The Pirate Fairy Read Free Page A

and some days she was in such a good mood, their sparkly palace seemed the most wonderful place in the world. Other days, he wished he could escape. But he could never go anywhere for long. She always found him, questioned him, and would scream and yell if she suspected Merritt was moping.
    “Stop thinking about him !” she’d shriek. But it was difficult. He missed Denny terribly. He’d tried sneaking messages out of the palace via his household staff to seamen whose vessels turned up at the secret island where he and Fortunata lived, but most were intercepted by those loyal to her. Merritt kept hoping one of his notes would make its way to the crew of the La-Di-Da and into Denny’s hands.
    But then what? If Denny read the note and hoped to rescue Merritt, how could he do so? His sister had so many enchantments on the palace and its immediate surroundings that he would never get inside its walls. Or, maybe he could. Denny was a cunning man. Smart, principled and, Merritt was certain, devoted to him.
    Day and night Merritt dreamed of Denny, of the too-brief joy they’d shared. He feared for his lover’s safety because he knew Fortunata had cursed him, and lately, he’d been experiencing troubled dreams. Early one morning, his manservant, Elvin, awakened him.
    “She’s gone, master. Not for long, but she’s gone!”
    “My sister?” Merritt opened his eyes wider. The room was still dark. When Elvin nodded, he asked, “What time is it?”
    “Five o’clock in the morning. She’s gone to the forest.” Elvin bit his lip, afraid, it seemed.
    “Thank you.” Merritt threw back his bedclothes. He’d been wondering about Fortunata’s half-day disappearances on the mornings before a full moon rose each month. He’d paid Elvin with small bags of gold to follow her. For several weeks now, Merritt had known his sister was visiting a witch in the forest, soliciting information on Denny’s whereabouts.
    Why is she so obsessed with him? And why is Elvin acting so weird?
    “She will kill me if she finds out,” Elvin whispered. He might have been the chief elf in their district, but Elvin was like a limp noodle where Fortunata was concerned. She was a cruel mistress to fairy folk, but Merritt adored them all.
    “Fortunata will never know. I can promise you that.” Merritt reached into his bedside table and extracted a small silken purse filled with gold. He pressed it into Elvin’s hands. “Take it. You’ve earned it.”
    Elvin shook his head. “No, my lord. I have not. I was too afraid to follow her this time.”
    “I will follow her. Alone.”
    “Thank you, my lord.” Elvin kept staring at the treasure. “Are you sure?” His small green eyes flickered with a mixture of panic and hopefulness as he gazed up at Merritt.
    “Of course. You are very loyal to me, Elvin. I never forget that.”
    Most of the household staff were too afraid of Fortunata to stand up to her, and sometimes she withheld wages out of spite. Merritt always found a way to secretly pay everybody, but Elvin had three sickly sons that no magic seemed to cure. Merritt was determined to find a way to help them.
    Across the room, he pulled his old trunk from against the wall. Filled with souvenirs from his ocean travels, it made a convenient hiding place for the peasant’s robes and pants he kept hidden inside a loose floorboard beneath it. He dressed quickly as Elvin watched him. Elvin never helped, at Merritt’s insistence. That way, Fortunata could never accuse him of aiding and abetting Merritt in what she would deem subterfuge.
    Merritt looked over at him. “Please don’t worry. All will be well.”
    Elvin swallowed. “Here. I almost forgot. I brought you bread and cheese and an apple.” He produced a paper parcel from his pocket.
    “I feel a bit like Snow White.” Merritt grinned at him. “Off to visit the wicked witch.”
    Elvin sniffed. “And it’s not too far from the truth. And at least we know this apple isn’t