Why Are All the Good Guys Total Monsters? (10 page)

Daire’s eyes were filled with horror as he realised he
couldn’t save me from my fate. ‘Run, Vesper,’ he found the strength to shout.
‘The arrow is poisoned.’

I knew I couldn’t run far enough or fast enough to avoid
being hit. Archer’s arrow wouldn’t miss me this time.

Only one other could save me — Sabastien, but there was
little hope of that. He’d sworn never to risk his life again for a girl he
loved. Did he love me? I think he could have if his heart hadn’t been broken.
Perhaps he loved me a little, even with a broken heart. His eyes flicked from
me to Archer and back to me.

Then it seemed as if time slowed down. I knew it hadn’t, but
that’s how it felt. Archer’s fingers released the arrow from the bow. I heard
the sound of it cutting through the air. I saw the final look in Sabastien’s
eyes — then he jumped at the last breath, and dived in front of me, becoming a
shield to take the arrow that was meant for me.

But Sabastien was too late — and the arrow hit its mark,
straight through my shoulder.

I dropped to the ground, with one thought in mind before I
lost consciousness. Sabastien did love me. He loved me more than the girl from
the past because he’d gone against all the things he said he’d never do again.

Sabastien raged at Archer and then flew off, leaving Daire.

Daire looked at me as he had done when I’d fallen from the
cathedral — as if it was his fault.

Archer sheathed the second arrow in his hand. He didn’t need
it. He’d achieved what he’d set out to do.

Orlaith’s moon garden was all aglow.
I blinked awake and found myself sitting on a chair with Midnight at my feet.
Midnight was asleep, though I felt he’d been keeping guard of me.

I breathed in the scent of the flowers that bloomed at
night, and a sense of relief washed over me. I noticed the wound of the Purple
Thorn on my hand had gone, and I reached up to touch my shoulder where the
poisoned arrow had struck me, but it had healed too. No mark, and no silver
scars on my legs. No one would ever know what I’d been through, and for a
moment I had to pinch myself that I hadn’t imagined it all.

Then I saw that the bluebells and fairy lantern flowers near
the umbrella tree had gone. Daire and Sabastien had taken the faerie land and
its flowers back. I vaguely remembered standing in the garden granting it back
to them.

A few silvery lights flickered in the depths of the umbrella
tree. The faeries, I thought, and then they disappeared, followed by the faerie
moth with its translucent wings. I sensed they’d gone forever.

The glow from the lanterns lit up the garden. I stood up,
not disturbing Midnight who slept soundly on the grass. Everything was as it
had been before. Even the Cupid’s darts. Beyond the walls, the city sounded
quiet. It was around two in the morning and most people would be asleep.

A silvery moon shone bright in the night sky. It was great
to be here again, I thought — and that’s when I saw Archer, standing near the
patio doors which were open, the curtains wafting in the warm, summer breeze.

He was every bit as beautiful as Sabastien and Daire. These
fae were monsters, but such beautiful monsters.

‘I wanted to see that you were safe,’ he said, walking
towards me. His top and trousers in shades of inky blue glistened in the light,
emphasising his lithe physique, and his blond hair with its hint of blue made
his pale features more attractive than ever.

My heart beat nervously, excitedly. I couldn’t blame the
Cupid’s darts or any spells for the effect he had on me. The attraction was
real, even if he was a fae, a monster, a creature of lore.

And as I looked at him I began to remember what happened.
Archer had been hunting me, but not as prey. He’d tried to save me from the
monsters, those monsters being Daire and Sabastien. Good guys but monsters
nevertheless. Yes, they’d wanted their land back, that’s how it all began, but
Sabastien had been foolish enough to drop me from the cathedral, something
Daire had never planned or wanted, and ultimately, neither had Sabastien.
Unfortunately, the thorns on Sabastien’s coat had tainted me with the blood of
a Purple Thorn. Midnight and Archer had been watching from the rooftop. The cat
had alerted Archer.

Archer’s arrows weren’t tipped with poison, but with
antidote. He’d hunted me to fire an arrow, for one was all that was needed, to
clear the blood of the Purple Thorn fae from my system. That’s all Archer had
tried to do. And he’d succeeded. I was free of the effects. I was as I used to
be, thanks to Archer. A monster and a good guy.

‘I came to say goodbye,’ said Archer. ‘And to take Midnight
back to Orlaith. She’s fast asleep in London. She’ll be home in a few days.’

‘Does she know anything that happened?’

He shook his head.

I was pleased. ‘So everything is fine now?’

He smiled.

‘What about Daire and Sabastien?’ I said. ‘Will they ever
come back?’

‘Maybe, but not for a long time.’

I felt sad about this, yet something inside me told me to
let them go, for now. ‘What about you?’ I said to Archer.

‘I only ever had your interests in mind.’

‘Why did you help me?’

‘Because Midnight cares about you, and you needed my help.
It was the right thing to do. No more, no less.’

‘Thank you, Archer.’

He smiled again, and I felt a longing for him. Despite being
attracted to Daire and Sabastien, there was something about Archer that seemed.
. . as if he would be part of my future, and Daire and Sabastien were part of
my past.

Of course, why would Archer be attracted to me?

‘I have to go now, but if you ever need me, tell Midnight.
He’ll know where to find me.’

I nodded, and looked towards the cat, expecting him to be
asleep, but Midnight had gone.

‘Where is he?’ I said, turning to Archer, but he’d
disappeared as well.

For a moment, I felt completely alone, then I noticed the
letter. It was lying on the garden table, addressed to me, private and
confidential. The envelope was light blue and the words written in blue ink.

I picked it up and read the words written on the envelope.
Do
not open until Midnight is home
. The writing wasn’t that of Sabastien.

I figured that Midnight would come home with Orlaith, so I
intended keeping the letter sealed until then.

I put it in my room, and caught a glimpse of myself in the
mirror. The dress was as lovely as I’d first seen it. I would keep this dress
forever, I promised myself, and when I was old I’d remember my fantastic
adventure.

I hung the dress up on the outside of the wardrobe and
climbed into bed. Moonlight streamed into the room as it had done before,
highlighting the city spires against the night sky, and making the dress
sparkle where a few snow crystals still glistened.

I smiled to myself, and don’t remember falling asleep,
though I thought I heard Archer whisper the words that Daire had said before. ‘
Get
some sleep. Things will look fine in the morning
.’

The day dawned bright and clear and
fresh. The sun was shining and the day promised to be a scorcher.

I showered, put on a casual summer dress, and brushed my
hair, letting it dry naturally in the sun while I ate breakfast on the patio.

I couldn’t help but check that the bluebells had gone and
that I hadn’t imagined everything, but the dress with its faerie sparkles was
still hanging on the wardrobe confirming that I hadn’t.

I sipped my tea and thought about Archer. It would take me a
while to stop wondering what he was doing, and what Daire and Sabastien were up
to. Mischief no doubt in that snow covered city of theirs. I loved the snow.
But I loved the sunshine, and the thought that I could start afresh, everything
back to normal, but with exciting memories that most seventeen year old girls
can only dream off.

The phone rang. It was Orlaith.

‘How’s things?’ she chirped.

‘Great,’ I said. ‘I’ve had breakfast, the weather’s warm and
sunny and I’m heading out into the city.’

‘I’m pleased you’re doing okay,’ she said. ‘And what about
that young man of yours — your secret admirer who penned the letter? Any
possibility of romance?’ She sounded so light–hearted.

‘No romance with him. I had dinner with him, but he’s not
the one for me.’

‘Ah well, never mind. I’m sure there’s someone else out
there for you.’

‘Yes, I think there is.’

‘Is that a hint of someone else you have in mind I hear in
your voice?’

‘Maybe.’

‘Oh to be seventeen again.’ I heard her sigh. ‘Boys, dinner
dates, a few broken hearts, outweighed with fun.’

And faeries and monsters I thought.

‘I’ll phone you when I’m coming home. Enjoy yourself,
Vesper, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. No, I take that back. Anything
your mother wouldn’t do. Then again…’

I laughed and wished her all the luck with her artwork deal
in London.

By lunchtime I’d shopped until I’d
dropped. Yes, I kept thinking about Archer and the others, but I felt better
about everything, as if the effects of the spellbinding had worn off. I wasn’t
longing for Sabastien or Daire.

In the crowds on Princes Street, I thought I saw someone who
looked like Archer, but when I blinked, he’d gone.

I stopped for lunch at a cafe, and then wandered through the
city, mainly the shops, before picking something up for dinner and heading back
to the house.

I sat outside in the garden having salad and pizza and iced
tea, enjoying the summer sun, and unwinding. Later, I relaxed on the sofa and
watched a movie, a romantic comedy that made me think of what might have been
between Sabastien and me, or Daire, but also made me laugh.

I suppose, in my own way, I was just trying to be okay about
everything again. Flying with faeries and being chased by monsters wasn’t
something I could tell anyone about, so I had to deal with it. Sunshine,
shopping, pizza and a movie was my therapy of choice. And it worked. Orlaith
would be home soon, and then I’d open the mysterious letter.

I fell asleep on the sofa and woke up late at night. The
patio doors were still open. I went over and closed them securely. A shiver of
the past ran through me, reminding me how I felt when I’d been hunted. But I
wasn’t hunted now.

I got ready for bed and thought about Archer and what it
would be like to date someone like him. Would I fit into his world when there
were moths like the Alchymist who didn’t like humans? What would my mother and
Orlaith think about him? I supposed if he didn’t reveal his wings he’d look
like any other fashionable guy in the city.

Letting my imagination run riot, I snuggled into the covers.
The bedroom felt as it always had before — safe and cosy. I breathed easily,
planning to enjoy the summer here.

And I did.