The minutes seemed to have stopped now. She still couldn’t hear anyone but felt afraid to move. A cool breeze rustled the canopy of the trees and it felt like something, or someone had brushed against her, making her jump just a bit. She felt it on her skin, prickling along her arms like cactus; someone was very close but she could not see them. She held her breath and slowly stood up, still pressed to the trunk. She listened and knew whoever was around was trying to blend in too.

Shade could feel eyes burning into her as though they were waiting for her to give herself away. She gripped her sword tighter, as she wiped the last of her tears from her face. Her hair flew about her face. She could taste sweat, dirt and tears on her lips and knew she was a disheveled mess. She thought about her family and Ilarial; and did not want to disappoint them. She was not going to give up. She knew she had more than fear inside her. Straightening up, she breathed out slowly and began scanning the woods.

“I can smell your fear little girl. Why don’t you just give up? Lady Blythe won’t hurt you at first. I just want to talk for a bit, and then maybe the hurt can start after that.” She laughed.

Shade was so disgusted by the old woman’s cackling laugh; she could almost feel it rippling down her spine. She couldn’t see the faery but she could feel her magic dancing along her skin. The faery radiated her power out like an unchecked aura that touched Shade like fingers; it was as if the hag was caressing her. She estimated in her head that the faery was just on the other side of the tree. It was then she squeezed her sword, feeling her fingers digging into each other and turning white from the pressure. She screamed and swung the sword hard as she flung herself around the corner.

The blade sliced Blythe in her shoulder but failed to cut too deep. She screeched and jumped back, bringing her blade up in defense. Crimson blood dripped down her arm and oozed off into the dark earth. The queen did not seem too tall to Shade, standing up made her still look like a short, bony thing of a sprite. No wonder she spent her life up in the trees, anyone can look intimidating from up high. Shade retreated back behind the tree but readied herself to sprint or fight.

“You stupid girl! How dare you attack me!” There was a loud thump against the trunk of the tree.

Shade’s bravery was being used up way too fast and she was pretty sure the old woman just tried to blast her with something. She stepped back from the tree and readied her sword. Blythe suddenly jumped in front of her from the side. She was hollering in another language, her pointy teeth were flashing, as her sword was held high as she charged. Shade dodged her but tripped on a tree root. She scrambled to stand but stumbled backwards and was forced to crawl on her hands and feet to get away.

Lady Blythe hit the roots with her sword, making it stick. She tugged with her scrawny arms, but failed to budge it from the earth. The tree seemed to grip it tighter the more she fought to retrieve her weapon. Shade took the moment to get back onto her feet and run, she ran as fast as she could, glancing back only to find Blythe without her sword running just as fast, and was quickly gaining ground.

Shade dodged and wove her way through the trees. The roar of the river water was closer now, but the rush of wind blowing in her ears made it impossible to calculate how far away it was. She prayed that the land would not run out for her. She had the feeling the Dryad Queen could cross the river faster than she could. She forced herself to make an abrupt stop, as the land narrowed to an edge. She stuffed her sword away in her pack and was prepared to cross the river but she was shocked to learn there was a drop off. One of several the rivers emptied over a cliff and formed into a waterfall.

Oh my God…Water clouds rose from the rocks below; and she could feel herself go white as the height of the cliff became more evident. The land stretched out beyond the drop off with more forests, hills, rivers and jagged mountains. There is nowhere to go but down.

Shade turned to see Blythe slowing her run to a jog and snickering at her. Her large eyes flashed with her wicked smile. Her pale skin had a slight flush to it now. She stepped slowly towards her, a predator stance in motion. Shade felt her heart thudding hard in her chest and tried not to be afraid; but with the Dryad Queen licking her lips she couldn’t help but feel like she was about to be dinner.

Blythe took out her dagger. “You have nowhere to go. You’re so weak. I wonder why Zinara could even fathom that you could save them. The Lonares will be greatly pleased to have you as their prisoner. The Unseelie Queen will owe me; and she will be sick with my victory. Come to me now… I promise it won’t hurt, much.” She sneered but her eyes were cold and serious. She pulled a rope from her waist belt and stepped closer to Shade.

Shade shook her head and turned her eyes back to the waterfall. There was nowhere to go. She strained to hear her comrades but only the rush of water overwhelmed her ears. No one was coming to save her. She stared at Lady Blythe and her evil smile. No, she can’t go with her. She stepped back and was inches from the edge. She knew with certainty that her fate was sealed.

“You don’t want to fall now, do you?” She asked eyeing her with words coming out like sweet, poisonous honey.

Shade wasn’t fooled. She felt her knees wobble under her but concentrated on not falling. She wasn’t sure how long she could steady herself with a horrid witch in her face. She let out a nervous sigh as she began to reach into her backpack. This is crazy and it won’t work! She quickly stuffed the warm blanket Dylan had given her into her pack and pulled it onto her shoulders. It was then that she turned from Blythe and jumped. The wind lashed at her body and howled in her ears and she could barely hear the queen’s furious scream; and soon the icy water below swallowed her whole.

Chapter Twelve

The frigid waters had shut her senses down and Shade couldn’t feel a thing. Everything was dark but she heard a faint call of sparrows high above her over the gurgling sounds of water. She attempted to move her fingers and arms but they barely moved. Her eyes felt like weights had been placed on them, and they had been sewn shut. She felt blinded. She moaned and rolled to her side. Her bones creaked in protest at the movement and her fingers sent a sharp pain up her arms.

The light was blinding as she opened her eyes, she had to blink a few times so they could adjust. I’m dead, where the hell am I? Why can’t I make out anything? God my fingers are burning! She was sure if she were in Heaven she would feel nothing but peace. Hell on the other hand…well, you can burn there, she thought nervously.

Lying there on the bank of the river, she could feel that her feet were still in the water, but the frozen earth was underneath the rest of her body. Her backpack felt dry and she knew it was probably due to the charm or spells the fey had casted. Shade’s clothes were another matter, they were sopping wet and melded to her body as her teeth chattered involuntarily. She felt like she would never be warm again. She sat up very slowly and surveyed the muddy embankment; she saw sand and felt it irritating her skin.

At least I can feel the sun…she thought, trying to hold to the slightest bright spot in this situation. It occurred to her that she had to at least try and move or she would freeze to death. If I don’t get moving heaven will be my next stop, She groaned, feeling the sting of every scrape that had marked her body, and she was reminded of the rocks on the bottom of the waterfall. She wasn’t sure if anything was broken and struggled to get to a drier area on the shore. Her left arm was sore and wouldn’t cooperate; she cranked her neck to the side to find that her shoulder was not quite in an anatomical position. I must have dislocated my shoulder. She thought it was strange that it didn’t hurt until she looked at it. Now the whimpers were slipping out her mouth as she dragged herself up the bank with one arm and her two heavy legs. She stopped when she felt the rush of nausea from the pain press on her, threatening to make her pass right out. It hung onto her like sticky syrup until she leaned to one side and let whatever was left of breakfast shoot right out. Her dark blue lips trembled. She saw that her hands were cyanotic and oddly pretty. The color reminded her of arctic blue ice.

When she finally stopped heaving, she found herself sobbing. She didn’t hear anyone around her and fortunately she probably lost Blythe in the froth of the falls. What’s so great about getting away if I’m just going to end up freezing to death, covered in filthy mud? She thought miserably. Shade prayed that her mom would find her here, helpless, and whisk her away. She wanted to believe this was just a bad dream, and her mom would take her to someplace warm and safe. She laid there for what felt like an eternity when she heard the crunch of crackling leaves. She swallowed the last sob and blinked her tears out of her eyes, her heart now beating like a fluttering hummingbird, banging in her chest.

“Who’s there?” She heard the crack in her voice, it sounded faded and rough. She wondered how long she screamed heading down the falls.

“Hush now, you’re hurt. Don’t move. You’ll hurt yourself even more. Hold on a moment. This might, unfortunately, hurt a bit.” The gentle voice warned.

She felt a hard tug on her body and screamed when the pain flared up her left arm. She felt herself dragged further up the shore, over more beach sand and onto a dry blanket where she looked up at her rescuer or whatever they were. It was becoming nearly impossible to keep her eyes open. Her head rolled from side to side as the pain from her damaged shoulder burned through her body. Before the darkness came, she caught the sight of green eyes, dried leaves, and the brown linen she was laying on. She tried to open her mouth to speak but soon she slipped away into unconscious and remembered nothing for a long time.

Chapter Thirteen

Shade, forgive us, we have tried to reach you but you have cast us out. Shade, we are here now to help you heal and awaken you from your deep sleep. Now only dreams will find us. The voices were kind but spoke with an urgency.

Shade was standing in open field; the mountains were nowhere in sight. The breezes caressed the tall grasses and swirled about her hair, dancing and playing with her strands like unseen dancers. Where the heck am I now?

Astrid, Duende and Elaby stood before her. She knew that they were the spirit guides that dwelled in her mind. She wasn’t sure how she knew that but they were flesh and bone standing in front of her now. The three sisters stood like three carbon copies of each other. Their long black hair and gowns floated around them as if they were suspended in water. Their pale skin shined like moonlight glistening on a lake surface. She couldn’t see their feet; it was as if they hung above the grass without touching the ground. They were beautiful.

“What’s going on? Where am I? Why can’t I hear you guys anymore?” She felt the sting of tears as her voice wavered. She was done crying; she had enough of everything and suddenly felt so tired. She brought her hand to her left shoulder. It was no longer dislocated but hung normally in its place. Her arm moved effortlessly and without any pain. She hoped she wasn’t dreaming about that at least. She also hoped that she wasn’t dead either.

“Shade, we know you are afraid but we won’t harm you. It could not help that we were away.” The sisters told her all at once. “Somehow your magic trapped Darren in the mirror, but it also pushed us out of your aura too. We were unable to communicate with you. You severed our ties. We have worked hard to find you again. Your magic has been shielding you, and now we can only come to you in your dreams.”

Shade pondered it for a moment. Damn it… Darren! He had scarred her far worse than she had even imagined. The loss of her spirit guides was like having a chunk of her soul ripped away. She sighed and watched them smile at her. Each sister finished each other’s sentences, she found it intriguing listening to them as they harmonized in one voice.

“So, where am I? I was on some shore, freezing. My arm was probably broken and not in the right place. Am I awake, dead or dreaming now?”

“You are still asleep. Fear not, dear Shade, we have healed you with our powers. We have been away for too long,” said the women. “Now we are unbound.”

“What do you mean? Like… you won’t be in my head anymore? How could I have let this happen?” Shade felt her knees weaken but caught herself before they failed.

“We are so sorry, and we had no idea this would come to be. We can only believe that any further communication with each other will be only through your dreams.”

Shade nodded at the revelation. No point in trying to undo what was done.

The dream shifted rapidly, the bright warm sunlight faded into a deep grey and cloudy day. Shade spun around, watching the swirling dark grey clouds grow above her.

“What’s happening?” The wind howled around her and whipped the grass across her legs.

“We must go, your dream is breaking. It’s time to wake up Shade, wake up.” The clouds came down around in deep, billowing fog that swallowed the spirits, landscape and Shade alike.

*****

“Wake up; it’s just a bad dream, wake up now!”

The voice sounded familiar but Shade couldn’t place it. Squeezing her eyes together before she slowly opened them. The room was dim as it came into focus. Her eyes narrowed in at the shadowy figure in front of her. The face was partially covered by a dark, hooded cloak. Only lips shown through with what looked like a beard, the hood covered his eyes.

The figure reached towards her and she pushed back until she was against the wall on the small bed. Her left arm throbbed with a dull ache but she found she could use it just fine. She wrapped her arms around her legs, gripping them while she stared at the stranger. She slowed her breathing as she concentrated on keeping her focus; the room was slightly tilting in a wave of dizziness. She had sat up way too fast.

The figure had stopped advancing and stared at her. Seeing her pull back, he stood up straighter and waited. He spoke softly, with a voice like rich syrup, thick and flowing.