Bowen's POV
I entered the capital disguised as a fairy. It wasn't hard to look like one. Years of practice in shapeshifting magic allowed me to blend seamlessly into almost any environment. My wings shimmered with a pale blue light, and my hair, usually dark and coarse, now flowed in soft, silken strands of silver. My eyes glowed the usual redness, completing the transformation.
Perest was a place of vibrant color and fairy magic, and I needed to tread carefully.
They say if you want to get information about a place, visit the local tavern, and that is exactly what I did. The tavern in Perest was unlike any I'd ever seen. Made of bright wood, the walls were adorned with various trinkets, colors, and shapes.
The tavern was a riot of color, the kind that hurt my eyes and made me blink rapidly to adjust.
I pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside, greeted immediately by the hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses. Most fairies sitting in the tavern were drinking an orange-colored liquid which I had no idea of. It seemed to be the local favorite, judging by the number of glasses filled with the stuff. I, on the other hand, preferred whiskey—my go-to drink when blood wasn't available. But in Perest, I had to adapt.
I pulled back a wooden chair, its legs scraping softly against the floor, and settled into it. The chair, like everything else in the tavern, was painted with swirls of blue and gold. As I took my seat, a fairy flew over to me, landing on her feet with grace. She was striking, with bright red hair cascading down her back and sparkling pink eyes. She was easy to look at, her beauty almost distracting but no match for my princess.
"What can I get for you, kind sir?" she asked, her voice melodic and soft.
I smirked at her words. "How do you know I am kind?"
The fairy giggled, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "A person as fine as you are is kind," she said, flashing a flirtatious grin at me, her gaze lingering appreciatively over my form.
Even in my fairy disguise, I retained the good looks of my vampiric self. I chuckled, leaning back slightly. "Get me what those gentle males are having," I said, nodding toward the fairies at the next table who were drinking the orange liquid.
The fairy stared at me, her curiosity evident. "New to the capital?" she asked.
I nodded. "Yes."
"Which province are you from?" she inquired.
Wait, province? What is she talking about? I thought this place was just the Perest kingdom. Clearly, I hadn't done proper research before coming here. Oh, I forgot! I'm on a survey mission. If I tell her I don't know, she might become suspicious, and if I tell her to mind her business, she will still be suspicious.
So I did what I do best. I flashed the fairy lady a charming smile and said, "Guess?"
She pursed her lips, thinking. "Lyonis?"
I shook my head, leaning forward slightly. "Think long and hard, baby girl. But while you are thinking, get me my drink, I am parched," I said, the smile still on my face.
The fairy, charmed by my smile, fluttered away. Not to boast about myself, but I do have such an effect on females. It's like they become mush around me.
While she was gone, I turned my attention to a conversation happening at a nearby table. A male fairy with crossed eyes and a dirt-stained white shirt was speaking animatedly. From his clothes, I could tell he was middle class—neither rich nor poor.
"Don't you think it's a bit strange that two fairies were mutilated and killed with their wings ripped out?" he asked, his voice carrying just enough to catch my attention.
His friend, a male with bright green hair and purple eyes, corrected him. "Not two, but rather one of them was killed and the other is alive with no memory of what happened."
The cross-eyed fairy frowned. "But both of them had no wings."
His friend nodded. "Their wings looked like they were pulled out."
Fairies seated far away began drawing closer to the two fairies, their curiosity piqued by the gruesome tale. I watched the scene without much interest. I knew everything that happened because I was the one who did it, and I didn't regret it. The reason why I was still here was because of the drink—I wanted to know how it tasted.
Someone from the forming crowd spoke up. "I heard that a strange bird pulled out the wings of the poor female and left her to fall to her demise."
The cross-eyed fairy shook his head, his expression one of drunken dismay. "This tragedy should not have happened to a pure-blood but to that half-blood princess. What was the king thinking when he mated with a human?"
Everyone stared at the cross-eyed fairy in silence, looking around. He was intoxicated but still conscious, and no one was scolding him or telling him to shut up. It was obvious that this thought was very much on their minds.
The fairies' suspicions and the underlying tension about the half-blood princess could be useful.
The cross-eyed fairy continued his rant, oblivious to the increasing discomfort around him. "That half-blood princess is a disgrace. She shouldn't be allowed to dwell in the palace. The king's decision has weakened our kingdom!"
The crowd murmured in agreement, their faces reflecting a mix of fear and anger.
"I wish it was the half-blood princess that fell to her demise," he spoke, his voice dripping with disdain. A sudden silence fell when the cross-eyed fairy spoke.
His friend laughed warily, his eyes darting around the room as if expecting a reprimand from the shadows.
I frowned. "I am not a saint," I began, my voice calm but firm. "But it is wrong to wish such a beautiful creature dead."
The cross-eyed fairy's companion shifted uneasily, sensing the tension.
The room was still, my words hanging in the air. Then, I let out a deep, booming laugh that shattered the silence like glass. All eyes turned to me, a mix of curiosity and apprehension on their faces.
"Good one, my friend," I said, clapping a hand on the fairy's shoulder. "But I heard that the woman and her friend were punished for talking against the princess."