Hi everyone, SK here.

If you are wondering why I updated early, it's because THE FAIRY'S CURE HIT TEN THOUSAND READS.  Like HOLY HECK GUYS!!  Thank you so much!!  I never thought any of my books would make it that far.  Seriously, thank you, thank you all so much.  

I hope you're excited for the second chapter, I know I am.  Get ready to meet some more characters :)

Please enjoy!!

August

"Good morning," Mom says cheerfully as she steps into the room, wearing her usual pink dress.  She has a tray of what looks like breakfast in her hands, and she places it on my desk.  It must be freshly made; steam still wafts upwards from it, and I instantly become hungry just from the smell.  Maybe I can get Valerie to split those pancakes with me... no, August, you don't need them, you already ate.

"G-Good morning," Valerie replies.  She looks so nervous that I begin to feel sorry for putting this much pressure on her.  "I'm assuming that's for me?" she checks, pointing to the steaming deliciousness.

Mom nods, turning her warm eyes toward my friend.  "Yep!  Mallow made this fresh for you."

"Mallow is one of the best cooks around here," I explain to Valerie when she eyes me in confusion.  "She runs the main eatery.  She's great!"

"Oh!  Um, thank you," she says, thankfully sounding a little more confident.  She twirls her finger around her hair, which I've noticed that she tends to do it when she feels uncomfortable.  It's like when I like to twist up my scarf when my hands need something to do.  I can tell that she's hungry, but she's unsure of whether she can go eat or not.  

Mom, thankfully, picks up on this; she's a good reader of people.  She slides the tray towards the edge of the desk, prompting Valerie to come closer.  "You should eat it now, it'll get cold!" Mom tells her.  Valerie nods her head up and down and cuts a hesitant piece of the pancake.  She gulps it down, blinking at me with those big purple eyes of hers.  I can tell that she must feel intimidated by Mom... I don't blame her. 

"How is it?" Mom asks, sitting down on my bed.  Valerie sits down in my desk chair, and I just stand by the door.  

"It's very delicious, um- I'm sorry, what do I call-"

Mom waves her off.  "I'm glad you like it.  You can just call me Serena, by the way.  No need for formality here."  Mom's smile is so bright I could close the blinds and we would all see just fine.  

I can tell that Valerie isn't ready to let her guard down just yet.  I know her; she's not one to warm up to people who she doesn't know.  My mother is no exception.  

Mom just smiles at the girl, then tosses a look at me.  I give her a little nod and she turns back to Valerie.  "August told me a little bit of what happened," Mom begins slowly.

Valerie pauses.

"He didn't tell me something anything specific," Mom assures her, but Valerie still seems tense.  "But if you're a friend of my son, then I know you can be trusted.  You will be safe here," she adds.

Valerie nods her head slowly.  "Will August get in trouble?"

Mom's eyes become shocked as both of them glance at me.  If I were to say that I am not shocked at her question, that would be a lie.  "Why do you ask that?" she asks her.

"Well, he kinda mentioned that coming to see me every day straight for about a year was very illegal," Valerie admits.  She turns her troubled gaze toward me.  "I really don't want him to be punished for it; his visits really helped me."

Mom tosses me a sly look.  "Yes, he did break a lot of rules," she begins, and of course I tense up.  "That's something else that we will be discussing in the Council later today; August mentioned that to you, right?"

Valerie nods.  "Yeah.  He also mentioned that other people would be coming to see me today?  Also, am I allowed to leave?"

Mom smiles.  "Yes!  The other Leader will probably come to see you when he finally wakes up."  I can sense playfulness in Mom's tone which makes me smile with her.  "And Valerie, it depends what you mean by 'leave'."

Valerie swallows a bite.  "Oh, sorry.  I meant to ask if I'm allowed to leave this room."

Mom nods instantly.  "Of course you are.  You're not a prisoner here.  Go wherever you like!"

I can see Valerie trying to hide her smile.  At her home, she was rarely allowed to do what she pleased.  Even running her club after school on some evenings was considered to be crossing the line.  She's not used to someone telling her that she can do what she wants.

"I can take you on a tour later today if you'd like," I offer.  I've grown tired of standing here and not being able to contribute to the conversation.  

Valerie nods gratefully.  "I'd appreciate that," she says brightly.  

There's a bit more silence as Valerie finishes her breakfast.  "Being in a place with fairies must be interesting for you," Mom jokes, attempting to lighten the mood.

It appears to work, because Valerie directs that smile of hers to Mom.  "Yeah," she says, rolling her eyes.  "But it's amazing.  I can't wait to learn more about this place!"  Her eyes light up as she speaks.

"Your eyes are very pretty," Mom comments.  "I don't think I've ever seen anyone with purple and gold eyes before."

Valerie blushes slightly at the compliment.  "Thank you.  Not many people share your views, but it's nice to hear that someone likes them."

Mom smiles sympathetically, then turns to me.  "August, you should go and get Heliux."

What?  I want to stay with Valerie, and also why do I need to get him right this instant?  "Does he need to come here now?"

She nods.  "I think it would be a good idea.  He nor Layra have any idea of what has happened, so you get to tell them about Valerie and how you came to meet her."  She has a smile on her face but I know what she has planned for me.  I have to tell Heliux, the man that has rules encoded in him, that I've broken the years for about a year straight.  I sigh.  So much for not being punished...

"Besides," she adds, "I want some time to talk to Valerie for myself."

There's no arguing with Mom.  I turn to Valerie.  "Are you alright?"

She nods.  "I'm okay, promise.  You can go."

You were supposed to say something to let me stay, I think indignantly, but then brush it off.  She would have no idea what kind of death trap I'm walking into.  I wave to them both and close the door to my room.  I start down the hallway, knowing that I have to go to a lower floor to find the Ministers' rooms.   

As I walk down the hall I notice that the first roses are beginning to bloom.  I can vaguely recall sometime ago when my parents were telling me what this place used to look like when times weren't peaceful; apparently there were giant flowers that the Light Fairies stayed in, and Dark Fairies roomed in these bramble-covered domes.  Honestly it just sounds weird to me, and I can't imagine living in either of those locations.  Around the time when I was born, almost five centuries ago, the Colony had been restored to what it was like before the war began.  There were buildings and small houses, floating platforms that extended beyond the reach of the trees, and so much more.  That's what we have now.

Inside the hallways of the buildings there are real roses, black and white, that grow along the walls.  Most of the year they're just green leafy vines with thorns, but since it's June, it makes sense that they're beginning to bloom again.  It's always a lovely sight to wake up to.  

"How am I going to explain this?" I mutter to myself as I walk down the stairs.  I can't exactly lie to them, but I need to find a way to sugarcoat it.  The last thing I want is a talking-to from Heliux.  

They each have separate rooms, so I figure that I'll tell Layra first; she takes things better than Heliux, that's for sure.  Mom and Layra are also close; hopefully when I tell her that Mom's okay with what I did, things will go smoother.  

I will fully admit that I'm relying solely on Layra to shield me from the wrath of the other Minister.

Once I approach her door I knock.  After a few seconds she opens her door, and looks genuinely surprised to see me.  She still sports her normal purple dress with ribbons, but her long black hair is tied up high behind her in a ponytail.  I've been noticing her doing it more recently, and the style fits her well.  

"Good morning," I say politely.

"Morning," she says cheerfully, her lips curving upwards to form a smile.  "What brings you here?  Do your parents need anything?"

I shake my head.  "Um, no, not exactly," I say, becoming a little nervous.  "Actually, I have something to tell you both... but it involves breaking rules so I thought I'd tell you first."

She shoots me a look.  "That makes sense," she says with a laugh.  "Though I have to tell you his bark is way worse than his bite."  That makes me crack a small smile, and she ushers me in while closing the door behind her.  We sit down and she lets out a sigh.  "So, tell me what you did."

I explain to her the situation with Valerie, specifically the part where I'd been leaving the Colony practically daily to see her and check on her.  I tell her a little about why I was doing that, but I make sure to leave out some details in order to respect Valerie's privacy.

"Mom knows already, and she is okay with it," I add.  "I mean, obviously she's not letting me get away scot-free-"

"So she made you tell us as a punishment," Layra returns, grinning. 

"Shut up."

"No thanks," she says with a wink.  The Minister then leans back and sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.  "All jokes aside however, you should not have been doing that," she tells me sternly.  "It is very dangerous for you."

"I know," I admit.  "But she's my friend, and I couldn't just not."

"A friend, huh?" she checks.  "Interesting"

I look at her, puzzled.  "Yes...?"  What is she suggesting?  Obviously I wouldn't have gone to the lengths I did if Valerie wasn't my friend.

She shakes her head.  "You're just like your father," she sighs.  "If your parents are okay with it then I suppose it's fine, but you shouldn't be continuing, even if she is your friend," Layra points out.  "Besides, what'd you do to make them find out?"

"Her father was trying to kill her," I say seriously.  "I'm not joking.  I had to bring her here so she could be safe."

Layra's eyes widen, and she pauses.  "That was very noble of you," she admits.  "But you haven't thought about the consequences.  Not for you, but for her.  What if she isn't an Elemental?  Unless your parents want to call a Council about it, she can't leave."

I wince.  Perhaps in hindsight it wasn't the best idea to bring her here, but my mind had been racing so much that night that I didn't think I had another choice.  

The Dark Minister gets up.  "Well, if she's here, I would like to meet her before the Council starts- there will be one, right?"

"Yeah."

"If that's the case, it'll be a good idea to have a talk with her.  I'm sure Heliux would want to do the same, so there's no point in wasting anymore time," she adds.

I gulp.  Here we go...

"Relax," Layra says as she pushes open the door to his room.  The Ministers have a connecting door between their rooms so they can freely visit each other whenever they please.  "You'll be fine."

Luckily, when we enter his room, he isn't there.  I can just tell him later.  Perfect.  "Well, since he isn't here, I don't have to tell him-"

"What do you not have to tell me, August?  Please, do enlighten me."

I jump and turn around to see the Light Minister standing behind us, a stern expression on his face.  Come on, I needed him in a happy mood.  

"I... I..." I can't find the words.

Layra, however, can.  "August broke a rule, and it sounds bad, but his parents are okay with it."

"You broke a rule?" Heliux checks, and I nod mutely.  "He should still be punished."

The other Minister shoots him a small smile.  "This is his punishment."

Heliux's frown begins to curve upwards to form a smile.  "Is it now?"

I'm dead...

"Well, please do not spare me any details," he tells me.  "Tell me exactly what you did."  There's an odd tone in his voice that I don't like.  

"I went around everyone's backs for a year so I could visit my human friend and last night her father tried to kill her so I brought her here," I mumble quickly, quieter than a Whismur.

"There must have been a better way to say that," Layra says, sounding sarcastic.

"I didn't quite catch you there," Heliux tells me, an odd playful note in his tone.  "Would you like to say it straight?"

I sigh.  "I became friends with a human girl.  Every night for the past year I've been visiting her for... reasons.  Last night, her father came home drunk and tried to shoot her.  She ran into the forest where I found her and her Frosmoth, so naturally since I was concerned for her safety I brought her here-"

"Did her father see you?" Heliux questions quickly.

I wince.  "Maybe?"  Of course he saw me, I think indignantly, remembering the words I'd said to him.

He sighs, clearly frustrated with me.  I don't blame him.  Honestly, I'm just glad he hasn't exploded on me, but judging from his strained expression, I can tell he wants to.  "August, you know very well that you should not have been leaving the Colony every single night.  You can leave once a year, at most, and not alone.  Do you know why this is?"

I sigh.  "To ensure my safety and to keep fairies a secret," I echo.  The number of times that I've been told this is ridiculous.  If anything, Verity should be hearing them more.  She's the one that likes to sneak around.

The Minister nods.  "Exactly.  If Ash and Serena have both said that you are to get away scot-free, then I cannot disobey their orders.  If it were up to me, however, you would be undergoing a much more severe punishment.  This was very idiotic of you to leave the Colony every single day, for a year as well!  Honestly, I would've thought that you do not have a brain in that skull of yours, because any fairy would've known that breaking rules for a straight year is not something to be done."

Cue a gulp from me.

"But, I do have to commend you on your actions.  The situation you found yourself faced with must have been stressful to deal with, not to mention dangerous.  Still, you acted in the right way by showing immense loyalty towards your friend.  Good job."  The normally stone-faced Minister shows me a small smile, and I am unsure how to respond.

"Thank you...?" Is the only thing I can come up with.  "Oh, um, I can also bring you both upstairs now if you would like to meet her."

"Of course.  It would be beneficial to do so before the Council, assuming your parents are calling one."

"They are," I tell him, relieved that we have gotten away from the subject of me breaking rules.  "I guess we should go."

The three of us walk up the stairs, the Ministers talking idly behind me.  Obviously, I have no real power now, but when the day comes that Mom will give up her position to me (which I am not looking forward to), it will feel weird to give orders to the Ministers.  They've always felt like a second set of parents to me, and I know Verity feels the same.  Plus, they're way older than me.  

We reach the door to my room and I knock.  "Mom, I have the Ministers here.  Can we come in?"

"Sure!" comes her muffled reply.  "That's okay, right Valerie?"

"Yeah."

"In we go," I mutter, opening the door with Heliux and Layra behind me.  "Valerie, this is Heliux and Layra, our Magic Ministers."

"It's nice to meet you!" says Valerie in a pleasant tone, but her expression shifts to confusion, then to concern after a few seconds.  

Mom's face does the same thing.  "Heliux, are you feeling alright?"

I turn behind me, and to my shock, the Light Minister looks about two seconds away from fainting.  He's pale, and he's shaking.  Layra stands beside him and although she looks better, it's clear that something is troubling her.

"I-I'm fine, Your Lightness," he says quickly, as if the words are rushing out of his mouth.  "I am feeling a bit light-headed, perhaps I should go get some rest.  It was nice meeting you, Valerie."  Without another word he leaves.

"I should go check on him," Layra adds instantly, her voice wavering.  She's much better at hiding her feelings than the other Minister, but I can still tell that something's wrong.  "Valerie, is it?  We'd like to speak with you later today, if you'd like that."

"O-Of course, that's fine," Valerie replies slowly, she glances at me, probably asking me what happened.  I shrug back at her.

Layra throws us a weak smile and she runs after her partner.

Mom says it first.  "What happened?"

Oops, long chapter alert.  Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed it!  Why are the Ministers acting so weird all of a sudden...?  I hope they're alright..

Also, sorry, but I meant to include Valerie's drawing in the last chapter... but I forgot.  Oops.  So now, you get both Valerie and August's pictures!

Verity's comes out next week.

Anyways, that's all from me today.  I hope you're looking forward to the next chapter!