The Water Witch by Juliet Dark Read Free Book Online Page A

Hudson runs along a rift between worlds,” Liam said. “Often you are looking into Faerie when you look across the river—as those painters found. Come on. The undines are by the river. Their sisters have come to greet them.”
    As we walked down the hill the honey-colored light seemed to roll down with us like a golden tide. The entire valley was drenched with it. I could almost
taste
it—a honeysuckle nectar.
    “Aelvesgold,” Liam said. “The original substance of Faerie, the building block of all magic.”
    “Elves?” I asked. “Are there elves, too? I don’t think I’ve met any yet …”
    Liam looked alarmed. “Let’s hope it stays that way. The elves were banished long ago when they tried to take over Faerie and enslave humanity. Some say they were destroyed; others, that they changed into monsters.”
    I was going to ask Liam to elaborate, but the undines had spotted us and several were running up the hill, a long-legged reddish-haired one in the lead, loping like a filly straight for me. Upon reaching us, she flung her arms around me in a bone-crunching hug. I smelled raspberry on her breath.
    “You saved me!” she said out loud.
    “We saved each other,” I said.
    She gave me a smile so warm that I wasn’t even scared byher sharp, pointy teeth. Then she twirled around, her long hair fanning out in a brilliant red-gold wave. Her green eyes flashed when she faced me again.
    “What’s your name?” I asked.
    She tilted her head and I could hear her thoughts flickering. Undines didn’t have names until they reached Faerie, I realized. Then she grinned, her sharp teeth glittering in the sunlight.
    “Raspberry!” she announced, clearly proud of herself.
    I laughed. “That’s the perfect name for you. I’m Callie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    She giggled and twirled again, then started pulling me toward the crowd on the riverbank. I gave Liam a questioning look, but he was busy fending off the attentions of a pair of giggling undines. Liam might miss me after I was gone, I reflected as Raspberry pulled me toward her companions, but he’d hardly be lonely.
    The undines were certainly vivacious. In just the short time they’d been in Faerie—although now that I thought about it, I really had no idea how long we’d all been here—they had changed. Not only did they have legs now, but also their flesh, which had been transparent back in the human world, had turned golden under the Faerie sun. Not that I could say where in the sky the sun was. No. It was more as if the golden light—Aelvesgold—had filled the transparent vessels of the undines. Their hair was now golden with sea green highlights, their eyes had changed from moss green to sparkling citrine. Clearly they were enjoying the change. They’d imagined sparkly green and gold dresses for themselves that showed off their new long legs and brought out the sea green highlights in their hair—except for Raspberry, who had given herself a pink dress and red highlights in her hair. They flipped theirgold hair over their shoulders and held out their tawny arms as if admiring fresh manicures. I could feel heat rising off them as they gathered around me and laid their hands on me.
    As they almost all did. They plucked at my arms and stroked my hair—which wouldn’t lay as smooth as theirs—and wound their arms around my waist. They chattered in a tongue I couldn’t understand, but I got their meaning well enough. They were thanking me for bringing them safely through the Borderlands. They were letting me know they were glad they had come.
    Recalling their primary concern about coming to Faerie, though, I looked around for male undines. There were a few—smooth-cheeked, lanky lads who were each surrounded by a bevy of young female undines. One young man, tall, with black ringlets and wearing a tartan kilt and a brooding look, stood off to the side. All the males looked alternately bored and terrified. I’d seen the look on many a