Читать книгу Masquerades of fairies - Natalie Yacobson - Страница 5

«Why don’t you take off your mask?» Flora blew on her burned hand. «Or do you have dragon scales on your face?»

The stranger seemed offended, deciding she thought he was ugly. What did he expect, hiding under a mask? It was the night of the fairy masquerade. He’s probably going to the masquerade, too. Maybe he’s an elf.

As soon as he took off the mask, Flora gasped in admiration. A more beautiful face she had never seen in her life. Surely the stranger must be an elf.

«I am Flora, the only daughter of the local Marquis de Rione, the owner of this castle,» she immediately introduced herself. Such wording added to her importance, for her father was the only marquis in this pear. Majorate was not observed here, so she could have called herself a marquise, but for some reason she did not dare. A stranger might think she was already married. She didn’t want that. Perhaps she should have mentioned that she had no fiancé yet. She was drawn to the stranger like a magnet. She wanted him to feel something romantic for her.

«I’m Edwin,» the elf said reluctantly.

«You are just Edwin! And have you got the titles? What are you?»

«I am the dragon master. That’s enough to respect me.»

That’s right! A dragon can only be owned by a very noble man, or rather a very noble elf.

«Where do you live? Do you have your own castle?»

«Yes, I do.»

«Are your estates large?»

«They are larger than this manor.»

«Then what are you doing here?»

«I flew to the fairy masquerade and my dragon noticed you needed help. The fairies attacked you.»

«Did they mistake me for someone else?»

«Fairies don’t usually make mistakes.»

«But in my case, they did.»

«Are you sure?»

«I am!»

Edwin’s skin and golden hair glowed by itself. She guessed all elves glow in the dark like stars. Flora liked Edwin so much that she instantly forgave him for burning her hand. He must have picked up dragon manners from his time with the dragon.

«Why is the way to the fairy masquerade through the Earth Garden?» Flora wondered. «Is my ancestral castle enchanted?»

«I don’t think so. The portal to the fairies’ residence opens in a new place every time. Someone must have practiced magic in this castle if the portal was found in your garden this time.»

«It wasn’t me!» Flora hastily hid behind her back her mask. It laughed at her mistress.

«Then perhaps a witch has taken up residence in your towers.»

Flora didn’t like that assumption. Maybe Edwin was joking. Sometimes he seemed to speak in riddles. He was difficult to talk to, but you could drown in his eyes.

Flora was extremely disappointed when he said:

«I have to go.»

«But why is it?»

«I must return to the fairies’ residence to restore order. The fairies can’t keep harassing random guests.»

«Do you think those beasts will listen to you?»

«They’ll have to,» Edwin’s eyes glittered coldly.

«And who are you for the fairies to listen to? Are you a local steward?»

«It is something like that.»

«You’d better stay here. It’s safe.»

«I wouldn’t say that,» Edwin sniffed the clear air above the towers. «There’s an aura of black magic over the castle.»

Again he alludes to the witch in the locked towers. This is too much! Flora was angry, but she still didn’t want to let Edwin go. It felt like if he left, the sun would set.

«Will you pay us a visit? Come to dinner tomorrow.»

«You’re inviting me?» Edwin looked surprised, as if she’d said something stupid.

«Of course I am.»

«What if the dragon comes with me?»

«I don’t suppose it would want to join a human dinner?»

«What if he did?»

«His face wouldn’t even fit through the door,» laughed Flora.

«Suppose he can shrink in size when he needs to, and he can even sit at the table with you.»

«I don’t think he’d like salads, pies, and baked apples. And I don’t think dragons drink wine.»

Edwin laughed.

«Are you so sure?»

Flora blinked her eyelashes. His laughter sounded like the tinkling of bells. The laughter of elves must mesmerize people and rob them of their considerations. She was willing to promise Edwin anything.

«How many dragons do you know personally?» Edwin asked her with a laugh.

«Only one so far, it is yours.»

«And not very close. You’ve only ridden it once. But I controlled it.»

«Would it have thrown me off otherwise?»

«It could have been worse.»

Edwin’s eyes glittered so dangerously that Flora backed away from him, her back against the parapet. There was nowhere else to retreat.

«What could be worse than falling off a dragon’s back and being smashed to bits?»

«It is being eaten by a dragon,» Edwin said helpfully.

«Your dragon eats people?»

«Sometimes he burns them,» was the streamlined answer.

«If you bring him to our feast and he manages to squeeze through the door, he should be offered a meat menu. I’ll keep that in mind.»

«What if the dragon decides to snack on the guests?»

«My father often has strange guests, so I don’t mind, as long as he doesn’t touch any of my family.»

«How easily you bargained with the dragon,» Edwin laughed again.

What did he find so funny about such horrifying topics? Flora felt uneasy.

«If you can persuade your dragon to eat the witch who lurks in my father’s castle, I’m welcome. I don’t feel sorry for witches,» Flora joked.

«And if the witch is you?»

«I’m definitely not a witch!»

«Can you prove it?»

«Witches are old, scary and fly at night on broomsticks.»

«Some witches are young and attractive,» Edwin said with the confidence of a connoisseur.

«But everyone flies on broomsticks.»

«So if you fly, you’ll think you’re a witch?» Edwin suddenly switched to «you,» as if he were an old friend, and put his arm around Flora’s waist.

«I won’t fly, because I don’t have wings like a fairy. Nor can I fly with brooms like a witch.»

«But you can dance with me. Maybe something will come out of it.»

«I don’t think a dance will make a flight,» Flora put her hand in Edwin’s confidently. He danced a circle with her across the roof and then suddenly pulled her away from the hard surface. Flora thought he was only helping her to jump up in the dance, but as time passed, she felt no ground beneath her feet. Edwin continued to lead her in the dance already through the air. They danced over the parapet of the roof, then over the garden. In another moment, they would rise into the starry sky.

«You’re an elf! That’s why you’re flying!» Flora tried to feel for the wings behind his back, but only touched his cloak.

«I’m only proving to you that you’re a witch, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to fly at night over the castle.»

«That’s cheating! You flew me!»

«Only witches can communicate with spirits who take them on night flights.»

Flora didn’t know what to say. Edwin had stumped her. He reluctantly returned her to the roof and muttered.

«You’re a witch after all, if you’ve managed to charm me.»

Only a witch could charm an elf, Flora suggested.

«I didn’t mean it,» she squeaked, but Edwin suddenly decided to give her a gift – a rose from the flames. The flower came out of nowhere and burned in his hand. The petals, the stem, and even the thorns of the rose were made of fire.

«Take it!»

«I’ll burn myself,» Flora was frightened, but Edwin put the fiery rose into her hand, and surprisingly, she was not burned.

But Edwin himself disappeared as if he had never been there.