She turned toward him, her eyes filling with a sudden realization. She had already known who the faery they were looking for was. How could she have been so blind to it? “It’s Corb; it has to be. Aveta’s powerful, but her power isn’t enough to do it, either. I always could feel an unusual amount of power when I was near Corb. His aura radiated ‘Ancient.’ He’s older than any faery I’ve ever met. It must be him.”
Dylan’s face darkened again, even more than before, if that was possible.
“Well, he must be one of the four Ancients then, one of only four. Two are female and two are male. No one has seen them in over a thousand years, though. I don’t know how we would even find out how to find any of them. Except….” He jerked his head back up to the sky, watching the snow fall. “Of course!” He laughed, leaving Shade confused by his sudden outburst.
“Of course what?”
“Have you noticed how cold it’s getting?”
Shade stared at him, a look of confusion flashing across her face. “What of it? Of course it’s cold. It’s winter. What in the world are you getting at, Dylan?”
He stopped laughing, giving a little cough as he scratched his thick, black locks. “Okay, okay, sorry, just realized something very important.” He looked amused and patted the boulder beside him for Shade to sit again. “Look, the story goes: there are four Ancient Faeries who ruled the four realms of Faerie. One was the Spring Queen, Rowan, who ruled the Western Realm. The other female was the Summer Queen, Kilara. She ruled the Southern Realm. The Winter King, whose name was never known until now—Corb—ruled the Northern Realm. The Unseelie Ruler of the Eastern Realm was the other male. His name has also been lost with time. Each realm gets all four seasons at one point or the other. The titles are just formalities.
“It’s legend that the Seelie Ancients were tired of ruling and decided to sleep while only one of them ruled a reign of two hundred years at a time. The Unseelie Ancient, known as ‘The Cursed,’ didn’t want to agree to this rotating slumber, so he was chained and bound, placed in a sarcophagus to sleep forever. He was also quite evil and cruel, so it didn’t bother the Seelie Faeries to deceive and lock him up at all.
“In the same place, Spring and Winter laid to rest first. The Summer Ancient ruled the land for two hundred years. She was good and just, adored by all of the people of the land. When her reign ended, she was to awaken the Winter Ancient, but she feared him, for he’d been her lover, and she knew that he wouldn’t like to rule without her by his side. So instead, she set to wake him with an extended delay, gaining time to hide herself during her slumber, for the rest of time. That is, until—as foretold by faery legends—a descendant of hers would find and awaken her.
“When the Winter Ancient awoke and found her gone, he became angry and searched the world for her resting place, never finding her. He ruled his two hundred years but never did wake the Spring Ancient at the end of his reign, leaving her to slumber alongside the Unseelie Ancient. He never told anyone the location of the two and continued ruling the land of Faerie instead for many years. He disappeared centuries ago, never to be seen again.
“It’s said he still searches for the descendant of the Summer Ancient, so as to find and awaken her to rule with him for all of time. No one has seen him for hundreds of years though, as though he’s dropped off the face of the earth.”
Shade listened in awe. She was intrigued by the lore of the Land of Faerie and was surprised she had not heard of the supreme rulers of Faerie before. This made her suspicious, and a thousand questions floated in her head.
“But wait, how do you know that there is a Winter Ancient? Or Summer, Spring and Unseelie? Has anyone ever seen them? Sounds like a fairytale, like the ones I read as a little kid. What if it’s all made up?” Shade frowned, sighing in her doubt.
“Well, that’s the thing. It’s a legend. No one has ever seen an Ancient, much less the Winter Ancient. It was rumored that he left his kingdom in the North to live amongst the regular Faeries, blending in just enough to not have to return to his post. The ice palace, called The Great Divide, is the dwelling place of the Ice King.
“How would I know if Corb is this ‘Ice King’?” Shade asked quietly.
Dylan squinted at her, shaking his head at her disbelief. “Don’t you get it? It makes perfect sense! Corb is the Winter Ancient! What does he look like, Shade? Does he have white, platinum hair, eyes like mother of pearl and a touch so cold, it freezes you?” One of his eyebrows lifted, awaiting confirmation from her. “What magic did he show you?”
Shade shifted, feeling uncomfortable at his questions. “Um, well, his touch was icy-cold, but he used this magic to heal me.” Shade pulled out her arm. An old, thin scar ran along her forearm where Darren had let his blade slide across her skin. She shuddered at the memory, replacing it with the memory of Corb running his fingers down the same deep wound. He had sealed it with a fiery touch that turned icy cold, healing it immediately, leaving only a thin line of ice-cold skin. She had touched the scars many times, feeling the frigid lack of heat from the lines all over her body. He had marked her as well, and unbeknownst to her, possibly bound her powers to him.
How could she have not realized that until now?
“It is him, Dylan,” Shade whispered, afraid to admit the dread of realization that crept into her. “He is the epitome of winter. His touch was as cold as ice, and he was like the frigid season of Death. I can feel his cold skin on mine even now, traced over each cut. They still tingle, like ice cubes trailing over them. But….” Shade shifted, feeling uneasy with each revelation. “Do you think Aveta knows? I don’t think she actually knows the truth about Corb.”
Dylan nodded his head, agreeing with her observations. “I believe you’re right. I don’t think Aveta has a clue that she has the Ancient Winter King at her side. He’s possibly manipulating her to achieve his own ambitions.”
Shade’s eyes widened. Someone more powerful than Aveta at her side? What did it mean? What was going to happen to Faerie if Aveta found out? Most of all, why had he purposely bound up Shade’s powers? What purpose did it serve now that she wasn’t at the Unseelie palace? The Withering Palace… that was what Aveta had called her treacherous home. Shade shivered at the thought of the cold, slimy stone walls and frigid, stale air of the prison she had lived in for weeks. And furthermore, did Corb want her to seek him out? Where was he now, and what did he want from Shade? She shivered, hugging her thin frame as her thoughts ran wild into the dark ravine of the past.
“Let’s hope she doesn’t find out anytime soon,” Shade whispered, shivering under the frozen breeze.
Chapter Three
“I GOT IT!” Shade hissed as she pulled away from the Teleen changeling, frustrated that she was still being assisted by Soap. He babied her too much, and it was irritating her to no end. She immediately felt bad afterward, but what could she say? She was still weak; the wounds on her legs had healed, but still seared with pain with any movement, especially in this unrelentingly cold ocean air.
So this is what it feels like to get old and tired, she thought.
She was feeling useless and so utterly human again; nothing made it better. Nothing replaced the exhilaration she had felt when she’d had her magic abound. Now, only feelings of being used up like a snotty tissue tossed into the garbage to rot circled her mind like an endless torment.
No, can’t think that way….
“As you wish, Madame,” Soap’s snarky voice sounded in her head as he stepped back, throwing his arms up. She watched him back away, a sadness flashing through his dark, green eyes. Pressing her lips together, she turned back the way she was headed and kept on. Her legs were stiff, but she could move. Slow and steady wins the race.
Yeah, sure, whatever.
She regretted her small loss of patience, knowing it wore Soap thin. He was incredibly calm and waited on her every whim, but she could see his frustration spilling out now. He’d spent weeks helping her rehabilitate. She was stubborn fo
r sure, and he took what she dished out, every little insult, whine and complaint. He’d take it. Some part of her wanted to drive him away, hoping he’d walk away before he realized what a mess she was. Shame bled through her thoughts that she’d let him see her this way. A weak human. Powerless. Why would he still want her?
“Prince Lotinar said he knows how to find Corb.”
Dylan’s voice echoed across the air, making her stop in her tracks. Had she heard that right? She leaned on a large rock, sliding down to sink into the soft sand below her. Tired, so tired….
“What do you mean?” Shade muttered, her head leaning back on the cold boulder, her breath ragged from the effort.
“I mean, Ursad knows someone who can find Corb. We have to head to the Glass Castle as soon as you can make the journey. We can call Camulus to pick us up with this.” He held out a small blue marble that seemed to flash a bright sapphire even without the benefit of sunlight leaking through the dark cloud cover. It always rained here. It was always gloomy and sunless. Why they had picked this particular beach was beyond her. She ached for sunnier weather with vibrant, green trees and a cloudless sky. This God-forsaken place was more of a gloomy prison than a hospital psych ward would be. Apparently it was well guarded by wards and far from the Unseelie kingdom.
“What do you do with it?” She closed her eyes, seemingly uninterested in the shining blue orb in Dylan’s hands. He pressed his lips together at her apathy and glanced up to find Soap shrugging at him. They were at a loss about how to bring her out of her gloom. He’d hoped this would be the answer to all her problems.
“It’s a locator. When you rub it in your hands, it turns white. That signals to its twin, which Camulus has, that we are ready to be picked up, and he can locate us quickly.” His gleaming white teeth flashed at the small orb before he pocketed it away. “Get ready. We’re going to be leaving soon.”
“Awesome.”
Shade relished the rest. After all she’d been through—losing her grandmother Lana, getting abducted and tortured, her family constantly being threatened by the Unseelie army—she wanted to just sit there and float away. If only she could give up and hide in some dark, stony place where no one could ever find or hurt her again.
“Shade?” Soap’s voice interrupted her peace. She counted to ten in her head to calm the rage before snapping at him for interrupting her solace. What is wrong with me? she thought. I can’t stand this. I’m crawling in my skin!
“Yes, Rylan?”
Soap flinched at her use of his given name. It was cold and felt unnatural since she’d been calling him “Soap” for so long. It stung and made his heart lurch from the iciness seeping from her voice.
“We’ll get through this. You have to help us, though. All we want to do is help you get your powers back. You know that.”
“I know, it’s just….” Shade sat up, frustrated with herself more than anything else. “I’m sorry, I—I don’t know what to do. I can’t handle this.” She slammed a hand into the sand, and the cool grains dug into her skin. “I’m tired of being strong and taking responsibility for the Land of Faerie. Now I can’t even do that, or do any magic at all. I have nothing left to give. I….”
“Stop. You know that’s not true.” Soap rubbed her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, pulling her closer against his chest. She let him linger, but the sadness was overwhelming. After a moment, she pulled slightly away.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.” Soap gave her a final squeeze and headed toward the cave to gather more of their things before the journey. As she watched him walk away, a soft aching jolt shifted in her chest. How could she still feel so conflicted about him after all this time? Soap was dedicated to her in a way she couldn’t understand. He’d professed his love for her, for goodness sake! But her heart was cold, broken and shattered.
Shade shook off her thoughts, knowing it was useless. Instead, she laid her eyes on Dylan, who was also prepping some bags to leave. She let them hover over his serious but uniquely handsome features, furrowed as he concentrated on his tasks. The same warm fluid feeling swished inside her belly at the sight of him, something that never occurred when she glanced at Soap.
“Dylan?”
“Yes?”
“What do you fear the most?”
Dylan hesitated, turning to face her and contemplating whether Shade was really asking what she had, or if there was something else lingering on her lips, suppressed.
“Um, I guess I don’t fear what I don’t know or haven’t seen. So I fear what I do know and have laid my eyes upon.”
Shade studied his face as his eyes drifted down to the sand where his shoes had dug into it, creating a small pile of the grainy earth which piled up around the depressions. He understood her more than she knew. That much she could feel, like a faintly-glowing ember growing slightly with his proximity. She reached out to touch his arm, and a sudden longing overtook her senses. Somehow, she knew it would feel better if she touched him at this moment, yet she didn’t know why that was.
“Ready to go?” Soap had returned sooner than she’d expected, making her drop her arm to her side. The funny look on his face made her turn scarlet as he continued to observe her. She gave him a stilted nod and waited for either of them to direct her to the next step in the plan. Her mind was exhausted, and she preferred nothing more than letting the others do the brainwork for her right now.
Soap handed her one of the packs. Slipping it on, she thanked him and tried to put on a genuine smile. Soap lit up at the gesture and grinned right back. Dylan pulled out the locator orb and balanced it on his palm. Shade wondered if Camulus would be happy to see her. He was a strange one. Working for Prince Lotinar had its quirks, she guessed. She’d be happy to see her old elven-pixie friend again.
“Alright, here, Shade. You can summon Camulus. Grip the orb and whisper out to him that we’re ready,” Dylan reassured her, tilting his head as she glimpsed down at the orb. Shade plucked it from his hand and brought it toward her lips, cupping its soothing warmth and rubbing it in her frozen hands. The sapphire color morphed into a brilliant white, swirling as it came alive under its hardened surface, faintly glowing.
“Camulus, come get us.”
Chapter Four
THE GLASS CASTLE stood brilliant, glorious and unchanging as they entered through the high iron gates which surrounded the property. The gates were glamourized when visitors approached. This would allow entrance without inflicting the ill effects of iron on any visiting faery. If an unknown or an enemy approached, the iron was not glamoured, and the toxic fumes from the metal kept most deviants away. It had no effect on Shade. She could touch the cold iron and never feel any adverse reaction to it. Unlike Camulus, who patiently stood behind them as the gates opened and resumed their casing of glamour, the three of them—Soap, Dylan and Shade—were not affected by its poisonous stench.
Walking through the lush green grounds of the castle brought vivid memories crashing back to Shade. Stephen, one of the warriors from Guildrin who had joined the entourage to take her safely to the Santiran Fountains, had died here. Sary, his chosen, had been left devastated after his death. Faeries were mostly immortal, but could still expire from severe injuries. Shade had watched the life force drain from his body, his light diminishing to nothing before her eyes. Her heart had gone out to Sary; her pain had been unbearable to watch, and it had eaten at her like nothing else aside from the torture. So much loss, so much still to lose. She prayed her friend Sary was okay, now home in the Vyn Tribe of the south.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Shade.” Camulus caught up with her and gave her a toothy grin. He wasn’t wearing his city glamour, leaving his smooth, light green skin and fiery orange eyes to catch her attention. He was a bit of a trickster, though lately she had not seen this side of him. It warmed her soul a bit to see it once more, a much needed change.
“Hey, Camulus, it’s awesome to see you again, too.” He pulled her in for a hug b
ut let go quickly when he noticed the daggered looks he was getting from Soap and Dylan.
“Well, you’re always welcomed here, you know that, right? The locator orb is yours to keep, so you may always have entrance to the Glass Castle.” His eyebrows wiggled as his eyes glinted mischievously. He knew he was irritating the others, but he didn’t seem to give a care in the world. Somehow, Shade knew the orb was definitely from Ursad, but knowing that Camulus also wanted her to visit was reassuring. His humor was refreshing.
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”
Dylan cleared his throat. “Camulus, we need to get going right away. Can we meet with the prince, urgently?” His voice came out tight, and from the glance Shade threw him, she could see he was trying to control his temper just as much as Soap was. It made her smile to herself; maybe this was what she needed, to get away from the gloomy beach and mingle with old friends. It was amusing to say the least.
“Yes, of course. He’s waiting to see you as we speak.” Camulus shrugged, giving a slight eye roll that only Shade could see. She giggled but stopped when she noticed Soap frowning at their exchange.
“It’ll be nice to see Ursad again, too,” she added.
“He’s most elated to have you here once more. It’s been far too long.” Camulus led them through the doors to the castle and swiftly down the hall to the prince’s meeting rooms. The paintings lining this hall had caught Shade’s attention before, but this time one painting meant more than anything else to her.