“Ursad, are you using magic on me?” She waited, looking at her new companion, hoping to hear something comforting come from his mouth. His head dropped down as his gaze fixed onto the worn floorboards. The grain of wood snarled and wove through every plank like veins of a long lost tree. Ursad backed away and sat back on the couch, his face still and calm.
“I’m sorry, Shade. I couldn’t help it. I thought I could make you stay with me. Back at my place and here too, but I can see that my magic is not strong enough to work against you. Your magic, it pushes against mine so easily. I, I’m so sorry, Shade, I didn’t mean to ever harm you in any way. I hope you believe me. I just can’t be alone again.” His face hung down as his hands came up to cradle it as he sank to the floor.
“Ursad, how could you? What do you mean now and back at your house? What did you do? What have you done?” She watched him, unmoving and dark. When he didn’t respond, she stood over him, holding herself back. “What did you do Ursad? Answer me!” She pulled at his arm and he looked up at her, green tinted tears spilled down his rough cheeks.
“Shade, please don’t be mad. I thought you were just a human. I couldn’t have known that you were part faery! I would have never tried to trap you if I knew that. That’s probably the whole reason it didn’t work.” His fear leaked into his voice.
“What? What didn’t work?” Shade had started to back up now, afraid to know what he would say next.
“When humans enter the land of Faerie, they can be trapped here forever, especially if they eat something, food or drink from a faery. If the faery who gives a human food or a drink wants them to stay, and the human eats what is offered, they belong to that faery forever, or until the faery lets them go. I thought if you ate my enchanted food, you would not be able to leave and stay longer…and I wouldn’t be alone anymore.” He pulled himself up and knelt on the floor before her, grabbing her hand and rubbing his cheek against it. “I swear I would never harm you! You have to believe it, Shade, please don’t go. I just wanted someone to talk to; no one ever looks at me like you do, without disgust, without judgment. I wanted it to stay like that, forever.”
Shade backed away out of his grasp. She pressed against the footboard of the bed and sank to the floor. Her sobs poured out as she curled up into a tight ball, hugging her legs to herself. He crawled towards her but stopped when she held her hand up and he froze.
“Don’t touch me, Ursad.” She sniffled and wiped at her tears on her sleeves. She looked up at him. He was sitting on his knees with his head hanging down, a beaten man. She studied him, looking small and harmless in his hunched over defeat. She sighed and wondered what she was going to do. It seemed it wasn’t going to stop, all the hell she had gone through the past week, and it wasn’t getting any better. At least Ursad hadn’t tried to kill her, but what of his treachery?
What if it had worked and she had become his, sort of, slave? She shivered at the thought and held back her last sob. She felt violated in away and she needed time to think. “Are you done then, trying to mess with me?” She asked after a moment. “Like you said, it doesn’t work right? You can’t keep me here, you don’t own me.” She wiped off more drops of tears, watching him, and waiting for his answer.
Ursad looked up at her, eyes wide with surprise and fear. “Yes, I, I promise, I’m done. I would never try to hurt you, please understand, it was foolish of me to try any magic on you when you have been so kind to me.” He reached into his coat and brought out a soft baby blue handkerchief. He crept towards her and held it out, trying not to get too close.
Shade snatched it from him and watched him jump back, concern and relief both flashing on his face. “You better not try it again. I can feel it every single time. I guess I am part fey after all.” She paused and looked at him. She let out a laugh that made him jump. “It didn’t work. So, it was for nothing and I have nothing to fear from you at all.” She blew her nose and stood up. She studied him as he pulled himself back up onto the couch and sat, staring back at her.
“Tomorrow, we are going to the Santiran Fountains, Ursad. From there, you’re on your own again. Just take me there and we are done. The maps you showed me, they are correct, right?”
He nodded sadly.
“Okay then. I want to get some sleep now. So, good night. ”
He nodded again and pulled a blanket from the arm of the couch and laid on the couch, folding his arm for a pillow.
Shade slid down into the sheets and pulled the pillow around her head. She dug her face into it, wishing she could dig her way into the fluffy feathers of the pillow and fade away into the softness. She reached over and turned the lamp by the bedside off and stared out into the darkness now covering the windows. The soft moonlight shone like a small beacon from the outside world. The curtains danced in the soft warm breeze. She smiled and closed her eyes. It was spring now in Faerie. She could never get used to the weirdness of this place.
Drifting off to sleep she listened to sound of Ursad’s slow and rhythmic breathing, she was cocooned in her warm blankets as she slipped away into her dreams.
Chapter Seventeen
“Shade.”
“Who’s there?”
“Shade, It’s us, Duende, Astrid and Elaby. You must hurry! The Lonare Unseelie court moves to stop you. You must get to the fountains tomorrow and retrieve the magic waters quickly!”
“What then? What must I do with it? Where do I go? How do I get back to the Guildrin Caves?”
They smiled at her with their ethereal faces and hair infinitely suspended in midair, like a silent unseen wind that blew just for them.
“You will know. Dylan is waiting for you, he needs you Shade. You and only you can save him.”
“Dylan? Where is he? How do I find him? Why would he need me?” Shade furrowed her brows at the sisters. They never make much sense.
“Just follow your path; it will take you straight to him. Remember, when all is dark, you are your own light. Don’t forget, the stones Ilarial gave you; they can make a path where none can be seen.”
Shade looked at them, her face filled with confusion. Their smiles left no traces or hints of what exactly they meant. She shouted out to them but her voice was gone. They shook their heads and smiled, waving hands out in front of her, waiving a goodbye. Shade screamed to them but felt the grey and the darkness around her, and it was suffocating them out of her sight.
*****
Shade woke with a start, her heart drumming in her chest. Her pillow was stuffed and wadded into a ball under her head. She was sleeping on her stomach and looked around the dark room. The moonlight was dim now, dark grey misted across the room, probably near morning. She sat up on her elbows, looking towards Ursad, fast asleep on the small couch by the wall, gently breathing. She rolled over and sat up, the short rays of dawn mixed with moonlight as the minutes ticked by. Stretching, she stood up and shuffled over to the open window. The streets were quiet, only occasional people with baskets or pushing carts filled with fruit could be seen. The morning market was prepping itself for the needs of many. Shade breathed in and felt a sense of peace filling her with each inhale of air. She turned and grabbed her bag, heading to the bathroom.
When she emerged, the soft sunlight filled the windows. She had showered and brushed her long hair and put it in a ponytail. Her fresh jeans and hoodie were over a t-shirt to keep the morning chill out. She pulled on socks and tied her sneakers. She shoved everything back into her bag and looked at Ursad, still fast asleep on the couch. She sighed and walked towards him. His soft snores told her that he was definitely out. She smiled and shook her head. She was ready to go and he was out like a light. It was hard to be angry with him when he looked like that, but she wasn’t ready to forgive what he did.
She looked at the pile of maps on the small table next to the couch, scooping them up; she placed them also into her pack. Donning her cloak, she headed towards the door but stopped. She turned and watched Ursad sleeping, dead to the world. She left her
pack by the door and looked down at Ursad, staring at his rough face and soft eyelids. He seemed peaceful and almost handsome, deep in sleep and dreaming.
She wondered what he saw behind his lids, in a world that was his only. She hated to leave him like this, without a goodbye, but she had to leave. His intentions had not been honest and she could not tolerate that. She sank into her thoughts as she squeezed her eyes shut. She liked him but felt betrayed by his magic…She flung her eyelids open and knew what she had to do. Bending down, she let her lips glide softly over his still very human ones. She stood back and saw that he had not stirred, oblivious. She smiled and stood up, silently wishing him a goodbye. At the door, she swung her pack onto her back, opening the door and shutting it softly behind her. As it clicked, she never looked back again but she had forgiven him after all.
The streets had filled up quickly; she pulled the hood of her long cloak over her face, hiding her hooded sweatshirt and jeans effectively enough. She took a look around and she watched the people scurry by, all never giving her a moment’s glance. Well, I’m alone again. She breathed in deeply and walked towards the edge of town, feeling that her newfound determination filled her with purpose.
Shade felt no fear and embraced the anonymity of the crowd, it almost felt like protection; and as their magic swirled around her she drew it in for comfort. She continued to weave around the people and made it to the edge of town. Walking along the road, she followed it until the town fell out of sight and she was now truly alone. The gravel crunched under her feet and the leaves of the trees rustled franticly in the breeze. It was then she pulled out the maps she had taken from Ursad. A feeling of regret washed over her as she thought about the way she left; but when she thought about what he did…No leaving was the only way she could forgive him. If this whole experience taught her one thing, it was forgiving was not the same as forgetting.
It was time to get a move on. Obviously, this isn’t the kind of place where you make lifelong friends…I’ve got something more important to do anyway. She smoothed out one of the maps on a flat boulder that was close to her height. She traced her finger along the road that she followed from the town. According to the map, she was heading north towards the mountains. She could see the great mountain peaks just beyond the forest. They seemed to be taunting her, appearing closer than they really were. Sighing heavily, she folded the maps up neatly and placed them into her backpack.
She pulled out an apple and a roll of bread at the same time and started munching her small breakfast as she walked briskly along the road.
The day wore on and she stopped frequently, checking the maps and refueling on the many snacks and drinks, she carried with her. She made sure to put any garbage back into her bag in a trash bag or just bury it. She kept stopping to listen to see if anyone was following her. She had gone many miles on the desolate road before she came across anyone; it was then she’d crouch behind trees or fallen logs, in the tall grasses, of the forest floor until they passed. She wondered if any of them had been Ursad. She highly doubted it since they all were on carriages or small carts that wheeled on by. She thought about him constantly and his unfortunate curse, wondering what his real face looked like. She didn’t like the fact that she had left him alone again, especially when they had agreed to travel together. She shook her head. He screwed up. She was not going to have people around her that she couldn’t trust completely. Not now when she was in so much danger.
Glancing around the lonely road, she pulled her pack tighter to her back, it was lonelier still without him. Shade wondered where everyone was. Her thoughts wandered to Sary, Braelynn, Ewan, Stephan, Than, Soap, Jack and Dylan. Somehow, (probably because of the blood bind) she knew Dylan was not returning to Teleen without her. He was out here somewhere, with or without her friends. She hoped she would run into them some time or another. The forest seemed so vast and lonely without them joking beside her, and chatting vibrantly. She missed them terribly.
Shade paused in her walking, listening to the woods and the animals scurrying around and the birds singing high up, hidden in the canopy. Swearing she had heard something, she turned, straining her ears for any little noise. The blue sky was swallowed by the trees as the branches swayed in the soft breeze. The strong scent of pine and damp mulch swam in the air, circling around and infusing into her nostrils. It happened slowly but she realized she was changing; she was actually enjoying the woods. So much had happened to her that she barely noticed this subtle difference in her personality. Somehow, though it was clear she was different; her life had been altered and would never be the same. Rubbing her arms in the coolness of the late morning breezes, she and the altitude grew with each step as she walked toward the mountain range in the distance. I’ll have to use Dylan’s blanket later, Already it felt colder as she edged closer to the Santiran Mountains.
As the day wore on Shade decided to not walk on the gravel road anymore, it was becoming congested with travelers. She began to see more traffic as carts and bands of people shuffled by, headed away from the mountains mostly, and in the opposite direction of her. She wondered why there weren’t as many people headed towards the mountains. The tension of being seen and not knowing if the others were good or trouble was working on her nerves; she would hide behind trees until the person or persons passed. At one point the road had filled with soldiers and she had to hide behind a large fallen tree for about half an hour before she could get moving again. The soldiers wore similar armor to Blythe’s army and the sight of them made her heart jump and her breath tighten inside her chest.
The flashback of the fight in the river lands, made her want to vomit. She had to breathe in slowly and close her eyes, praying she wasn’t going to be found by this strange militia. Who knew where their loyalties lay? She was relieved when they had moved on without a moments glance in her direction. She was paranoid after that. She dashed between the trees and paused often to listen for any crunch of gravel or snap of twigs. Every noise made her jump. She tried to stay focused but she was starting to feel exhausted as the day wore on. She was about ready to hike further from the road to camp for the night when she heard something that made her skin crawl.
“That little bitch killed Blythe! When I get my hands on her scrawny little neck, I’m gonna snap it like the twig she is!” A husky male voice echoed through the trees.
“Ya, and give her a stab for my friend Mike, he died as well. Those warriors were no joke, where did she find them? That red haired one got me on the shoulder, the darn stitches hurt! That’s ok though, knocked her out before she got too much of me. Wished I could’ve finished her off. Whoever called retreat was a chicken shit,” another harsh voice replied.
Shade’s eyes widened at the mention of Sary. She gripped her backpack straps ‘til her knuckles were white and her fingers ached in protest. She fought the urge to scream and pull out her sword to charge the two soldiers with it. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing again. She shifted on her legs, which were going numb from crouching too long. Shade cringed as she heard the snap of a twig under her sneaker. She held her breath and waited.
“Hey, did you hear that? What was that?”
“It’s probably a squirrel stupid!” the second the solider snapped.
“Shut up moron, someone’s there,” The first solider responded and clearly sounded irritated.
The scratch of metal sliding out of sheath, made Shade swallowed hard and her throat was so tight with nerves that it ached. Oh no.
Now they were whispering, so she couldn’t hear them. She heard their careless footsteps crunch on the bits of wood and dead mulch under their boots. Their steps grew closer as her panic intensified. She heard them come to a stop but they did not speak, waiting for her to betray herself. The wait made her impatient as she decided to risk peeking over the log to get their positions.
She spotted them not too far from her. They were scanning an area to the right of her. Soon they would be near enough to see her. It was then she gl
anced behind her, into the endless forest for an escape route.
“There she is! Get her!” They grunted as they turned towards her and began sprinting, dodging other logs and debris. Shade’s eyes widened and she bolted, running as fast as she could through tangled branches, twigs and wet leaves.
“Stop! You’re in a lot of trouble! Stop and we won’t kill you!” One of the men called. He did not sound very convincing.
Ya, that’s gonna make me come to a halt. She jumped over boulders and logs, occasionally slipping and sliding as the terrain became uneven and full of dips and hills. She fell to her hands, scraping them on twigs and rocks. She felt no pain but was sure it was going to leave marks. She came to a rock bed where the boulders were smooth and bobbed out and were higher than the others. She hopped on the flattened tops, nearly losing her step as her feet slid over the smooth surfaces. Her arms waved in the air, catching her balance just in time before falling into the crevices.
“Get back here you little… Damn, Reike, my foot’s caught! Get her man!” One soldier was struggling to pull his foot from a crack between two boulders. He waved at his partner to follow her.
Shade glanced back, but was near the end of boulders when she missed her step and slammed against one side of a large stone. She tried to grip the careworn rock but only scraped her hands as she slid down into a large hole between the rocks. She slid and slid, down under the boulders until the hole became a tunnel, sending her slipping down into darkness, and deep underground.