Adelaide has been able to see faeries since she was six years old. Every spring, two of them visit her. They tell her whimsical stories and warn against letting anyone know she has the Sight, vowing each time to protect her with their lives. When they request her help in gathering the three artifacts needed to free Prince Ardenon from an enchanted sleep, will she be strong enough to make the sacrifice required to protect them--and the entire world of fey--from destruction?

Prologue

It was surprisingly warm for a spring afternoon. Sweat made the little girl’s t-shirt stick loosely to her back as refreshing gusts of winds blew blonde curls away from her forehead. She was running toward the edge of the woods where she had seen him: The boy with skin the color of blueberries. It had been a surprising sight, even to the six-year-old, and the curiosity it caused was of the greatest she had felt yet in her young life.

Leaving the smell of dinner and laundry behind her, she broke into the line of trees surrounding her yard, stumbling clumsily over the uneven earth that the roots of large pines created on the forest floor. Her knees stung where weeds slapped against them and her shins causing her to wince every now and then, but she was undeterred. Not until she came upon a small clearing did she stop.

In the center stood the rather tall and round stump of a long-deceased oak. The bark peeled off the edges and looked dry, decrepit. Around the perimeter of the stump was a row of faded-looking mushrooms, which seemed to be filling the air with an odd scent. And, perched on top of the stump was the blue boy. His black eyes glittered in the dim light that fell upon him, and he smiled at the girl, displaying a row of tiny, razor-sharp teeth.

“Hello, Addie,” he whispered. His voice was like the sound of dry, crackling leaves. “Come to play?”

Addie twisted her hands shyly, looking away quickly before turning her face up at him. He was scary. Her Mommy had always told her to stay out of the woods, to keep away from strange people, and not to speak to them. But, as scared as she was, she felt compelled to answer him. To play with him. She had never seen anything like him, and, even aware that she was disobeying her mother, she spoke quietly after a moment.

“What game are we playing? I like hide and seek.”

“Hide and seek, hmm? That sounds fun.” The corner of his mouth turned up unnaturally, curling in on itself. “Do you like pears, Addie? I’ve found the most scrumptious pears out here.” And, reaching behind him, he pulled out a golden pear that shimmered in the sunlight. He brought it up to his mouth, taking a large bite out of the meatiest section, and Addie saw that the innards were a deep crimson color, juicier that any fruit she’d ever seen. Her stomach growled suddenly, reminding her that she was missing dinner.

The boy was licking his lips, still smirking at her with his sharp teeth. “You’ve got to try it,” he said in his dry voice. “I know you’re hungry. One bite won’t ruin your dinner.”

It was like he could read her mind, Addie thought. Or, at least, he could hear her stomach rumbling. And, the more she watched him turn that sparkling pear in his fingers, the more drawn to it she felt. Her mouth was watering, and, before she realized, she was moving slowly closer to the boy still seated atop the stump.

“That’s right,” she heard him whispering, as if right at her ear. “Come, little mortal. Taste our fruit and dream. Join our party. We can play hide and seek all of your days if you wish…” Addie noticed vaguely that it had begun to rain light, uneven drops on the boy’s head and hers. And, the sun shone ever brighter as she got close, blinding her so that she cried out, frightened more than she had been yet.

And, suddenly they were there. Addie blinked rapidly as the golden light faded, and a shrill female voice cried out. When she caught sight of who the voice belonged to, she gasped softly, blinking again. Two long-limbed ladies were now on top of the stump, the blue boy now running, disappearing into the trees that surrounded the clearing.

“Don’t forget your snack, pixie!” the darker-complexioned girl called after him, hurling what appeared to be another pear in his direction. “You will be reported!” Addie gaped at the lady. Cotton-candy pink hair stuck out in every direction from her pretty head, bright red eyes glaring in the direction the pixie had left. Her body was tan and oddly long and thin, disproportionate. And, the oddest thing may have been that the only material covering her body was four pink star fish, the same color as her hair.

Her companion was even odder, and, Addie realized with a jolt, staring at her curiously. Where the other girl was dark, this one was extremely fair. Leafy laurels and long, pointed ears peeked out of her pale yellow hair, which fell down her back in soft waves. Her large, brown doe eyes complimented her pink lips, and, wrapped around her torso and one of her legs, were curling vines, tiny leaves strategically placed in a faint attempt at modesty. She looked like a super model. They both did.

“That was close, eh Serè?” the pink-haired one was saying. She came and sat down on the stump next to her friend, her long legs barely dangling off of the ground. “It’s a good thing we were here. Why, if we’d just waited a few moments more like you wanted—“

“Hush, Riley,” the one called Serè interrupted. She leapt gracefully down from the stump, landing just in front of Addie. She towered over the girl for a moment, causing Addie to swallow audibly, before stepping back and leaning against the trunk. “You can see us, little one.” This was a statement, not a question. As young as Addie was, she could decipher it easily.

“Well, obviously she can. That explains why that vile pixie wasn’t using his glamour. Though, his job would have probably been easier if he had...” Serè held up her hand, cutting Riley off again and pulling a disgruntled sigh from the girl.

“What’s your name, child?”

“Uhh. It’s…Adelaide.” Addie bit her lip, watching as Serè came closer again, this time kneeling in front of her so that they were nearly eye-to-eye. Up close, she could see flecks of gold in Serè’s big, round eyes, glittering brighter than the pixie’s pear.

“Well, Adelaide,” she began, glancing over her shoulder at Riley, who still looked rather unhappy. “You’re a very brave girl, but you should be more careful. Pixies have been known to lure little girls like you into the woods and kidnap them, sometimes even…well, you shouldn’t go into the forest alone. And, your mother is probably very worried about you.”

“Yeah!” Riley shouted, leaping from the stump as well now, and standing beside Serè. Addie looked over at her as she placed her hand on her hip and cocked her head to the side, smiling and showing off glaringly white teeth. Her red eyes unnerved Addie. “Didn’t your Mommy ever tell you not to talk to strangers?”

Addie felt her throat tightening, and hot tears threatening to spill over. She suddenly missed her mother very much. She wanted to run straight home and crawl under the covers, let Mommy tuck her in and kiss her goodnight. A tiny whimper escaped her throat just as the first tear rolled down her rosy cheek.

“Be more gentle,” Serè grumbled, reaching over to slap Riley’s thigh loudly. She made a shushing sound, which, Addie thought, had to be magical. It calmed her instantly. “Adelaide…can you do something for me? Make me a promise?” Addie nodded slowly, looking into Serè’s eyes once more and nearly getting lost. “Don’t ever tell anyone you can see people like Riley and me. Nobody, you understand? Not even your Mommy. And, don’t ever let any of our folk know you can see them either, okay?”

Addie nodded again, not fully understanding the reason for the request, but knowing she would do anything Serè asked of her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Riley shifting impatiently from foot to foot.

“Now…it’s getting very late, and you’re tired, aren’t you?” Addie nodded yet again, yawning, and barely noticed when Riley fell to her knees beside Serè, coming closer, still smiling wickedly. “Remember your promise. We’ll come back to you, little Addie. We’ll watch over you.”

“Nothing can touch you,” she heard Riley whisper as she placed her hand on Addie’s shoulder. Things were going blurry and Addie blinked, trying to keep their beautiful faces in her sight. “No beasties can find you. No fey must know of your secret, little mortal.” She kissed Addie’s cheek softly then, gripping her shoulder lightly.

“Sleep, Addie. May no pixies haunt your sweet little dreams.” Serè’s cool, thin fingers weaved through Addie’s sticky bangs and fell to her back. Addie could only faintly see her outline as she leaned forward and kissed the cheek Riley hadn’t touched. As she pulled back, Addie’s world dimmed, a voice like wind chimes echoing in her head. “Sleep, my Addie.”

Her cheeks burned where the faeries’ lips had touched her.