“I found flashlights for you, I don’t need them but you might.” He tossed some at her; she caught them just in time and frowned at him.

“What do you mean you don’t need them? Do you see in the dark?” She pushed them into the pack too.

Soap laughed, he had a contagious warm laugh that made you want to smile.

“No we have witch light, we can all conjure it up if needed. I don’t even need witch light. I am part Teleen, so I just let some of my element of lightning to glow out of me. I can see just fine with that. We fey have lots of powers you will get to see and know on this trip. Ilarial tells me you have a lot to learn when it comes to using your own powers, so pay attention.” His handsome smile flashed back at her again.

Shade stared hard at him. “What do you mean my powers? I don’t have any powers.”

Soap grinned at her and laughed again. “All fey have powers, even half-bloods like you. Don’t underestimate yourself ever, Shade. It could be your undoing.” He looked at her seriously now, eyes flashing like spilling honey.

She could have sworn that he had had green eyes before. They seemed to change into different colors every time she looked at him. Shade gulped and nodded. What can you say to that? There was nothing she could really say so she just quietly agreed. She also felt a little shaken, and his stern voice kept her in check.

They headed out the front door, and Shade locked then stared at the door. She had a gut feeling that she might not see it or the rest of the house again. It felt like butterflies knotted her stomach. She had not thought much about how much she would miss her family as much as right now. She didn’t even get to say goodbye. Her hand reluctantly fell to her side from the doorknob as she turned towards the street. She sighed, nothing like saying goodbye without a goodbye.

They walked silently in the direction of the forest, passing all the houses and buildings she knew. The day was brilliant and warm, and slightly breezy. Some kids were playing in their front yards, hollering and screaming as they ran around. Shade’s ponytail tossed about her with each small gust.

She watched Soap walking ahead of her. His sword was still strapped to his back as his long golden brown hair was swaying in the air. She stopped, realizing how different they must look to everyone on the street. Most people don’t walk down the street in tunics and have swords strapped to their backs. “Um, Soap?”

He turned, stopping to look at her and noticed the horror on her face. He quickly darted his eyes around and looked for any signs of danger.

She jogged to come beside him. “Don’t we look unusual walking around in the streets dressed like Robin Hood, and not wearing modern day clothes? And your sword, why hasn’t it freaked everyone passing us or driving by?” She watched him as he grinned and relaxed, that smile was getting to be unnerving.

“We are glamoured, Shade. I have extended glamour over both of us to appear like we are just two teenagers walking along in grunge clothes. Besides Jack, I am the only one who ventures out into the iron cities and gets to mingle among humans. Fey cannot tolerate cold iron for long periods of time without becoming ill. Jack and I, on the other hand, are fey but our element is like electricity. Metal and lightning are attracted to each other. So, the iron doesn’t even faze us at all.”

Shade listened closely, beginning to slowly understand this phenomenon.

He turned back and began walking again. “I kind of like wandering around the city sometimes, it’s soothing to me. I like to people watch or just blend in sometimes. We must hurry. It’s already getting to be late morning, and the plan was to leave around ten a.m. I think we might be late.”

Shade scrambled after him.

Chapter Four

The entourage filled the entranceway with all their things spread out in massive mounds. It was almost time to leave the Faery’s dwelling. Everyone was stuffing bags or strapping last minute weapons onto their bodies. Braelynn looked up from the many small bags of herbs and ground stones she and Sary had prepped, and was slowly arranging them in a medicine bag. The low hum of voices stopped as they approached the group. Sary and Stephen turned towards them and stopped sharpening their knives. Jack stood erect, all ready to the right, and gave them both a short nod. No one seemed to know what to say to them.

“Guess your ears were burning, Shade, Soap. We were waiting for you.” Ewan interrupted. “Here are your sleeping tent packs and they’re all ready to go. Ilarial will be up in a moment, I’m sure she already knows you are here.” Ewan’s deep voice boomed like a drum; it seemed to almost come from deep within him, like a belly laugh echoing in a large room. He walked up to them smiling. His husky shoulders were wide but he was not by any means fat. Shade smiled at him; he was a big boned and but looked like a fluffy teddy bear.

“Ewan, I appreciate your efforts. Now, is everyone pretty much ready? I think we are a bit late now. We must start moving if we are to cross into the Teleen territory before dark.” Soap stood taller now, an air of complete authority swirled around him that she had not expected. Shade hadn’t even known that he was a leader in this band. Soap didn’t seem to volunteer much information about a lot of things now that she thought about it. There would be plenty of time to ask him how he had become so authoritative during the journey.

“Hello, Shade, Soap, and everyone. I am happy to send you off with news of great weather to come, at least in the beginning. I have read the stones and they tell me of good fortune for the start of your journey. I trust everyone is ready? Ewan will be your guide to the land of the Santirans. Your journey will be perilous, fraught with danger and a challenge to your endurance. Not many have ever traveled so far from the Guildrin mound. My heart and spirit are with you, Shade.” Ilarial’s voice suddenly filled the space. She motioned to her to come closer.

Shade was taken by surprise because she hadn’t seen or heard Ilarial approach her, but she went to her without hesitation.

“Shade is our most special Halfling: she is unselfish to aide us in our fight. Take good care of her, teach her the ways of our magic, for she may look fragile and harmless, but the potential to be great lies within her. Now, I send you off my friends. Good journey!” She smiled and wrapped her arm around Shade’s shoulders. She felt instantly alert and happy. Ilarial sure had a way with comforting others; she was like walking Xanax.

Ewan turned towards the group; everyone was stuffing the last of their items away into their charmed packs, and like Shade’s appeared to hold many things. He cleared his throat and held his arms out above his head.

“Alright everybody, listen up for this will not be repeated. The privacy spell is in place and nothing we say here will be heard by any mortals. I’ll be guiding you on the path to the Santiran lands; our stop today will be the Teleen caverns. Please stay with the group at all times, we start north until almost dusk. The Teleen are private people, Jack has assured us of their complete cooperation. They will host us for the night. I remind everyone to keep their hands to themselves for, like Jack, they can electrocute with one touch. So absolutely no touching!

Second, if we are separated for any reason at all, follow the North Star to the great hills of wild flowers. From there, you will find the great gate to the caverns on the northwest end of the valley. Please let them know who you are and you will have safe passage. They have our names from Ilarial already. Good Journey everyone.” He nodded and bent to grab his own pack and slung it onto his back. He waved everyone to follow.

Shade quickly shoved the sleeping roll into her backpack and zipped it up. She watched everyone filing in behind Ewan and cut into the line to join him, right ahead of Soap. She glanced at him as she turned her head slightly, absorbing his cool smiling eyes. There was much behind those eyes Shade wondered about. She wasn’t sure if his overly happy exterior matched the soul within.

The forest floor crunched under their feet as they walked at a slow and steady pace. Some of the group was shifting into pairs while others chose to remain in single file. She looked over her shoulder to find Soap and for a moment couldn’t see him. She realized then that he was walking beside her now. He glanced over at her, smiling. His eyebrows lifted into questioning look.

“What’s wrong, dear Shade? You looked mighty concerned.” He was shoulder to shoulder with her now.

She gave him another quick look before darting her eyes back to the trail. She had to often check for fallen tree branches and tangled vines and roots that impeded their pathway. No wonder we’re moving so slowly. “Um nothing, just nervous, I guess. Isn’t there a better way to travel than on foot? How far away are the Santiran Lands? What was that spell that Ewan was talking about? Hey, why are you laughing?” Shade pressed her lips together, feeling the blood rushing to her cheeks.

Soap was chuckling. “Sorry. My dear Shade, I meant no disrespect. You are so like a young child in that you know almost nothing about the fey. That’s how we’ll pass the time, I guess, chatting about our peculiar lives. To answer your questions, yes, there are better ways to get around than on foot. We have to leave the Guildrin forest for it is forbidden to fly or travel any other way near the Faery’s dwelling. Once we leave the trees behind us, we can fly, run really fast, or travel by horse if available. We won’t have horses because there are none so close to an iron city. We can’t run like we usually do or fly because some of us can’t fly at all. Plus, you are part mortal and can’t keep up with us, or in the case of flying, can’t at all. That leaves one option, walking.” He looked forward, swinging his short sword in front of him to slice off a branch that had swung back towards them.

“What about with a car? Or even by airplane? Why not go that way?” She felt utterly confused and not one bit satisfied with his answers. She was starting to wonder what was so great about being a faery if you can’t do regular stuff, like ride an airplane!

“No way would any fey ride in those things, they reek of iron! Like I have told you, iron is deadly to the fey. If faeries stayed around iron for long periods of time they become seriously ill and have poor quality of life.” He snickered as he beat back another branch as he walked along. He seemed amused and maybe a little frustrated that he had to explain the iron sickness again. “But, you and Jack can tolerate it. You guys didn’t seem one bit bothered. And it doesn’t bother me at all either, why? I’m part fey, supposedly. Is it because I’m part human?” She dodged a large leafy bush that was in her way just before it slammed into her chest.

“Yes, because we are Teleen, we love iron or any kind of metals. Again, we like the conductivity it provides us. You, I guess, it’s because you are part human. The fact that you’re Halfling gives you an advantage and a valuable strength. It is the human part of you that allows you to escape from danger and you can hide in the iron cities without any problems.”

“What else are the fey vulnerable to?”

He furrowed his brows and seemed to pause for a second to ponder her question.

Shade realized she would never get over how amazingly handsome he was. She wondered if he had a girlfriend in this faery tale life of his. He wore no glamour right now; he was just in changeling mode so none was needed. None of them did, besides Jack, for they were staying within the Guildrin forest until they reached the valley of the Teleen. She wondered how big the forest really was. She had so many questions that she just didn’t even know where to start. For now though, she pushed her fluttery feelings aside.

“Well, if you think about the stories about faeries, they can be quite useful in helping you defend yourself against the fey. Cold iron is toxic, as you know. People can fend the fey off by reversing their clothes. We also have an ointment of truth that humans can use to have ‘true sight’ and see past our glamours or tricks. Fire keeps most wild fey away; I guess they don’t like the burning carbon. I’m not sure though. Not much of it bothers me, and anything not related to nature is an anti-fey charm. I would always keep some sort of a memory charm on you to remember your way home. Those are impervious to spells any faery might throw at you to make you forget who you are and enslave you.”

“You don’t sound like a friendly bunch. Honestly, I can’t see you guys being that bad.” Shade waved towards the other warriors and shook her head. “I just don’t get it.”

Soap laughed the deep belly laugh that made Shade glare at him. She hated being laughed at. She shook her head and continued on, ignoring his giggling. The other warriors were already a good deal ahead of them.

They remained in silence for a good deal after that. No one spoke, everyone silently hiking along, slicing down branches. Only the crunch of dead leaves and twigs filled the afternoon air. The birds twittered above, sometimes flying in groups with their wings flapping loudly. It wasn’t easy moving fast in the forest. Roots and uneven ground were plenty, threatening every footstep with a fall or worse, broken bones if one was not careful. This situation is just a twisted ankle waiting to happen, Shade gritted her teeth concentrating on the loose rocks and roots that lay haphazardly across their path.

They came upon a clearing in the forest. The warriors paused, watching Jack and Ewan for a signal. Jack scouted the clearing’s edge and looked for any kind of movement. The rest of the group was hunched, and hiding behind trees and bushes, waiting for the all clear. Shade perched herself behind a large redwood tree, the bark was rough and crumbled under her fingers. It felt warm under her touch, like there was life pulsating inside the massive trunk. She wondered why she suddenly could feel the life all around her. Did it have to do with this forest being fey territory? She wondered if there was something new happening within her or if they all were being affected by an unknown force around them.