An Unexpected Absence

A book laid open just inside the entryway to Krystal Fae's home, the only thing not a piece of elegant furniture covered by heavy dustcovers.

I picked it up, my curiosity piqued by the quietness of the home. I should have been expected since I was supposed to babysit Gem so Krystal and Alex could have a date night. A red ribbon held the pages apart, a sign of intention for someone to read the passage left open to the world.

“To hear never-heard sounds,
To see never-seen colors and shapes,
To try to understand the imperceptible
Power pervading the world;
To fly and find pure ethereal substances
That are not of matter
But of that invisible soul pervading reality.
To hear another soul and to whisper to another soul;
To be a lantern in the darkness
Or an umbrella in a stormy day;
To feel much more than know.
To be the eyes of an eagle, slope of a mountain;
To be a wave understanding the influence of the moon;
To be a tree and read the memory of the leaves;
To be an insignificant pedestrian on the streets
Of crazy cities watching, watching, and watching.
To be a smile on the face of a woman
And shine in her memory
As a moment saved without planning.”
― Dejan Stojanovic

"Mrs. Fae? Alex?" My stomach churned. "What's going on?"

I checked my BADGE communicator for new messages. Nothing. Should I message Agent Justin or was I just overreacting? Nothing could have happened to Krystal Fae? She was too powerful, too all-knowing, too insufferably perfect to have been taken unaware. I shifted into a brilliant green hummingbird and flew deeper into Krystal's home, searching for clues before jumping to conclusions.

Every room had the same appearance. Substantial effort had gone into packing her furniture with protective coverings. Her bedroom looked like a hotel suite ready to be slept in but lacked any sign of being lived in. The bathroom was spotlessly clean, smelling of bleach and sandalwood, not the typical ethereal perfume she sported.

I froze in place, suddenly immobilized yet left hovering in mid-air. A tiny fairy fluttered up to me, her coppery curls bouncing in time to her panting breath.

"How did you get in here, me-sweet. I me-self checked every portal into this house and sealed them tight," she said as she glared into my beady black eyes. "Let's get you back outside where you belong."

Magic. Of course. The trouble with spellcraft was it often relied upon specifics. Certain conditions or qualities had to be met in order to keep the enchantment active. 'Magic and science are more alike than most believe," Krystal told me once, her voice vivid in my memory. I returned to my Madame Marvelous appearance, a vivid red and blue bodysuit with high boots and the typical heroic cape. My ability to move returned as my rapid change in size startled the fairy before me.

"Where's Mrs. Fae?" I blurted out, hungry for answers.

"She's gone away, dearie," the fairy said. Her face bore a weight I didn't like, a dour sadness that gripped her heart. "She's been called elsewhere."

"Back to the Fae-ri? Back to her home, right?" Being a princess of that realm, it wouldn't be surprising if she had been summoned there for matters of state.

"One might say that. Yes, yes indeed. Home is a good word."

"Did Alex and Gem go with her? I was supposed to babysit for them tonight," I said, my core relaxing.

"Aye, they did. You must be her friend, K'tten. I was expecting someone... furrier." She ran her gaze over my costume as she chuckled. "She left something for me to give to you. Come with me, please."

She flitted out the door, leaving me little option but to follow. Where to, I didn't know but if Mrs. Fae left me something, I had to learn what it was.

... to be continued...