“One more thing,” Ilarial added. “Before you go, your powers have grown since your first exposure to Faerie. I did not know the scrying would be so intense for you already. Next time, we will have to approach the looking glass more slowly; perhaps after I have started using it first, in case I need to channel your powers.” Shade nodded again, feeling a little defeated at letting her magic get the best of her.
“I’ll remember for next time, Ilarial.”
*****
SHADE FOUND HERSELF staring at the TV screen, its soft rambling banter filling the room like white noise. She didn’t really see anything on it. Her thoughts were focused elsewhere. Thinking about Ilarial’s scrying session had most of her thoughts tangled up. Her confusion added to the headache of everything else she was worrying about. Her vision blurred as the flashing of the screen faded into a commercial.
She couldn’t help but wonder about having a grandmother. After all the years of not having anyone else beside her mother around, a grandmother could possibly help her solve everything which was so wrong with her right now. If only she could find her. She’d been exiled somewhere in Faerie. Shade wondered if her grandmother even knew she had a granddaughter. Frowning, Shade could almost bet that she didn’t. Maybe her grandmother would’ve looked for her already if she’d known about her.
The glare of the TV darkened as a figure came to stand between her and the screen. Her eyes focused on it and moved up toward Dylan’s face. “You’re not see-through, you know,” Shade told him.
“What’s wrong with you?” Dylan asked. “You seemed distracted.” He moved to slip down onto the couch next to her. She glared at him for a moment then looked away. She sighed and resumed her zoned-out stare at the TV.
“I have a lot to think about. Ilarial said my vision today was of events most likely happening right now, but she has a lot of work to do to help me out more. Especially in finding my Faerie grandmother and keeping my wild magic in check.”
“Wow, she said all that?”
“Yes, but not in so many words.” Shade yawned as she stretched and slumped onto the arm of the couch, blinking her heavy eyelids. The day had seemed to last forever, and her muscles ached from training. She’d been sleeping like a rock since she’d started the fight training. She was hoping it would get better with some time and practice, but her muscles still protested with all the physical work.
“You look exhausted, Shade. You need to rest, especially for tomorrow.” Dylan smiled at her as he shifted on the couch.
“What’s tomorrow?”
He turned toward her, lips pressed and eyes looking almost as exhausted as she felt. “We’re leaving again.”
Shades eyelids flipped open from the dreamy, half-awake state she’d been hovering in. Sitting up, she stared at him, shocked.
“What? What the hell do you mean we are leaving? I’m not going anywhere!” She watched his face assume its flat expression at her response. She was getting quite sick of his blank facial mask which he seemed to wear a little bit too often lately. She longed for some sort of feeling to seep through his façade. She wondered what was lingering in his empty stares.
“Well, I didn’t know either until this evening while you were with Ilarial, if that helps any, Shade. Queen Zinara has asked us to meet up with Prince Lotinar to discuss our alliance. He has agreed to meet halfway from the Santiran City. He requested to meet with you in particular, besides the rest of the Queen’s advisors. We leave at daybreak, so you have to get your things together right now.”
The disgust on Shade’s face didn’t faze him one bit. She stood, flung one of the sofa pillows at him, and marched away toward her room. She was seething and wide-awake now. How dare he not tell me this until now? He’d been extremely silent on the way home from Guildrin, though that hadn’t seemed too unusual to her. He was always pretty much keeping to himself, especially since he had to hang out with her constantly, and yet he seemed to flare up her temper more easily than anyone else she knew.
She flopped down onto her bed, stuffing her face into her pillow. She wished things were different. Sometimes she wished she’d never met Jack and hadn’t been introduced to Faerie at all. It had done nothing for her except cause more pain and confusion. She could be heading straight to college with Brisa, with nothing but parties and studying to worry about. Not now. Now she was stuck with the concerns of her faery lineage and obligations. She didn’t want to return to the hikes and dirt which were sure to come. She hated the outdoors, maybe a little less now than before her journey to the Fountains, but she was sure-as-hell not wanting to repeat her adventure at all.
Sitting up, she glanced around her room. Nothing would make her happier than staying here, in her own house, with her brothers and sister running around. Nothing.
Shade sighed and resolved to give in. She couldn’t refuse, no matter how she felt. The fey were her people now; learning from them was the only way she would ever understand who and what she was. She grabbed her backpack off the floor and whispered the shrinking spell into it which Ilarial had taught her. She smiled as the pack’s insides blackened into the bottomless pit which would let her pack whatever she wanted without having to worry about the bulk and weight. She began stuffing clothes and essentials into it. She made sure to grab her family’s picture with her human stepfather in it. She was feeling pretty sure this wasn’t going to be just a day trip.
When she finished, she left her pack by her door and slipped into her pajamas. Under her sheets, she laid back, cradling her head. Sighing, she turned to set her alarm for a forsaken early morning hour and flicked the light off, welcoming sleep quickly.
Chapter Four
“WHO’S JOINING US this time around?” Shade asked as she sat on a fallen log near the Guildrin Mound entrance. Soap was standing near her. He smiled as he also plopped down on the log and gave her a hug. He was absolutely gleaming from seeing her again, even though they had talked just the day prior. He was always happy to see her. He breathed in deeply, like the air was fresh and exhilarating. Shade rolled her eyes and leaned her chin in her hand as she drew in the dirt with a stick.
Whatever, thought Shade. Her mood was still no better than the night before.
“Oh, come on, Shade, don’t be such a pickle. We get to trek through Faerie again. How exciting is that? We won’t even have to stay at the Teleen Caverns this time, what a relief! You’ll get to see a whole new side of Faerie. Aren’t you even the least bit excited?” Soap frowned at her and shook his head as she shrugged.
“Thrilled.”
Dylan walked up to her just then, his lips in a tight line as his eyes narrowed at the sight of Soap. He cleared his throat and turned his attention to Shade.
“Shade, we’re pretty much ready. Rylan is coming with us, but so are Than, Sary, and Stephen. Camulus joins us from Prince Lotinar’s guard to lead us to the meeting point. Are you ready? We won’t be traveling too much by foot.”
Shade’s eyes widened. “Wait, what do you mean? Who’s Camulus, and where’s Jack?”
“He’s on a special mission from the Queen herself,” Dylan informed her. “As for your first question, I’m talking about Camulus. He has the ability to teleport. If we link together while holding onto him, he can teleport us to wherever we want to go. He’s one of Prince Lotinar’s lieutenants, sent to pick us up. Beats traveling by foot any day, don’t you think?” He smiled down at her surprised face.
“Wow. Something new to learn every day. I couldn’t agree more.” Shade returned the smile, her mood elevated by his disarming charm, which rarely came out. She jumped to her feet along with Soap and followed Dylan toward the familiar group of warriors.
Camulus turned out to be part Elven and part Pixie. His long hair was pulled back in a thick tail of silver-blond, a trademark of the Elves. His skin was a smooth, leafy green, like a Pixie, and his eyes were a gleaming, fiery, orange-yellow. Shade wasn’t sure which one of his heritages gave him those.
“Camulus, I’d like y
ou to meet Shade, the newest member of our court.” Dylan gave Shade a slight shove to push her toward the green guard. Shade swallowed back her shock and managed to crack a timid smile.
“Um, hi… Camulus? Pleasure to meet you.” They shook, and she noticed the smoothness of his hand, which seemed a bit thin with abnormally long fingers. He did have a firm grip. She slowly pulled away, but his hand lingered a moment longer, testing her grip just the same. He watched her curiously but then let her go, smiling and flashing pearly white teeth.
“The pleasure is mine, Shade. I’ve heard much about you,” he said while still staring at her.
“Have you? All good I hope.” She felt herself continue to flush under his relentless gaze.
“Extremely good indeed.”
Shade glanced away from the intensity of his fire-lit eyes. They seemed to see into her, peeling away her surface to get right through her. It was almost as if he knew a little too much about her. She wondered just how much he’d heard and from whom.
“I apologize for my curiosity, m’lady. I’m most intrigued by you. A wielder of the Water Magic of the Santiran Fountains is unheard of. I would most love to see how you use it sometime.” Camulus bowed, never letting his intense stare waver. She smiled and returned the gesture. She had to admit he intrigued her as well. It was not infatuation but more a curiosity.
“Shall we proceed, then?” Dylan motioned to the rest of the group. Camulus held his hand out as he gestured for her to take it. She slipped her fingers through his and stepped back, allowing Sary to take his other hand as the rest of the group linked together into a circle.
“Ready? Hold on tight, this might feel disorientating,” Camulus said as he closed his eyes. In the next moment, the world flashed away. Shade felt like she was hurtling uncontrollably, and held fast to the hands she gripped. The toss ended almost as quickly as it had begun. Shade opened one eye, followed by the other, to find them all still standing in a circle, but the forest was gone. Instead, a great glass castle stood before them on a lush, grassy hillside. They released their hands and examined their new surroundings.
“Wow, that was a rush! How did you do that?” Shade’s face flushed scarlet as she pressed her lips together, realizing her outburst. Shoot, I must look like an idiot!
Camulus smiled back at her. His brilliant eyes glowed even brighter with the mid-morning sun reflecting across his irises, much like cat eyes on fire.
“That’s pretty much the reaction I get from first-timers. Pretty cool, huh?” His face lit up as he winked toward her.
Shade nodded, wondering how it was that he seemed to chat along with her as if he were just another person, not an Elven guard. “Do you ever venture outside of Faerie? Like wear glamours or anything? You seem pretty laid back for being fey. I mean, like you hang with humans sometimes.”
He nodded, raising an eyebrow as his eyes danced while pondering her questions. “Yeah, I like checking out the iron cities around Faerie. Humans are quite fascinating. I wear pretty strong glamours so as not to stand out like a sore thumb and to ward off the iron-sickness. Want to see what I tend to look like when I get the chance to wander off?” Camulus looked eager to transform. Shade nodded with her eyes wide open and waiting.
The air around him shimmered and shivered, falling about him like glitter rain. A moment later, his green skin shined with a deep, golden-brown tone, and waves of platinum-blond hair framed his head. His eyes now flashed back a muted blue that made him look like someone from the blue lagoon. His lips widened in a grin as his eyes crinkled with it, smooth, tanned skin now where the green used to be. He looked like some kind of surfer dude stranded inland.
Shade felt her mouth gape open. She pulled it shut and grinned back at him. Not bad for a green-skinned guy.
“Nice. You’re pretty good. Soap is probably just as good as you. I’m impressed.”
“Soap? No one can top Soap,” Camulus laughed. “But I do try. I’m glad you’re impressed. You should see Prince Lotinar. He is very good at glamours, mostly to entice the female gender of course, but he is one of the best at changing appearances. He can almost rival a true Changeling, even though he isn’t one. But lately he has preferred his own face to that of any other.”
“Really? Well, he sounds pretty amazing, too. I can’t wait to meet him,” Shade said.
“Oh, he is most impatient to meet you, too, Shade.” His voice seemed to wrap around her name in a deeper tone, causing the hairs on her arms to rise. She licked her lips as she nodded and turned back toward the rest of the group. Camulus was handsome, but something about him made her feel just a tad naked.
Dylan stood a couple feet away and had almost certainly been observing them the entire time. Shade lowered her eyes away from his cold, steely glare. His face smoothed out to a blank stare when he realized she’d seen him. She was tired of his brooding moods and started walking away from both men. Not a moment later, she felt Dylan’s hand grab her arm and readied herself to swing at him but stopped as he brought himself into step beside her, his body practically blending into hers.
“I wouldn’t get too friendly with an Elven-Pixie. They are more conniving than you can imagine,” Dylan muttered under his breath.
Shade pulled away but found his iron grip a bit too firm. “Dylan, let go! You’re digging your fingers into my arm!” Shade hissed at him. She stopped, making him turn toward her.
“You think I’m joking? Why do you think he likes to wander about your human world? He plays tricks and messes with ordinary people. He doesn’t care who he hurts. You’d best keep your distance.”
Shade yanked her arm loose, glaring at him. “You know what, Dylan? I’m tired of your pathetic bouts of jealousy. Get over yourself already! He is just being nice, and I don’t see why you have to be such a cold, narcissistic jerk all the freakin’ time!” She marched ahead toward the Glass Castle, where everyone was filing in through the clear doors.
She breathed in deeply, letting her temper slide slowly away. She’d wanted to smack Dylan so badly. He pricked at her like a thorn she couldn’t get rid of. She knew how frustrated he was by the blood bind, but she really had no idea what to do about it. Ilarial didn’t have any solutions either. All Shade knew was he was becoming more of a headache with each passing day. She wondered how much longer they would be stuck with each other.
“The Glass Castle of Winter,” Soap explained as he slipped into step beside her. He’d waited for her to enter and had probably witnessed the whole fall out. He could sense her sullen mood, so he had decided to play tour guide instead of his usual incessant chatter. “The castle is made of a billion connected plates of glass, no two the exact same size. It is one of the last original castles built in Faerie, thousands of years ago. The glass stands strong and impenetrable, no matter how fragile it may seem. Wars have waged around it for centuries and yet, here it stands. Through time and chaos, nothing has undone it. What do you think, Shade? Nice digs, dontcha think?” His slang made her smile and think of the high school kids back home. His jokes were a welcomed change from Dylan’s glumness.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Shade said. “Is this where Prince Lotinar resides? It’s absolutely breathtaking.”
“No, he lives in the Great Horned Castle right smack in the middle of the Santiran City. This is his summer home, on the southernmost border of the northern realm of Faerie,” Soap responded.
Shade nodded at his brief geography lesson. She remembered the extensive Faerie maps she had studied on the way to the Santiran Fountains, as well as the ones stolen from Ursad. They looked nothing like the maps of earth that regular humans possessed. The world was much larger than anyone could imagine. A huge chunk of it belonged to the world of Faerie. She wondered how upset the rest of the world would be if they discovered this huge chunk of untaxed lands. Probably not too happy at all, Shade thought.
“Hey, Shade!” Soap’s softened voice broke through her thoughts. She turned toward the faery warrior and smiled at his twinkling eme
rald eyes.
“Yes, Soap? What’s up?”
He squirmed for a moment and sighed, looking around the great hall they were walking through before answering her. “What’s going on between you and Dylan? I mean, well, I was going to ask you if you wanted to, um, hang out more often….” He breathed in deeply before continuing. “It’s just that Dylan seems to be your jealous boyfriend attachment lately. I don’t want to interfere if you two are together or anything.” They had come to a stop just outside a doorway. Soap’s voice was just above a whisper so only she could hear his questions.
Shade felt her cheeks flush as she watched him stumble over his request. She knew that he liked her, but it hadn’t occurred to her that he had wanted to be an item. Her eyebrows rose in surprise as she studied his face. She spotted Dylan a ways behind them, making sure he wasn’t within earshot.
“You mean like girlfriend-boyfriend? I—I really don’t know Soap.” Shade watched his face fall in disappointment as he turned back toward the rest of the group.
“Soap, wait, I just didn’t expect that. Um, I love to hang out with you. You’re a ton of fun. I just don’t think I should have a boyfriend right now, even Mister Jealous. We’re not together like that. I’m not seeing him at all, if that’s what you thought. He just feels like being an overprotective bossy pants. Plus the blood bind keeps us together. You know that.” Shade felt a twinge of denial in her words but shrugged it off.
This made Soap smile and glance back at her, pleasantly surprised. “Well, I’m glad to hear that. At least I’m in the running, I guess. Especially with the stuff I’ve heard about going on with the Teleen Clan.”