“You’re describing an Unseelie faerie.”
My heart skips at the prospect of getting close to banishing the Boogie Man. “Oh. Where can I find a book on them?”
Her gaze sweeps up and down my form. “Please confirm your age.”
I lean forward and hold up my golden locket. It doesn’t only contain the enchantment that protects me from harm inflicted by magical creatures, but it’s also a form of ID and a means of payment.
“Thank you.” She taps her wand on my locket and moves it to a wooden box, which prints out a ticket on a piece of parchment paper. “Erotic romance, a hundred and first level.”
My eyes widen. “Fiction?”
“Unwilling Bride of the Seelie King”is pretty good. If you’re looking for maximum spice, tryConcubine of the Seelie King’s Brothers,” she says with a nod.
It takes a moment to work out that she isn’t considering my request seriously. Besides, faerie smut is so predictable. At the end of the story, the heroine dies and then the grumpy faerie or faeries realize how much she means to them and revive her with the true love’s kiss.
I lick my lips. “Actually, I need a book based on facts.”
The librarian stares at me for so long that the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. She doesn’t believe faeries exist.
“Are there any creatures that one person can see but are invisible to everyone else?”
Her eyes narrow, and she pinches her lips into a tight line. “Ghosts are sometimes only visible to their murderers.”
“Solid types that can touch things,” I blurt.
“Poltergeists?”
“I thought they were invisible to everyone,” I mutter.
She leans back in her seat. “If you could give me some more context, perhaps I can be of more assistance?”
I shift on my feet. My own family acts like I’m crazy because of the Boogie Man. I’ll be damned if I invite a stranger to do the same.
“It’s just a speculation.” I take a step back. “If creatures that resemble Unseelie faeries don’t exist, then I’ll leave.”
“Aren’t you the apothecary’s girl?” The librarian leans forward, her voice hushed.“Could you get me a discount on an extra-strength massager?”
I take another step back and bump into a lanky figure. “Sorry.”
Bony hands massage my shoulders. I cringe, already knowing that they belong to Norbert, a guy I met online a few months ago.
“Ali,” says a familiar deep voice.
I turn around and offer him a weak smile. “Hey.”
“Unseelies are real, you know,” he says with a broad grin. “I can give you everything you desire and more.”
ChapterEleven
ALIENOR
I stare up at the man who single-handedly convinced me that online dating was a scam, my heart sinking that he might be the only person who could help me with my Boogie Man problem.
Norbert is lanky with a hooked nose that overshadows the rest of his features. His stringy, black hair hangs to his jaw, making the rest of his face impossibly narrow.
I still can’t believe how he thought I wouldn’t balk at the difference between his real face and the shirtless photo he posted on a dating site. I also can’t believe I stayed with him the entire evening and didn’t walk out.
“If you’re looking for information on faeries, I can show you everything you need.” He winks.