Ever Shade (15 page)

“What?” Her voice came out sharper than she had meant it to but she did not like him interrupting her melancholy memories.

“You’re in distress.”

She fought the urge to be a smart ass. “Really, you think so?” She snapped.

He smirked and blinked, settling down next to her as if he had been invited. “Don’t get angry, I only meant to help. I am blood bound to serve you, aren’t I? Well if you are in distress, I can feel it now, and I have to try and fix it. I am compelled to; it’s part of the magic.” He was looking at the dirt where he sat.

Shade watched him as his face seemed to freeze into his own memories and his hand sifted through the fine sand. The stillness surrounding him froze him like stone. She waved her hand in front of his face to break his gaze. “Are you alright?” She stared at him as he returned from wherever he had gone.

His eyes flashed back at her, as he snapped out of his thoughts. “What do you care?” He asked coldly.

Shade pulled her gaze away first and glared back at the ground, smearing her tears away with the back of her hand. He was so mean his words felt sharp and put an ache in her chest. “I just thought that maybe, um, well I…oh never mind.” She pressed her lips together and shook her head. It was entirely useless to talk to Dylan; the walls he built around himself were too thick. She could almost feel her pressing up against it, just sitting there next to him. His resentment was palpable.

“Why don’t you just go away?” She asked irritated and started scooting away, when he grabbed the sleeve of her hoodie. She looked up, expecting an angry glare but found an ocean of concern floating behind his eyes. His mouth tensed up firmly with unexpectedly seriousness.

“I would but I can’t. Like a cord between us, it binds me to you. Where you go, I must then follow. If you go too far, I am compelled to search for you until I find you. If I try to run, I would freeze in my own steps and be made to turn back. I am anything but free, I’m your slave. I intend to see this to its finality and end it.” He snickered then and let her go. “Til death do us part, Shade.” He ripped off a bite of his jerky and chewed without looking at her again.

She didn’t try to leave again. A tight knot had formed in her stomach, making her want to throw up. Nothing about this seemed right. She could feel the suffocation that bound them pressing down on Dylan. She didn’t even like him and didn’t believe he liked her, for that matter. It was like having to choose the kid that no one ever picks for your team in gym class. You didn’t want to do it but you had to and it sucked.

“Alright everyone, let’s get going again. We have to make it to the emerald forest of the River Lands before nightfall; that is where we will stop for the night.” Ewan waved to the group as everyone jumped to their feet, slinging packs on and re-strapping weapons on.

Shade stood up and watched as Dylan re-strapped his sword sheath over his thin armor. He stretched his arms and legs as he stood, well defined muscles rippled in his arms. He had a slight golden brown tan that meant he had seen some kind of sun. She wondered if the Teleen guards were the only ones that spent some time outside the caverns. The queen had been so chalky pale, just like most of the other Teleen people had been. Their complexion hid the blue electrical fire that dwelled within them well. She had some unanswered questions about them and wondered whom she could ask. She glanced at Dylan, pondering for a moment to ask him but decided she would ask the others first. Dylan would be the one to go for answers when there was no other choice, literally as last resort.

She jogged up to Sary and fell into step with her. Stephen moved to the side when he spotted her and smiled, nodding to her as she passed. He and Sary seemed always glued to each other’s side. Shade flushed at the thought of them as lovers; of the entire group, these two were the most inseparable.

“Yes dear, everything alright?” Sary’s sweet voice flowed from her cherry red lips. She was quite pretty, beautiful actually. It was no wonder that she was royalty. Why she would be out here in the middle of who knows where, getting dirty, grimy and really sweaty? Shade would never understand it.

“Um, I was wondering about something.”

“What are you wondering about?”

“Why I didn’t get burned, when Darren touched me? I didn’t get electrocuted or burned, like Jack told me I would. He wasn’t in glamour at all and Jack and Soap said that if you touch a Teleen when they are not glamoured, you could get electrocuted or burned. Darren seemed surprised that I didn’t, he was frustrated at first that I wasn’t being hurt. Then I think he found it fascinating and intriguing.” She heard her voice quiver with the lump forming in her throat. She could see everything so clearly in her mind, like it was happening all over again.

Sary eyebrows furrowed as she thought about her question. “Oh Shade, I know it’s hard for you to talk about that night. Honestly, I don’t know the answer. You might want to ask Jack. He might know of some instances or possible reasons why Darren did not harm you. It is quite interesting. Somehow, I think one of your powers is a power of protection and it shields you from the fire and lightning of the Teleen. I find it quite interesting.”

Shade nodded and thanked her for her thoughts. She decided that Jack would be the one to ask for sure. She had meant to ask him about the Teleen for some time, especially about roaming in the iron cities unharmed.
I still don’t get how Jack and Soap can move around in human cites without getting sick.
“Jack! Wait up!” They were on a hill and the rocks were jagged as she ran over the trail. She slowed her pace as she maneuvered around the sharp edges of stone. Soon she was right behind him and he looked back and smiled.

“Hey there, what can I do for you?” He asked brightly.

She matched his pace but could not walk beside him with the trail narrowing and twisting around the large, rough boulders. She kept an eye on the shifting dirt underneath. “I wanted to know if you could tell me something I’ve been meaning to ask you about.”

“Sure, go for it.” He pulled himself up a steep part of the trail and turned to help Shade over the hump.

“Thanks. I was wondering, when Darren attacked me, he let his glamour fall away and touched me. Why didn’t I burn or get electrocuted like you said I would?

Jack stopped cold and turned to her. Horror flashed across his face, as his eyes grew dark. “What? Are you sure he let his shields slide? No, it would have killed you. There is no way you would have survived.” He narrowed his eyes at her, studying her face for something. “Are you sure you’re remembering right? You don’t think that when you hit your head, you might have thought he let his shields down?”

She shook her head; there was no way she was remembering wrong. “No, I know what I saw, I felt his glamour melt away and I watched him as he held onto me while he was on fire. He burned with bright blue flames that lit the entire room and flowed over his skin, like sparking electricity. I remember as clear as I see you now.”

“I’m know what you’re saying Shade, I’m not doubting you but it’s just that it’s not possible. I don’t know what to tell you. I’ve never heard of anyone, especially a part human mortal fey, surviving a full-blown Teleen touch. That’s exactly why our race is dying. We…we cannot breed outside our own race, it would be fatal to get close enough.” He pressed his lips into a thin hard line as he started walking again, his face spooked and still.

“But Jack, that can’t be all true, look at Soap, isn’t he just part Teleen and something else? You’re saying it’s not possible but is he not evidence against that?” Shade hurried to keep up with Jack, as his step had quickened with his deep concentration.

Soap, was walking ahead of them, and he had paused, watching them now with great interest.

“Soap is part changeling. Changelings can ‘change’ into a Teleen if they want to. I think that is the only way that a pairing outside our race could be possible. Changelings are all but extinct. We don’t even know who his parents were. To find a changeling to mate with would be like hitting the lottery for a Teleen born; it just doesn’t happen. It’s almost impossible. Unless…” He stopped again and was really staring at her now. Shade stopped then too, suddenly feeling the weight of his stare, like she was under a microscope. “You’re not a changeling though, Shade, are you?”

“No, well, not that I know of, I can’t change into anything. I would think I’d know if I could.” Her voice stumbled and she felt suddenly unsure about anything. She was part fey but she totally didn’t know what kind of fey. Me, a
changeling that’s doubtful
, Shade thought to herself, it was unnerving to think she could be anything.

Jack shook his head and when he looked at her again, the friendly smile was lighting up his face. “Nah, I don’t think you’re a changeling, Shade–all this just sounds really weird. I wish I could help you, but I never have come across something like this before. If I ever find out anything about it, you will be the first to know, okay?”

She nodded, as he patted her back and turned to walk down another narrow and rocky hill. She sighed, not sure if she knew anything more than she had before.

Dinner was cooking on top of a blazing fire. There was a fox roasting over it that Than had skinned, gutted and staked to a spit. It now was being turned round and round in the flames, giving off a pleasant but smoky aroma. It looked like he had done this many times. The fox had been a good size, nice and plump, and would feed them all. She wished she could take a shower but that was not going to happen out here. Once again she was covered in dirt and her salty sweat was a film on her skin, and she didn’t think it would ever come off.

The air was cooling rapidly as the sun sank over the mountains. She shivered and rubbed her arms up and down to warm them, she had her jacket on instead of the hoodie she had sported earlier, but wished she had brought a thicker one. She felt a bit unprepared for the cold night, but had decided to layer her clothes and wore a thicker sweater. Unfortunately the extra clothes weren’t working to well in guarding her from the cold.

Dylan plopped down next to her, disturbing her thoughts, and draped a large thick part fur blanket over her shoulders. She jumped up and the blanket spilled off her. Dylan grabbed it just before it hit the ground.

“What are you doing?” Shade glared at him, her face flushed with anger. She didn’t like him impeding on her space.

He held his free hand up, smirking a little at the same time. He looked up at her, and sighed. “The polite thing to say is thank you. I’m not sure what humans are accustomed to, but when someone gives you a blanket to keep warm in the cold, our kind is grateful. But who am I to say so? I might be wrong to think that way,” he added sarcastically.

“You’re a prick, Dylan. You know that? I can see that it’s in your blood. Just stay away from me, you and your brother can just go to hell!” Shade stood there staring at him, her breath steaming in the cool air as her words came out in a huff. The night pushed hard against the remnants of the day, making her feel suddenly over exposed. Dylan remained calm while he looked at her. He lifted the blanket up to her again. He wasn’t mad and his smirk had smoothed out and the former captain’s face fell flat and unreadable. His eyes did give away some feeling, there seemed to be a spark in them that showed he was amused by her reaction.

“Shade, just take the blanket, okay? It’s cold out,” he gritted. “I’m not really affected by the cold, but being that you’re mortal…” He looked like he was working hard to suppress a smile. “Well, I packed for two. I knew you’d need more help out here.” His smiled grew. “Really it’s a warm blanket, think of it as a peace offering.” Dylan stood up when she did not go to him. He moved closer until he was in her face, almost touching. He swung the blanket around, draping it over her shoulders.

Shade let him and held onto it this time, unsure what to do.

He nodded, satisfied and turned to walk away.

“Dylan, wait.” Shade choked out, her voice was tight within her throat. She turned to look at him as he stopped in his track. He didn’t turn around but paused, waiting. “I…I’m sorry, Dylan, I just feel like you don’t like me and you don’t even know me: and maybe that reminds me of Darren a bit, and that freaks me out. You guys are pretty similar but I know you are not like him. I know that… I can feel it. I…” She sighed, frustrated with her stumbling tongue. “Thanks for the blanket, I do appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Shade,” he answered, with a little more warmth than he had ever shown her.

She glanced around and noticed the others working around their own tents. Jack had one, so did Ewan. Sary and Braelynn looked like they were sharing though, and so were Stephen and Than. Shade thought maybe some of the group were pairing up because they didn’t have enough tents. Soap had his own tent though, and unless they were sharing, it was unclear where Dylan was going to sleep.

“Don’t you have a tent, Dylan?” She asked.

“I do, but I find it really confining. Besides, I have to stay by you, and there is not enough room for your tent and mine here. The ground is my bed tonight.” He added and turned slightly, so that most of his profile faced her, one eye watched her intently.

“Why do you have to camp by me; do you really have to?”

“No,” he stated simply.

“Then why are you hovering? I feel like you are suffocating me.”

“No, I wouldn’t, I would never hurt you!” He had whirled around, his face now serious and his eyes wide. He had taken her word at face value.