ALTHOUGH THIS wasn't the only time Melusine had ever set foot in the Human Realm, this was the first where she wouldn't need to use the darkness of the night to veil herself. She was not as wayward as others made her to be. Melusine had control of her desires and whims and knew her boundaries fully well.

Melusine and Robby navigated through the flow of people out on the street. In the daylight, Creston is a completely different city in the kingdom of Cassen. People bustle about, carts line up in front of shops: merchants and ordinary street vendors selling everything from food, to jewels, to suspect potions that had Melusine curling her nose.

"If you keep gawking, people will notice." Robby tugged a strand of her hair and jerked his head to the right. Melusine took his cue and they began to move.

Every building in Creston was more magnificent than the last. They were made of wood and stone, iron and glass. Silken bedsheets hung out to dry on a line strung across the street, perfuming the air with lavender and soap. She stopped at one particularly stunning gate to run her fingertips over the ironwork. Thousands of tiny holes had been punched through a thin sheet of metal, turning it into a delicate lace. Ribbons and bows were unfurled along it, so lifelike that she was shocked they didn't blow away in the breeze.

The fairy walked to a cart where a woman was grilling dough on a flat griddle. She inhaled the mixture of sweet and savory aroma, making her gums water just with the imagination of what it tasted like.

"Are you from the neighboring town, miss? 'Tis your first time here?" the woman said as she packed an order in a brown paper bag and handed it to another customer.

"Yes." Melusine bit her tongue for lying. "I see you have quite a crowd in here."

"Oh, they are the crowd's favorite. See, we don't make this often, and we only sell them during the Spring Festival. A warm delicacy to welcome the spring and to bid goodbye to the coldness of the winter!"

"That's wonderful!" Melusine suddenly wanted to take part in the festival, but she quickly pushed the thought aside. She wasn't here to celebrate. There was a mission she needed to accomplish. But what could one day, one night, of enjoyment cost?

"Truly!" The woman beamed, her plump rosy cheeks rising to hide her eyes. "If this is your first time in the city, much less seeing the Spring Festival, stay until night comes. There will be music and dancing, performances, singing, and poetry." The woman sighs wistfully. "It is the night of the Spring Festival that I met my husband. Time flies so fast." She snapped out of her daydream, shaking her head. The woman gave a hearty laugh. "You'll love it. Perhaps it'll be the night you'll meet your one true love."

Melusine smiled shyly. It was a thought that never crossed her mind once. Fairies did not settle for love and marriage to bear a child. Younglings were born from the Fairy Mother's Fertility Tree. They knew how to care, but to love for pleasure, companionship, and lifetime servitude for a mate was a foreign feeling.

Melusine snapped back to the present when Robby pinched her cheek. The woman saw it and laughed. "What a strange rabbit you have."

Melusine ordered two and the woman took the small cake, sliced it in half, and filled it with cheese. After another minute on the grill, the melted concoction was handed over to Melusine.

"That would be five grahm, miss," the woman said, which made the smile from Melusine's face fall.

"Oh, j-just a moment."

The woman nodded, though her forehead pinched in a suspicious frown. She threw cautious looks at Melusine as she attended to another customer, probably ready to give chase if Melusine ever decided to run without paying.

Melusine fumbled in her satchel with nothing but a tiny piece of cloth. She watched as the other customer paid and ingrained in her memory the exact design of the coin she saw.

"If you don't have the money, miss, you can pay with the rabbit," the woman said, eyeing Robby with interest, probably listing the possible recipes she could make with his meat.

"How dare you! Don't look at me as if I'm food," Robby said, but to a human's ears, the rabbit's words were translated into angry and frantic squeaks.

The woman nearly jumped on her spot and scooted out of reach when Robby started slashing his claws at her. Even the other customers kept their distance and shot wary looks for what they saw as a rabid animal.

"Robby," Melusine hissed, glaring at him. A color of crimson splashed her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry about him. But they say animals have the strongest instinct and they feel when their safety is threatened." Then she pulled her hand out from her satchel. "Here. I'll be paying with this."

The woman blinked once then twice before she hesitantly extended an arm to receive the gold coins. "O-Of course. Thank you, miss." She retracted her hand, fast, afraid of the rabbit's claws.

"Oh, and one more thing. If only you can help me, please."

"Of course, miss, what is it?"

Melusine showed her the piece of white cloth cut into a small square. "Can you tell me where I can find this symbol? It is supposed to be worn as a tattoo. Do you, perhaps, know a person or a group who is most likely to have them?"

Before she and Robby left the forest, Melusine asked the animals to sew the symbol as she described it on a piece of cloth—a pair of fairy wings, with spots and curled ends, drawn in black ink. But this one she was going to show them was sewn with thread. It would be so much easier to show it around than describe it to the locals, for they might interpret it differently from each other. Then, her search would be harder than intended.

The woman gasped and recoiled as if stung by a viper. "A fairy wing?" she said in barely a whisper. Red rimmed her eyes and she looked between Melusine and the cloth with a mix of contempt, worry, and confusion. "It can't be. Where have you seen that, miss?"

"Well—"

The woman rounded her cart and pulled Melusine closer by the arm until she could smell the woman's breath. The woman's voice dripped poison when she spoke, "Heed my warning, miss, and save yourself from death. I don't know where you've seen that thing, but do not let the king's knights see you holding that, let alone asking around. Anything that has to do with the fairies will only bring you trouble."

Melusine was too stunned to speak. The woman went about her business as if nothing happened. She served customers but not once did she cast another look at Melusine, pretending she wasn't there.

Then it struck her how much the humans loathed their kind. The same beings she loved and defended in Theolia. Melusine drew in a shaky breath as she stared at the blue sky. Love. Fairies knew nothing of love. And right at that moment, she realized that fairies weren't incapable of feeling such strong emotions. They just chose not to. And here was Melusine, the forest fairy, a descendant of the Dark Fae, loving the same people she had sworn to protect from her kind. All because she was saved by one.

"Melusine," Robby whispered in her ear, "I think we must leave. Some people are giving us weird looks and that lady won't give us any answer anyway. Let's try our luck somewhere. Or..."

Melusine narrowed her eyes at him. "What?"

Robby's eyes widened as he smiled. "Or you can use your hypnotic powers on her and make her answer."

The fairy gasped and glared at her rabbit friend. "No!" Melusine stared at her food and suppressed any glumness. She quickly took a bite. The cake was crisp on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. The charring on it added a nice bite to what tasted like the corn base of the dough. The cheese strung between her mouth and the cake as she tried and tore off a bite, prompting laughter from both Melusine and Robby.

"I want to try it too!" Robby clapped his bunny paws. Melusine graciously tore off a chunk and popped it into Robby's open mouth. "Wow," said Robby, his breath releasing puffs of steam.

For a moment, Melusine forgot who and where she was.

By the time she realized she'd forgotten, the cheesy griddle cake was gone, and the carefree moment with it. But, briefly, things weren't so bad. They weren't bad at all. She was eating delicious food and sharing a secret conversation with a friend. They were enjoying the weather and the festive warmth of the city around them.

It was accidental happiness. A brief glimpse of what life could've been like... maybe should have been like, if fairies and humans overcame their differences and ended the war to pave a way for peace.

They started moving forward in earnest, walking in a peaceful stroll. After another few minutes of walking, they came to a tavern. Melusine heard the scorching hot strings of a well-played fiddle. Underneath was a feverish drumbeat, setting a lively pace for the other performers. A pan flute soared above them all, stringing together a melody that turned the whole raucous collection of sounds into a breathless song.

"What is this place?" Melusine whispered.

"The Blue Chandler," a man who happened to hear her said. "You wanted music? There is none better in all of Cassen. Well, don't just stand there. Go in." He jerked his head and ventured forward. Melusine stumbled after him toward the arched entry.

There were no doors or windows in the Blue Chandler. Just columns and archways made up the front facade, letting in the sunshine and letting out the sound. There were also no chairs—only high tables that men and women stood at, stomping their feet to the music and watering the ground with frothy ale.

Her eyes were drawn to the low stage opposite the entry where the band played. Men and women twirled on the dance floor in front of it.

A smile cracked her lips. Melusine tapped her foot along the beat. Her gaze drifted as the man with the panpipes spun. It was then she saw a whole pile of instruments off to stage right. Leaning against them was a lute. It was not nearly as fine as hers back home, she could tell that from where she stood. But the strings were intact and she would bet anything it was in tune.

Melusine was already weaving across the dance floor when the hairs on her nape bristled.

"I know about that symbol and I can tell you about it," a man whispered behind her, and Melusine was rooted to the spot. "Five minutes. Follow me if you want."

As swift as the wind, the man's presence faded. Melusine couldn't seem to move her feet. Since when did she feel uncertain... scared? Her heart pounded in her ribcage. She could not decide whether it was out of excitement or fear. All of her life she'd been sure of her choices. She could never go wrong with her decisions. Melusine was treading in dangerous water and this happened while she was in a mortal body, fragile and full of flaws.

Melusine blew out a breath, detaching herself from the world for a moment and feeling every nerve and fiber in her body. "Move," she said and willed her body to respond. A heavy boulder was lifted off her shoulders.

"There, Melusine!" Melusine's eyes snapped open and by instinct, followed the direction Robby pointed. Her eyes frantically searched the area, assessing the situation that was seemingly out of place.

A man covered in too much cloth was rushing out of the tavern. Melusine followed him in a normal walk, avoiding attention that might put this meeting in jeopardy. She pinned her gaze on the man's back as she weaved around the labyrinth of revelers.

The man disappeared on a bend that opens on a narrow alleyway. He was leaning against a stone wall, arms crossed and kicking stones with his leather boot.

Melusine kept a safe distance as she assessed him. His muscular frame was clad in a bandage tunic and tight pants. A scarf of the same color covered the half bottom part of his face and tied around his forehead, exposing his bright blue eyes. His black hair was cropped and loose on his forehead while the longer part was braided.

"I am no wolf, my lady. I won't bite you. There's no reason to be scared." And his voice. It was deep and seductive. Melusine balled her fists as a tingle crawled down her spine. She silently cursed her mortal body. Fairies rarely succumb to sinful temptations. Mortal body or not, she was not allowed to concede. If ever the Fairy Mother learned of this, she'd be stripped of her wings. Permanently.

"You said you have the information."

The man chuckled as he pushed himself off the wall and walked to her one step at a time. Melusine reached instinctively for her leaf pendant as she backed away.

"No beating around the bush. Where's the formality in that?" He raked his eyes on her dress, down and up, until his stare stopped on her chest.

Heat rose in her cheeks. Before she could stop herself, Melusine slapped him. The sound of her hand connecting to his cheek echoed in the deserted alley.

The man rolled his tongue on the inside of his cheek. Too late did Melusine realize how close they were until the man grabbed her shoulders and pinned her back to the wall. Robby shrieked in rage. The rabbit launched himself at the man, but the mysterious stranger caught him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him aside.

Melusine gasped and shot a dagger look at the man. Robby sat on his haunches, but he was so dizzy that he lost his balance and fell.

"How could you..." Melusine seethed, anger simmering deep inside her.

His eyes twinkled in amusement. "I'm not going to hurt you. I just don't want some random pet attacking me."

"Get your hands off me," she said in a low voice but there was no trace of the usual gentleness in there either. How could this man hurt an animal? Was the Fairy Mother and the Theolians right about humans? But then, the man only did it to protect himself from Robby. However, this man wasn't pleasant to her in the first place.

At her command, the man removed his hands from her and raised them in surrender. "I swear I meant no harm. Why don't we start over?" He extended his hand for a handshake. "The name's Sebastian, my lady. And you?"

Melusine glared at his hand, refusing to accept. What was more unnerving was the man never took his wonderful blue eyes from hers even once. She never hated the presence of a human-like this before.

"How do you know that I'm seeking answers about it?"

The wrinkling of the corners of Sebastian's eyes smoothed. He let his arm fall to his side, shrugging. "You haven't been discrete about it. Whispers travel around the city about a lady and her rabbit, asking around about the symbolic sign of the infamous Knights of Ailes. And it's not every day that happens. You know, they are a sore subject that nobody in Cassen dares utter their name."

Melusine's back straightened. "So you do know about them. Tell me."

Amusement danced in his eyes. She imagined a playful grin behind that scarf. "My lady, a price for an answer."

"What..." Melusine hesitated for a moment, but she lifted her chin to meet his gaze defyingly. "What sort of price?"

"You only get a shot so better think of your questions. One question requires a price for an answer."

Melusine pressed her lips in a tight line. "Why are they called the Knights of Ailes?"

"Your name."

"What?"

Sebastian crossed his arms over his chest. "For that question, the price is your name."

Melusine felt the thread of her patience wearing thin. Despite the simplicity of his question, she knew she couldn't tell him. Giving her name was the same as baring her soul to the human. Her name was sacred and her very essence. So Melusine settled with the half-truth. She wouldn't lie yet she wouldn't tell the full truth either.

"I'm Mel."

"Mel." Sebastian raised an eyebrow. Melusine wondered if he caught a whiff of her lie. "Lady Mel of..."

"The price of that question is my name. And I will only give you my name and nothing else." There was a hardness in Melusine's voice.

"Fair." Sebastian was silent for a bit, his eyes assessing her. "The Knights of Ailes are the sworn protectors of the fairies."

Melusine's knees buckled and she almost crumpled to the ground. Her eyes bulged and her heart stopped. There was a ringing in her ears and she wondered if she heard him right. "Protect the fairies? Why?"

"For that—"

"Don't you dare ask for a payment." Melusine's voice turned shrill. "That's still part of my question and you can't just give me a single, short answer."

"Fine!" he said. "It's not a knowledge unbeknownst to all that the king has legalized an order that every fairy should be hunted. But the Knights of Ailes oppose. For them, true peace is achieved through coexistence, not the annihilation of another species. Is that enough?"

"Is that all?"

"Mel, I can only give you the basics. As much as it is hard to admit, I don't know everything."

Melusine's shoulders slumped, but quickly composed herself. "How many members do the Knights have and who are they?"

"Ah, I believe that requires a new payment," Sebastian said and he chuckled when Melusine frowned. "For this question, save me a dance."

"A dance—"

Sebastian placed a finger on her lips. "No one would be stupid to announce to the world that they belong in the Knights of Ailes, nor disclose the number of people in their circle. They're like nomads. They never stay in one place. Because if they do, they'd risk the king's guards finding them." Sebastian's eyes disappeared behind his smile. "Anything else?"

"One final question." A crease formed between Melusine's brows, thinking deeply. "No, actually..." On instinct, the fairy reached for the leaf pendant, desperate for comfort. She closed her eyes and prayed to the Stars to guide her on the right path. Then she thought of the Fairy Mother and the others from Theolia. Their image in her mind gave her strength. "Can you take me to the Knights of Ailes? I'll pay you anything."

For the first time since they met, Melusine surprised Sebastian. His eyes widened a fraction. He tilted his head to the side, and Melusine knew his mind was somewhere else.

"What makes you think I can take you to them?" he finally said.

Melusine shook her head. "I just know." But the fairy knew secrets if there were. When Sebastian told her he knew no one from the Knights, Melusine smelled smoke and burning coal, a sign that he was lying.

Sebastian's shoulders shook with his barely suppressed laughter. Melusine flinched when he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "From the first time I laid my eyes on you, I know you are a mystery, Lady Mel. Perhaps, I'm keeping something from you." He leaned to whisper to her ear, his cool breath fanning her neck. Sebastian fisted her hair and Melusine threw her head back. Traitor, she screamed inside her head. This body is a traitor.

"But I know you're not that different from me. I want to know your biggest secret."

A bucket of cold water spilled over Melusine's head and she pushed Sebastian away. She panted as if she'd run a mile. Her heart pounded on her ribcage like a sledgehammer trying to break free. Sweat drenched her body. This man should be charged with the crime of making her feel a thousand emotions.

"I'll help you." Sebastian tucked his hands inside the pocket of his pants. He started for the direction of the tavern, but his steps faltered. "Tonight, the king will host a ball for the noblemen and women as a yearly tradition for the Spring Festival. To gain an audience for the king and queen, you must pretend to be a woman of position," he said with his back still on her.

"Why would I want an audience from the king? I thought he ordered a hunt for the Knights?"

"Sneak through the side of the palace's wall next to the bridge. A fourth-floor window in the west wing will be left open for you. I'll collect the payment in due time. Until then, Lady Mel of the Unknown."