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 up?” One of his eyebrows lifted, awaiting confirmation from him. “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, cool 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 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 shook 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 his own ambitions for all we know.”
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 her 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 what more, 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 afterwards, 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 unrelenting 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 to 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 toward 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 super 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 for 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. Did she hear 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 sun 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 on how to bring her out of her gloom. He’d hoped this would be the answer to all her problems.
“It’s a locater. 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 stony dark 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 he’d been called Soap by her 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, its 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. She pulled slightly away not long after.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.” Soap gave her a finite 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 fluidity 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. 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 holes. 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 faster 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 brilliant 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 wreaking the ill effects of iron onto 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 vicious memories crashing back into 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 can 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 besides 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 but 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, it’s yours to keep, so you may always have entrance to the Glass Castle.” His eye brows 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 wanted her to visit too 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 the guys 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.
She stopped at the painting Dylan had explained all about. ‘Ash and Embers’ occupied the same spot as before, still glorious in its vibrant colors and anguish. She studied the smears of paint that illustrated a great fire blazing in the skyline of the forest, lava pouring through the trees on the slope of a hill tumbling down toward the girl who stood near a tree. She was turning back toward the fire, anguish and pain filled her delicate features as she observed the turmoil approaching her.
The girl was Shade. It had always been her in that painting. She wondered how the painter, an oracle, had seen this vision. These were the fires which had signaled the death of her grandmother, Lana. Tears burned in Shade’s eyes as she stared at the minute details in the canvas. It was so real, so like that night of terror that seemed lifetimes ago. If only Shade could’ve saved her. If only she’d been stronger and had destroyed the prison that had held her grandmother within its grasp for so long.
Her tears broke their restraint and they poured down her cheeks like hot, searing rain. Despair flared into anger as her fingers itched to tear the painting down and rip it to shreds. Her legs felt like they had disappeared from beneath her, liquefying as they shook with her fury. The tears continued on, etching their path down her face, searing hot and reminding her of the rain that she so longed to summon to drown her sorrows away with it.
Before she reached out to rip the canvas to shreds, a rush of calm filled her as Soap slipped his fingers over her shoulders. His touch was soothing, and her anger slipped away as it calmed the heartache inside. It’d been the one thing that had gotten her through so many nights of torturous sleep and tumultuou
s darkness. Even now, his reassurance and small gesture made the rage recede until the last wisp of it retreated. Turning to the Teleen warrior and his face full of knowledge, Shade was reminded that Soap had been there that night, and had fought alongside her through the inferno filled with wretched sluagh and unholy things.
They had nearly died, yet here they were. If it had not been for her grandmother’s alliances with the flying Raven Queen Aluse, they would’ve perished with the legions of Unseelie who had them cornered. Corb had been there. He’d even ordered their deaths. Still, that night remained burned in her memory.
Shade pulled away from Soap and steadied her pace as she resumed following Camulus, swiftly wiping the wetness from her cheeks. The painting disappeared behind them, and she willed thoughts of it from her mind. The past was done. Now was her future; it was all she had to live or die for. For this, she let the pain slip away. For herself and her family, she would keep on until death embraced her and she was finally returned to her grandmother’s embrace.
Prince Lotinar, also known as Ursad, turned to greet them with his brilliant smile and mercury hair swaying like rippling metal as he moved. His green eyes flashed to Shade immediately as he ran to her, lifted her up in his arms and swung her around. It was definitely hard to stay sad after that. His joy permeated the room, and her mood elevated with it.
“Shade! How have you been?” Ursad set her down and paused, taking in the narrowed gazes he was receiving from Dylan and Soap. He countered them with a brilliant smile and turned back to Shade. “How was the trip? Fast and free of dizziness I hope?” He held his hand out toward the soft chairs surrounding the fire place. The room was an array of colors. Nothing was white here, only his pearly, white formal outfit lacked the color spectrum splashed across the place.
Pillows of satin and velvet lined each chair and couch. Soft shawls and blankets draped across the sides of them for cool, winter nights. The fireplace was crackling with flames as the logs snapped with warmth and light. It was the coziest room she’d ever been in, and she happily slid into one of the couches, relieved to be able to relax after being so long on the rugged beaches in the North West territory of the Land of Faerie.