Fae and Fare (The Wandering Inn, #2)

by Pirateaba

It shouldn’t hurt. It really shouldn’t. But I’d hoped—no. I should have known better. I lower my head, bitterly. It was just a dream of a kid after all. “No gods, and no heroes. I guess superheroes were only a wish.” A petty wish from a world too weak to save itself. I close my eyes and turn away. Is that our world? A place without magic or legends? I stand. I’m done with faeries. I’m going to my tent to lie down. To think. Maybe— “Wait, wait. What did she say?” “Superhero? What’s that?” I pause with my back to the faeries. But I can’t help it. I turn. “You’ve never heard of superheroes? Superman? Batman?” I feel silly speaking those names out loud in front of actual beings of myth and legend. But the faeries exchange glances and shake their heads. “No.” “Nay.” “We have not heard of them. But if they are heroes, surely you know their story?” I hesitate. But now Mrsha looks up me. And slowly, a thought passes into my head, so slowly I can’t believe it. Of course. If the faeries left right after the dawn of pollution—the Industrial Revolution perhaps—they would never have heard of superheroes or—or anything since. Well, what does it matter? It doesn’t. It’s just a story, and a stupid one at that. Modern-day legends meant to make money by selling comic books. But I still hesitate. Once.

:)