Ever Shade (16 page)

“Whoa, I don’t mean literally! It’s like an expression.” She sighed as he relaxed. “Look, you don’t have to be stuck to me like glue. I’m not an invalid and you are not my bodyguard. Get this straight, I do like my space.” She had lost her patience with him. She headed off with the blanket still wrapped around her towards the smoking carcass that was dinner.

*****

D
inner had been satisfying. The fox had tasted amazing, or maybe it was just because Shade had been starving. It had been such a long hike that day, her muscles ached and burned intensely. She had never felt so hungry before, and now, so tired. She was sitting on a fallen log that was by the main fire in the center of camp. She watched the flames licking the twigs and branches of the trees that burned and smoldered with soot. Ashes littered the ground around it, as Shade watched the fire flicker and crackle. The heat felt comforting on her face with the chill of the evening shifting in the breeze.

Shade felt cozy in the blanket Dylan had provided, and felt just a tad bit guilty for snapping at him. Especially his gift turned out to be so useful.
Okay, and try to be nicer to Dylan, this isn’t his fault.
She didn’t mean to snap at Dylan but all this was really overwhelming. She had been attacked twice in less than a week. It was hard enough for her to keep up with everyone in the group physically; she just didn’t like outdoor activities. She took a deep breath because she knew these things were the least of her problems.
Dad… isn’t my real dad,
she thought sadly, and it was hard to cope with. She wasn’t glad he was dead, but she was glad he didn’t have to know this. How was she supposed to deal with all this? And, to make matters worse she was bound with Dylan and now shared the same blood; and in some way she was connected to Darren too.
Dylan’s blood is Darren’s blood….
She cringed at the thought.

She sighed. Her life was not turning out quite like she had planned. She was supposed to be in high school, cramming for finals and graduating in three weeks. This was not supposed to happen; and she missed Brisa so much. Who else could tell so many jokes, especially around a warm campfire on a freezing night? She wished Brisa had somehow been pulled into this mess so at least she would not be alone right now. Even with her new friends surrounding her and their happy chatter floating about the fire, she felt alone.

Sary walked over and sat next to her on the short fallen log. She smiled at Shade and then stared into the fire too. The silence between them was thick; Shade could sense she was aching to ask her something. She wondered what it could possibly be. Sary was pretty quiet for the most part. The only one she seemed to quietly chatter and giggle with was Stephen. Shade had seen how she stared into his eyes whenever they were talking. His face was a mirror of hers, their devotion radiated around them like some protective blissful bubble. She couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

Shade shook the thoughts away; she was not the type to get jealous. She was actually quite happy being the responsible older sister, in a single parent home, of four kids. It gave her tons of freedom to do whatever she wanted to, and she felt like she was the other adult in the house. Now she couldn’t help but think of her mother. She had shoulder length hair with a nice shade of light brown, with caramel and blond highlights streaked throughout. It was wavy and never wanted to stay where she would like it too, but she was happy just running her hands through and did not fuss with it. Her big brown eyes were interesting too. They had a glint of grey and honey running through both of her irises. The hazel coloring in her eyes definitely stood out, with just a touch of makeup on her olive skin. She was glad she took after her mother; she had always seen her mother as a beautiful woman.

“Shade?” a voice said gently and breaking into her thoughts.

“Yes, Sary?”

Sary paused for a moment, studying Shade’s face before she spoke. “When this is over, will you return to the faerie world at all? Or will you want to forget this all happened? I wonder because you see…I can feel your reluctance still, in completing this task. I know it is a hard thing to ask of you, being that our world is so alien to you.” She sighed nervously before continued. “We need you more than you could possibly perceive or understand. I can’t even imagine what you think of this, especially after all that’s happened.”

Shade felt anxious and slightly guilty because she was so caught up in herself and didn’t think about the rest of the group. She hoped she hadn’t seemed too antisocial tonight; maybe it had an adverse effect on them. She smiled and stared back at the fire, thinking hard on how to answer Sary. It was so hard to predict the future and she never thought this would be happening to her; she searched for the right thing to say.

“Oh Sary, I hope you don’t feel like I could just say goodbye and be done with you all. You have helped me so much, already. I have to admit that this new world is confusing to me. It scares me to death and I don’t feel like I belong here. I don’t have the strength or the right training for this. You all have said, I have magic in me but I don’t know how to use it. How can I even survive in your world? I just feel vulnerable. I would sure love to visit you guys when this is all done, but I don’t think I can live out here.

Sary was staring at Shade, an amused look danced on her face. She started laughing so hard she almost fell off the log.

“What’s so funny?” Shade asked annoyed. She definitely was confused with Sary’s reaction. What the hell could be so funny about what she had said?

Sary stopped, and shook her head as she cleared her throat. “I’m so sorry, Shade. I don’t mean to insult you. I just never thought of our world as that different. It’s nice to get an outsider’s view. You’re right, how inconsiderate of me. Of course you don’t feel safe. Ilarial did tell us that it was our job to show you how to use your magic. You have more in you than you think you do. I am still baffled on how you managed to trap Darren in the mirror shards, he was bloody mad about it. I can’t say he didn’t deserve it though. He deserved that glass prison and more for what he did to you.” She paused looking a bit more serious. “Shade, how would you like your first official magic lesson?” She smiled and her eyes were twinkling in the firelight.

“Oh, I don’t know Sary. I’m kinda tired. I’m going to bed. Maybe tomorrow?”

“No, no, right now. I promise it will be a short one.” She watched Shade squirm uncomfortably. How ‘bout it?” She pushed.

She pressed her lips tight in frustration.
There is no sense in fighting it
, “Alright.”

Sary jumped up and clapped her hands; and her vibrant enthusiasm cheered Shade up.

“Okay then, you can pick up any stone–really it can be any one that you find. Come on Shade, just pick the first one that catches your eye,” Sary told her firmly when Shade hesitated.

Shade groaned but bent down from the log to study the ground. She searched and looked at each possible stone but none seemed to stand out. She sighed and sat up. She was shaking her head slightly when she caught the glint of a rock, in the corner of her eye it was nearly buried in the sand. She reached out towards the edge of the log and retrieved it. The grey and white stone looked slightly out place among the other white ones that were imbedded in the sand. She plucked it up, dusted it on her jeans and held it up in the middle of her palm.

“Ok, perfect! Now, take your stone and place your other hand over it. You have enough power within you, I can feel it radiating off you like a heater.” Sary waved her hand at her to make her go faster.

Shade groaned but did what she was told. Her hands felt cold in the night air and the stone was cool in the center of her warm palms. She was about to give up when she felt it; the stone started to feel warmer than it did before. She opened her hands and her eyes widened with amazement. The rock was glowing with a dim yellow hue. The heat was radiating to her fingers and though it should have burned her it did not. Shocked, she dropped it and cradled her hands on her chest. She watched it puff up the sand like a meteorite, losing its glow until it sat still, dusty and a cool grey once more. She looked up at Sary.

“Wow, Shade, that was faster than I thought it would be. You just made your first light stone. You can make your own light like that and keep your hands warm too. It won’t burn you if that’s what you are thinking. This comes in handy on a cold winter’s night,” she said with smile. She then bent down and plucked the rock out of the gravel, holding it out to Shade.

“It’s ok, Shade, take it; it will only glow when you want it to. Remember, to activate it again, by laying it between your hands. It belongs to you and only you now, so keep it near. She smiled again as Shade took it and stuffed it her jeans. It was small enough to not bulge out too much. “Good job! I’ll let you get to your sweet dreams now, Shade.” Sary jumped up then and ran over to Stephen who was calling her to him. They walked away from the fire and over to their tents chatting and hugging quietly.

Shade let out a nervous breath. She had been taken by surprise with the light stone. She liked the idea but hadn’t expected it. She fished through her pocket and brought the stone out again. It was brighter this time as it glowed in her palms and warmed her chilly fingers. She stared at it for a while before stuffing it back in its place, as she rose and walked back to her tent.
Maybe, just maybe… I can do this after all.

“Shade, get up, we have to pack and get going. I brought you breakfast, you’re gonna need it.” Shade felt her pillow fly off her face. Dylan stood crouched at the entrance of her tent, his lips tight with disapproval. He looked wide-awake; she wondered how long he had been up. Or was it possible he didn’t need to sleep? He motioned to a plate of food and drink he had laid by her; then in an instant, he was gone.

Shade blinked and rubbed her eyes. She grabbed her pillow and stuffed it under her neck, sighing. She wanted to sleep more, sleeping in seemed like a pleasure of the past now. She glanced at the food he had brought her; bacon and fresh scrambled eggs with a bread roll, were still steaming. It looked amazing and smelled even better. This coaxed her out of her warm bed, and she pulled the food and drink towards her. Inhaling the food, she was amazed by how starved she now felt. She allowed herself to scarf down the sweet and warm tea that Dylan had provided; instantly it made her feel alert. She wondered what was in that drink that seemed to revitalize her so fast, she’d have to ask someone. She was also curious how they managed to have bacon and eggs so fresh out here in the wild. She crunched on the rich thick slices of bacon and enjoyed every bit.
Well, this is a bright spot for out here in this hellhole.
She sighed, frowning at her empty plate.
Good things just don’t last around here
. She stretched and fumbled through her bag, pulling her brush, washcloth and towel out of her bag, hoping there was somewhere to wash up. She pulled her shoes on and wrapped the blanket like a cape around her. Stepping out into the cold morning air was like being electrocuted. The cold stung her cheeks and sent a thrill down her body.
Winter…
She wondered how it seemed to be a different season every place they went here in the faery lands. She couldn’t believe that back home it was spring.

Walking up towards the main fire, she took a look around. She wanted to ask Braelynn or Sary where she could get some water to wash up, but it was Soap who popped up in front of her instead. He smiled at her, as always, showing his pearly white teeth. “Where do you think you’re sneaking off to young lady?”

Shade froze in her tracks. Slowly, she tilted her head and gazed upon his, still smiling, but suspicious face.

“I’m not sneaking off anywhere; I just want to wash up. Do you know where I could, um, go to uh, freshen up?” Her face flushed up scarlet under the cold air. Soap wasn’t the one she had wanted to ask.

“It’s down that side of the hill a bit. It’s a large tent, girls on the right, boys to the left.” He winked and turned back to the camp. Shade stared back at him as he walked away, more like skipped away cheerfully. She shook her head. He was so strange. They hadn’t spoken much since they had arrived to the Teleen caverns. She wondered if he was just being cautious with her since a Teleen had attacked her. She sighed, it was something she would have to talk to him about later.

For now, she turned back toward the way he had pointed her, gripping her towel, washcloth and the extra set of clothes, she moved on. Approaching the bathroom tent, she paused and stared. It didn’t look like anything special. She wondered how it was even big enough to hold two dressing rooms. She shrugged, too tired to contemplate it for too long. She willed herself to get moving. When she got inside, she was shocked at how warm and humid it was. It smelled like flowers blooming in the springtime; and the tent was bigger than it appeared on the outside. It could be described as a foyer, and in front of her was a table; and to the right of the wooden table hung one red and one blue curtain. She supposed the colors were to separate the women and men.

She went through the red drapery, assuming it was for women, and followed as the hallway turned to the left. At the end it turned again to the right and opened to a fairly large room; it had mirrors to the left wall and chairs. On the right were stalls with toilets and two showers next to the stalls with sliding doors.
This reminds me of camp.
She was impressed but not curious enough to wonder too long how the heck this was possible; she was just grateful it was all here. She laid her stuff on one of the chairs and pulled it near one of the shower stalls. She relieved herself first and was definitely surprised and amazed by the actual flushing toilets!
Really I can’t believe the fey have all this.
She just shook her head in disbelief and undressed, stepping into the shower stalls. There was soap, shampoo and conditioner provided, and she was thankful the water was hot. The steaming water sprayed on her skin and eased her aches. All too soon she had to step out of the stall and get ready. She dried her body and hair and pulled her fresh clothes on. She then ran her brush through her tangled hair and pulled it back into a tight ponytail.