Fairy Lies by E. D. Baker

Did he honestly think he was that irresistible? Irinia had said that he thought he had a way with girls. Could that be what she was talking about?
    Tamisin was tempted to tell Dasras to go away, but at least he wanted to spend time with her. No one else seemed interested in even talking to her, except Irinia and Malcolm, and they were busy with their own tasks.
    Tamisin felt lonely, which seemed a new experience. Back at home she always had her friends or family to talkto when she needed to work something out. And there used to be that other person, the one she couldn’t quite remember . . . It was a boy, she was sure of that, but not being able to picture his face or remember his name or anything about him made her feel as if she had a hole inside of her. Whoever he was, she could have talked to him about nearly anything.
    A wave of homesickness washed over her. She missed her human parents, her brothers, and her friends. She missed a normal human life where she knew what to expect and—
    “Tamisin!” Dasras called.
    Deciding that she’d rather go with Dasras than be by herself, Tamisin slipped on her new shoes and released her wings.
    “Miss me?” Dasras asked when she landed on the ground beside him. Tamisin half expected him to try to kiss her again, but instead he handed her a small bouquet of violets and began to talk about a place he wanted to show her.

    That morning they visited the path lined with fairy sculptures made from living plants; her favorite was the ivy shaped into a statue of Oberon. They were on their way to lunch when they noticed a commotion on one of the paths. A group of fairies were hauling covered baskets down the path, and everyone had to step aside to let them pass. “What’s that all about?” Tamisin asked Dasras.
    “I don’t know. What’s going on?” he asked one of the passing fairies.
    “Some minor trouble at the perimeter,” said the warrior. “Nothing we can’t handle.”
    “Is everything all right?” Tamisin asked Dasras as the warriors moved on.
    “I’m sure it’s fine,” he said. “This kind of thing happens all the time.” When Tamisin looked doubtful, he smiled and took her arm. “You worry too much. After lunch, we’ll go to the lake where a trained sea monster is giving rides. I think you’ll enjoy it.”
    Tamisin glanced at the fairies around them and relaxed when she saw that no else seemed concerned. Maybe this time Dasras was right. Maybe she did worry too much.

    They were sitting down to eat their lunch when a fairy laughed, sounding just like Tamisin’s human mother. Tamisin turned without thinking, and couldn’t help but feel disappointed when she saw the group of fairies. The sound made her feel homesick again and more than a little worried. Who knew what her human parents had gone through since the night she disappeared? They had to be frantic by now. She wanted to go home, but there was no telling when she’d have the opportunity to get to know her father again. Once she went home to the human world, she’d want to stay there for a while. There was something she needed to do there—someone she needed to see.
    Frowning, she rubbed her forehead, trying to ease theheadache that had started behind her eyes. Dasras must have noticed, because he studied her face for a moment, then said, “Is something wrong?”
    “No. It’s just that . . . well, I can’t help feeling that something is wrong, or something important is missing.”
    Dasras nodded. “It’s Titania, isn’t it? Finding out that your mother lied to you would unsettle anyone.”
    “No, that’s not it,” Tamisin said. “I wasn’t thinking about her at all.”
    “Why don’t we do something to get your mind off whatever is making you look so serious? Bring your apple and you can finish it on the way to the lake. That sea monster won’t be giving rides forever.”
    Tamisin’s headache faded away as they walked through the forest. The sky was clear, and the gentle breeze that