Fae King: Adult Fairy Tale Romance, #1

By Joanna Mazurkiewicz

It'll take more than a wish to help this fairy godmother find her own happy ever after.

When Martha, tired of working as a fairy of pleasure, uses illegal magic to bring two lovers together, she's caught by a fae inquisitor and dragged before the Seelie court. She's sure to be stripped of her magic if she's convicted.

Lucky for her, she's got some time before she goes to trial—she has forty days to save herself from the court's judgment.

Only true love can protect her from losing her magic forever. But the man she loved, the Fae King, died years ago.

So what's a fairy to do? Wave her wand and make a wish? That's far too dangerous—not to mention illegal.

But all magic comes at a price. She just has to decide if it's one she's willing to pay.

The Fae King stars reader favorite, Martha, and is set in the magical world of The Vampire King. Readers, who enjoy magical fairy tale retellings, will love this steamy take of a fairy godmother's search for more than a happy ever after.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Joanna Mazurkiewicz
• Release date: Sep 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393661108

Book preview

Chapter One

Pointless deed

D o you see him? Are you absolutely sure he’s here? I asked Nadine for the third time today, rubbing my hands together nervously. She knew I hated wasting time, and we had been at the fair for over two hours now. I didn’t need to see a lousy tarot card reader to know my future. Everyone in town knew he had as much magic within him as my aunt’s wooden leg.

Nadine was wearing a long dark cloak with a hood, and her black hair was flowing over her shoulders. She pulled the hood further when one of the peasants stared at her for a bit too long. No one was supposed to know that the princess from Farrawell was here today. This could cause a bit of havoc amongst the residents of Farrington.

The girl was determined, and that was more than I could say about myself. She surely didn’t want to be recognised. I took a sip of potion from my flask, thinking that perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all. There were so many people at the fair, but we were waiting for Thomas, a dragon shifter from the Vernitis Empire. It was a love potion I had made earlier. The liquid ran through my system, instantly activating magical energy. If everything went as planned today, then I would make enough to hire that old dressmaker in Farrington. This had been a long time coming for me and I was excited.

"Yes, yes, he’s here, Nadine squeaked, squeezing my arm painfully. I can see him now." Sometimes I wondered why I kept going like I did, helping others to receive love when my own heart was no longer beating. It was only a figure of speech, but most of the time I felt as if I could never fall for a man. I glanced at the entrance to the fair, and then I smiled to myself, seeing that the princess was right. Thomas walked alongside two of his men. Damn, that boy was quite handsome indeed. No wonder Nadine had nearly lost her head for him. He had tar-dark hair and even darker skin. Women were turning their heads, staring and fanning themselves as he made his way through the crowd.

Good, I see him, I told her. Stay right here, and I’ll bring him to the tent. Just be ready. I lifted the skirt of my dress and began squeezing through the sea of people. The fair was busy this year—scores of people were queuing to buy an assortment of things from merchants who had come from several different kingdoms. Some women were still staring at me, shooting daggers from their eyes, and when I moved past Georgina, she appeared as though she wanted to spit at me. They were making me laugh—their insecurities were a little dated, and I was tired of being the evil whore. I had never been interested in their men—they were just customers, and they had come to me because they felt unsatisfied.

Martha, wait. Nadine grabbed my hand, catching up with me a moment later. She was supposed to stay by the tent.

What? I was a little annoyed she hadn’t listened.

You’re the kindest soul in Farrington, she said, and I don’t care what anyone else says about you. I couldn’t help myself and rolled my eyes, hiding a smile. She let go of me and then vanished in the crowd.

I shook my head and kept walking until I was close enough to the handsome knight. Moments later, I pulled my flute from the pocket of my dress and began playing.

A few peasants laughed, enticed by the spell, but the potion I had prepared earlier should have only affected Thomas—no one else.

The knight held a hand-crafted sword near one of the stands, admiring it as I drew nearer. Magic rushed through my veins as the tone of music finally reached him. He turned to stare at me, his eyes dreamy, pupils dilated. I continued playing, believing that this was working out perfectly. Then I turned around and slowly headed back towards the tarot reading tent.

Over the years, I had mastered my craft and learned a few other charms from the local witch. The magic was enchanting Thomas exactly the way I wanted, but his guards followed him, too. This wasn’t much of a problem. I could get rid of them later on. Nadine had been waiting for this moment for quite a long time. This was her chance to finally tell Thomas how she felt about him. People were staring at me, most likely because none of them had ever seen me playing a flute. As usual, they didn’t understand what was going on.

I cast a glance behind me, making sure Thomas and his guards were still following. In no time at all, I reached the tarot tent. I was just about to walk inside when someone grabbed my hand.

"You’re using Fae magic amongst humans. This is outrageous, the voice snapped. Anyone could have noticed you." I dropped my flute, and the charm ceased instantly.

The man began dragging me between the stands as I tried to pull away. He had a strong grip, and I was a bit confused at first. We stopped by the fence that separated the fair from the forest. I was just about to lose my shit when I realised a real, full-blooded Fae stood before me. This was bad. I was in huge trouble, but I knew how to put on a good act when needed.

What do you want, handsome? I asked in an innocent tone of voice. Something wrong? I fluttered my long eyelashes, but I already knew that this kind of flirtation only worked on human men.

Not many humans realised Fae lived in alternate realms that were scattered around the kingdoms of this land. I was a changeling, so I wasn’t quite sure how this whole thing worked, but most Fae stayed away from us. Once, almost ten years ago, I met a real Fae King who had explained that humans weren’t able to see them through their charms. Apart from that, the King of Farrington, King Caspian, was a vampire. No one truly knew about that, apart from his wife—Cinderella, (who I once helped get to a ball), and a few of their trusted friends, and allies. There were other creatures that coexisted with humans—people believed in magical tales, but many of them didn’t realise the Great Forest was filled with werewolves.

The Fae in front of me had dark-blond hair, and he wore a hat that covered his pointed ears, along with a colourful tunic. Humans didn’t pay much attention to certain details like that, but I knew what to expect.

Darragh.

Once I heard that name, there was no going back. A storm of emotions rushed through me, but I reminded myself he was long gone. The stranger before me narrowed his blue eyes, appearing to be unamused by my feigned ignorance.

You are using magic without a permit, he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. I don’t recall you ever being registered. His stare was long and intense. Damn it. Not that again. The truth was that I hadn’t seen a Fae creature in the past nine years, so, honestly, what were the odds one would catch me using magic today? Darragh had warned me this could happen.

Permit? I don’t understand. It’s only a little love potion, I said, worried about Nadine. The poor girl was waiting for me, no doubt wondering what the hell happened. She shouldn’t have thanked me earlier on. It was a bad sign. This Fae appeared a bit older, and it was going to be hard to get rid of him.

"You’re half-Fae, and you need a permit to use magic, especially amongst humans, he said, and then he touched my wrist. A split second later, the air behind him began vibrating. The magical energy was pulling me in every direction. And that’s a crime punishable by the Seelie Court."

Hold on … wait—

He didn’t allow me to finish, because then we were pulled inside what I suspected was a magical portal of some sort. Darkness obscured my vision, and I began falling. I wanted to scream, but my throat was tight with fear. Moments later, I hit the hard ground. My vision was slightly blurry, and the world around me was spinning.

---

Give me your hand, my Fae, it’s time. A familiar voice spoke, and my heart shuddered inside my chest. This wasn’t happening, this couldn’t be real. I gazed up, seeing him, standing here in front of me while the tiny voice inside my head told me it was only a memory. He was dead—he was gone forever.

He appeared exactly the way I remembered. It had been nearly ten years, but he hadn’t aged much. His dark hair was longer. His eyes, as usual, were seeing through to the very depths of my soul.

I lifted my hand, trying to touch him and figure out if he was real. Blazing heat danced across my skin, reminding me of all those sensations from the past. That night had been like a dream that never truly happened. Intense, raw, and pure, but then he was ripped away from me—gone to war with the trolls.

I love you, I whispered, not wanting to waste any time. I should have told him how I felt back then, back when we were together. I never thought those words would ever pass my lips.

He smiled at me, and then his face changed.

---

It only took me a few seconds to realise that I wasn’t holding Darragh’s hand, and I must have been in a dream. It was only a phase after passing through the portal.

I was inside a large hall, the floors were made of ivory marble, and there was a tall Fae holding my arm tightly. I tried to pull away from him, but he only shook his head.

What are you? he demanded. Half-Fae or a changeling?

She’s Fae from her mother side, but she’s not registered, someone else stated, approaching us. I caught her at the Farrington Fair using a love charm. I recognised him straight away. It was the Fae who had dragged me here from the fair, the one who created a magical portal.

"What the hell is going on here? What is this place?" I questioned them, prepared to turn away and start running, but that was a bad idea and I knew it. These two had strong magic. I could sense it. It was likely I wouldn’t even make it to the door.

You’re under the Seelie Court guard, changeling, because you used magic without a permit, the younger Fae in front of me said. Tell us—what else have you been doing amongst humans? I wondered why they were questioning me in here. I expected to be in a cell. Ten years ago, I nearly lost my freedom trying to help a peasant with his love troubles.

The space around me seemed enormous—it was some sort of ballroom with shaded windows. The fresh breeze wafted from the east. The Seelie Court was possibly around Farmington land.

I live in Farrington Kingdom, and I work in the local brothel. I’ve never done any harm, so I don’t understand what the issue is. I placed my hands on my hips and gave them both a stern expression with a lift of my brow. Those two weren’t going to intimidate me. I knew what to expect, and I was certain if I played dumb, they wouldn’t punish me.

Around ten years ago I was caught for this very same thing by a handsome Fae. His name was Darragh, and as it later turned out, he was the Fae King.

The heat between us had been explosive and we ended up sleeping together. It was one of the most amazing nights of my life. Darragh had never planned to hand me over to the court. Our energies had linked, and there had been an instant attraction between us. We couldn’t deny it. However, that was then, and now I was on my own—the Fae King was dead.

"You must have a permit in order to use magic amongst humans, and this, I’m afraid, applies to all Fae, even half-breeds such as yourself, the younger one barked at me with anger lacing his tone, and then added, And since you don’t have one, you shall have a hearing so the elders can decide how to punish you."

He had fair skin and wore court-style clothes, and a long colourful robe with multicoloured ribbons. The other one who had caught me folded his arms over his chest, nodding with satisfaction. I was right; things were about to get ugly for me.

Come on. I had no idea I needed some sort of permit. Perhaps you two can forget about it, and I can be on my way? Although, I knew full well these creatures were extremely uptight about their Fae rules.

After our passionate night together, I’d awoken alone. The other Fae soldiers were taking down the camp, and one of them told me Darragh had already gone. I knew that was going to be his last night at the camp, but I had hoped he would have at least woken me before his departure. He had left me a gift with a note. Nearly a year later, I learned he had died in battle. I grieved him for quite a long while afterwards.

"You must have your hearing and stand before the elders, changeling, and in the meantime, you’re cursed from using magic." The younger Fae then began placing some sort of spell on me. I felt a tingling sensation moving through my body and down my spine, with a slight burning across my skin. He was using his energy as he spoke.

What hearing? When? So, you’re letting me go now? I questioned with disbelief. This sounded too good to be true.

Yes, you may return to your realm, and we will summon you here again when the time comes, he answered, seeming satisfied. That sounded pretty good to me as long as I could leave.

And when is this going to happen, roughly? I questioned, thinking that perhaps there might be an option around this whole clause of not using magic. I had been trying to leave the brothel for ages, and I nearly had enough savings to start a business, but now, that entire plan was practically ruined. I couldn’t let them do this to me.

In around forty days, they both replied. You may prepare your defence for the hearing.

I stared at them, baffled, and angry with myself. I should have gotten that damn permit years ago.

Come on, I will escort you back to your realm, said the deciding Fae.

Hold on a minute, Grywn, another familiar voice spoke. I turned around swiftly, seeing Oran walking towards me.

It was a huge surprise, but it made me realise that Darragh would never welcome me, because he was long gone.

Chapter Two

Fae’s whisper

O ran, dear lord, what are you doing here? I stared at Darragh’s best friend and companion. It felt as though I was reliving that moment when he’d introduced us all those years ago.

He cocked his head to the side and gave me a bright smile. The other two Fae didn’t seem very happy with the fact someone had interfered.

"Well, I believe I should be asking you that question. Why are you here, in the Seelie Court, Martha?"

She was caught using magic without a permit. She’ll be going before the elders. The younger Fae glanced at Oran. Anyway, she’s free until then. I believe you can show this half-breed the way out of the realm. Good day, my brothers.

The older Fae Oran called Grywn muttered something similar under his breath and walked away, too. My heart was thumping dangerously fast inside my chest. Earlier on, everything had happened so quickly, the inquisitor didn’t even give me a chance to explain myself. It seemed the Fae worked very efficiently.

Oran looked good, he had aged a bit, but he was still quite handsome.

"You were caught using magic again? he questioned and then added, This time, I don’t believe I can help you. Prison just might become your destiny, Martha."

We shall see. I have around forty days to find a way out of it, but forget about me. How are you? It’s been almost ten years since we met outside Farrington. I felt nostalgic and sad at the same time. I had met many, many men since Darragh, but no one had ever come close to the Fae King.

I was a cynic, didn’t believe in love at first sight until I experienced it myself.

I’m very well. I have been working within the court, dealing mostly with politics, he replied and then glanced over his shoulder as if he was expecting someone. And a moment later, we heard footsteps. Another Fae was coming towards us, and I suspected she was going to question me, too.

Who—

I couldn’t finish, because when I saw the female Fae, I was speechless. She was absolutely stunning, with a fair radiating complexion and flowing brown hair. She had very delicate features, and when she smiled, I instantly knew she and Oran were somehow connected. Martha, meet my true Fae mate, Marianne.

Warmth began spreading down my chest when our energies connected. It was fascinating, but I felt as though I had met her before but couldn’t remember where. She was full-blooded Fae, and I sensed she had a beautiful soul. Oran was a very lucky man. He quickly explained who I was and how we met.

That’s quite strange, normally inquisitors don’t leave this realm unless they are called out by humans. Are you sure no one else knows about your abilities? Marianne questioned after everything was explained to her. It was a rather sad tale.

No, no one apart from my current clients know I’m half-Fae … well, they only know I can do magic, I said, thinking about Cinderella and Nadine. The princesses had their own set of challenges. They would never turn against me, so I had no idea who would have truly wanted to see me fail. I had never had any enemies, only women who were, at times, a bit jealous.

Someone must have realised what you were planning to do at the fair, Oran said. You must prepare for the worst. The Fae at court, especially the elders, take these kinds of allegations very seriously.

Well, surely Oran wasn’t making me feel any better, but this was all my fault. I should have listened to Darragh ten years ago.

Darling, I believe you’re wrong—of course there is another way around it. Haven’t you heard about the old tales? Marianne stared at Oran with a mixture of amusement and surprise.

I had no idea what she was talking about.

I’m not sure if I follow, darling, Oran said.

Tell me more, please. I can’t lose my magic. I knew my entire future was looking bleak. Perhaps working as a whore had been fun in the beginning, but now I was utterly exhausted. The profession was no longer fulfilling me.

All the magic around me had become a bit overwhelming. I needed to get outside and try to process everything that had happened. Oran stared at Marianne with disbelief. He still didn’t understand what she was talking about.

I couldn’t allow them to take my magic away, especially not right now when I was finally so close to changing my life forever.

The tale of the true love charm. The elders believe that if you experience something like that, the court cannot impose any judgement upon you. The charm will protect you, she explained, and I was ready to burst into laughter. Did she really