Chapter 17

A hollow rattle shook her from her sleep. Mbilu rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Remi's aunt, Ria, stood outside the bars. Her face in a permanent scowl as if she'd never smiled before. This time she wore a deep red long sleeve peasant shirt, black wide legs pants and a matching wide red belt with silver metal tassels hanging off of it. She snapped her fingers. Heart hammering fear gripped Mbilu as she remembered what happened last time. She quickly put on her shoes, said goodbye to Sari and followed the woman.

**

Ria's rope tugged Mbilu through the black corridors. She could vaguely see her surroundings. Everything was a dark shadowy blur. Mbilu kept squinting to see in front of her. If it wasn't for the moonlight she wouldn't know where she was. A little squeak sounded down the passage. Tiny footsteps patter their way. A little boy holding a silver tray bowed before them and scurried off into the darkness. She turned to get a better look at the boy. There was something off about him. He didn't have that ethereal glow that fae had. His hair was rather dull and average yellow blond compared to the drops of sunlight on the heads of fae. His footsteps were also heavier than the fae. She didn't think he was fae or maybe a different type of fae. But what would a heavy and dull fae be doing in a place that prides itself on glamour and lightweight?

Ria took a turn and stopped in front of a navy black door with stars on it. She knocked on the door. Mbilu mentally traced the brightest stars on it. It shaped a hook with a flat end on one side. The door swung open. Another strange dull fae opened the door. She wore a teal cotton apron dress with an actual white apron over it. She had a silver choker around her neck and silver bands around her wrists. The girl looked up at them as they walked through. There was something wrong about her eyes. They were glazed and unfocused. Almost as if the girl didn't know she was there. Ria pulled her into an office. A large ash desk sat in the front of the room. A leather chair behind it and a wall sized painting of Silphe hanging on the wall behind it. On the left side was large window with a view of the air court. In front of the window laid a man on a golden chaise. He had ebony dark skin with a red glow beneath it making him maroon. Orange yellow eyes which moved as if it were filled with lava. Black hair shaped upwards with fades on the sides, and yellow and orange tips. He also had a silver choker around his neck and silver bands around his wrists. Only difference was that his eyes weren't glazed. He didn't look confused. He knew where he was. The heat and glare coming from him told her that he hated it. On the right side were three more people. They were all just as dull as the girl. They wore the same uniform. The two boys standing side by side wore teal wide leg pants and matching tunics over it. They all had silver chokers and silver bands. One of the boys stood next to a bucket of ice water. The other stood next to a fire extinguisher. She glanced at the man on the chaise then at the boys. They were holding him hostage. He was a fire fae and they had all the means to extinguish him if he made the wrong move. The painting on the wall moved. Silphe walked into the room. The room heat up. Her bones tensed up, anxious fluttering filled her stomach. Her eyes roamed the room. A satisfied smile at the man and a cruel smile at her. She walked around the desk and towards. Ria slightly swung her hand back to tug her forward.

"No need for that Ria. Welcome to my office Mbilu."

She snapped her fingers. Two girls, servants, rushed into the room with a chair. They pushed a chair behind her and made her sit. Ria moved to the side of the room. Another servant rushed in with a silver tray of tea. Silphe took two teacups and filled it with tea. She placed two teaspoons of sugar in both. A servant took a teacup and saucer and gave it to Mbilu. She took it before the poor child spilled a drop in their haste. A fragrant floral scent floated from the cup. She recognised the scent. Chamomile tea with vanilla. Silphe took a sip. Mbilu kept the cup and saucer on her lap. What a fae drank or ate was not what a human could. The princess looked at her then her cup. Mbilu reluctantly raised the cup to her lips. She couldn't be seen as rude. They could hurt her afterwards. She took a small sip of the tea. She was right. A flow of warmth relaxed her joints and softened her tense shoulders. This was not good. It worked too quickly. Too well. From only one sip.

"Well, now that the tension is gone. Let's have a chat." She placed her finished cup down. A servant took Mbilu's barely drank cup from her hands and scurried off with it.

"How are you Mbilu?"

"Well and you?"

"I'm doing quite alright."

She stood up and strolled towards her. Each step slower and more deliberate than the last. Mbilu calmed her beating heart. She couldn't look scared in front of her. The princess crouched to Mbilu's level. Up close she could see her long pointy ears sticking out the side. A silver dragon cuff earring on one ear and a flame in the middle of twirled wire on the other. Bronze eyeshadow around her eyes and bronze nude lipstick touched with gold. Her hair held back in an afro puff ponytail. Silver and grey swirled in it and over it as it kept the form of a cloud. Flawless alabaster skin. The scent of salt in the wind rolled off of her. A soft yet icy hand touched the side of her face. A frown and soft coin eyes quickly replaced by an irritated pout and hardened ash eyes. The princess stood up and walked around her. Touching her shoulders, her hair and sniffing her as she did. She went to the front of her desk and sat again.

"What do you know of Remi?"

"Not much."

"I admire you humans for your ability to lie. It surprises me and entertains me at the same time." She laughed. A silvery laugh that reminded her of chimes swaying in the wind. Her laugh cut short when she turned her head and glared at her. " I don't want lies this time. Tell me everything about Remi."

"Why should I?"

"To save your life obviously." Silphe chirped.

"I don't know much."

"I said stop lying."

"I'm not sure if you've noticed but I only found out about this world last night. For all I know, I could know next to nothing about him." Fury built up in Mbilu. She couldn't claim to know him if she didn't know what he was.

She stood again, walking behind her. Her hands slammed her shoulders. The tension came back. Her thumbs went in circles. Massaging her. The princess bent down until their faces were side by side. The anxious fluttering turned into flights of panic.

"See we fae are attracted to beauty. We follow certain aesthetics that please us. For a human, you're pretty." She spoke in a hushed tone. Her hand grabbed Mbilu's jaw and held tight. She turned her face to Ria. "Isn't she pretty Ria?" She giggled. The woman looked scowled like she was gum under her shoe.

"Tell me Remi's secrets or you'll lose your pretty face."

"There's not much to tell seeing as I'm still discovering them."

"Do you think he'll still love you with a disfigured face?"

"We met on a film set when I was dressed as a zombie extra. Looks didn't matter then, why would they matter now?"

"Tell me everything about Remi."

A faint buzzing entered her head. She leaned towards Silphe's voice. The buzzing stopped and she moved back.

"Please provide a reason as to why I should." She replied. Silphe flinched as if she'd been slapped. She blinked confused. A cough made her turn to the left of the room. The man's mouth was open and his eyebrows raised. Something had gone wrong. A looming presence in Mbilu told her that something was supposed to happen but it didn't. Heavy breathing escaped the princess. An air of fear settled in. A cruel grin formed on Ria's face. A loud crunch snapped all attention back to Silphe. Underneath her hands the table had cracked.

"Let's try this again. Tell me what you know you human filth."

"Rest. Rest. I nicely asked for a reason but I guess I won't say anything now that you're being mean."

"Why? Why can't I enchant you?"

"Same reason you can't enchant other creatures. She might have some magic in her blood." the male across the room spoke up.

"Don't listen to that blubbering fool your majesty. She's just a human like every other." Ria stepped in front of him.

"Then why does she disobey me?" The princess stomped her foot. A crack appeared under her dainty feet.

"Maybe she's been subconsciously trained but my foolish nephew to resist your charms." Ria suggested. Wow, Remi really does have a bad family. Is that why he spends so much time with her? Was his father and mother the same? Mbilu didn't think so. He spoke fondly of them.

"Yes. That has to be it."

"Punish her Ria. Make her bleed."

Time to bring up the rules. "You can't harm me I'm a guest." Mbilu exclaimed

"Do you honestly believe those lies called fairytales? We are more powerful than you humans could ever be. Superior to you in more ways than you can imagine. You are dirt. You come from dirt and shall eventually return to it. I for one can't wait to see your lifeless body covered in it."

There goes her last hope of safety.

"Ria make her scream. It's too quiet in here."

Ria grinned revealing her sharp triangular - like teeth. Fear vibrated throughout Mbilu's body. Her fingers clenched and unclenched. Her heart hammered in her chest. Multiple thoughts rushed through her head. Mbilu didn't have any particular athletic talents aside from swimming. She wasn't strong or fast but she did have endurance. She'd have to last as long as she could. Ria's finger twirled in the air. Mbilu grabbed the edges of the armrest. Black eyes fearfully held on to sparkling silver. The air around her twirling finger materialised. Silver threads leaked from it and swirled around each other. Creating a whip. The hilt glistened in the moonlight as Ria's hand tightened around it. Mbilu's feet shifted under her. She took in deep breaths to calm her heart. If she could avoid the major and important areas from getting hit then she'd be fine. Ria raised her arm and swiped it down. The whip swung up. Mbilu took her chance. She stood and rushed behind the chair. The end of the whip struck the air where she sat. Silphe tilted her head in shock. Ria laughed out loud. She took a step forward. Mbilu stepped back. Ria stepped back as well. This was a game for her. A hunt. Mbilu was the prey. She'd make it damn hard for Ria to catch her. Mbilu stood up straight behind the chair. Ria raised her arm quicker than Mbilu could blink. The whip struck the chair. A sliver of hope entered Mbilu. She'd missed. The chair moved from its space, flew across the room and smashed on the wall. Silphe's excited claps filled the room. Ria's pastel lilac skin turned a deep violet, her hair completely turned a coin silver and her bottom half formed the funnel of a tornado. What kind of pokemon level up is this? Mbilu thought to herself. She took a few steps backwards. Keeping Ria in her line of sight. The cruel woman laughed. She swiped the whip across her body. The weapon moved and slithered towards Mbilu. She jumped back before the ends could touch her. She shuffled towards the line of humans. Ria slowly floating towards her. Each metre closer is a metre the whip doesn't have to go through to get to her. The whip zoomed towards her again. She threw herself to the ground and grabbed the bucket of water. She quickly stood and tossed it at Ria. Ria easily dodged it. A small hiss behind her.

"Watch the water! I'm not the enemy here!" The man now stood in the side of the chaise where water dripped from one of the pillows.

"Would you care to help?" she asked him.

"Not my fight either." he stood aside with his hands raised.

"Useless." she muttered.

She glanced at the fire extinguisher. She wanted to grab it but she couldn't. One wrong move could extinguish the wrong person. There also wasn't much she could do against air spirits. Air didn't not have an enemy or easy weak spot. She didn't have a way out. She'd just have to take the punishment. A pair of hands grabbed her arms. She turned to see the glassy eyed servants. Her body shook and struggled. Their grip was too strong. She was cornered. Silphe's delighted squeals were tuned out by her thundering heart and a vague voice calling her. Trying her best to listen to the voice was a struggle when all she could see was Ria raising her whip and striking it at her. Her eyes closed and she turned her head away. The crack sounded though no pain followed. Maybe it was a blinding pain that her body chose to ignore entirely. She peeped one eye open then the other. Ria's eyes were wide, her teeth bared at her and her hand clutching her arm. Green welts bubbled on her hand. She leant down and picked up the whip with her other hand. The whip was raised again. Mbilu turned away from the onslaught of pain she'd receive. None came. A pained shriek filled the silence. Ria held both her hands towards her body. Her entire face contorted in pain and anger. She opened her mouth and let out an ear piercing shriek. The whip back in her arms. Cracks resounded around her. Nothing touched. After her fruitless rage, a blue ball of light floated in the air from Mbilu's chest. It grew bigger, turned cobalt then slammed into Ria. Throwing the woman across the room, rendering her unconscious and leaving her covered in green welts.

"Damn." The man gave Mbilu a slow clap. An furious scream exploded the desk into splinters. Silphe appeared in front of Mbilu. Grabbed her by the arm and threw her across the room. The air around her felt sluggish and heavy. Her weightless body frozen with fear and shock. The quiet voice from before was more renounced.

"No physical harm will come to you. Creatures that harm you will receive punishment ten fold."

Her breath hitched. Remi. It was his voice. A painful slam on her back told her she'd reached the other side of the room. What she didn't expect was for the slam to fall through and glass rain around her. The world went back to normal. Strong winds made her eyes water as she fell. Stinging on her arms confirmed cuts. The clouds passed her in a blur. Until they didn't. She'd stopped before an open window. A few fae jumped in shock when she waved at them. Her body became weightless again. A blue glow around her arms. A blue glow around her body lifted her up. Below her the startled fae opened their windows to see the floating human.

The palace was beautiful from outside. A real palace in the clouds. Made of clouds. The palace itself sat on a giant ever moving cloud. Thicker and more dense clouds covered a good part of the castle. Only a few buildings such as high spiral towers, random balconies, and a few side rooms were visible through the cotton candy fog. Thick fog and ice shaped the main buildings of the palace. She'd passed clear ice windows with hardened white ice frames. Balconies of silver jutted out from random beds of dark clouds. A few fae flew beside her. A fae with gossamer wings flew in a circle around her then giggled. A fae child with monarch butterfly wings asked if she was a wizard or magician, she replied that she was an ordinary human. The child flew off and called their friends. As strange as it was she dared herself to close her eyes, stretched out her hands and let out a laugh. She was flying. Truly flying. In a palace made from clouds. Her childhood dreams of touching the clouds had come true. Mbilu continued to fly up until she reached her stop. A large broken window with a view of an ash grey Silphe with lightning flashing in her hair. Holding Sari by the neck.

She landed in the office. Sari had tears running down their cheeks. There were already cuts on their face. Blood dripped from her mouth. Silphe threw Sari towards the servants. They moved out the way as Sari hit the wall.

"No!" Mbilu ran over to her friend. Sari took in a breath which gave them a coughing fit.

"Slowly. Breath slowly." she told her friend.

"Give me what I want Mbilu. Or you watch your friend die."

Damn it. "What exactly do you want?"