A Dark Faerie Tale Series Omnibus Edition (20 page)

“I can smell your fear, little girl. Why don’t you just give up? Lady Blythe won’t hurt you, at first. I just want to talk for a bit, and then maybe the hurt can start after that,” she sneered.

Shade was so disgusted by the old woman’s cackling laugh; she could almost feel it rippling down her spine. Shade couldn’t see her, but she could feel the old faery’s magic dancing along her skin. The faery radiated power like an unchecked flame that touched Shade with its fingers. She estimated in her head that the faery was just on the other side of the tree. It was then that she squeezed her sword, feeling her fingers digging into each other and turning white from the pressure. She let out a primal scream, swinging the sword hard as she flung herself around the corner.

The blade sliced Blythe in her shoulder but failed to cut too deeply. She screeched and jumped back, bringing her blade up in defense. Crimson blood dripped down her arm and oozed off into the dark earth. The queen did not seem very tall to Shade. Even standing up made her still look like a short, bony thing of a sprite.
No wonder she spent her life up in the trees, anyone can look intimidating from up high.
Shade retreated behind the tree but readied herself to sprint or fight.

“You stupid girl! How dare you attack me!” There was a loud thump against the trunk of the tree.

Shade’s bravery was being used up way too fast, and she was pretty sure the old woman had just tried to blast her with something. She stepped back from the tree and readied her sword once more. Blythe suddenly jumped in front of her from the side, hollering in another language, her pointy teeth flashing and her sword held high. Then she charged. Shade dodged her but tripped on a tree root. She scrambled to stand but stumbled backward, forced to crawl on her hands and feet to get away.

Lady Blythe hit the roots with her sword, making it stick. She tugged with her scrawny arms, but failed to budge it from the earth. The tree seemed to grip it tighter the more she fought to retrieve her weapon. Shade took the moment to get back onto her feet and run. She ran as fast as she could, glancing back only to find Blythe without her sword running just as fast and quickly gaining ground.

Shade dodged and wove her way through the trees. The roar of the river water was closer now, but the rush of wind blowing in her ears made it impossible to calculate how far away it was. She prayed that the land would not run out for her. She had the feeling the Dryad Queen could cross the river faster than she could.

Shade forced herself to make an abrupt stop as the land narrowed to an edge. Stuffing the sword away in her pack, she prepared to cross the river but she was shocked to learn that instead, she found a drop-off. One of the rivers emptied over a cliff and formed into a waterfall.

Oh my God….
Water clouds rose from the rocks below and she could feel herself pale as the height of the cliff became more evident. The land stretched out beyond the drop-off with more forests, hills, rivers and jagged mountains.

There’s nowhere to go but down
.

Shade turned to see Blythe slowing her run to a jog and snickering at her. Her large eyes flashed with her wicked smile. Her pale skin had a slight flush to it now, and she slowly stepped toward Shade. Shade felt her heart thudding hard in her chest and tried not to be afraid. The Dryad Queen licking her lips didn’t help, but it made Shade feel like she was about to be dinner.

Blythe took out her dagger. “You have nowhere to go. You’re so weak. I wonder why Zinara could even fathom that you could save them. The Unseelie will be greatly pleased to have you as their prisoner. The Unseelie Queen will owe me, and she will be sick with my victory. Come to me now… I promise it won’t hurt much.” She sneered but her eyes were cold and serious. She stepped closer, pulling a rope from her waist belt.

Shade shook her head and turned her eyes back to the waterfall. There was nowhere to go. She strained to hear her comrades but heard only the rush of water overwhelming her ears. No one was coming to save her. She glanced back at Lady Blythe and her evil smile. No, Shade could not go with her. As Shade stepped farther back, she realized that the edge was inches from her feet. She knew with certainty that her fate was sealed.

“You don’t want to fall now, do you?” Lady Blythe asked, eyeing her with words coming out like sweet, poisonous honey.

Shade wasn’t fooled. She could feel her knees wobble but concentrated on not falling. She wasn’t sure how long she could steady herself with a horrid witch in her face. Letting out a nervous sigh, she began to reach for her backpack.
This is crazy and it won’t work!
Stuffing the warm blanket Dylan had given her into her pack, she pulled it onto her shoulders. After a moment, she turned from Blythe and jumped.

The wind lashed at her body and howled in her ears. She could barely hear the queen’s furious scream as the icy water swallowed her whole.

Chapter Thirteen

THE FRIGID WATERS
had shut down her senses, and Shade couldn’t feel a thing. Everything was dark, but she heard a faint call of sparrows high above her over the gurgling sound of water. She attempted to move her fingers and arms, but they barely responded. Her eyes felt like weights were on them, gluing them shut. She was blinded, moaning as she rolled to her side. Her bones creaked in protest at the shift, and her fingers sent a sharp, stinging pain up her arms.

The light was searing as she opened her eyes, blinking a few times so they could adjust.
Am I dead? Where the hell am I? God, my body is burning!
She was sure if this was heaven she’d feel nothing but peace. Hell, on the other hand…
well, you can burn in pain there,
she thought nervously.

Lying there on the bank of the river, she could feel her feet, soaked and frozen, still in the water. The earth was cold underneath the rest of her body. Her backpack felt dry, probably due to the spells Braelynn had cast. Shade’s clothes were another matter; they were sopping wet and melded to her body, making her teeth chatter involuntarily. It felt like she’d never be warm again. She sat up very slowly and surveyed the muddy embankment, seeing nothing but the sand that irritated her skin.

At least the sun still shines
, she thought, trying to hold on to the slightest bright spot in this situation. It occurred to her that she had to at least try and move or she’d freeze to death.
If I don’t get moving, heaven will be my next stop.
She groaned, feeling the sting of every scrape that marked her body, remembering the rocks on the bottom of the waterfall. She wasn’t sure if anything was broken and struggled to get to a drier area on the shore. Her left arm was sore and wouldn’t cooperate. Craning her neck to the side, she found her shoulder not quite in the right anatomical position.

I must have dislocated my shoulder.

She thought it was strange that it didn’t hurt until she’d looked at it. Whimpers escaped her mouth, but she continued to drag herself up the embankment with her good arm and two heavy legs. A rush of nausea from the pain pressed at her, threatening to make her pass out. It hung on like sticky syrup until she leaned to one side and let whatever was left of breakfast shoot out. Her dark blue lips trembled, her hands cyanotic and oddly pretty in the glowing daylight. The color reminded her of arctic blue ice.

When the heaving stopped, she found herself sobbing. She didn’t hear anyone around her, and fortunately, she had probably lost Blythe in the froth of the falls. What was so great about getting away if she was just going to end up freezing to death, anyway, covered in filthy mud? Shade prayed that her mom would find her here, helpless and in dire need of a doctor, and whisk her away. All she wanted was to believe this was all a bad dream, and that she’d wake up and find herself in a safe and warm place. Shade lay there for what felt like an eternity before she heard the crunch of crackling leaves. Swallowing down the last sob, she blinked through the tears in her eyes. Her heart beat like a fluttering hummingbird, banging in her chest.

“Who’s there?” She heard the crack in her voice, sounding faded and rough. She wondered how long she had screamed heading down the falls.

“Hush now, you’re hurt. Don’t move or you’ll hurt yourself even more. One moment; this might, unfortunately, hurt a bit,” a gentle voice warned.

She felt a hard tug on her body and screamed as an unbearable pain flared up her left arm. Her body shifted and dragged farther up the shore, over more beach sand and onto a dry blanket before she looked up at her rescuer. It was becoming nearly impossible to keep her eyes open. Her head rolled from side to side as the pain from her damaged shoulder burned through her body. Before the darkness came, she caught sight of a pair of gleaming green eyes, dried autumn leaves and a flash of brown linen. Trying to open her mouth to speak was futile as she slipped away into the silence of unconsciousness.

Chapter Fourteen

SHADE, FORGIVE US.
We have tried to reach you, but you’ve cast us out. We’re here to help you heal and awaken you from your deep sleep
.
Now only dreams will find us.
The voices were gentle, but spoke with urgency, echoing in her head.

Shade stood in an open field; the mountains and rivers were nowhere in sight. The breezes caressed the tall grasses and swirled about her hair, dancing and playing with the strands like unseen ballerinas.

Where the heck am I now?

Astrid, Duende and Elaby stood before her. She knew them. Her spirit guides were familiar and comforting. They were flesh and bone standing in front of her now. The three sisters were carbon copies of each other. Their long black hair and gowns floated around them as if suspended in water. Their pale skin shone like moonlight glistening on the surface of a lake. She could not see their feet; it was as if they hung above the grass without touching the ground. They were beautiful.

“What’s going on? Where am I? Why can’t I hear you guys anymore?” Shade felt the sting of tears as her voice wavered. She was through with crying; there had been enough sorrow surrounding her, making her feel suddenly so tired. She brought her hand to her left shoulder and found it no longer dislocated, hanging normally in its place. It moved effortlessly, without any pain. She hoped she was dreaming and not dead.

“Shade, we know you’re afraid, but we won’t harm you. It could not be helped that we were away,”
the sisters told her all at once.
“Somehow your magic trapped Darren in the mirror, but it also pushed us out of your head, too. We are unable to communicate with you, our ties now severed. We’ve worked hard to find you again. Your magic shields you, letting us in only in your dreams.”

Shade pondered their words for a moment.
Damn it… Darren!
He had scarred her far worse than she’d even imagined. The loss of her spirit guides was like having a chunk of her soul ripped away. She sighed and watched them smile at her. Each sister finished the others’ sentences. It was intriguing to listen to them as they harmonized in one voice.

“So where am I? I was on some shore, freezing. My arm was probably broken and not in the right place. Am I awake? Dead? Dreaming?”

“You are still asleep. Fear not, dear Shade, we have healed you with our powers. We have been away for too long,”
said the women.
“Now, we are unbound.”

“What do you mean? I won’t hear you in my head anymore? How could I have let this happen?” Shade felt her knees weaken but caught herself before they failed.

“We are so sorry. We had no idea this would come to pass. We can only believe that any further communication with us will be only through your dreams.”

Shade nodded at the revelation. No point in trying to undo what was already done. Even so, the loss twisted in her chest, making it hard to breathe.

The dream shifted rapidly, and the bright warm sunlight faded into a deep grey and cloudy day. Shade spun around, watching the swirling dark grey clouds grow above her. “What’s happening?” The wind howled around her, whipping the grass across her legs.

“We must go, your dream is breaking. It’s time to wake up Shade; wake up.”
The clouds came down around in a deep, billowing fog that swallowed the spirits, landscape and Shade alike.

“Wake up….”

*****

“
WAKE UP! IT’S
just a bad dream, wake up!”

The voice sounded familiar, but Shade couldn’t place it. She squeezed her eyes together before slowly opening them to a dimly lit room. Her eyes narrowed in at the shadowy figure in front of her, focusing on its blurred edges. His face was partially covered by a dark, hooded cloak. The hood only allowed lips to show through, obscuring the rest of his face in darkness.

The figure reached toward her, making her scramble in a panic, pushing away until her back hit the wall. Her left arm throbbed with a dull ache, but she found she could use it just fine. Still confused, she wrapped her arms around her legs, gripping them while she stared at the stranger. She concentrated on keeping her eyes in focus; the room tilted in a wave of dizziness. She’d sat up way too fast.

The figure stopped advancing and eyed her. Seeing her pull away, he retreated, stood straighter and waited. When he did finally speak, his voice was soft but thick and flowing, like rich syrup.

“I apologize; I meant no harm. Please, I only want to help you. My name is Ursad and I live here in the forest by the ocean.” He paused, waiting for a reaction from her. When none came, he proceeded. “Is there anything I can do? Do you need anything? Water? Are you hungry? Any pain? You looked like you’ve been through a wringer.” He spoke quickly, overly eager to help her.

Shade’s face flushed, and her eyebrows furrowed in further confusion.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to frighten you,” he apologized.

“Where am I?” Shade relaxed a little, as he did not try to come closer again.

“You’re here in my house; it’s not much, but it’s home. I hope you found the bed to your liking. I really don’t have a lot of room, but it’s comfortable enough for me, at least.” He studied her closely, chewing on his smooth, plump lips.

Shade stared right back at him. He looked pretty harmless, but the hood hid too much of his face for her to read him well enough. Trying to relax, she sat cross-legged on the bed, pulling the soft, threadbare blanket around her. Her body was cozy warm, and her aches weren’t as sharp as they had been. She sighed; at least she wasn’t in Blythe’s care. This was definitely the better half of her current situation.

“I’m sorry. My name’s Shade. I just wasn’t sure if it was safe here. I was being chased….” She stopped, wondering if she should trust this stranger with anything, especially with her story. Maybe he knew too much already. “I guess I lost them. How did you find me? Was I out of it for long?”

“Shade?” The way her name spilled out of his mouth made her shiver. “Well, nice to meet you. I found you on the beach. It shares the shore with a small pool of water that feeds from a small stream that breaks off from one of the great rivers. I live near it, and I happened to walk by when I saw you. You passed out after that. I am truly sorry that I hurt you pulling on your shoulder like that. I didn’t know it was dislocated, but somehow it’s not anymore. You must be full of healing magic, you’ve healed quite rapidly. It’s amazing, if you don’t mind me saying so. I would love to know how you do it.” He was smiling, but she definitely did not like having his face so hidden. She reached toward him to pull the hood back as he spoke, since he was not too far from the bed. It was his turn to pull away and crouch by the door.

“No, please!” He shook his head and hid the rest of his face in his sleeve. He bounced nervously back and forth on his feet as though the thought of pulling off the hood caused him great anxiety.

“Why not?” Shade demanded. “I don’t feel very comfortable talking to you when I can’t see your face. Let me see. Is there, um, is there something wrong with your face?” She sat back down and blushed with embarrassment, realizing just how forward she’d been, possibly even rude. She hadn’t meant to offend him; her nervousness had her reacting without thinking.

Maybe he’s deformed under there
. She gulped, shaking the thought out of her head.
How bad can it be?

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, but really, you need to take it off. It’s okay; you’ll scare me more with it on.” Shade waited and watched him bring his arm down.

He seemed to be thinking about what she’d said because he let his gaze linger on her for a long time. Unexpectedly, he nodded. “You’re right. I am what I am, but please don’t be afraid. I tend to frighten everyone. I don’t get too many visitors here at all, not even other fey. I’ve gotten used to solitude. It has been so long since I’ve been around others.” He sighed and lifted his chin. Tentatively, he reached up and pulled the hood down, letting it fall away from his face.

Shade tried to keep in the gasp that fought to escape her lips. She knew, however, that her shock showed in her widening eyes. She immediately composed herself, hoping the slip would not anger him. His face was unusual, but she wouldn’t say it was scary; not with such sad eyes staring back at her.

“Ursad, can I ask you something? What exactly are you?”
I’ve never seen anyone like him,
she thought as she observed his face. Where the facial hair ended, his skin grew like tree bark, all tan and dark with lines trailing through it. His hair was made of green, thin leaves with twigs and small thin vines springing from his head. She could definitely tell he was faerie or human, but he’d been transformed into what appeared to be a tree man. His hands were smooth and human in appearance, but nothing above the neck resembled a normal human face.

“I didn’t always look this way. I was cursed a long time ago, and my face and hair have been affected in this way ever since.” His face turned sad, and he lowered his eyes to stare down at the floor as he continued. “I guess I should explain further.” He looked up at her and paused, waiting for her approval.

She nodded to him, eager for an explanation.

“I was a faery prince once, a long time ago. I was very handsome, and women threw themselves at my feet, catering to my every whim. I had my choice of any fey or human woman. Well, you could say I was arrogant, knowing my effect on women. I thought myself undeniable and irresistible. That is, until one night I was in a tavern, enjoying the party and drinking a bit too much liquor. I was surrounded by beauties and laughing with the lot of them. It was quite fun.

“One woman approached me then. She wasn’t the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, but definitely not the ugliest. She was quite plain in appearance, with flat brown hair, plain brown eyes and nothing remarkable in her smile to speak of. It was as if when she was created, no animation or personality of any kind was added. I was just not interested… but she had other ideas.

“She told me, ‘I am Elinia, daughter of Talik, the were-stone maker. I am here to offer marriage to you. I love you and would be honored to be your wife,’ It came out cold, lacking any kind of warmth and stiff as a board.

“Of course, I didn’t know who she was or what she was for that matter. I laughed at her request and snubbed her in front of the whole tavern in my drunken stupor. Everyone laughed at my smart antics, and I gave her a quick shove to get her out of my immediate sight. I didn’t know what it was I was doing. I laughed and laughed until she scrambled off the floor and ran out of the tavern crying, to my satisfaction. I was glad I didn’t have to ridicule her anymore, relieved that she was gone.

“I finished out the night laughing and having a fabulous time. Not once did I give another thought to the girl. When I readied myself to leave, I walked out of the tavern and to the stables where my horse was waiting. When I was untying my horse, she approached me from behind.

“‘I curse you, Ursad, Prince of the lands of Santire. Prince of nothing you will be! Fair as the bark of a tree, I curse you for infinity! Return you to how you are freed, gentle kiss from a queen-to-be!’ I stared at her as she finished her words and started laughing again.

“‘You’ll regret this, Ursad. You will look back with a heart broken and filled with remorse. I promise you that.’ She disappeared then, as suddenly as she had come. I was left alone in the silence of the dark stables. I didn’t feel different, but curses are not taken lightly in fey culture. I began to wonder what she meant by her words. I shrugged them off and rode away into the night, back to my kingdom.”

“It was a long journey home, so I had to stop for the night. As I walked to a lodge at the side of a country road, I wiped my face because it was covered in dripping sweat. I felt sick then, and wondered what was going on. I checked into the lodge and fell into a deep sleep, exhausted.

“The next morning, after I woke, I walked to the mirror hanging in the room to comb my hair. My hair and my face had changed. What I saw was what you see now. Horrified, I fled my country, for no one would recognize me looking like such a monster. I haven’t returned since. So, here I am, alone.” Ursad looked back up at Shade and their eyes met.

“I’m drawn to the forest, the ocean, and the pools of water. They pull me like a magnet so I chose this place to live. They give me solace in my pain and exile. The waters bless me with their favor, leaving bits of the world, and food is easily attainable here on the banks. Now they’ve brought you to me, and I can’t help but wonder why. You were hurt, so I had to help. I hope you are not afraid of me; I mean no harm, really.” He sucked in a deep breath, the memories wearing on him. “I guess you could say I have been humbled from the years of isolation.” He was watching her so intensely, speaking rapidly, making it clear that he was lonely and excited to be with another person.

Shade fought to look away. His face was smooth and serious, but his deep green eyes were wrought with sorrow. When she found him still watching her, she spoke. “I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t insult you.”

“No, you didn’t,” said Ursad with a kind smile.

It was alarming to look at him at first, but she could see his handsome features underneath all of it, and in a peculiar way, found him striking. Time had not withered this man; he was preserved in the prison he had made for himself.
I wonder if he really was a prince. This is so strange,
she thought to herself. A prince of the Santiran lands, of all things, the very place she needed to go.