The City of Light and Secrets

~ Chapter 3 ~

“W-What are you doing here Celeste?” Paxton stuttered. 

Is he serious? He’s been caught red handed cheating on my best friend, but has the audacity to question her? I had the urge to laugh but muffled it. Now was not the time, especially since I would like to be kept hidden with this embarrassing mixed outfit I was wearing. Celeste just looked at him wide eyed, waving a hand palm up, waiting for him to explain. 

Paxton brushed his hand through his ash blonde hair, now starring at the floor. He wasn't bad looking, his big eyes were his key feature as well as his high cheek bones that helped shaped his jawline to look sharper than it actually was and his lips full with a sharp cupboards bow. 

The Fae on his arm started laughing, “Oh my, isn’t this awkward?” She snickered out. Celestes attention moved to the Red haired Fae, who was wearing a long white coat and a very, very short red dress underneath. She wore black knee high boots as if they were her pants. Her brown eyes were surrounded by silver glitter that made her snow skin look a bit tanner, her wing eye liner, was smudged on her left eye, her lipstick was also smudged under her mouth as if.. I snapped my attention back to Paxton and noticed the red lipstick lingering on his lips and on his neck. Holy gods, please do not let Celeste notice that. 

“Wish I was invited to the party, you know how much I love glitter Pax!” Celeste laughed, but not in a nice way, it was like a she was planning on ripping his throat out right there. 

She continued, “I’ll let you get back to your food fest, don’t let me intrude. From what I hear, cheaters taste like a candy cane dipped in rat poison” she added, shifting her attention back to the red haired Fae, who had an amusing look on her face. Pax went to say something, but then a siren went off indicating Eleven o’clock. The freaking curfew. 

Paxton started walking away, grabbing the Fae women close to him, yelling back over his shoulder to Celeste, “I’ll explain tomorrow!” disappearing around the corner. 

“What a piece of s**t” I said to Celeste. “Agreed” She replied. With an annoyed sigh she placed her arm around my shoulder, moving back to the direction of where she parked her car, that was about a five minute walk. 

I wasn’t sure how to comfort her in this moment, she was sometimes a hot head, didn’t know what side of her id get and I really didn’t want the side of her where all of the city could hear her,  especially past curfew. I decided to say something “You deserve so much more than that Celeste, honestly, I’m hoping this new moon crowning has a King and he sees you in the distant crowd, wanting to marry you on the spot” I squeezed her hand, smiling at her. 

She smiled lightly but I could see her pain. Her eyes were watering up and I couldn’t help but wish I had stopped her from coming out. I cant imagine the thoughts or feelings that would be running through her right now. 

She opened her mouth to say something, but a bright light shone from behind us, Celeste turned and shouted, “Run!” I didn’t understand why until I looked back and saw a group of patrolmen walking in our direction. We started running, but my damn flip flops were not co-operating with me. A yell came from behind us, then the sound of heavy boots hitting the pavement. Frick! They were chasing us. “I cant get caught Celi, they’ll smell the witches on me” I breathed out, Celeste looked me dead in the eyes, still running towards where her car was, “Why are you still working for them, you know you’ll get marked even if your innocent” she hissed at me. 

Ever since Dabria, the mother of the witch who died, the Raven Coven leader, flew into a rage killing a young Fae male who she thought had killed her daughter, there has been an uproar between Fae and witches. Not all witches agreed with her, so they split into two covens, the Raven Coven and the Lotus Coven. Im working for the Lotus Coven, Leader Libitina, they specialise mainly in healing and now live in the Golden Forest. The Raven Coven moved to the below City Asterois, I assume living in the Forest of Shadows but who knows. I help the Lotus Coven by bringing more magic type of supplies as the Fae give them the bare minimum to live off, and then expecting them to have all sorts of remedies ready for purchase. Plus they paid triple the amount any other job paid.

She was right, if the Fae catch the smallest scent on me, they would assume I’ve taken the witches side, marking my skin with a capital T burnt onto my neck, signifying me as a traitor in the middle of the city centre letting anyone watch. In some cases they would punish you with a beating or whipping as well, but it depended on how much you helped them. 

 “Run faster Evie or they will catch you!” I hadn’t realised I slowed down in the first place, my lungs started to burn like fire was trying to get out, my breathing slamming harder in my throat. 

Out of nowhere, my flip flop just flew off my foot, smacking one of the patrolsmen in the face. He grunted as he faulted back. I stopped to run back and apologise but Celeste grabbed my arm “Oh my gods, he will survive, it was just a flip flop!” 

I could see her car, parked under a tree that had a few leaves wilting down and landing on the top of the car roof. A stitch came into the side of my ribs. I needed to focus on my fitness after today, especially to keep up with Celeste. We reached her car and Celeste fumbled for her keys, the sound of a beep was there a second later, I opened the passenger side and jumped in. Warmth hit my body as Celeste turned the car on. The flashlights appeared at the end of street but before they could make it any further, Celeste whirled the car around and sped right down the side street away from them.