The murmur of voices amplified in the growing light of the morning. Shade moaned and wished she’d thought of bringing earplugs. Rolling over, she stuffed her pillow over her head, hoping to muffle the noise. It can’t be morning already! It felt like she’d just laid her head on her pillow and closed her eyes. Hiking was definitely not on her cool list right now. Her muscles ached and burned.
“Shade, get up. We have to pack and get going. I brought you breakfast. You’re going to need it.” She felt her pillow fly off her face. Dylan stood crouched at the entrance of her tent, his lips tight with disapproval. He looked wide-awake, making her wonder how long he’d been up. Was it possible he didn’t need to sleep? He motioned to a plate of food and drink lying by her. In an instant, he was gone.
Shade blinked and rubbed her eyes. Stuffing the pillow under her neck, groaning and wanting more sleep, disappointment ran through her mind. Sleep was a pleasure of the past now, something she couldn’t quite remember having enough of. She glanced at the food he brought; bacon and fresh scrambled eggs with a bread roll were still steaming. It looked amazing and smelled even better.
This coaxed her out of her warm bed as she pulled the food and drink toward her. Inhaling the savory aromas, she was amazed at how hungry she was. Slurping down the sweet, warm tea that Dylan provided made her instantly feel more alert. She wondered what was in that drink; it was always so revitalizing. She’d have to ask someone. Besides, it was curious how they managed to have bacon and eggs so fresh out here in the wild. Munching on the rich, thick slices of bacon, she enjoyed every bit.
Well, this is my one pleasure out here in this hellhole. Shade sighed, frowning at her empty plate. The food was gone much too fast. Good things just do not last around here. She stretched and fumbled through her bag, pulling her brush, washcloth, and towel out, and hoped there was somewhere to wash up. She yanked on her shoes then wrapped the blanket around her like a cape.
Stepping out into the cold morning air was like being electrocuted. It stung her cheeks and sent a thrill down her body. Yay, winter weather. She wondered how it seemed to be a different season every place they went in the faery lands. It didn’t seem possible it was spring back home.
Walking up toward the central fire, she looked around. She wanted to find and ask Braelynn or Sary where she could wash up, but Soap popped up in front of her instead. He grinned at her, showing off his pearly white teeth. “Where do you think you’re sneaking off to, young lady?”
Shade froze in her tracks, her face flushing and feeling guilty without reason to. Tilting her head, she gazed back upon his still smiling but suspicious face.
“I’m not sneaking off anywhere. I just want to get cleaned up. You wouldn’t happen to know where I could, um, go to uh, freshen up?” Her face flushed up scarlet once more under the cold air. Soap wasn’t the one she’d wanted to ask.
“It’s down that side of the hill a bit. It’s a large red tent. Girls on the right, boys to the left.” He winked, spun and trotted back to the camp. Shade gaped at him as he walked—no…skipped—away cheerfully. She shook her head. She couldn’t get over how strange he was. They hadn’t spoken much since they arrived at the Teleen caverns, making her wonder if he was just cautious with her since it was a Teleen who attacked her. It was something she’d have to talk to him about later.
She turned back in the direction he had pointed her to, gripping her supplies. Approaching the bathroom tent made her stop in confusion. It didn’t look like anything special; the flaps were wind-worn and faded. She wondered how it was even big enough to hold two dressing rooms, let alone anything close to a washroom. She shrugged, too tired to contemplate it for long, and willed herself to get moving.
Inside, she was shocked at how warm and humid it was. The scent of flowers blooming in the springtime permeated the air, and the tent was definitely much bigger than it appeared on the outside. It even had a foyer with a table and hanging mirror. To the right of the wooden table hung a red curtain, and beside it a blue curtain. She supposed the colors were to separate the women and men.
Heading through the red drapery, assuming it was for women, she followed the hallway as it turned toward the left. In the end, it turned again to the right and opened onto a large room filled with mirrors on one side. On the other side were stalls with toilets and two showers next to them.
This reminds me of camp, only better. Shade was impressed but not curious enough to wonder for long how it was all possible. She was just grateful it was there. She laid her stuff on one of the chairs and pulled it near one of the shower stalls. She was definitely surprised to find actual flushing toilets in the stalls. Honestly, I can’t believe the faeries have all this. She just shook her head in disbelief and undressed, stepping into a shower stall. Soap, shampoo, and conditioner were provided, and she was thankful the water was hot. The steaming spray felt exhilarating on her skin and eased her aches. All too soon, she stepped out of the stall, dried her body and hair, and pulled on her fresh clothes. Running the brush through her tangled hair, she gritted her teeth then pulled it back into a tight ponytail.
Her reflection stared back at her from the mirror. For the first time since the attack, she saw her face. It made her suck in her breath. Her face was covered with small, healing pink lines, like spider webs, all across her right cheek. She looked down at her arms where she saw more of the same thin scars. They’re all over me…. Tracing them with her fingers, she found them smooth and a soft pink, nearly invisible to anyone who wasn’t actually looking.
She studied the mirror for a bit longer to make sure it didn’t ripple or look magical in any way. A shudder ran through her as she did her best not to be reminded of Darren. Turning away when she was satisfied it was just an ordinary mirror, she gathered her things and grabbed the blanket Dylan gave to her the night before. She wrapped it around herself, realizing she was in dire need of a coat. The weather here is so annoying. She didn’t want to think about the scars, at least not yet. In a way, the blanket served as armor, covering them up and hiding her skin away. For that, she was grateful. Bundling up her old clothes in the towel, she turned to leave and ran right into Sylphi. Shade gasped, stumbling back with her eyes wide, regaining her balance.
“I’m so sorry, Shade. Did I frighten you?” Sylphi sneered slightly, studying Shade with inky black eyes. Her dark hair was down and a bit tousled like she had just rolled out of bed. However, it still managed to have some shine. She also held a bundle of clothes and a towel in her arms, pressed against her chest.
Shade gave a small, nervous laugh. “Oh… hello, Sylphi. No, well, maybe just a little. How long were you standing there?” She tried to swallow her anxiety and stood a bit straighter. Nothing about Sylphi made her feel warm and fuzzy. The girl radiated iciness like an open window in the late winter.
“Not for too long, really. I was just going to freshen up.” She smiled her sickly, sweet smile, batting her eyelashes innocently. Her eyes were so dark, it was like staring into a pair of black holes. She continued to stare at Shade with her intensely black eyes and didn’t make a move to get out of the way.
A chill ran through Shade, but she pressed her lips tight, attempting to smile back at the faery. The sight of her was unnerving, to say the least. “Well, ok, I was just leaving. See you later.” She had to side step a bit to get around Sylphi, who was still not budging from her spot.
“Why don’t you just go home, Shade? No one really wants you here.”
Shade hung in mid-step as she listened to Sylphi’s icy voice. The woman was still not moving but slyly snickering. “You’re too weak for this quest. Why don’t you give up before you fail miserably? No one wants to be out here in this forsaken wilderness with you anyway. Do us a favor and quit already, half-breed,” Sylphi hissed through her teeth, a menacing twinkle lingering in her gaze.
Well, heard that one before…
Shade glared at her in disgust. Shaking her head, Shade sneered right back. “I’m not a quitter, Sylph
i. I need to do this, and nothing you say will change my mind. I don’t believe you have to be here, though. You came by choice, remember? So did I… Maybe you should go home.” She dodged Sylphi and stepped hurriedly through the doorway, ignoring Sylphi’s snide laughter.
I wonder what the hell her problem is.
The cold air slapped her hard once she left the facilities tent, and her hair felt instantly frozen. She didn’t stop, though; she hurried as fast as she could to her own tent, or what should’ve been her tent. All she found was Dylan sitting on the ground, patiently waiting next to her pack.
“What the…? Where’s my stuff? What’d you do with my things?” Shade felt her anger tipping the scales and tried to grab a handle on it before hollering at him. She breathed in slowly and deeply, averting her glare away from him. It wasn’t his fault that Sylphi had such a strange effect on her. She felt discombobulated. Her breath steamed like clouds floating out her nose and mouth.
He rolled his eyes almost as impatiently as she jumped on him.
“Well, Dylan?”
“Ok, calm down. I so graciously put away your things for you, since you were taking so long in the bath. We’re leaving in just a few minutes, by the way.” He stood up and held out her pack, dangling it from his fingers.
She snatched it from him with her free hand, biting her lip as he walked off to the main camp without another word. She sighed, realizing she hadn’t even bothered to thank him. Why did it seem they clashed over everything? If they were going to be forced to spend so much time together, this would definitely have to stop. Kneeling down, she opened her pack and pulled out a sack for her dirty clothes. She stuffed them in and shoved it back into the pack.
This will just have to do until we reach the river. The clothes had a slight odor, and they needed a wash badly. Shade marched down the path to the main camp, joining the rest of the group. Ewan was already waving his arm around to capture everyone’s attention as she chose a large boulder to sit on and rubbed her sleepy eyes. It’s already been a long day, and it’s only the butt crack of dawn.
“Alright, is everybody present? Soap, Jack, Braelynn…” The brawny man glanced about, squinting his eyes at the group. “Where’s Sylphi?” Heads whirled around and searched the group.
“I just saw her in the bath tent. She’s probably still there,” Shade muttered.
“I’m right here.” Sylphi stepped out from behind a tree and smiled at the group. Her hair was dried and slicked back into an even tighter ponytail than Shade’s. She looked radiant in the morning sun, all dressed in white furs with her pack strapped to her back. She waved at Shade, a sly smirk on her face. Shade frowned back, but not as confidently. She wondered how Sylphi had bathed, dried, clothed herself, packed and made it to the group so fast. It’s probably a fey thing.
“Alright, that should be everyone. We are heading to the great rivers. We will be getting wet, by the way. Shade, see Braelynn for water repellant charms so your stuff doesn’t get soaked,” he added as a side note, and then continued on. “We will be camping in the middle of the river lands. It’s made up of seven rivers that wind, turn, and meet together at the Pacific Ocean. The rivers are pure Faerie territory, close to human towns. There is to be no wandering across the borders because the iron cities are too close to us along the coast.
He held up a large piece of parchment with a drawing of the rivers. They were vivid blue lines that twisted and curved around the vast green areas on the map. He pointed out the boundaries and again warned of the dangers of wandering too near a human city. Shade stared at the map, utterly confused. It looked so unfamiliar. If her sense of direction was right, they had to be near the coasts of California and Oregon. She didn’t recall seeing such a tangle of large rivers there before. This revelation had her waving down Ewan.
“Those rivers are not on ordinary maps. You said it is a purely faery territory? Does that mean that the river lands are hidden from humans?”
Ewan nodded, smiling at her curiosity. “Why yes, Shade. Aren’t you just sharp as a knife this morning? Yep, human maps look quite different from faery maps, but we have the real world maps. Mortals’ maps are only splices of the actual world. They don’t know it, but there are vast areas of fey lands that are protected by enchantments and wards. So in essence, the area looks a lot smaller to them than it is.” Ewan continued on, letting his finger trace along the borders on the paper. He then quickly rolled up the scroll map, ordering everyone to prepare to leave.
The desert wasteland twisted and blended into the lush forest of emerald green leaves and bushes. The land was riper and more fertile here, almost an artificially vibrant green. No matter which trail they took, Shade could hear rushing water in the distance. It surrounded them like endless background noise. The river lands were strange; there were islands between some rivers where they intersected and weaved together like a tangle of noodles. Then there would be long stretches of land that didn’t run into a river at all. Some of the islands sported bridges, while others had none, forcing the group to wade through each river carefully. Even with the waterproof charm, which Braelynn and Sary placed on everyone and their items, Shade couldn’t help but feel the cold embrace of the water stealing the warmth from her body. It flowed around her thighs, and the icy cold still seeped through her clothes.
She was left stiff from the frigid waters. With the charms, she did not feel wet but felt quite dry, even though her teeth chattered and her body shook from the chill. It was a relief to emerge from the cold, wet trek through a river. Once out of the water, the sun warmed her immediately. Her stiff, frozen clothes stuck to her, remnants of a watery grave.
After about four of these submersions, she was ready to smack Ewan. Did they really have to walk through all that cold, muddy, and swirling water so much? Her love of the outdoors, what little she did have, was washing away with each turbulent wave of river water.
Once they stopped to rest, eat and do their best to warm up, Shade pulled the warm blanket Dylan had given her from her pack and wrapped it tightly around her body. Turning her head up to the sun, she soaked up its comforting rays. It felt incredible, like hot cocoa warming her core after playing in the snow and getting frostbite on her toes and fingers. She closed her eyes, not wanting to move. She felt frozen down to her inner marrow, and her lips were chapped and surely a sickly shade of blue after spending most of the day in the water.
“Hey, drink some hot tea. It will warm your soul.” Dylan handed her a steaming cup, his own secured in his other hand.
“Thanks, Dylan.” Shade happily accepted it, wrapping her fingers around the warmth of the drink, soothing her stiff joints. She drank it down in a gulp. The hot fluid felt great against her throat, warming her from the inside out. Still huddled in the blanket, she was afraid to break her cozy cocoon if she dared to move.
“Tired of the rapids, huh? They get old really fast, don’t they?” Dylan asked, attempting to sound friendly. “I don’t miss crossing them at all. You would think some idiot would’ve put a bridge or something on every river here by now, but faeries are lazy, you know. They’d rather fly right over these banks any day. Of course, we aren’t all able to fly, let alone carry anyone else with us,” he said with a sigh. “So we have to do it the tried and true way, on foot. I think it’s because us faeries don’t like to disturb nature too much, so progress is limited.” He chuckled, shaking his head as he took another large sip of tea.
He was sitting next to her now, their sides slightly touching, and she could feel his body heat closing the gap between them. Shade turned to watch him more carefully. His unusual, steel-colored eyes glinted in the bright sunlight. The deeper they ventured into the wilderness, the more relaxed he appeared. His face had grown softer and younger in the light of the afternoon. She wondered if nature gave off some kind of natural Xanax to the fey. Everyone seemed more at ease, maybe just a touch tired, but no one was complaining. She guessed that it was better than having a group of grumpy, pissed-off faeries
. Who knew what they were all capable of doing if pushed too far?
Dylan’s hair was still short, but growing faster than a human’s hair would. It was dark and shiny, with silver highlights peppered throughout. He shaved that morning, and his skin still shone smooth, with no lines to betray his age. She wondered how old he was, remembering Ilarial mentioned how they were immortal. Besides Soap, no one had volunteered to say how old he or she really was.
“Dylan? Can I ask you something?” He turned toward her, eyes wide with surprise. She should probably speak to him softly more often because it was nice to see him shocked.
“Yes, of course. Go for it.” He placed his cup on the dirt in front of him and sat Indian-style, his arms relaxed on his thighs.
“How old are you? How long do faeries live?” She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs, clinging to the blanket and keeping it shut.
“I’m two hundred and forty-six years old. My brother Darren is only one-hundred and fifteen. We’re immortal, but only to a certain extent. The fey are somewhat delicate in a way, more so than humans. We can wither away if we choose. Your world is fragile too when it comes to this matter. It’s almost like a curse. We are tied to mortals in more ways than one.” Dylan paused. He glanced at Shade but quickly turned back to stare down at his cup as he continued.
“When we wither, we choose to leave this world. Our mother was five-hundred and three when she decided she no longer had it in her to carry on, allowing herself to wither into dust. It only took two days. Just two days and slowly, what was a strong, bold, and amazing woman turned into dust and ash,” he said with a hint of emotion leaking through his cracking voice. “Life is not easy for the fey. The exiles wither faster because of the toxicity of living in or near the iron cities. Smaller faeries go faster, too. We have stronger clans, like the Guildrin Clan, and our enemies, the Unseelie, are sometimes much stronger than our group of Teleen. Faeries our size are the closest to humans in appearance. My people, the Teleen, are more fragile, dying off as time goes on, very slowly, of course. There are not many Teleen born each year, so our numbers have dwindled as some of us die. If the world was stronger, and the magic in Faerie was not so faded, we could be true immortals and live forever.”
“Why is your clan dying? I would think you would be the strongest since humans have a lot of iron in their blood. It would be hard for any fey to live near us or among us, but you guys are fine with it.”
Dylan was staring back at her now. His eyes narrowed, amused as he thought about what she was asking and saying. He licked his lips and looked back over the river. The constant roar seemed to fill the silence between them like an unwanted third wheel. Shade waited impatiently for his answers. She stared at the river while she waited for him talk to her. At least, I beat the rivers, she thought, knowing she’d bested the icy waters today and had nothing to prove.
“Well, it has a lot to do with there not being many mated pairs in our clan. Teleen females are rarely born to our clan now, and those who are, get paired off quickly and stay together for life. If you’re not paired with one, as a male, you are out of luck. That is unless a free Teleen faery woman shows up out of nowhere,” he said quietly as if he didn’t think that was possible.
“What else is bothering you, Shade?” Dylan’s deep voice was more like a harsh whisper. He was even leaning a little toward her to muffle his voice so no one else could hear.
“I don’t know. It’s just that, compared to all of you guys, I’m so weak. Even though you say you have vulnerabilities, you are still more powerful than me. I don’t know how to do magic or any kind of fighting. Without you guys here, I would be useless… helpless.” Shade took a deep breath before continuing. “It’s all so intriguing, but it scares me so much. There are so many things I don’t know. I’m as good as dead out here against other fey.
“Ilarial told me to learn, but how do I learn? I don’t know a thing about fighting or handling a sword or knife.” She sighed, closing her eyes as she cradled her head on her knees, tears prickling behind her eyelids. She thought back to about what he’d said about not being paired with a female Teleen. She wondered if he was paired or not, and if he was, where was his mate?
Dylan watched her thoughtfully. He nodded as though agreeing with her. His eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment as he was in deep thought.
Shade wondered what it could be that he was thinking.
“I must train you, then. You’re right. You are weak without any kind of protection. If you were to be separated from us… well, I don’t want to think about it. You have a sword, right?” She nodded, thinking about the beautiful sword in her pack Ilarial had given her. “Great. Then we train today.” He stood, offering her a hand. “Grab your sword. I’ll teach you a move or two.”
Surprised, she took his hand, standing up and fumbling through her pack for the sword. Finding it, she waited, holding it slack in her hand.
“Alright, you need to stand ready. The easiest thing to do is to stand with your feet apart, knees bent. You can put one foot forward a bit. That’s right. You need to keep your body balanced so you can move any which way during an attack.” He moved to stand next to her, his body facing her side. Reaching out, he adjusted her arms to put both hands on the hilt of the sword, bringing her elbows to a bend. He tugged and pushed at her limbs, making her almost fall over as he adjusted her legs. Standing behind her, he placed his hands on her hips and back, pushing again to make her straighten up her poor posture while still bending her knees. Her thighs screamed in protest.
“You need to relax. I’m not going to bite.” He snickered. Shade frowned but tried to do as he told her. “There. See? Flexed, ready to pounce.”
Shade nodded, feeling nervous at his proximity but excited at learning something about using a sword.
“Now, I want you to do this exercise: step forward, then back, then side to side, holding the sword opposite the direction you head. It’s like a dance; counterbalancing each other, like partners.” His voice was just above a whisper near her face. It sent a thrill down her spine.
“Wh-what?”
Dylan groaned, motioning to her to give up the sword. She did and watched him as he showed her what he meant. His movements were fluid and well-practiced. She gulped, hoping she could look more like he did and less like a clumsy ogre.
“See? A dance. Practice it.” He handed the sword back and stepped back to give her some room.
“That’s it?” she stammered.
“That’s it.”
Shade felt slightly disappointed but didn’t push him any further. Learning that ’dance’ would be plenty for now. “Okay, I can do this. Oh, Dylan?”
“Yes?”
“Were you paired off at birth?” She risked a peek at his face as she attempted her first move to the left.
“No, I was never paired at birth, but our Oracle, who’s about eight-hundred years old, did tell me a prophecy about it.” He sighed and stared out across the river.
“What’d she say?”
“She said that I’d meet my mate one day, one who’d never resided among us and that my life would change forever. It’d be filled with great and challenging events, some unfortunate and some amazing.”
“Really? So, did you meet her yet?” Shade watched his face, calm and handsome. She found him intriguing in a way she could not explain. And to think, just hours ago, he was getting on her last nerve.
Dylan turned toward her and studied her face, his flashing eyes amused at her questions. Giving her a smile, he reached out, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. Shade felt her heart jump, sending her skin flaring up at his touch. “I don’t really know. Maybe.” He continued to watch her, a sad smile playing across his lips. “Once camp is set up tonight, we will work on more sword fighting. Be ready!” He grabbed his cup from the ground while dusting off his pants. He walked away then without another word, leaving her stunned.
“Wh-what? More tonight? Dylan?” She stuttered and
couldn’t spit out the rest of her words. He was gone and nowhere near her now. Shaking her head, she laughed to herself.
He’s so strange and drives me insane! Maybe that’s a good thing.