The Rise of the Fairy Queen (The Fairy Queen Trilogy Book 1) by Gemma Perfect

Author:Gemma Perfect [Perfect, Gemma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gemma Perfect
Published: 2020-08-02T05:00:00+00:00

14

THEY GO INSIDE AND the front room is empty – it’s a small room with just a few seats.

“We meet in the back,” Hardy says, pushing open a door and leading them along a narrow corridor. “Here.” He pushes open the door and everyone in the room inside pauses, falls silent and turns to see who it is. Then they see Elsie – Elsie feels the weight of all of their eyes on her and blushes. Then the applause starts and Elsie blushes even more. Hardy laughs and joins in, then lifts her up onto his shoulders. The cheering and clapping and absolute delight on their face’s baffles Elsie, and she can see Meg is crying. It’s such an unexpected welcome.

Hardy sets her down and whispers in her ear. “I’m so glad you’re here with me.”

Elsie closes her eyes when his breath tickles her ear and smiles up at him. What are these feelings she’s feeling?

A young female fairy rushes over and embraces Elsie, almost squashing the breath out of her. “I can’t believe you’re here!” She takes hold of Elsie’s hand and holds it up, causing another wave of ear-splitting cheers. Elsie grins, awkwardly, and looks at all the fairies, the hope and happiness on their faces. She has done nothing to deserve such a welcome.

“Is there a toilet here, Hardy?”

“Of course. Out here.” He holds up a hand. “She’ll be right back.” There are more cheers as he leads her out.

Meg steps forward to follow them, but Elsie shakes her head. “I’m okay.”

Out in the empty corridor Elsie takes a shuddering breath. “Hardy what was that?”

“They’re just excited.” He laughs at her expression. “They’re happy.”

“That was madness. I have done nothing.”

“But you mean everything.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The royal family torment us, but historically they have always kept us safe. Your parents, your grandparents, did wonderful things for Allaire. It’s scary for a lot of fairies to wonder what will happen next. It’s fine to say we can overthrow them, but then what? Who is in charge? Who rules? Who metes out justice?”

“Me?”

“Now. But before you came back, when you were still locked up? We had nobody who could have stepped in to run Allaire... except for-”

“Except for?”

He folds his arms over his chest, looking a little defensive. “Me. I would have done it.” He holds out his hands at her expression. “Who else?”

“I don’t know. So why are they so excited to see me, if you would have ruled, anyway?”

“Nobody wanted to see me on the throne. I’m no king. I can fire people up, and I am well liked, but I’m not a royal. There would always have been somebody who thought their right to the throne was equal to mine. If I can take it from a royal – just a commoner – why couldn’t they just take it from me? We would have had unrest for years.”

“But you’d have done it, anyway?”

He shrugs. “My father was hell bent on this, Elsie. He couldn’t stand the unfairness and the abuses that went on.

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