Ever Winter (18 page)

When silence had enveloped them again, he opened his eyes and took in the welcomed sight of the grand room of the Teleen Caverns Great Oak Tree. He couldn’t be happier to see the rock walls and torch flames lining them which were burned into his memory. A few Teleen were standing around gaping at them, surprised to see anyone teleport in via the oak tree. Standing up, he hollered at them.

“Get a healer now!
Now!
” The few staring nodded and went running for the Teleen Oracle—Rela. He knelt back down to find Corb chanting his own spell over Shade.

“Don’t you dare place any more magic on her! Get away from her!” He shoved at the Ice King, but Corb did nothing to retaliate. He continued his chant, infusing his life force into hers to elongate it as long as he could. She was fading and only a healer could fix her now. Dylan flashed his worried eyes to Shade’s pale face.

Rela dashed through the hall and into the great room, coming to kneel next to Shade as she placed her hand on Dylan’s shoulder. “I’m here, let me work.” He nodded and moved aside to let her work her magic. She did her own chants and laid several stones on Shade’s heart, both her hands and her forehead.

As she continued, Corb’s spell faded. He had stopped, letting the healer take over, but was left exhausted, drained and looking somewhat shocked. Dylan watched the oracle do her magic, knowing she was almost as powerful as Ilarial. Her fingers danced over Shade’s figure in an intricate dance as her voice strained, yelling the words out and pushing magic into her.

Shade was looking more and more pale, but the blue had faded. Her drenched tresses snaked all around her head. Her breathing was so shallow, Dylan feared she was not going to make it. Suddenly, Rela opened her eyes and stopped chanting. She was breathing hard and stared intently at Corb.

“You, you cannot stay here. You’re an ancient and you cannot remain in a realm not of your command unless you’re invited. You must leave now or I will ask Faerie to make you.”

Corb shook his head, refusing to budge. “No.”

“Don’t make me.”

“I make you do nothing, oracle. Now make her live or I will have you as my next victim.” He snapped at her. Rela was not so easily scared. She narrowed her eyes toward the Ice King and pressed her lips tightly together.

“Very well, Ancient one. I need your dagger. You must mix your essence with hers to save her. With this, I will bind your power to her with a serpent clasp if you wish to stay. Otherwise, I’ll have to banish you and she dies.”

“What?” Dylan didn’t understand what she was saying. He flicked his eyes between then, watching their silent exchange until Corb held out his arm with his elven dagger dangling from his fingers.

Rela took the dagger and immediately sliced his wrist. The wound didn’t even make him flinch as his dark red blood dripped onto Shade’s abdomen. With that, the healer produced a metallic bracelet fashioned like a silver snake and clamped it over the wound. The metal hissed and dug into his arm, making him hunch over this time, groaning in pain as the blood sizzled against the metal. It was most likely embedded with iron and caused him excruciating pain.

“I bind you, as the Land of Faerie binds you. Your life essence connected forever to this human mortal faery, you cannot harm her, you’ll have no power over her as she now has power over you. Only until Faerie deems you worthy are you released of your eternal bond.” With that she dropped the dagger and slumped back on her feet. She was panting and drained but she managed to crawl over to Shade to check her.

Soft, slow breaths came from her chest. Though she was still quiet pale and her lips were a soft pink. She now looked peaceful. Dylan ran toward her, scooping her up in his arms, kissing her forehead and pulling her close.

“Shade, it’s going to be alright. I’m here.” He felt her pulse, slow but strong under her chest, making him feel a wave of relief in his own. He watched Corb as he sat kneeling on his knees and staring expressionless at Shade.

“Is she better now?” Corb whispered.

“Yes, no thanks to you.” Dylan snarled back at him. Corb just gave him a nod and stood up. The metal on his arm had stopped hissing but the skin around it was raw and angry red. Drips of crimson blood spattered to the floor from the wound, spiraling down his fingertips. He stepped back, giving them space as Dylan picked up Shade in his arms, carrying her away to the infirmary. Corb followed close behind, looking at Rela, who slowly made her way behind Dylan.

Somehow, the tables had turned, but who was at the head now?

Part III

The Scorching Scren

Chapter Eighteen

MUSIC ECHOED, LIKE
a happy childhood memory. Her father taking her in his arms and swinging her around while cherry blossoms floated in the air and pollen dusted everything in the bloom of spring. It stuck to her clothes and tickled her nose, but it didn’t matter. Her father made her giggle until her eyes were watering with laughter and her sister pushed at his side, desperate for her turn in his arms.

Benton would stand to the side, rolling his eyes at their giggles, feeling too old to cherish such things anymore. He’d sit on a fallen log near the forest and dig into the crevice under the log with a stick, fishing out grubs and night crawlers from their sweet, cold, damp slumber. Their mother, Jade, would be waving them back over for the outdoor picnic she had set up, her worn jeans and button down shirt tied at her skinny waist. Her long, dark hair pulled back with a red and white bandana with sweat reflecting off her brow from getting the food all set up and ready to go.

Her family walked away from her toward the picnic table and sit down, chatting up a storm as they passed the paper plates around and dug into bowls of potato salad and spinach dip. Shade found herself staring at them, like an outsider looking in on a family meal. She missed them extensively—had she been gone so long? She silently prayed that she could remain here just a bit longer, aching to watch their happy faces as they laughed and stuffed their faces.

Yet, hadn’t they noticed she was gone? Hadn’t they noticed that Dad was dead and it wasn’t possible for him to be eating outside with them?

The blue sky above morphed into dark grey, angry storm, sending her hair flying up into her eyes and making her shiver from the frigid wind. She glanced back toward the table, now finding no one there. It was sitting there, abandoned with a layer of dirt clinging to the top while leaves cluttered around the legs of it.

Shade clasped her arms around herself, shivering and walked toward the house. No one lived there. The screen doors hung from the hinges and the wind made the shutters slam back and forth until one of them flew off and crashed into the ground. She spun around, seeing nothing but overgrowth and neglect. What was this? What was going on?

She knew her family wasn’t there in the house. They had fled into hiding after Shade had been snatched from there and taken to the Unseelie Castle. But nonetheless, she ran up the steps and pushed the front door open, pushing it closed behind her as she took a deep breath in.

Inside, it looked pretty much the same. The couches, the chairs and tables were still there. An array of boxes sat partially packed and the lights were off. She flicked the switch on and the lamps flooded the room with their brightness. She made her way to the couch where a lone blanket laid neatly folded over one of the arms. Pulling the soft material over her body, she shivered in the cold of the abandoned house. Homesickness flooded her senses and tears prickled at her eyes. How she longed to see her family sitting with her once more, laughing and talking loudly over dessert and a sitcom blaring from the TV. Here there was nothing but silence and cold.

“You’ll see them again.” Shade jumped to find Kilara sitting in the Lazy Boy chair next to the couch. She looked so out of place in her ethereal gown and long flowing honey brown hair draped over her shoulders. Her amber-brown eyes watched Shade fidget on the couch before speaking again. “Thank you.”

“Thank you? I didn’t do anything.”

“Yes, you did. You kept your promise to me. You never told Corb where I am.” She smiled, flashing bright, white teeth at her. “You’re stronger than I could’ve imagined. I’m impressed with you, Shade.”

“I almost died! Where were you then? I remember everything now, but I’m not sure I want to remember. All I see is pain. All I see is torment. He wants YOU.
Only you
. And he’ll do anything to get to you.” Her voice quivered as she stared hard at the Summer Ancient. “What good is it to remember such horrible things?”

“You’ve your power back. Don’t feel so emptied and desolate. You have more than you know. More than most can claim in this world.” Kilara paused, studying her further, like a petrified butterfly. “I know he wants me. But, I will return, all in good time.”

Shade gulped back her sobs, realizing how foolish she was being. Nodding, she wiped away the wetness on her cheeks with the blanket. “So, what now? What’s going to happen now?”

“Oh, Shade, if only I could tell the future. It’s so vast and full of misdirection that no one
−not a seer, or oracle−could fathom each and every road we must cross. You’re safe for now. You’ll recover and know that you have all your powers back. Corb is powerless to hurt you now. I never foresaw this happening.”

“What happening?”

She laughed, looking mischievously happy. “Corb getting bound to a mortal! It inhibits his abilities to use his magic without your permission. How the magic has shifted so. I thank you for that, too.” Kilara stood up, walked about the room and peeked at the family photographs framed along the walls. “With him weakened, I can safely awaken from my slumber and subdue him into his own sleeping prison forever, just like the Unseelie King Arthas.” She made her way back toward Shade and sat next to her on the couch.

“Arthas?”

“Yes. He’s the Unseelie King. The eastern realm was his, but now it’s ruled by Aveta. His absence has been good for the land, though. He withers anything he touches. He’s in a deep slumber in which Corb, my sister Rowan and I put him in. Corb shall join them and I will rule Faerie from now on. I’m just saddened the other two couldn’t cooperate enough to let us rest longer.”