“Oh, lass,” the faerie said breathlessly, “Ye be a funny one, but on to business, shall we?”
“Business?” Tamara asked, crossing her arms and jutting out her hip. Just who did this woman think she was? Did she have Tamara confused with someone else perhaps?
“Ye've a faerie problem,” the woman said leaning against one of the tall shelves, “Pissed off the wee folk, so to speak.”
“What are you talking about?” Tamara asked, fighting the urge to roll her eyes, feeling the woman wouldn't take very kindly to it.
“Well, ye gotcha yourself a faerie problem don't you?”
“I don't think so,” Tamara said.
“So, ye haven't had anything weird happen, then?”
“How do you know about that?” Tamara asked, taking another step back.
“It's me specialty after all, isn't it, lass?”
“Look, lady, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm fine really and now I'll just be on my way out the door,” Tamara said, turning away from the woman and quickly walking away.
“Look here, lassie,” the woman said, cutting Tamara off a the next row of books, “Ye've got yourself a faerie problem. I didn't give it to you. You let that handsome lad lead you into pissing off the wee folk. Now, you've got to appease them. If you don't they'll never leave you in peace and you can forget about anything ever happening between you and that handsome lad.”
“What are you talking about? I know you're all caught up in the spirit of Halloween, but lady, everyone knows that faeries aren't real.”
“Think what, ye will, lass, but the problem won't go away on its own, ye know.”
“I'm outta here!” Tamara said, stepping around the lady.
“Leave our lands! Go on, lass! You're not welcome here, anyway, theif!” the lady shouted and Tamara heard an object zooming through the air. She ducked just before the thick book would have collided with the back of her head.
“What the hell?” she turned on her heels, scooping up the book intent on throwing it back at her, but she was gone.
Tamara looked down at the book in her hand. Its cover was as dark as the midnight sky and just as empty as a starless night, if that starless night happened to fall on the night of the dark moon as well. Tamara flipped it open searching for a title page.
“Appeasing the Wee Ones.”
“Appeasing the Wee Ones?” Tamara said out loud.
“There are times when mortals must make amends to the ones they insult,” the first line read, “Mortals often trample over the lands that belong to the fae, the wee ones, the wee folk, the spirits of nature, and those of infinite names. It is widely known that these small people are not apt to quickly forgive nor overlook a trespass. They will pursue the smallest insult with determination. If you a brave (or stupid) enough to seek them out beware that the tides of nature side with them.
Do not lie. Do not steal. Do not take what does not belong to you. If something is on their land, it is theirs. If you have need of it, it is best to ask. If no answer is given, leave something of equal use in the place of the object you take. If you make your home near the land of the wee folk leave an offering of milk and honey, to apologize for the trespasses you make in your ignorance.”
Ca-caw ca-caw, the screech of a crow echoed through the library. Tamara glanced around, wondering who had let the crow inside. Had it came down through the rafters like the starling did that one time in middle school?
The bird screeched again and Tamara turned on her heel, deciding that she was ready to leave. The black book was tucked firmly under her arm, because Tamara wasn't so sure the woman in the strange costume hadn't been right. They had taken something that wasn't theirs. It could have been a faeries.
Another screech sounded, closer to Tamara this time. She looked over her shoulder to see the bird flying towards her, the tips of its wings brushing against the edges of the bookshelves, knocking books off if they stuck out too far. The crow wasn't slowing down. Tamara doubled her pace, taking long, quick strides. The bird screeched again and she covered her ears, still holding tight to the black book. Not sure what else to do Tamara made a run for it.
The crow's wings cut swiftly through the air and it let out another screech. Tamara let out a startled cry and rounded the next corner, cutting down another row of shelves. Surely, now that she was out of the dumb bird's way it would let her be. The crow flew around the corner and headed for Tamara again. She was panting, her heart thumping against her ribcage. What the hell did this damn bird want?
She turned to run, but this particular roll of shelves ended with a dead end. It went nowhere, except the back wall of the library lined with high shelves. Having no other defense against the bird, Tamara raised the book in front of her face with both hands and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact.