark and there was a voice. Not one, but many. I couldn’t get away.” Lola bit out, trying to pull herself together. “It didn’t matter how much I called for you guys. I couldn’t get to y’all.”

“It’s okay, you are safe.” Puca said as he brought his hand up to her face, rubbing her tears away with his thumb.