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.

When she finished, she left her pack by her door and slipped into her pajamas. Under her sheets, she laid back, cradling her head. Sighing, she turned to set her alarm to a forsaken early morning hour and flicked the light off, welcoming sleep quickly.

Chapter Four

“WHO’S JOINING US this time around?” Shade asked as she sat on a fallen log near the Guildrin Mound entrance. Soap was standing near her. He smiled as he also plopped down on the log and gave her a hug. He was absolutely gleaming from seeing her again, even though they had talked just the day prior. He was always happy to see her. He breathed in deeply, like the air was fresh and exhilarating. Shade rolled her eyes and leaned her chin in her hand as she drew in the dirt with a stick.

Whatever, thought Shade. Her mood was still no better than the night before.

“Oh come on, Shade, don’t be such a pickle. We get to trek through Faerie again. How exciting is that! We won’t even have to stay at the Teleen Caverns this time, what a relief! You’ll get to see a whole new side of Faerie. Aren’t you even the least bit excited?” Soap frowned at her and shook his head as she shrugged.

“Thrilled.”

Dylan walked up to her just then, his lips in a tight line as his eyes narrowed at the sight of Soap. He cleared his throat and turned his attention down to Shade.

“Shade, we’re pretty much ready. Rylan is coming with us, but so are Than, Sary, and Stephen. Camulus joins us from Prince Lotinar’s guard to lead us to the meeting point. Are you ready? We won’t be traveling too much by foot.”

Shade’s eyes widened. “Wait, what do you mean, who’s Camulus and where’s Jack?”

“He is on a special mission from the Queen herself,” Dylan informed her. “I’m talking about Camulus. He has the ability to teleport. If we link together while holding on to him, he can teleport us to wherever we want to go. He’s one of Prince Lotinar’s lieutenants, sent to pick us up. Beats traveling by foot any day, don’t you think?” He smiled down at her surprised face.

“Wow. Something new to learn every day. I couldn’t agree more.” Shade returned the smile, her mood elevated with his disarming charm; which rarely came out. She jumped to her feet along with Soap and followed Dylan towards the familiar group of warriors.

Camulus turned out to be part Elven and part Pixie. His long hair was pulled back in a thick tail of silver-blond, a trademark belonging to the Elves. His skin was a smooth, leafy type, green, like a Pixie, and his eyes were a gleaming, fiery, orange-yellow. Shade wasn’t sure which one of his heritages gave him those.

“Camulus, I’d like you to meet Shade, the newest member of our Court.” Dylan gave Shade a slight shove to push her towards the green guard. Shade swallowed back her shock and managed to crack a timid smile.

“Um, hi, uh, Camulus? Pleasure to meet you.” She shook his hand and noticed the smoothness of his hand, which seemed a bit thin with abnormally long fingers. He did have a firm grip. She slowly pulled away, but his hand lingered a moment longer, testing her grip just the same. He watched her curiously but then let her go, smiling and flashing pearly white teeth.

“The pleasure is mine, Shade. I’ve heard much about you,” he said while still staring at her.

“Have you? All good I hope.” She felt herself continue to flush under his relentless gaze.

“Extremely good indeed.”

Shade glanced away from the intensity of his fire-lit eyes. They seemed to see into her, peeling away her surface to get right through her somehow. It was almost as if he knew a little too much about her. She wondered just how much he had heard, and from whom.

“I apologize for my curiosity, m’lady. I’m most intrigued by you. A wielder of the Water Magic of the Santiran Fountains is unheard of. I would most love to see how you use it sometime.” Camulus bowed, never letting his intense stare waver. She smiled and returned the gesture. She had to admit that he intrigued her too, not in an infatuated way, but more in a curious way instead.

“Shall we proceed then?” Dylan motioned to the rest of the group. Camulus held his hand out as he gestured her to take it. She slipped her fingers through his and stepped back, allowing Sary to take his other hand as the rest of the group linked up into a circle.

“Ready? Hold on tight, this might feel disorientating.” Camulus said as he closed his eyes. In the next moment, the world flashed away. Shade felt like she was hurling uncontrollably, and held fast to the hands she gripped. The toss ended almost as fast as it had begun. Shade opened one eye followed by the other to find them still standing in a circle, but the forest was gone. Instead, a great glass castle stood before them on a lush, grassy, hillside. They released their hands and examined their new surroundings.

“Wow, that was a rush! How did you do that?” Shade’s face flushed scarlet as she pressed her lips together, realizing her outburst. Shoot, I must look like an idiot!

Camulus smiled back at her. His brilliant eyes glowed back at her even brighter with the mid-morning sun reflecting across his irises, much like cat eyes on fire.

“That’s pretty much the reaction I get from first timers. Pretty cool, huh?” Camulus’ face lit up as he winked towards her.

Shade nodded, wondering how it was that he seemed to chat along with her as if he were just another person, not an Elven Guard. “Do you ever venture outside of Faerie? Like wear glamours or anything? You seem pretty laid back for being Fey. I mean, like you hang with humans sometimes.”

He nodded, raising an eyebrow as his eyes danced while pondering her questions. “Ya, I like checking out the iron cities around Faerie. Humans are quite fascinating. I wear pretty strong glamours to not stand out like a sore thumb and to ward off the iron-sickness. Want to see what I tend to look like when I get the chance to wander off?” Camulus looked eager to transform. Shade nodded with her eyes wide open and waiting.