Ever Fire (3 page)

Shade stared down and studied the perfect, smooth, surface. She distrusted mirrors now more than any other object she encountered in everyday life. She’d find herself pausing as she walked into public restrooms to inspect every mirror from afar, waiting for a ripple or any unusual movement that would give away any kind of magic that could be lurking in it. Darren ran free because of Dylan’s sacrifice; this alone kept her up at night and on her toes around any kind of mirrors.

Ilarial sat opposite her and waved her hand over the mirror. Immediately a swirl of smoke rippled inside it as it became alive and lit up with a soft glow. Shade sucked her breath as she found herself subconsciously backing away from the fluidity of the mirror.

“It’s ok Shade. This is a looking glass. It allows me to focus my mind and see things that have happened, are happening, or have yet to happen. No need to be afraid.” She waved another hand over the smoky surface and the mirror solidified into the plain glass Shade had first seen.

She gulped as she nodded, reassured by Ilarial’s explanation. Shade watched the Oracle repeat the steps, and the looking glass swirled into a storm. Ilarial’s face stared down into the fog as her eyes became a reflection of the mirror, becoming lost in the world she now seemed to walk in.

Shade waited, first waiting on Ilarial for any clue of what was going on. Leaning forward, she glanced down into the rippling glass. The smoke seemed to float out of it and swirl around her face, and around the room. Flashing lights like lightning sparked around her as the storm swirled and gained momentum. She darted her eyes around at the smoke and realized she was no longer in Ilarial’s room, but someplace else.

A room emerged, white with black silk draperies that flowed around with an invisible breeze. A dais rose in the middle made of flashing diamond and hard granite. There sat a woman, hair black with red streaks throughout, like drips of ruby. Her long flowing gown was also silk, a deep purple with sheer strips of shiny silver streaming down in flowing ribbons that clung to her thin, curved, body as she stood and paced the room. She seemed lost in her thoughts as she hugged herself, one of her hands rubbing her pointy chin incessantly.

Shade stood in the middle of a throne room and watched her. She was wide eyed in shock. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Her hands flew to her throat as a bewildered panic flashed across her face.

The lady stopped and looked up towards one side of the room. She straightened, and her arms left her face as her expression morphed from worried to hard and cruel in an instant.

“What is it now? I told you to not bother me unless it was extremely important!” Her voice matched her now icy glare. Whoever was at her mercy cowered slightly.

“Forgive me Your Majesty. It could not be helped, I assure you. I have news that Prince Lotinar has been negotiating with Queen Zinara and moves to become allies. Our sources say he will soon expect a visit with her or her advisors.” Shade shifted to peer around the pillar that stood between her and the guard. He knelt on the floor just inside the throne room, head bowed and submissive. The Queen shook her head, apparently seething at his news.

“What of the girl? Any sign of her? I want that girl now. I should have had her here already. She holds the key to our ascension. Why has it been so difficult to track her?” The Queen’s voice hissed across the room.

“Your Majesty, I am sorry. She must have help to elude us so well, both in the mundane world and in Faerie. We have found no trace of her since she left the Santiran Mountains. I have all my trackers on it as we speak. We shall find her soon, I promise.”

The woman shook her head and resumed her pacing. Her furrowed brow crinkled her forehead in such a slight way that it almost made her look more human. Shade turned back in the Queen’s direction and noticed her eyes. They shined black as oil with no whites to be seen; like two sunken black holes in her face. Shade sucked her breath in at the sight and knew immediately that she was not human at all. Nothing but a Faerie could have eyes like that, and a Fey Queen at that.

“What of her grandmother, has she been discovered? Has she been hidden well?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. She remains in exile, undiscovered.” The guard did not budge from his position.

The Queen smiled, a sinister grin spreading across her face. She dismissed the guard and turned to sit on the dais, closing her eyes against the pain that throbbed behind them. Shade couldn’t help but stare at her. She wanted to ask this dark Queen what she had meant about her grandmother when the room suddenly swirled and jerked her back into the dark cave of Ilarial’s abode.

She breathed in, slowing her heart’s frantic race as she moved her eyes up to the Oracle who now watched her with curious eyes.

“What just happened? Who was that woman, and why is she looking for me? That, Queen or whatever she is said I had a grandmother. Ilarial, what does she mean by that?”

Shade felt her stomach fill with dread. She felt confused and didn’t like it. She had had her share of fear and confusion for a lifetime already, and she wasn’t ready for more. The vision made her skin crawl, and the shudder that ran along her skin was like a wintery gust stealing her warmth. She turned and slumped on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest as she began rocking the cold away.

“Shade, what exactly did you see? It can feel disorientating when you first scry. I didn’t know you would be so sensitive to it, or even be able to do it yet for that matter. Just breath slowly. Here drink this draught, it will help with the chill.” She moved about the room, then returned to the table, pushing a cup into Shade’s hands and encouraging her to sip the warm liquid.

Shade followed her directions and let the fluid warm her from the inside out. She took deep, slow, breaths as Ilarial had instructed, and the shivering lessened with each passing moment. She peered up at the beautiful Oracle, her long, flowing, white, silvery hair draped around her like a cape of smooth cotton. A warm and concerned smile danced on her lips.

“Feel better?” Shade nodded. “Alright then, can you tell me what you saw now?”

Shade bit her lip as she studied Ilarial’s illuminated face. Shade squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating on the vision and the swirling remains of it that were floating around in her head. It felt like a dream, making her wonder if she was really still awake.

“I saw a Queen of Faerie, but I don’t know her name. She had raven-black hair with blood-red color streaked throughout it. Her skin was as pale as arctic ice, and her eyes were black as a night without stars. She was in her throne room and was somewhat agitated. She asked one of her guards where I was and why had they not captured me yet. She asked if I had discovered anything about my grandmother, whom she has imprisoned in exile. I don’t really understand any of it, but it seemed to bother her very much that I am free of her.”

“Was that everything, Shade?”

“No. She also mentioned that some Prince Lotinar was meeting with Queen Zinara soon, and would be allying with her against this Queen. She did not like that at all. I heard this name before, Prince Lotinar, when we returned from the Santiran Fountains. I heard Sary speak his name. Who is he?” Shade watched the oracle sink down into one of the large pillows near her on the floor. She seemed to ponder her words, lost in her thoughts.

“That is Queen Aveta, the Lonares Unseelie Court’s Queen. You described her perfectly. As for Prince Lotinar, he is the Crowned Prince of the Northern Realm of Faerie, based in the main Santiran City. He is to meet with Queen Zinara’s advisors very soon actually, Aveta’s spies have done well.” Ilarial rubbed her forehead and sighed. She seemed tired, and her eyes reflected for a moment just how old she must be.

“Your grandmother, now that is interesting. It seems I am missing a piece of the puzzle here. If she is your real father’s mother, it could be very important for us to find her. She could help you with your powers, and tell you exactly what kind of magic you hold within. Someone must know where Aveta is holding her imprisoned in exile. I will have to work hard on this, but I promise you that I will not rest until I discover her hiding place.” Ilarial reached out and gently patted Shade’s shoulder. Shade nodded, acknowledging the reassurance Ilarial gave her, and slowly rose from the floor. She was feeling exhausted.

“One more thing,” Ilarial added. “Before you go, your powers have grown since your first exposure to Faerie. I did not know that scrying would be so intense for you already. Next time, we will have to approach the looking glass slower; perhaps after I have started using it first, in case I need to channel your powers.” Shade nodded again, feeling a little defeated at letting her magic get the best of her.

“I’ll remember for next time, Ilarial.”

*****

SHADE FOUND HERSELF
staring at the TV screen, its soft rambling banter filling the room like white noise. She didn’t really see anything on it, her thoughts were absorbed elsewhere. Thinking about Ilarial’s scrying session had most of her thoughts tangled up. Her confusion added to the headache of everything else she was worrying about. Her vision blurred as the flashing of the screen faded into a commercial.

She couldn’t help but wonder about having a grandmother. After all the years of not having anyone else besides her mother around, a grandmother could possibly help her solve everything that was so wrong with her right now. If only she could find her. Somewhere in Faerie she had been exiled. Shade wondered if her grandmother even knew she had a granddaughter. Frowning, Shade could almost bet that she didn’t. Maybe her Grandmother would have looked for her already if she had known about her.

The glare of the TV darkened as a figure came to stand between her and the screen. Her eyes focused on it and moved up towards Dylan’s face. “You’re not see-through, you know.” Shade told him.

“What’s wrong with you,” Dylan asked. “You seemed distracted.” He moved to slip down onto the couch next to her. She glared at him for a moment then looked away. She sighed and resumed her zoned out stare at the TV.

“I have a lot to think about. Ilarial said my vision today was of events most likely happening right now, but she has a lot of work to do to help me out more. Especially in finding my Faerie grandmother and keeping my wild magic in check.”

“Wow, she said all that?”

“Yes, but with not so many words.” Shade yawned as she stretched and slumped onto the arm of the couch, blinking her heavy eyelids. The day had lasted forever and her muscles ached from training. She had been sleeping like a rock since she had started the fight training. She was hoping it would get better with some time and practice, but her muscles still protested with all the physical work.

“You look exhausted, Shade. You need to rest, especially for tomorrow.” Dylan smiled at her as he shifted on the couch.

“What’s tomorrow?”

He turned toward her, lips pressed and eyes looking almost as exhausted as she felt.

“We’re leaving, again.”

Shades eyelids flipped open from the dreamy half-awake state she had been hovering in. Sitting up, she stared at him, shocked.

“What? What the hell do you mean
we
are leaving? I’m not going anywhere.” She watched his face assume its flat expression at her answer. She was getting quite sick of his blank facial mask that he had seemed to wear a little bit too often lately. She longed for some sort of feeling other than nothing to seep through his façade; wondering what was lingering in his empty stares.

“Well, I didn’t know either until this evening while you were with Ilarial, if that helps any, Shade. Queen Zinara has asked us to meet up with Prince Lotinar to discuss our alliance. He has agreed to meet halfway from the Santiran City. He requested to meet with you in particular besides the rest of the Queen’s advisors. We leave at daybreak, so you have to get your things together right now.”

The disgust on Shade’s face did not faze him one bit. She stood, flinging one of the sofa pillows at him, and marched away towards her room. She was seething and wide-awake now.
How dare he not tell me this until now?
He had been extremely silent on the way home from Guildrin, though that hadn’t seemed too unusual to her. He was always pretty much keeping to himself, especially since he had to hang with her constantly, and yet he seemed to flare up her temper easier than anyone else she knew.

She flopped down on her bed, stuffing her face into her pillow. She wished things were different. Sometimes she wished she had never met Jack and hadn’t been introduced to Faerie at all. It had done nothing for her except cause more pain and confusion. She could be heading straight to college with Brisa, with nothing but parties and studying to worry about. Not now, now she was stuck with the concerns of her Faerie lineage and obligations. She didn’t want to return to the hikes and dirt that were sure to come. She hated the outdoors, maybe a little less now than before her journey to the Fountains, but she was sure-as-hell not wanting to repeat her adventure at all.

Sitting up, she glanced around her room. Nothing would make her happier than staying here, in her own house, with her brothers and sister running around. Nothing more.

Shade sighed and resolved to give in. She couldn’t refuse, no matter how she felt. The Fey were her people now; they were the only way she would ever understand who and what she was. She grabbed her backpack off the floor and whispered the shrinking spell into it, like Ilarial had taught her. She smiled as the pack’s insides blackened into the bottomless pit that would let her pack whatever she wanted into it without the bulk. She began stuffing clothes and essentials into it. She made sure to grab her family’s picture with her human stepfather in it. She was feeling pretty sure that this was not going to be a day trip.