Faery Worlds - Six Complete Novels (145 page)

“We’re quite near. Don’t worry. The dusk is nothing to fear. Just don’t go near any little faeries you might see. They like to enthrall you, suck you into their charms, and they won’t release you. They enjoy torturing mortals.”

Her eyes widened as she dug her heels into the dirt. “What? Did you say ‘faeries’? Are you kidding me? You don’t really believe in them, do you? They aren’t really real….” Shade’s voice trailed off as she examined her surroundings more closely.

What the heck is he talking about?

He chuckled. “I’m not joking; they really do exist. What do you think
I
am? The fey—faeries—like me come in many sizes. We exist in this world parallel to yours, hidden in plain sight. We’re magical beings, but most are bound to stay within the boundaries of the land of Faerie.” He offered, but found her face still full of confusion. “Don’t worry, I won’t trick you or charm you like the tiny demi-fey do. The farther you go into these woods, the more and more you’ll see.” Jack grunted as he pulled away some overgrown branches that stood in their way.

“It’s a whole new world out here, with things you could never imagine. This is our territory, away from the iron cities.” He continued to wrestle with an unrelenting vine, turning red and impatient with the vegetation. Was it fighting with him? Shade thought it odd that it appeared almost alive, trying to ensnarl him. “Faeries can’t stand iron, you know; it’s our kryptonite.” He pulled his sword by the hilt tied to his back and began hacking at the thick vegetation that surrounded them.

Shade crept forward, more wary and spooked than before.
Faeries aren’t that bad. I guess things could be worse. Could be tigers and lions and bears, oh my!
She hurried to keep up with Jack, pulling her sweater tighter around herself. The sun had gone down, and the heat had receded with it. “Jack?”

“Yes?” A slight impatience now tainted his voice.

“It sounds like Vange knows you… intimately. Do you know her well?” Shade fumbled over a root sticking up from the dirt.

Jack pressed his lips together as his pace hesitated for a moment. He furrowed his brow as she waited.

“I did know her. Intimately, I mean. That’s all changed now. We
were
, well, lovers. Engaged once.” He swung his sword harder, making the branches fly easily out of their way. “I loved her very much. Then the Unseelie Court started raging war against the Seelie Courts of Faeries, especially the one I reside at. She changed then, switched sides, started using dark magic. I’m not sure what made her choose to change, but she up and left one day and never returned. She became one of the evil Queen Aveta’s top lieutenants.

“She’s been stealing magical artifacts from our clan. They’re probably trying to beef up their armory of weapons and magic against us.” Jack stopped, breathing in slowly as the memories washed over him, morphing his face into a still mask.

“So you were in love, and she just left? Just like that?”

“Yes. It was a long time ago, and I’d rather not talk about it anymore.”

Shade frowned, scanning the darkening woods. Jack seemed nice enough, and she didn’t want to get on his last nerve, especially not when the woods appeared to be dangerously alive.

Jack came to a sudden stop in front of an enormous oak tree. It looked ancient, like it had lived longer than anything else in the world. He kneeled down, putting away his sword and pulling out a flask, taking a swig.

While Shade looked around and up into the tree, something swatted her calf and she jumped. She scrambled around to get a better look at the forest floor. Fluttering near her, was what appeared to be a small fly. Its wings batted like a hummingbird’s, and a snarled smile emerged from its lips.

Lips? Flies don’t have lips.

She narrowed her eyes at the creature; it had a soft golden glow to its skin and looked like a tiny elf with white cottony hair and long pointy fingers. It also had a malicious smile painted across its face. “Um, hi, how are you? I’m….” Shade didn’t get a chance to finish her words before the wind flew out of her as her arm was jerked back.

“Stop!” Jack snapped, still holding onto her wrist. “Don’t speak to them! The demi-fey aren’t very merciful or nice. They like to play games and mind tricks which can kill you. There’s almost no way to snap out of their enchantments; they can make you dance until your feet are bloody stumps! Weren’t you listening? And, never eat or take anything they give you, you understand? You will belong to them forever!” Jack let go of her arm and angrily turned back to the tree. Shade rubbed her arm, pushing her steamy anger away.

“Endora, philis montie!”
He touched one of the tree knots, causing the earth to quiver and move near the roots. They vibrated alive, snaked and moved as they parted, like tentacles. An opening with stone steps revealed itself at the base of the tree. Eventually, the rumbling ceased and the ground remained open.

Shade had to close her mouth, which was hanging open like a flycatcher. She’d never seen anything like this in her life.

“Follow me and stay close. Humans are not usually welcomed here.” Jack stepped down into the darkness, holding onto the small roots sticking out of the crumbly walls, like parts of a banister. Shade followed reluctantly, but silently wished she had never gotten out of bed that morning. As she descended deeper into the void, the grass and trees disappeared from sight.

When they had almost reached the bottom of the staircase, a loud rumble shook the ground, sending dirt trickling down. Her arms instinctively flew up over her head, waiting for a cave-in that never did come. She looked up when the noise died away. The hole in the forest floor had closed above them.

Shade now stood in what appeared to be a hallway made of dirt with smooth stones all around them. Roots dangled from above, and the only light came from lamps hanging on the walls. One by one, each magically flared up. The lamps gave off an eerie flickering glow of dim light.

Jack dusted his shoulders and shook off the dirt. He started walking down the hall. Shade had no choice but to follow while attempting to breathe in and out slowly and deeply, easing her anxiety. The floor was flagstone, nestled into the moist, soft dirt. It was cool in the dark tunnel, but it wasn’t uncomfortable; there was no trace of wind to chill her.

There were many tunnels branching off from the main one. Shade stayed close to Jack, afraid to lose him in the dizzying maze. Dangling roots gripped her hair, like fingers catching her long strands and pulling hard as if they were alive. She used one hand to cover her head to keep it from catching the snarled roots. Her other hand was stretched out to help her balance against the cool, smooth dirt walls. She hoped they would soon get to wherever it was they were going.

There was a soft glowing light up ahead, growing brighter as they inched closer to it. She could hear voices echoing in waves down the hall. The hall abruptly ended and opened into a large, round room. Shade began to realize that the voices were coming from the many bodies fluttering around in the room. Most looked human from what she saw, but others were unlike anything she’d ever seen. Their faces glared at her, an intruder from the world above; somehow, she had a feeling that they didn’t see too many strangers down there.

Shade felt naked under the scrutiny of the dozens of eyes that were scanning her as though she were a freak. She stumbled behind Jack, who seemed oblivious to the commotion around them. He finally stopped when a large troll stepped in front of them, blocking the path.

“Out of the way, Renny, I must see Ilarial immediately,” Jack yelled up to the gruesome beast. “I have some strange news about Vange for her, and I brought someone who needs to see her.” The troll narrowed his eyes and cast his glowing, yellow eyes over Shade. She felt herself shrinking under his glare; he was monstrous, and one of the scariest things she’d ever seen.

“Can’t do that Jack. No strangers allowed without prior approval; you know that. We have to be sure she isn’t a spy; the forest is crawling with them. They could only be so lucky to have you waltz one right into the center of our residence. I have to tie her up now.” The troll pushed past Jack and reached for her. His large hands were hideous and reminded her of moldy green cheese. They looked burly, and if he got a hold of her, she didn’t know how she would break free, even if she tried.

“Jack?” She stepped back as he came closer. “I’m not a spy! Don’t touch me!
Jack?
” She peered around for him as the troll’s fingers grabbed her arm and squeezed, digging hard into her flesh. The next second, the troll was on the floor staring at the ceiling, blinking in disbelief. Jack had his sword at the troll’s throat and his foot pressed down onto his massive chest.

“I told you, Renny, we must see the oracle Ilarial. I vouch for this girl. She’s no spy. Now stay out of my way, or the next time this blade will slice your throat all the way through.”

Jack pushed off and looked at Shade. She trembled as she let out the breath that had caught in her chest. He motioned for her to follow him and sheathed his sword. She nodded and stepped past the troll, who glared at her with his burning yellow eyes. Turning away, she scurried behind Jack as he continued walking down another corridor off the main room. She didn’t let her gaze deviate from the room until it was out of sight. Shivering, she hugged her arms around herself even though the room wasn’t cold. She was afraid, more than she was willing to admit.

“I apologize for the security around here; we’ve had a lot of break-ins, and Queen Zinara is not pleased. You must understand if I suspected you were a spy, you wouldn’t be standing here with me at all.”

Shade nodded, feeling most unwelcomed.

“Ah, here we are!” Jack stopped at the end of the hall and tapped on a wooden door. It had deep woodland carvings that curved and twisted throughout the ancient wood, smoothed over by time and use.

“Come,” a female voice commanded. Shade hoped she’d be friendlier than the bunch they’d already encountered.

Jack heaved the door open and let Shade go in first, closing it softly behind them. She studied the room; it glittered in the dim candlelight shining from the center of a round wooden table near the floor. There were also several large pillows tossed about the room for seating.

From behind the table, a platinum-haired woman stared at her. She smiled and lifted her arms, motioning for them to sit. Her gown flowed around her like liquid ice, white and sheer. Her hair glistened in the light, and her eyes were like grey shining pearls. The oracle’s eyes brought out the smoothness of her face. Her dark pink lips smiled, and nothing about her seemed old. She looked like an angel without wings, ethereal. Shade tried not to stare, hoping she hadn’t been rude. She settled onto a large blue pillow.

Shade let her eyes wander the small space, noticing several objects on the table before them. There were stones of different colors and markings scattered on the wood. Placed among the stones were some small, bleached animal bones.

“Please, take my hand.” Reaching out from her long, white robe, Ilarial brought her slender pale hand toward Shade. Shade took the hand, finding it soft and surprisingly warm.

“Um, hello, I’m Shade, Jack brought me here because I….”

“I know who you are and why you’re here, Shade,” Ilarial interrupted. “I’ve been waiting for you a long time. I was hoping that you might run into someone like Jack a little sooner, but this will do. I’m Ilarial, Lady Oracle of the faery tribe of Guildrin.” Her smile made Shade feel warm and suddenly very calm. The woman was full of magic, and it radiated toward her like a warm fire on an icy night.

“I know you’re confused, but I’ve known of your existence for some time. You say you can hear what you call ‘voices’ in your head from time to time?” the Oracle asked kindly.

Shade nodded. She was in awe of Ilarial but couldn’t shake the strangeness of the room’s atmosphere. Was she under a spell? Being in Ilarial’s presence was like being drugged or sedated; it filled her with a sweet and fuzzy feeling.

Ilarial smiled deeply and crow’s feet appeared around her eyes, revealing wisdom and age. Even so, Shade found it impossible to tell just how old she was. Her long hair draped around her shoulders and down her back like a thick, rippled curtain, shining in the dim candlelight.

“The voices in your head are spirit guides. They’re your ancestors trying to help you on your way. It’s difficult to tune into them because you’re not trained, but they mean only to help you. You must not fear them, but let them fill you with their power and knowledge. After all, they’ve led you to find us. You must know now that you’re not all human. You’re one of us; part faery and part human. This is why you can sense magic around you, and it has called you here.”

Shade concentrated on Ilarial’s words, unconvinced.
What the heck? Impossible.
Shade shook her head. “No. My parents aren’t faeries. My mother is not magical. She’s a modern soccer mom with four kids to feed, and a single mom at that! My father’s dead. He died two years ago, and there’s no way he was a faery!”

Shade was growing agitated. Her father a faery? No, it couldn’t be; he’d been so normal. She could still remember his calm voice reading to her at night before bed and the wrinkles that hugged his eyes when he smiled. Faeries aren’t parents; they don’t die in car accidents like her father had. None of this made any sense.

“I know this may sound impossible,” Ilarial offered softly. “I knew that it would be difficult for you to accept. You’re the oldest in your family, right?” Shade nodded. “Your mother loved a faery once; he charmed her into loving him instantly. She had no choice, really, but that’s how she became pregnant with you. Of course, this faery placed a spell on the man that you call father almost as soon as he knew there would be a child. He wanted to make sure you’d be taken care of, provided for.” She paused, letting the information sink in.

“Your adoptive father fell in love with your mother, married her right away and then you were born. Both were none the wiser.” Ilarial stopped, watching Shade’s reaction.