Ever Winter (25 page)

Hatred burned in his eyes and she could tell he wanted to reach out and strangle her. Stepping away just enough so he would know that she was aware of his feelings, he wrangled them in just as fast. Turning his searing glare toward the sun, his jaw tightened as he remained silent. Shade could feel his anger burn away and an unnerving calm overtake the air around them.

Finally, he turned back, his face blank of all emotion as he spoke. “You will find one day that you will have to wake her, no matter how well you have things thought out. You will need her at your side, with or without me.” He pressed his lips tightly together, spun to leave her alone on the veranda. He was done speaking for now, and she knew his desires better than anyone else. Leaving his chambers, and not giving him another glance as she exited the enchanted chambers, she sighed with relief. He was increasingly shutting down and speaking less and less to her, but there was not much she could do about it. Not until Kilara awakens.

A knot of dread sat in her stomach as she pondered his words. He was right about needing to awaken Kilara, she knew it down to her marrow. Lana’s voice in her head assured her that the time will come when the Summer Ancient shall be awoken, but the time was not yet. She will know when, and when the time came, all hell will have broken loose and there would be no other choice.

Shade hoped it wouldn’t be too soon. Her tumultuous life needed a moment to breathe.
Even if it’s just for a short while
. Her soul needed to heal from everything which had happened in such a short amount of time to her. Scars needed to mend, and the love she felt for Dylan waited for a time where it could flourish. Couldn’t it be now? Couldn’t the war wait just for a while longer?

Joining her family for dinner, there was nothing more precious and fragile as time. She was going to cherish each moment, for the future looked bleak and the winter continued to consume the land in its wake. She’d find a way to stop it. She had to.

Part IV

The War of Faerie

Chapter Twenty-Four

FUNNY HOW LIFE
plays tricks on you. Nothing ever lasts. Shade should know that by now. How dare she lapse into any kind of comfort mode when there was much going on in Faerie and the wards dropped in the perimeter around the land every day. Some days she wished for her simple life back home, watching TV and stuffing her face with pizza as the football games on TV ate up all the weekends. Now, here she was. Stuck at the Scren Palace without even Brisa to keep her company.

Where was that girl? She and Soap should’ve arrived ages ago but they’d yet to arrive. She hoped they hadn’t run into anything really bad. But, this was the Land of Faerie and anything goes when there is magic involved. Especially when her suspicions of Brisa’s and Soap’s relationship made her wonder if they were taking their time on purpose.

“Hey sis,” Benton tossed a fireball up and down as he joined her in the garden of the Scren Palace. “So what’s the agenda now? We’ve been sitting here for days and nothing is going on. I’m bored out of my mind. The only ones having fun are James and Anna, roaming the halls like it’s a treasure hunt.” He rolled his eyes as he absorbed the fire balls and glanced up toward her.

“Nyol is building the army still, training takes time, though faeries are fast learners.  Once Aveta’s army heads this way, there will be no boredom.” Shade sat on one of the ornate cement benches lining the garden, admiring the array of colorful flowers lining the bushes and grass under her feet. She felt the most at home here, surrounded by nature than inside the concrete walls of the palace. It had been one of Lana’s favorite spots too, long ago, before she’d been banished.

“Can’t wait. I’m so ready to pulverize Aveta’s sluagh army. It will be the time of my life!” Benton laughed, moving around like he was sword fighting imaginary sluagh.

Shade rolled her eyes as she watched him live vicariously in his head. Benton was a lot less of a jerk now that they had a lot more in common with magic. Still, he was human, and she feared for her family in Faerie. Even if they were powerful Elemental Fire Witches. They could best a faery any day, and even were considered more powerful than some Fae. It still sent chills down her spin as she worried for their safety.

“I can wait.” She breathed in the fragrant air around them, hoping it would calm her nerves as they increased in jitteriness throughout the days. Nothing calmed them. She had become increasingly agitated as the days flew by, wondering and hoping the time was near to awaken Kilara.

“Shade!” Anna came running into the garden, out of breath but excited as she jumped up and down before settling down next to her.

“Anna, what is it?”

“Oh my gosh, you won’t believe it! Soap’s here! Brisa’s with him. They’re finally here.” She gasped, attempting to catch her breath. Shade had a suspicion she had run all the way from the other side of the castle.

“That’s great! Where are they? I have to go see them.” Shade stood up but stopped when Anna tugged on her shirt, shaking her head violently.

“Wait.” She sucked a breath in, hunching over as she slowed her breathing. “I have to tell you something first.”

“Well spit it out already!” Shade slipped back onto the bench, feeling her impatience building.

“Him and Brisa, they, they look mighty cozy for being just friends. Just had to let you know before you head that way. They look really, really close.” She gulped, staring back at Shade, her eyes filled with worry.

“What?” Shade whispered. She studied her sister’s sad eyes, knowing full well what she meant. She nodded, standing up and heading toward the castle, hoping she was ready for whatever she was going to find.

“Wait! We’re coming with you!” Benton pulled Anna off the bench and hurried behind her, though she didn’t hear them anymore. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of Brisa in Soap’s arms. She should be okay with it, no? She’d seen it coming a thousand miles away. They’d been apart for so long and her love for Dylan had only amplified. So, this should be okay.

But, was it? Why did she feel so hurt? Her chest tightened as she got closer to the palace, choking up her breath as she swung the doors open and she flitted down the hall.

Why does it hurt so much?

Dylan was coming down the hall, obviously waiting for her. He came to a stop as he watched her approach, his face empty of emotion as he watched her for any. She paused, looking into his lovely steel gray eyes, feeling a calm slowly wrap itself around her as he closed in to embrace her. The knot unraveled in her throat and she could breathe again. His scent filled her nose and she wanted nothing but to remain melted in his arms. The peace it gave her was all she needed now.

As the moment ticked by she straightened and pulled away, smiling at Dylan. He clasped his hand around hers and began walking toward the main foyer of the palace, where Soap and Brisa were most likely to be. With him holding her hand, she felt more ready to face anything.

Voices echoed down the hall and she could here Jade and Nyol speaking with someone. They got louder the closer they got.

“Shade!” Brisa’s exuberant voice shrieked and brought her closer to reality. She fell into her arms, squeezed tightly by her oldest friend. “Oh my gosh, thought we’d never get here!” She pulled back to look at her and admired the sparkling diamond tiara on her head. “Wow, you’re an amazing queen!” She pulled her back into another breath extinguishing hug.

Soap stood quietly behind her, watching their exchange and smiling. He looked genuinely pleased to see her and waited his turn to come in for a hug. She squeezed his slender frame, his familiar scent filling her mind with a pleasant array of memories.

“Hey, beautiful. You finally have the crown you deserve.” He admired the tiara too and grinned unbearably handsome. Shade smiled, still feeling a bit shocked to see them together but the sadness had weaned away, being filled with happiness to see them both.

She suddenly didn’t care that they were together. If anyone deserved each other, it was both of them. This revelation set her at ease, making the reunion much more sweet than bitter. Nothing was better than to have everyone she loved under one roof. She hugged them over and over again, knowing that it wouldn’t last, but it was pure bliss for now.

Chapter Twenty-Five

THE ALARM RANG
in the early morning hours, jolting Shade from her slumber. It echoed across the cobblestone streets and through the towers of the palace like a fire alarm, waking the kingdom into full alert within minutes. Panic didn’t ensue, but an organized assembly of guards and people gathered on the grounds, readied for anything.

Shade had wrapped her robe around her frame when Nyol burst into her room. He looked wide awake, as though he never slept and was ready at a moment’s heartbeat. In full armored gear he approached her, concern flashing in his eyes.

“The Unseelie army is approaching. We are readied to send our defenses against them now and are in place to effectively damage their ranks. I’m not sure how big their hoard is, but from the looks of it, it’s vast.” Nothing could veil the concern behind Nyol’s eyes, which sent a shiver down Shade’s spine.