Page 44 of Bewitched

Everything was so cheery here. Little cottages, some made of stone and others made of wattle and daub, were cozied up next to each other. Each had a bright roof of a different color. There were several stone arched bridges going over the river, and colorful flowers bloomed everywhere one looked.

The sweet scent of what they called lippenbur lilies intoxicated her senses. Something about the scent made her happy and brought her to life. The fae folk had been kind enough to even let her wear a lippenbur lily in her hair. It made her feel pretty and special. She had never felt this way before. She’d always wanted to be pretty like here sisters Rapunzel and Cinderella, with their golden locks and perfect figures. Instead, she had black hair that always made her think of soot on a hearth. She also never felt quaint and feminine, like her sisters. That is, not until now.

There was a strong sense of family here in the Dale. That was something that Medea never really had before. Being the bastard child of a wicked witch didn’t make her half-siblings particularly friendly toward her. And since it was her mother who cursed her half-siblings, killed their mother, and deceived Medea’s father more than once, it made her sort of an enemy by association with Hecuba.

“Tomorrow, at first light, we’ll head back to the Quamm Caves to find the dragon,” Rhys announced, taking a bowl of fruit from one of the faeries they’d met, balancing it on his lap. They all sat on the ground around one of the many campfires that lit up the Dale.

“Yes, that will be good,” agreed Rapunzel. “We’re getting closer to finding and opening the portal to go home. All we need now is Marco’s dragon.”

“The sooner this is over with, the faster I can get back to Talia and my honeymoon,” complained Darium.

“And I can get back to my family as well,” said Rapunzel.

“Boys, your help is truly appreciated.” Rhys’ mother made a point to thank them all. Rhys figured she was trying to get Zann to accept her.

“Do we really need to leave so soon?” asked Medea. “I am not in a hurry. I like it here.”

“You’re forgetting, Sister, that I have a husband and baby back home, and I miss them.” Rapunzel got up and started taking the empty dishes from everyone.

“A baby?” asked Alaina with interest.

“Yes, his name is Zane,” Rapunzel told her. “He looks a lot like my husband, Marco.”

“How nice.”

Medea took a spoonful of fruit that Rhys offered her. It was pretty, in colors of royal purple and vibrant green. “Mmmm, that is really good. What is it?” she asked.

“I’m not sure what all is in it,” said Rhys. “I just eat it and don’t ask questions.”

“The purple are pazzleberries, and the green ones are limsta fruit,” Alaina told Medea. “It is one of the favorite treats of the fae. The fruit is grown right here in the Whispering Dale.”

“I can see why it’s their favorite,” said Medea. “It is delicious. Between the food and the Whispering Dale with all the beautiful flowers, I think I want to be one of the fae folk, too.”

That got giggles from all the fae there. Most of them were women, she realized.

“Where are all the male faeries?” asked Medea.

“You’re looking at most of them,” said Darium, swigging down some dandelion wine.

“You’re talking about you and your brothers,” Medea said with a nod.

“I’m not a faerie,” said Zann. “Neither is Rhys. Just our big brother, Darium.”

“That’s not true, Zann,” said their mother. “You all have the blood of the fae in your veins, even if you don’t possess the magic that fae or elementals have.”

“So, there aren’t a lot of males then?” asked Medea, taking another mouthful of fruit that Rhys offered. Looking up into Rhys’ eyes, she swallowed it down and licked the sweet aftertaste from her lips. She noticed his gaze dropping to her mouth. She was sure he wanted to kiss her again, and she wanted the same thing.

“The male fae line is weak,” explained Alaina. “Since so much intermarriage with non-fae has been happening for such a long time, it has weakened our kind.”

“Aye, but I’m going to change that,” said Darium, sounding proud of it. “When Talia and I have children, they’ll probably be boys since that is all the Blackseed family seems to have. Hopefully, they’ll get more of her bloodline than mine.”

“I don’t understand about the Blackseed line,” said Medea. “So, you all have... different powers?”

“The first son inherits being a Sin Eater, like Darium did,” Rhys told her. “The second son born is always a shapeshifter—that’s Zann. And the third one born has super strength. That’s me.”

“But you have the power to heal yourself, too,” Medea reminded him. “Where did that come from?”

“Mother, did that come from the fae part of me?” asked Rhys. “I don’t remember any other Blackseeds having the ability to do that.”