Prologue 

It was midnight, and for that second when the clocks turned from eleven fifty-nine to twelve, the hanging moon in the dark night sky glowed. It shimmered with the colours of the goddess Elverlina, stark greens, oranges, pinks, and purples flashed like fireworks all over the world. 

Many in the city had watched, it being only a yearly occurrence, many disappointed to find that their mark hadn't appeared. 

A girl, a fairy, living in a building of flats was fast asleep when the world as she knew it came crashing down. A sheering pain ripped through her left arm, her flesh began to boil and burn, she screamed awake. Sweat dripped down her body, soaking her cat printed pyjamas, she withered and riled against her hard mattress which squeaked and cried out with each sharp movement the teen made. 

She felt as her flesh began to blister on the left wrist. The pain was unbearable, she sobbed, as her mother ran into the room. Her arms lunged out to take her daughter's left arm, she studied and inspected her wrist, she sighed, gazing at the girl with worry. 

"It's alright sweetheart. It won't be long now." 

"Mummy," the girl panted, tears rolling from her squeezed shut eyes. "Make it stop." She sobbed. 

"Ssshh," her mum soothed, her hands stroked back her damp curls from her face, "bare with it, sweetpea, bare with it." 

The girl cried, choking on her tears, the sensation felt as hot lava was being poured over her wrist, her skin bubbled and flaked, searing away, the girl thought there was probably nothing but bone and muscle left on her wrist. But all too suddenly the torture intensified. Her eyes flew open wild with pain, she let out an almighty scream that singed through her throat. It was as if someone had gotten a white hot branding iron and thrusted it onto her wrist. She had no energy left when the pain finally ebbed away. And there on her left wrist stood a mark branded and tattooed onto her skin. It was black in intricate designs and patterns, it was almost pretty. But the girl didn't feel glad, she felt as if her world had suddenly begun to end. She didn't bother to look at the mark and admire it, like her mum did, comparing it to her own. 

She closed her eyes just wanting sleep to take over, laying on her side to avoid her wings.