The Emerald Staff by Alison Pensy Read Free Book Online Page A

imagined
it, but as soon as the door was closed behind him and he had
blurred into his fae form, she guessed that it hadn’t been her
imagination.
    “You look… amazing,” he whispered, “the
1920’s suits you.”
    “Thanks, I could say the same about you,
too.”
    “Fae, are you ready? We really should be
getting a move on,” Henry called from the bottom of the stairs.
    “Be down in a minute, Dad.”
    Faen walked over to the window and eased
himself out. Faedra watched as he lowered himself with grace to the
ground and walked around to the front door.
    The doorbell rang.
    “Fae, Fredrick’s here,” her dad called up the
stairs again.
    The young redhead took one last look in the
mirror and smiled. “Coming.”
    Faedra greeted Frederick in a way that
she hoped didn’t look like she’d just seen him a minute ago up in
her room.
    Her dad looked around, puzzled. “Where’s
Faen?”
    “Up in my room,” Faedra dismissed. “You look
great, Dad,” she said, changing the subject. “Gomez suits you. I
guess Anna is going as Morticia?”
    Henry blushed a little. “Thanks, darling,
and, yes, she is, we are meeting her there. Come on then, let’s get
going. We are picking Jocelyn up by the church, aren’t we?”
     
     
     

CHAPTER SIX
    As they drove towards the city, lightning
crackled across the sky up ahead in the distance
    “Looks like a storm is brewing; that’ll add a
nice touch to the festivities,” Henry remarked after a couple more
bolts of lightning spread their electrically charged fingers across
the night sky.
    “I hope we make it inside before it hits. Do
you think it’s coming towards us?” Faedra commented. She was glad
her hair was securely fastened beneath her hat. She hadn’t yet got
enough of a handle on her power in an electrical storm. Her hair
had a tendency to try on the afro-look for size, and, as yet, she
hadn’t quite figured out how to control that aspect of it.
    “It looks like it’s heading this way but we
should have enough time to make it there before the storm
does.”
    Henry was right. The storm didn’t make it to
the city before they did, but only by a few minutes. A short while
after they wandered into the pub, the rain started and the thunder
rumbled overhead.
    Faedra wondered if anyone else had turned up
yet and was not disappointed to be greeted by her uncle Leo and
Nicki, or should she say Wednesday and Pugsley .
    “You guys look great,” Faedra said wrapping
her arms around them both in a hug. “Now all you need is Lurch and Thing to complete the family.”
    “They’ll be here shortly,” Leo replied with a
smirk. “A couple of mates from work are doing the honors. And what
do we have here? Bonnie and Clyde, and a fairy.”
    Faedra’s heart almost went to her mouth at
her uncle’s observation until she realized Jocelyn had purposely
turned off her glamour and had come as herself. It made Faedra
nervous, but it was Halloween, so who would question it? Hopefully,
no one.
    “That’s one very convincing fairy costume,
Jocelyn. I love the wings.” Nicki said with admiration. Lifting her
hand to stroke one of Jocelyn’s wings. “Wow, they almost feel…
real.”
    Jocelyn blushed a little at the compliment.
“Thank you, I think they are my best feature.”
    Nicki gave her an odd look but shrugged it
off. Faedra cringed and linked arms with her young friend and
guided her towards the bar. “Let’s get you something to drink,
shall we?” She had a feeling it was going to be a long night, and
this might not be the only time that evening she would have to
deflect unusual comments from the young fae.
    Within moments, the room started to fill with
all kinds of characters. A group who her dad introduced as his
co-workers were dressed as the full compliment from Star
Wars . Dracula made an appearance, as did Frankenstein’s monster
along with his bride. Faedra ran over to her two friends, Amy and
Zoë, who had come with their boyfriends and had all dressed