I jolted from sleep gasping for breath. Sweat drenched me and my sheets. I threw my covers off and threw my large bay window open, gasping for air. My stomach wrenched, sweat dotted my brow. My muscles ached, it felt as if I had pulled everything in my body. I groaned and stood shakily. Shadows flitted about my room, I blinked to clear my eyes. The air appeared to shimmer before me, so I sat down on my bed and put my head in my hands, taking deep breaths.
The alarm clock read 4:30 A.M. The sun had not yet risen, the bright full moon shone through the window and illuminated my small bedroom. It wasn't much, a double bed in the corner, a small desk in the other, with a computer. Bookshelves lined my walls and stacks of books were strewn about the room. I stood and went to the small door that lead to my bathroom. I switched on the light and placed my hands on either side of the sink, still breathing deeply. I looked up at my reflection.
I screamed. The face in the mirror that looked back at me was so different than my own. Deep emerald eyes met me, so different from the pale green I was accustomed to. My hair was longer, and fell in soft curls around my waist, a deep shimmering auburn. It looked like dancing flames. My figure was slightly leaner, honed with muscle. I was already muscular before from hours of training, but it was even more pronounced. My curves were wider, including my breasts and hips. My lips were a bow, plump and red.
The thing that stood out to me the most, however, were the sharp pointed tips of my ears poking out from beneath my hair. I reached up and touched it, the tip was sensitive and very real. I squeaked as I realized it was me in the mirror. I reached toward the mirror and touched my face. Swirling patterns coated my skin, delicate and intricate looking like vines or leaves, trailed up my arm. The nails on my fingers had grown longer and sharp, smooth rather than my normal jagged torn cuticles.
A crash came from my room and my mother came running into the room, followed by a tall man with dark hair and kind brown eyes.
"What's going on in here?!" Alan yelled, looking ready to fight. My mother looked at me and gasped, her hand covering her mouth. She pulled the lapels of her robe shut.
"What the fuck happened to me?" I screamed, pointing to my ears. Tears ran down my face, my mother ran forward and placed her palms on either side of my face, she emulated deep breathing. Following her example, my breaths slowed. She walked me into my room and sat me down on the bed, looking at Alan and back to me, and began pacing in front of me. Alan stood up and placed his hands on my mom's shoulders.
"Ryder, it's time to tell her." My ears perked up. Ryder? My mother always went by Adams. My mother responded to the name, however and nodded. She took a deep breath and turned to face me.
"Wren, you're Fae." She stated. I stopped and stared at her blankly. Not human? Fae?
"What do you mean I'm Fae? I'm your daughter, I grew up here. I'm normal! What did you do to me?" I exclaimed and tugged at my hair. My mother stepped back and closed her eyes. Her figure blurred for a second, then when she opened her eyes there were a piercing ice blue, they glowed, like my eyes. Her ears were pointed, poking up beneath her dark brown hair. The air around her crackled with electricity.
"You were glamoured to look human, until you drank Fae wine last night. This is who you really are." She explained, holding my hand firmly in her grip. I didn't speak, I stared around the room, everything was in sharper focus, I could see the grains in the wood of my bookshelves from across the room.
"Why?" The words left my lips on a soft whisper. Why did they lie to me all these years? What am I, really? My mother frowned and looked up at Alan, he squeezed her shoulder and nodded. They spoke non-verbally. My mother stood and walked down to the living room, returning with the letter I saw the other night in her hand.
"When you were an infant, your entire family was killed during a political coup. To save your life, you were spirited away from the capital and taken to the human realm, here. As far as the courts know, you died in the fires that night." Her eyes filled with tears and she held my hands. My head spun and I froze. My whole family was killed? What does she mean?
"Who are you?" I said. Tears spilled from her eyes and she looked down at our hands.
"My name is Helen Miriam Ryder. I brought you here to the human world. I was charged with guarding you, until the time came. This is Alan Hawke, accompanied us. You will always be my daughter, but I did not give birth to you." She looked up at Alan and reached over to squeeze his hand. Alan had also dropped his glamour, his pointed ears now on display. My lips trembled and tears spilled from my eyes. She's not really my mother. My entire family is dead. I am alone. I wrapped my arms around myself.
"Why change me now? I'm twenty-four, I have goals – a life!" I exclaimed, thinking of all the years I have been living a lie. My mother nodded and pulled the letter out of the envelope, she held it up for herself to look at.
"It's a royal summons." She rushed. "They have been alerted that a Fae of age has not presented themselves to court for Sorting or for the Gathering. They have demanded you present yourself to the courts."