A Dark Faerie Tale Series Omnibus Edition (21 page)

“Ursad, I’m thirsty and hungry. I could use something to eat, if you have anything to share. Oh, do you know where my things are?”

He nodded as he turned toward the door. “I will get them for you. I left your pack near the fireplace to make sure it dried out a bit, though it seems impervious to water. I couldn’t take anything out; it has a personalized lock charm on it and would not open for me. I do hope your things are not ruined.” He ducked out the door and Shade was left staring after him.

She suddenly became aware she was not wearing her own tattered muddy clothes from before, but wearing soft cotton, drawstring pajama pants and an oversized tunic instead. They were clean and soft but she pulled the blankets even tighter around herself. She tried not to imagine him changing her out of her soaked, dirty clothes. Squirming at the thought, she felt her cheeks flush red.

Ursad returned with a tray of fruit, a meat sandwich and a cup of juice. Her stomach growled at the sight of the food. He set it gently in front of her, not smiling but extremely serious. She tried to smile and soon forgot her embarrassment. She settled in and started to inhale the meal. Food in Faerie seemed to taste so much better than in her world. She wondered if it was really better or if she was just ravenous having not eaten in hours, not to mention all the exertion of the journey. She chewed and ate so fast she started hiccupping. She guzzled down the juice, hoping to stave them off.

As Shade finished, she realized Ursad had stayed and watched her. She’d been gorging herself and, embarrassed, she slowed her chomping to a moderate chew. Swallowing the last bite, she observed Ursad a little closer. Brilliant green eyes shone in the dim light of the room, piercing into her soul.

She raked her eyes over his hair of vines and leaves. It was so long, it tumbled down past his waist like tendrils of flowers. Would it hurt to pluck a leaf off the thin vines that draped him like a shroud and dangled over his shoulders? He was dressed in dark brown clothes; they hung frayed and well worn, reminding her of peasant’s clothing from fairytale stories.

Shade chuckled to herself. Maybe this was her “fairytale” in a way.
Nothing is as it should be. Nothing is going the way it should be, for that matter.
The world was not normal here, and Shade wasn’t sure she liked it that much.
And now, I’m lost.

“Is everything all right? Was the food good, Shade?” Ursad asked, breaking her thoughts and dragging her back to the present. She nodded and pushed the food tray away, signaling that she was done. Ursad promptly stood up, collected it and left through the door. He was now smiling widely and humming softly with a happy skip in his step.

Shade shook her head.
Faery men are so strange!
She sighed and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She grabbed the footboard and stood up slowly, feeling her legs wobble beneath her. Standing for a minute and relaxing her muscles, she breathed through the dull pain that resonated throughout her bones. It was a cold reminder of the chill of the river, making her shudder.

She glanced down at her fingers and flexed them. They felt slightly stiff but functional; the slight ache wasn’t bothering her much at all. She’d been counting her blessings. Somehow she had healed her horrendous injuries; maybe her spirit guides had done what they had promised.

Thank you for this gracious gift.
Shade hoped that somehow they had heard her.

Ursad entered the room, holding out her pack and a folded pile of clothes that she’d been wearing before. They were washed, repaired and folded neatly. Shade gave him a small grin and let him place it on the bed next to her. “I took the liberty of repairing your clothes; the rocks nearly ripped them to shreds. Your pack is dry. I take it you don’t want to be staying very long, which is really too bad. I would like to get to know you and hear your story. Like I said, I haven’t had any company in such a long time.” His voice drifted off, a longing clinging to his words.

When she didn’t say anything, he continued. “I mean, you shouldn’t hurry out. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, of course.” He waited again, shifting nervously back and forth on his feet before turning to rush out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Shade laughed quietly; his nervousness seemed to calm her anxiety.

Rummaging through her pack, she pulled out a fresh set of clothes and stuffed her repaired rags into the backpack. She wondered if there was a shower or restroom in the little cabin. Slipping some house shoes on that she’d thrown into her pack, just in case, she opened the door and peeked out, calling to Ursad when she didn’t find him there. “Is there a bathroom I can use? I could really use a shower.”

“It’s to your right,” he called from an adjacent room.

Shade stepped out and looked down the darkened hallway. The walls were made of wood, twisting and curving in such a way as to create the rooms and halls. They must have been inside a large tree that had been converted into a cottage. Still in awe, she retrieved her light stone from her pack and held it in front of her. The glowing light was bright in the dim surroundings and comforted her a bit. The hallway was not as long as it had looked in the dark. Entering the last door at the end of the hall, she found a modern-looking bathroom; nothing elaborate, but it was clean. She placed her clothes on the counter, along with the light stone, which continued to glow. She smiled and was glad it didn’t need to stay in contact with her to stay lit. She whispered a soft thanks to it and turned the shower on.

I wonder how this all works? There isn’t any electricity in the cabin, but it appears to have modern conveniences.
It was still hard to take in the idea that magic and faeries were real, even after everything she’d been through and seen. The water ran over her skin, the heat and steam reviving her with every drop. Pure bliss.

When Shade was done, she returned down the hall to her room, slipped in and putting her things away. She put her shoes on and held her backpack in one arm as she left the room to check out the rest of the house and find Ursad. The main room was small but cozy; a blazing fire crackled on one side of the room in a simple fireplace. There was one reading chair made out of old red velvet, and it sat in front of the fire along with a fluffy couch placed on the right side of the room. It had a warm, cotton throw blanket sprawled across it with bits of yarn loosened from its edges. On the left stood a small table and two chairs made out of wood, which appeared to be hastily nailed together. The wood was smooth and worn, showing signs of age.

Ursad sat in one of the chairs and had his hands on his face when she entered the room. He pulled his hands away and stood up suddenly when he realized she had approached. He looked momentarily distressed, but composed himself immediately.

“Oh, you’re done already? I guess you will want to be leaving, then.” Sinking back into his chair, he looked devastated. His green eyes glowed with the fire dancing in them, his face darkening.

“Yes, I have to. I wanted to thank you for your hospitality. I don’t know what would’ve happened to me if you hadn’t found me.” She stopped. He looked almost agitated at her words. She bit her lip nervously and approached the chair that sat opposite of him. Dropping her pack, she sat down and looked up at him. “Ursad?”

“Yes?” His voice sounded quiet and dejected.

“What’s wrong? Are you upset? Did I do something wrong?”

His green eyes drifted up to meet hers. She realized that his cheeks were wet with tears and waited uncomfortably for a response. She felt compelled to stay.
A moment or two wouldn’t hurt.

“Ursad?” she said, but he didn’t respond.

“You don’t have to go. You’re safe here. Whatever was chasing you will not find you here. I have wards all around this area that prevent even other faeries from wandering in or knowing of your presence. You don’t have to go and risk your life again, Shade. Stay here. Stay here forever, please?” He had his hands grasping the table, his knuckles white with the strain.

Shade studied them, moving her eyes carefully back to his face. She shook her head, feeling suddenly drowsy, like she’d been drugged.
No, I’m just feeling really tired, that’s all
. “Ursad, I can’t do that. I have people counting on me… I’ve been asked to do something, and I can’t give up. I have to do this, or the land of Faerie faces a war between the two faerie courts. Queen Zinara needs me to get to the fountains of the Santiran lands and get the magic water to help them keep the Unseelie court from waging war against them. So if I stay, the war would spill out of Faerie and into the mortal world. I live in that world, and my family does, too. I can’t let that happen, Ursad. I can’t.” The warm spill of tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke of her family. She missed them more than ever at that moment.

Ursad clasped his hands together on the table, his eyes no longer flaring, but once again filled with sadness. “I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have ever asked you to stay here. I know you’re meant for great things. I can feel it. It’s selfish of me to ask such things from you.” He frowned, but handed her a handkerchief.

She wiped her face, blowing her nose and sniffling. Standing again, she felt her exhaustion growing.
When will I be able to go home and sleep in my own bed?
she thought sadly, frustrated beyond belief. She looked at Ursad and an idea came to her. “You could help me, you know.”

Ursad jerked his head up. He seemed to be wondering what was going through her mind but decided to ask instead. “What do you mean, Shade?”

“You’re a prince of the Santiran lands. You would know the way to the fountains, wouldn’t you? I don’t know the way, but you could take me there, couldn’t you? Please, my friends will probably be heading that way, and I could catch up.” Shade found herself sitting forward in the chair, surprised at how eager she was for him to agree to the idea. She took ahold of his hands, flashing her hopeful eyes at him. “I’ve been feeling lonely and lost, too. It would be nice to a have friend with me.”

He glanced down at their hands weaved together. Shade pulled back, her face flushed with heat and her stomach fluttering in an exhilarating way, making her wonder why it was happening. Maybe it was because she’d never had a man look at her like that before: his eyes full of hope and maybe desire. She glanced away, focusing on her hands now folded in her lap.
Don’t make something out of nothing… he’s just a friend.

“Okay, I’ll help you,” he said.

Shade’s face lit up as she jumped from her chair and hugged him, letting out a sigh of relief.

“Whoa, any tighter and I might not make the journey,” Ursad chuckled, sounding winded. “I have to say your enthusiasm is contagious.”

“Oh, sorry about that.” She loosened her grip and stepped back. “You won’t regret this, Ursad. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I don’t know what I would’ve done without your help.” She stopped, enjoying his quiet smile. She fought the urge to hug him again, settling for a curt nod. She wasn’t feeling exhausted anymore, but revived and ready to get started. “When should we go?”

“We can go now. Wait a moment, though.” He opened a cabinet on the wall by the sink and rummaged through it. Tin cups and miscellaneous papers trailed out and clamored on the floor. Shade pressed her lips together, not wanting to laugh aloud and hurt his feelings.
What a mess
, she thought. His place was cozy but cluttered.

“Here we go!” He pulled out a piece of folded parchment that looked like it had seen too many years. He unfolded and shook it, letting dust puff out into the air. Coughing a little, he cleared his throat and laid the parchment out on the table. It was a map, another map of the faerie lands. It was extremely detailed, down to the tree stumps, and showed some rarely used paths.

Shade’s eyes widened as she absorbed the amazing drawings and unusual names that were scattered throughout the parchment. She reached out and slid her finger over the area labeled “Santiran Fountains.” “That’s where I need to be.” She glanced up and smiled at him, receiving his answering smile.

“We’re here now.” He traced the crescent of Solare’s Beach and followed it down a crooked blue line. “This stream is the small river near where I found you.” He traced the trail that led through what looked like a small town or village, past a small mountain range to a palace of stone near a much larger mountain range, which bordered all of Faerie.

“Yes, how long do you think it would take us to get there?” Shade asked, feeling the excitement flutter under her skin. They couldn’t be that far from the fountains.

“It’s a day and a half hike to reach the fountains. We can spend the night in the town of Genoden. The road is not what I’m afraid of, though.” He paused, watching Shade’s face fall. “The trail is filled with dark creatures and is probably already being watched by the Unseelie soldiers. We will have to sneak past them to reach the base of the Santiran Mountains, where the fountains are located. Staying off the road has its own dangers, too.”

She pressed her lips together as she thought about what he was saying.
Can’t any part of this be simple?
she thought, irritated. She was quickly learning life wasn’t always easy or fun.

Chapter Fifteen

DYLAN’S FOOT SLIPPED
as he climbed down the cliff of loose, muddy rock and dirt. He cursed under his breath as he grasped the jagged rocks firmly, feeling them rip into his palms. Looking down to see how much farther he had before reaching the lower banks of the falls, he eased himself carefully. He had seen Shade jump and could hardly believe she’d done that. He had been so enraged, stabbing Blythe had felt almost surreal. It had been only a second after she’d turned and faced him before he’d plunged his sword deep into her chest. Her deafening screech had filled the air while her warm crimson blood soaked his hands. When he had pulled his sword back out, he’d savored watching her crumble to the ground. Death had engulfed her thin body, shriveling it into a pile of ashes.

Reaching the edge of the cliff, Dylan had looked down into the misty cloud of river spray but had seen no sign of Shade. His blood screamed in his veins as a wave of pain crawled throughout his body, making him hunch over with its intensity. It let him know Shade had been hurt, and the blood tie would drag him to her as long as it was in place. The farther he got from her, the more it would hurt.

He cursed under his breath, wishing he had reached her before she had plunged into the falls. Glancing back at Blythe’s withered body, or rather her pile of dust, he groaned.
At least the dryad witch queen will not get in the way again.
He knelt down, leaned over and scanned the area for a way down the falls. He didn’t like what he saw; the way was treacherous.  Sheathing his sword and tightening the leather straps that held it across his chest, he strengthened his resolve. Unfortunately, this had to be done. He glanced around for the rest of the group, but the fight had pushed inland rather than toward the cliff.  He could no longer hear anyone.
Damn, there’s no time to be wasted.

He left them behind, afraid to wait too long to see if anyone survived—or didn’t, for that matter. He had done well to protect Shade until this slip up. He mentally kicked himself for losing her. His hands burned and stung as he moved along the rocks while warm blood oozed from his cuts where the stone shredded his palms. Dylan gritted his teeth but continued. He could heal later; right now, getting down in one piece was the top priority. When his feet were firmly planted on the slick, muddy banks, he scanned for any signs of her. There was nothing that surfaced in the water or on the surrounding banks.

She has probably  drifted away downstream,
he thought. He ran as carefully as he could on the slippery rocks, splashing in small puddles and muddying up his boots to the knees. He didn’t care; he had to find her, no matter where she was.

Dylan would never give up.