Shade woke up in darkness yet again. She heard soft breathing across the room. Was she still in the oubliette? The cold, damp air confirmed her disappointment as she sat up, pulling the blanket down from her head. She felt around for her light stone, which lay cold and dormant in the center of the room where she’d left it. Grasping it, she reignited it. Her eyes focused in the dim light as it grew. She watched the bundle that was Dylan softly sleeping. He wasn’t aglow anymore. He must have slipped his glamour back on like a robe before bed.
She set the light stone down again, wondering if she should wake him and also how long she slept. She didn’t know what day or time it was anymore. It could have been hours or minutes, and she wouldn’t even know it down here in the dark, dank bowels of the earth. Her cell phone was long dead since she hadn’t charged it recently. She leaned against the smooth stone and thought about everything they spoke about before she’d let sleep win her over… had it been the night or day before?
Shade felt sorry for doubting Dylan, but he didn’t make much sense to her half of the time. She was glad that she wasn’t alone down here anymore but pondered the subject of escape. Just will it so? What the heck was that about? Like, tell the stone to open up and let me out kind of thing? Shade thought with frustration. She was pretty sure she hadn’t asked to be placed here, at least not on purpose.
She stood up again and shook her head. Oh, whatever, this entire situation doesn’t make any sense. Changelings, witches, faeries, and whatever the hell else pops up. She wondered how much of the world she’d grown up in was real at all. It seemed like none of it was. It was just a lie, just a façade that the Fey played on all of humankind. They probably got a good laugh out of it all the time. Oh, what dumb humans they are. They can’t figure out that more than half their land isn’t even on their maps because it’s ours. We can do whatever the heck we want, and they don’t know any better. Idiots!
She kicked the wall again, but not hard enough to hurt her foot. It did force her to grunt, though. She thumped her back against the wall, groaning.
“You all right there? The wall isn’t going to kick you back, you know. It didn’t really do anything to you, anyway.” Dylan had his hands behind his head while he remained lying, head up and staring at her, grinning.
“Oh, shut up. How do we get out? We need to get out, like yesterday, Dylan! How do we do it?” She stared at him, huffing out her anger as she marched back to her sleeping bag. She shook it out violently and stuffed it into her bag. Pulling out her canteen, she gulped down the cool drops of water. She tossed her bag to the side as she sank down to the ground, feeling the tears sting her eyes. Darn it if she was going to give Dylan any more signs of her current breakdown. She just couldn’t take the mortification.
Dylan sighed and stretched out. He stood up and held his hand out to her. “Come on. We gotta go.” He waited as she stared back up at him, tears still pooling in her eyes. She took his hand and stood up, swinging her pack on her back as she followed him over to the smooth walls of stone. “Now, to leave these prisons, one must believe in impossibility. Lay your hands on the stone and think. Think about the mountains you saw before you got here and the fountains. Wish your way out. Make a road in your head that will lead you to the place you want to go, and it will happen. Make a way for yourself, for us.”
Shade studied his face, feeling a prick of hope mixed with disbelief as he spoke. She licked her lips and did as he told her. Closing her eyes, she wished the stone would open and let her out into the sunlight, into the wilderness she so longed to see again. She prayed and wished as hard as she could, caressing the cool rock and waiting for the stone to do something under her dirty fingers.
Nothing.
Shade opened her eyes and frowned at the rock. She looked over at Dylan and shook her head. “Nothing’s happening, Dylan. What if we’re stuck here forever?” She stared at the curved wall, wanting a way out where there was none. She sucked her breath in. “Wait!” She’d just remembered something and grabbed her pack, rummaging through it frantically. She pulled out the rune stones Ilarial gave her. She held them in her gritty hand and stared at the symbols. How was she supposed to know what she had to do with them? Ilarial said they would help me find my way when there is none, but how? She stared at them and closed her eyes, silently praying for a way out of the oubliette.
“Shade! Something’s happening!” Dylan pulled her out of her thoughts. She glanced around to find the rock fading in front of them with a soft rumble. The bubble was no longer a bubble but extending into an elongated hall. It grew longer into the earth until it reached the top of the soil. Steps formed out of the smooth rock, and sunlight gradually began streaming in through dirt. Roots dangled down from the forest floor.
The walls stopped rumbling, and the ground stilled. She looked over at Dylan as they now stared down the small corridor to the stairs. She smiled and looked at him as he reached back, grabbing his cloak and her light stone from the ground. He tossed the stone to her as they walked up the stairs. “Way to go, Shade. See, you just have to believe in yourself.”
“It worked! Ilarial gave me these rune stones that would help me out when I needed it. I didn’t even do much but wish for there to be a way out. Wow, it’s amazing Dylan!” They both shouted with glee as they scurried up each step.
The sun bore down on them like a spotlight in their faces. Shade’s eyes cramped in pain as they adjusted to the bright sunlight. She blinked and shaded her eyes with her hands, looking about. They were no longer in the river of boulders but at the base of the Santiran mountain range. She pulled herself up and out of the hole in the ground, with Dylan just behind her. The ground seemed to swallow up the darkness of the prison as they watched it close. Only grass and leaves lay where the exit used to be. She bent to touch the patch of grass and dirt. It felt firm and undisturbed.
“Look, Dylan!” She pointed up the massive wall of the mountain. “It’s the Santiran Mountain! We must be so close to the fountains! We’re almost there!” She walked with a little skip in her step, almost bursting with anticipation. She’d find the magic waters of the Santiran fountains, and then she’d be that much closer to going home.
Home. At the thought of going back to her snotty-nosed brothers and bratty sister, she missed them so much, her heart ached in her chest. She’d be able to hug her mother again. She wanted to run up the mountain as fast as possible. She could barely contain herself.
Dylan grabbed her arm and tugged hard. She was about to curse him out when he pressed a finger to his lips and pulled again for her to follow him. Her eyes widened as she strained to hear what he heard. She followed him behind a boulder near a dip in the mountain’s side, almost like someone had taken a scooper and scooped out a chunk of the rocky base. She wasn’t sure she liked being inside the hollowed stone, but whatever Dylan heard tripped his alarms at full force.
“What is it, Dylan?” Shade whispered. She was about to ask him again when she heard it. Murmurs of voices seemed to dance on the rock walls and made her turn her head in all directions to discover which way they were coming from. Maybe this hiding spot was not such a good idea. The voices grew louder and echoed even more like they were hitting a concaved amplifier.
They waited quietly, barely breathing in fear of discovery. The voices continued to dance around them, as they would in a crowded arena. She knew they were coming from the side they would have to follow to get to the fountains. She gritted her teeth with impatience, willing the men to move along already.
When the murmurs faded away, Dylan peeked over his shoulder at her and nodded his head in the same direction as the voices. The strangers were going where they needed to be. Shade nodded in agreement, but the pit in her stomach flipped with anxiety. She wasn’t sure how many people might be waiting for them around the bend. How many Unseelie were guarding the mountain?
They found the path deserted and were breathing out sighs of relief as they crept out silently up the gravelly path. Climbing the ro
cky path, they frequently slipped from the loose dirt. They eased their way up the mountain, the altitude shifting into thinner and cooler air. The view was breathtaking, with emerald green treetops where the forest spread out for miles. The mountains stood tall, like a row of kings standing around the valley and framing the forest with their embrace. Shade took it in and smiled, finding nature beautiful even in her current situation. Again, she felt as if she’d changed somehow. The woods seemed alive all around as if breathing in the air along with her.
A cool breeze caressed them as they ascended. The forest began to grow again as thick as it was in the valley below. The mountainous path turned into a narrow crevice as they slid through one by one. Inside was a plateau cove, green and partly shaded by the mountain. Trees stood in all sizes around the path that led to the other side of the cove’s rock walls, where a carved opening stood in a shadow that never reached the sun’s rays.
Shade followed Dylan, taking refuge in the shrubs and tree trunks that kept them hidden from the sight of the two soldiers, who were both standing casually by the entrance. The men were chatting loudly and hadn’t noticed the intrusion. Shade snickered, sure the Unseelie Queen would not be happy with the help around here. Dylan glared at her, warning her to be quiet.
He studied them and then sank back down to a hidden crouch. “I only see the two guards. The Santiran fountains are inside that darkened doorway. If we can get through them, we should be all right. It seems that they weren’t expecting us to be here at all.” He paused, furrowing his brow in deep concentration. “Unless, of course, it’s a trap.” He bit his lip, furrowing his brow again in thought.
“How are we going to take on two guards?” She glanced over at them. They didn’t even have their helmets on. They were the same height with the same color and length of hair, blonde strands that hit their shoulders. They were tossing jokes back and forth and giving each other friendly pushes and punches. As she looked carefully, she could see that they were identical twins.
Great, double the trouble. How am I going to take on two husky guards? She squatted back down and out of sight, glancing at Dylan with worry spread across her face. “I’m not a fighter. I haven’t learned enough to take on one of these guys. They’re each as huge as a house! They could crush me with a finger!” She took a deep breath, attempting to calm her nerves.
“Shh, it’s all right. You can distract them, and I’ll take them out. They won’t know what hit them.” He smiled and began pulling out his weapons, unsheathing his sword and draping a rope across his chest and shoulders. She watched him prepare, her face contorted in horror.
“You mean, I’ll be the bait? Wait a minute. I don’t know. That doesn’t sound very promising. You might as well mark me for death. What do I say? How do I distract those two big buffoons? They don’t look that smart, but who needs brains with brawn like that?” Shade rambled on nervously. She wrung her hands over and over, feeling almost faint with anxiety. She grasped Dylan’s tunic as he started to leave.
“Hey, don’t worry. You have to trust me a little, Shade. I’ve done this before, many times. I was captain of the Teleen Guard, remember? One doesn’t become a captain by letting their wards get killed.” He snickered but stopped, catching her daggered look. “Calm down. Just prance out there and act like some little lost maiden who needs their help. They will fall for it, believe me. Just act dumb. It shouldn’t be too hard.” He laughed quietly but stopped again when she threw another nasty glare at him. He turned and started to move, keeping cover in the trees, until Shade could no longer see him.
Shoot, shoot, shoot! She looked again around the tree she was hiding behind and watched the twins. They were still cackling at each other’s jokes. Okay, Shade, you know you have to. Sometimes we have to do what we don’t want to. Just get it over with already!
She crept closer to the twins. Peeking at the guards made her stomach twist in a bad way. Taking a deep breath, she stood up straight, fixing her hair as best as she could. She put her most convincing clueless face on, including a broad smile. She then walked straight into their line of sight.
“Um, excuse me, boys, but do you know where the nearest town is? I’ve done gone and got myself lost. Would either one of you gentlemen care to show me which way to go?” She batted her eyes at them in the girliest way she could think of. Flipping her hair back, she didn’t think she looked irresistible, but she’d figured, what the hell. It’s worth a shot.
“Stay put there, miss. Andre, grab her and make sure she ain’t got no weapons.” Draden waved at his brother. They were immediately on full alert and converted into the soldiers they were trained to be. Shade swallowed hard and stiffened but recovered almost immediately, trying to act like it was no big deal.
“Oh, come on now, boys. Why would a little lass like me be carrying around a weapon? I wouldn’t touch those filthy things if you paid me. It would ruin my nails.” She curled her fingers into her palm, hoping they wouldn’t notice her dingy and short cuticles. She cranked up her smile and flashed her eyes at the approaching guard again, the one named Andre. He crouched by her and signaled her to hold her arms up as he did a quick sweep of her sides and yanked her pack from her back. She was about to protest but decided that silence would be the safest choice. She hoped the glamour charm Dylan waved onto her pack was good enough to hide all her stuff, especially the weapons.
“I don’t see any, Draden. She’s got nothing but makeup, a brush, and some clothes in this thing.” He tossed it back to her, and she caught it as it whacked her chest. She frowned but slipped it back on, widening another smile across her face and twirling her hair. It dangled from her ponytail and flew about like a wispy halo around her face. She waited, observing the other guard, who squinted his suspicious eyes at her and frowning.
“What’s your name, girl?” Draden approached her with his sword drawn. Shade held her breath as he came up to her, bending his head down to meet her eye to eye. With the cold stare of ice blue eyes, he appeared more menacing than his twin. His long blond hair was pulled into a loose braid and dangled partially in his face. Up close, his face was worn with years of hard fighting. Deep lines creased his eyes and mouth, and stubble grew, sprinkled across his skin. His twin looked just as hard, but maybe not as cold. She swallowed and wondered how to answer this big man with his sword pointed right at her. She took a breath, staring back into the warrior’s eyes.
“My name is Alice, Alice Coleman. I’m sorry. I must have interrupted something. I’ll just leave then and go along my merry way. I really didn’t want to impose or anything.” Draden, pressing his sword into her clavicle, cut her off. She stepped back, but he grabbed her arm to stop her. She felt her panic rush over her.
Where the hell is Dylan?
“I don’t believe you.” He pressed the blade a little more, and her skin burned with the tiny cut. She held back a cry and stared back at him, anger spilling across her face as she clenched her lips together.
“I don’t care what you think. I said, I’ll be on my way now.” She continued to stare and waited since he did not let up on his grip. He glared back and seemed to ponder her face, stamping it into his memory. She wondered if he would actually hurt her or even kill her. She didn’t want to find out, but her impatience grew with every second.
She decided to chance another step backward. Slowly, she retreated but watching him dart his eyes just a moment made her pause. He continued to press the sword into her but did not push it in any further. She stared at his eyes and willed him to drop the sword. She beckoned with her eyes, like a silent prayer. She felt her magic swirl within her, inside her heart, spinning around like a mirror ball and growing with each moment. It seemed like a breath flowing out of her, up to her wound and down the sword Draden held firmly in his hands.
The moment it touched him, she saw him waver. He looked away, down at the sword and back up to her face. His face fell, eyes widening and fear creeping up into his icy stare as his eyes darted from the sword to her and ba
ck again. Finally, he stepped away, relenting, and let his sword slide down until it grazed the soil and hung slack in his hand.
“What did you do? How did you… who are you?” He stepped away, and his firm stare met her gaze, mixed with confusion and suspicion. “Who sent you?”
Shade licked her lips and watched him as he backed away. Andre approached with his sword in hand but halted with a wave from Draden. The dominant brother was apparent to her. She hoped that whatever had just happened would save her.
“Drop your swords, or we will not stop. She will churn your insides into pulp, and she will not hesitate.” Dylan held two swords readied and crept up behind the twins, cautiously poking them in their backs simultaneously. They both froze, surprise and anger spilling across their faces. Draden glanced at Dylan and then back at Shade, seemingly contemplating the situation, probably pondering their chances against them.
Whatever magic filled him from Shade had gotten the best of him. He dropped his sword and straightened, holding his head up and puffing his chest out in some male attempt at superiority. Andre followed suit and dropped his sword, hands in the air for surrender.
“Shade, tie them up and hurry. I don’t know when their replacements could show up.” Shade ran over, kicking the dropped swords out of reach, and grabbed the spool of rope Dylan handed over to her. She took the slim ropes and walked over to Draden. “Ok, tell your brother to turn his back into that tree there, and you can back into it, too. Stand next to him with your arms behind you.”
Draden glared at her with tense lips and hard eyes. She waited patiently, not letting his stare creep into her again or letting any fear slip out. He did what she said and waited as his brother walked over and turned around behind him. Shade snickered and hastily tied the ropes around their wrists. She silently thanked her mom for those scout campouts, where tying knots was a requirement to earn those nifty badges her mom would carefully sew onto her uniform vest. She still had that vest, hanging neatly in her closet.
Once she had them tied, she directed them to a tree. There, she wrapped the remainder of the rope around them several times, as tightly as she could get it without cutting off circulation to their bodies. She knotted the ends securely. She looked at the brothers and beamed with satisfaction.
“I know what you are. You’re a changeling. Only changelings can send magic into others to make them weaker. I met one once. He’s dead now. He was powerful, though. You will never be that strong.” Draden sighed and looked down at the ground, pensive and serious. “You look like him, though, your father, I mean.”
Shade stopped. Her face froze in surprise. “What did you say? Who are you talking about?”
Draden snapped his head up and watched her face, smirking.
“What are you smiling at?” She felt anger flush over her face, but she tried to contain it, not wanting to give him the satisfaction.
“You don’t know, do you? You didn’t even know you were a changeling. How’d you do it, then? Wild magic flows through you like a cancer. He had the same powers. I could help you, you know. I knew your father. He was a powerful man. I was his second in command for centuries until he died and that crazy queen took over.” The husky man squirmed in the ropes, grimacing and obviously trying to loosen the ties. Shade was no longer smiling, but at least, there was no way in hell he could break loose.
She turned to look at Dylan. He was standing nearby, his dual swords ready in hand. He was not as sure as she was that the rope would hold. His lips were firm, straight, and almost colorless. His eyes furrowed in concentration, contemplating what the soldier said. “Don’t listen to them, Shade. He’s trying to trick you and delay us. Let’s go to the fountain before someone else shows up.” He brought the swords down, turned, and motioned for her to follow.
Draden’s eyes widened, seeing the two of them walking away. He fidgeted again and yelled after them. “I swear it’s the truth, girl. I know things you need to know. I was his second in command. Your father would have wanted you to know these things. Stop!”
Shade turned her head, still following Dylan, and glanced back at the brawny warrior. His wild eyes watched her intently, waiting for her to turn back. She shook her head and looked away. She had a strange feeling that the soldier was telling the truth. If not, he was an excellent liar. A part of her wanted to go back and ask the warrior so many questions, but she knew it wasn’t the right time.
The doorway to the fountains lay in shadows. They stepped into the darkness and waited as their eyes adjusted to the dim light. Following Dylan and activating her light stone, she grimaced at the stone walls. Another cave. Great, thought Shade.
Just as she thought that, a light shone through another doorway, making her realize the hall they were in was more of a semi-circle. It led to an open courtyard in the shape of a full moon. Here in the middle of the mountains, the sun streamed down above the sharp cliffs that reached up to the sky. Shade drew in her breath, amazed at the sight. Hidden from any prying eyes was a vast, fertile garden. It was large, and the sound of water trickled and gurgled all around them. The grass was a brilliant, glowing green with the most brilliantly colored flowers and vines weaving throughout it.
The air was moist and warm here. It felt akin to being in a large greenhouse, like one she’d visited in her childhood with her father. It contained an immense glass dome as a ceiling and held in butterflies and birds of all types. The warm mist felt much the same and made her want to curl up under a tree and take a nap. It was a piece of untouched land that seemed to be heaven on earth.
They stood in awe of the sights. Dylan motioned her forward again and broke her out of her thoughts. She followed but was stunned by the beauty of the place. Near the middle of the garden, they came upon what looked like a massive natural fountain, made of rock and crystals of every color. The crystals glinted and parted the light into beams of rainbow all around the fountain, making it hard to look at because the jewels shimmered so brightly.
Dylan stopped. He reached into his pack and pulled out a glass flask with a stopper. He held it out to Shade, signaling for her to take it. “Here, I can’t touch the waters, but you can. Take this and fill it. Then we will be done.”
Shade took the flask and smiled. Excitement hummed through her veins as she approached the fountain. She paused at the edge and stared down at the glowing crystals. The water swelled around them and trickled down the rock, spraying up a slight mist of warm water. She wondered what made it so special. It looked like water, plain water. The fountain itself was impressive, but that’s where it ended.
She licked her lips and took the stopper out of the flask, dipping it into the warm embrace of the water. She let it fill as it bubbled up around her hand. She felt the magic stir. As she immersed her arm in the water, the magic seemed to intensify. She felt it crawl up her arm and deep into her core. Her eyes widened as the euphoria overwhelmed her.
Shaking her head to clear it and think better now that the flask was full, she pulled the bottle out to examine it. Rainbows swirled in the glinting sunlight inside of the glass. She felt the cool liquid run down her arm and drip onto the moist earth below. The dirt vibrated with life as green vines and leaves sprouted at every drop and reached for the sunlight. She smiled, enjoying the euphoric feeling and peace all at once. She realized she was glowing, reflecting light off the pool of water. It felt incredible.
“Shade? Are you okay?” Dylan’s eyes were wide in concern. His face appeared paralyzed in shock and disbelief. She looked up at him and smiled, nodding as she pushed the stopper into the flask.
“That was amazing, Dylan! I feel like someone just jolted me awake with a million double shot espressos. I feel great!” Shade laughed and hopped back to where Dylan stood, drying her arm on her hoodie. He approached her and smiled, watching her illuminated face and feeling the warmth spill onto him. He reached out and touched her cheek, sliding his fingers over her skin, and the vibrating magic spilled onto his skin too. His hand glowed, and the ligh
t crept over him as it did her. They stood in a cocoon of light and peace.
He laughed and smiled at her. Her smile was contagious. Her cherry red lips seemed to beckon him, and her dreamy honey eyes seemed to pull him into the deep abyss of her soul. He moved closer, cupping her face. Bending forward, his lips brushed against hers, warm and soft, sending Shade’s heart sighing in bliss. A feeling of drunkenness filled him, as though he’d been empty and now was filling up to the brim. He gave into the embrace, letting it swim around them like honey dripping from the trees and leaves around them, imprisoning them in a bubble of swirling magic. He wanted to kiss and hold her forever.
“There they are! We have you surrounded! Drop your weapons!”
The shout jerked them back to the garden and the trickling water. Dylan spun and stared at the squad of soldiers pouring in through the door in the rock wall and fanning out to surround them.
“Drop your weapons, or we will be forced to kill you, warrior. We only want the girl with the flask of water. Give her to us, and we will let you live.” The leader stared at Dylan’s swords, now loose and unsheathed, held in a fighting stance. The captain of this band shook his head and laughed. “You can’t win. We outnumber you, young man. Drop the swords.”
“Sir, I can’t locate the twins. It’s like they’ve disappeared. I found pieces of their armor, but they’re nowhere to be found. Maybe the little witch dispatched them before we arrived. I’ve heard strange things about her, sir.” The captain waved the subordinate away, furiously shaking his head.
“Don’t be stupid! Just as well. We’ll assume they’re dead. Now, secure the girl, and let’s get back to the palace before dark. The Queen will be most pleased. Move in!” The circle of soldiers began to press in on them.
Shade turned to watch the soldiers closing in on them and backed into Dylan, her hands clasped around the bottle. Her eyes darted nervously at the soldiers. “What now, Dylan? There’s no way out! We’re trapped!” She bit her lip as the fear spilled over the fading euphoria.
“It’s all right, Shade. Listen to me, and do just what I say. Hold onto me. I’m going to drop my glamour and call my powers.” Shade looked up at him, eyes wide in terror.
“What are you gonna do?”
“I’m going to call my power of lightning. When I discharge it, the first ring of soldiers will drop with the shock. Hold onto me tightly. I have to control it so it doesn’t go too wide and fry the garden. Come on!”
Shade shook her head as she turned to him, letting his arms embrace her tightly. “I… I don’t know if this is a good idea. What if I get electrocuted, too?” She trembled in his grip. Dylan looked down at her and smiled softly.
“Believe, Shade. I believe since you are able to touch me, you are immune to my powers. It will be alright.” He whispered the last words and hugged her tightly. They closed their eyes as the blue flickers of fire crackled over his skin. The next thing she knew, she felt the bolt of energy discharge from his body, like a small earthquake vibrating through her. The bolt snapped and sent a thunderous boom around them. When it was done, just a moment later, she peeked around his chest to see that the first ring of soldiers surrounding them were down, most knocked out while others moaned in distress.
“It worked, Dylan!” She stopped as she watched the next wave of soldiers creep in, stepping over the others cautiously and staring at the pair of them in disbelief.
“Damn it! It’s a blasted Teleen. Grab the lightning rods from the armory stash now! We’ve got to control the lightning before we can overpower him!” The captain’s face was beet red, and sweat beaded on his face as he fumbled back from the fallen ones. “Hurry up!” he yelled.
The soldiers stood back as they waited for the rods to be handed out.
“Lightning rods? Dylan, what are they gonna do with the rods?” Shade turned around and watched the soldiers pass stacks of rods around the group.
Dylan breathed in and shook his head. “The rods will render me powerless. They will draw my power into the cylinders and leave me harmless. We’ve got to get out of here now.” He spun around and watched the soldiers gear up and advance again. He then turned to Shade and looked down into her shining brown eyes.
“Shade, listen to me. There’s a legend that says the holder of the water of the Santiran Fountains can use it to wish for anything they want, just once, and it will be granted by the water’s magic. Now, I’m going to hold onto you, and you try to think as hard as you can of the Guildrin forest and imagine being back there once more, got it?”
“Yes, but, there’s no freakin’ way that will work!”
Dylan re-sheathed his swords, pulled her into his embrace, and smiled. “I guess we’ll find out. Now wish us home, Shade. Do it now!”
Shade closed her eyes, feeling the soldiers’ auras vibrating around them and closing in. She breathed in, thinking of Queen Zinara, Ilarial, and her newfound friends. She visualized the steps leading down to the Guildrin living quarters, the only place she’d ever felt somewhat safe in Faerie.
Dylan’s arms felt warm and strong around her, and she only hoped he would continue to hold her this way. She wished him safe, herself and the others too. Unscrewing the cap of the flask, she whispered her thoughts into the bottle grasped tightly in her hands. She felt Dylan’s lips on her head, warm and firm as she wished them all back home safe, as hard as she could.
A peaceful feeling washed over them like a crashing wave. In just that instant, yelling and cursing blew up around them, followed by an intense silence. The sound of tree leaves rustling and birds chirping in the slight breeze made Shade open her eyes. They stood by the great tree to the Guildrin Court, as if they’d never left. She gasped, looking up at Dylan.
“You did it! Oh man, you did it, Shade! We’re home!” Dylan jumped and hopped about, hollering out his joy. Returning to her and lifting her up with his arms, he swung her around. Shade breathed in with relief. A moment later, another whoosh sounded around them. The entire gang stood there, looking startled and shocked.
“Oh, wow!” She ran and hugged the tall sorceress Braelynn, and then turned to embrace them all one by one. Hot steaming tears streamed down her cheeks. Every one of them was there. Everyone but Sylphi returned, just as she’d wished. They were all shocked and surprised but intact and safe. Shade didn’t ponder very long about where Sylphi had gone. Shade wasn’t missing her.
“What just happened? We’re home! How the…? What the…?” Soap was spinning around, looking at the landscape, absolutely petrified. Shade ran hugged him tight and pulled back an inch to see his face. He grinned back at her and nodded. “This can only mean one thing. You did it. You actually did it, and without us to aid you, at that! You made it to the fountains, didn’t you? Incredible! How did you do it? How did you get us all home? One minute we were searching for you around the base of the Santiran mountains, we’d just picked up your trail, and now here we are, home sweet home.” He sighed and hugged her again even tighter.
“Okay, let go. I can’t breathe!” she cried happily. He let go abruptly but caught her as she stumbled backward.
“Sorry!” He grinned and laughed. She laughed along with him, feeling elated.
“Do you have the water, then?” Shade nodded at Sary, who’d worked her way up to her. “You did it, Shade. You saved our people!” Sary hugged her and joined the laughter.
“Let’s go home, everyone. It’s been a long journey, and it’s time to celebrate! Queen Zinara will be absolutely delighted. We will win this war against the Unseelie after all! We have new allies joining us for victory!” Jack smiled widely as he hugged everyone in the group. Everyone agreed and nodded. The stairs to the underground opened, and they each descended, laughing and chatting with each other, all the strain of the journey lifted at once.
“Who are our new allies, Jack?” Shade inquired.
“Oh, sorry. You probably haven’t heard about it yet, but, on our way to the Santiran fountains, we ran into a group of villagers who procl
aimed that Prince Lotinar has returned and sided with Queen Zinara. This will prove most useful to our cause.” Shade pondered what he’d said, not really knowing of whom they spoke, but suddenly thought of something else.
“Wait, um, was Sylphi with you guys? Where is she?” Shade asked, not that she really cared.
“Sylphi? She ran at the battle with Lady Blythe. She probably returned to the Teleen Caverns. She most likely got too scared to fight,” Ewan chuckled. Shade wasn’t the only one not missing Sylphi.
Shade approached the first step to the mound but turned to see Dylan watching her.
“The blood bond is still in place. I thought it might be fulfilled at journey’s end, but it’s not,” he whispered as his eyes stared off into the forest, glazing over. His face was serious and contemplative.
“I’m sorry, Dylan. You know I would break it if I could. What do you think has to be done to end it?” Shade placed her hand on his arm to pull him back into the present. He returned his gaze to her and smiled through the sadness.
“It’s all right, Shade. I know now that this is my destiny. I’m not meant to be captain of the Teleen guard anymore. I’m glad I met you, Shade. Changes are good.” His eyes sparkled in the dimming light of the dusk. The orange glow spread across the sky and dimmed the forest floor as the sun crept away to slumber.
“I’m glad we met, too. Come on. Let’s get some real food and rest for once. After we give the flask to the Queen, I can go home and see my family.”
Dylan’s face darkened in gloom as he stared back at her. “Home? You’re leaving? Well, I guess you would want to go back, wouldn’t you? I won’t be returning home, probably not for a long time.” He pressed his lips together and stepped forward toward the stairs. “I have to warn you, Shade. I have to stay close to where you are, or my blood burns inside me.”
“I know. You could come, you know. You could meet my family. I’m sure I could think of something to tell my mother. You could definitely pass for a teenager. I could say your family is moving out of town, and you need a place to stay so you can graduate from our high school. What do you think? We do have a guest room. My mom rarely uses it, but I’m pretty sure she’d agree to let you stay with us.” She stood before him, staring down the stairs of the faery mound.
He suddenly turned, a broad grin spreading across his face. “Yes, that would be good. I think that since our blood bond is still in place, I will have to stay near you somehow. I guess that would be best, at least until the bond’s requirements are fulfilled and it lets me go home.”
Shade beamed. She could feel his anxiety pulsating out toward her. Something about the fountains linked them even closer. She flushed red as she remembered the burn of his lips against hers. She hoped for Dylan’s sake they wouldn’t be bound for too much longer. However, as they descended into the faerie court and out of sight, she knew she wasn’t ready to let him go.
(A Dark Faerie Tale #2)
For my children:
Ethan, Rayven, Maximus, and Elias.
You are all my light in the dark, and I am blessed to have you in my life.
Mommy loves you!!!
Acknowledgements