“I don’t know why you were brought here. You say you hear voices? Only oracles can hear voices, strange,” he said more to himself than to her. “Anyways, I am made of lightning and blue fire. I guess I have to show you because if you happen to touch me when I am not shielded enough with this glamour, I can hurt you, and it could be fatal.” He stared at her, with some concern in his eyes. He stepped back from her and seemed to shake a bit, as though dusting himself off; the air around him seemed to liquefy. His glamour melted away and the brightness of his skin illuminated the dark hallway.
Shade gasped, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets. He still looked like Jack but his skin glowed with a blue aura; Blue fire flickered all over him and electricity crackled along his entire body. Yet he did not burn
.
His eyes blinked at her, smiling at her awe.
No way!
“You see, I am made of electricity and white-hot blue fire. One touch and I can zap you to high heaven.” He closed his eyes and like liquid pouring on him, his glamour reappeared on him like a drizzle of honey. He opened his eyes and drank in her face. Shock was what he saw.
Shade could hardly stand. She looked confused, stunned and in sheer disbelief. “How do you do that? What the, no can’t…how?” She leaned on the wall, her legs dangerously feeling like jell-o. No way could this be.
Jack straightened up and narrowed his eyes at her and the air was still shimmering around him. He pulled it tighter around him and solidified whatever it was that formed his glamour. The glow was all but gone. His skin lay smooth, tanned and flawless. Turning, he pulled the rest of the boards off the door and swung it open. It screeched on its hinges, letting the still, bright dusk illuminate the doorway. He stepped out onto the steps and turned to look at Shade. “I suggest that you come with me. I don’t know why your voices led you here, but the oracle where I live might be able to help you. You would have to follow me right now though; what do you say? Maybe she has the answers you seek.” He watched her slowly step outside.
She breathed in the cool autumn air and felt more orientated. She gazed up at him and nodded. This seemed like the only solution to her predicament,
Might as well.
Jack began walking, and stopped before he reached the sidewalk. He turned toward Shade and paused with concern. “You cannot tell anyone what you see, where we go, nothing. Understand?”
She stared at him. “Of course.”
He nodded, proceeding onto the sidewalk and headed the opposite way from home.
“Um, Jack?” Her voice seemed loud in the open air. He kept going.
“Yes, what’s up?” He pushed branches aside and avoided tripping on the thick roots gnarled across the forest floor.
“It will be dark soon, are we near yet? I don’t have a flashlight, do you? Maybe I should come back tomorrow, in the daytime?” She ducked under a low branch as the forest around them thickened, as if they were being swallowed.
“We are quite near. Don’t worry. The dusk is nothing to fear. Just don’t go near any little faeries you might see. They like to enthrall you, suck you into their charms, and they won’t release you.”
Her eyes widened, as she dug her heels into the dirt. “What did you say? Did you say ‘faeries’? Are you kidding? You don’t really believe in them, do you? They aren’t really real…” Her voice trailed off as she examined her surroundings more closely.
What the heck is he talking about?
He chuckled. “I’m not joking, they really do exist. What do you think I am? I won’t trick you or charm you like the tiny demi-fey do. The farther you go in to these woods; the more and more you’ll see. It’s a whole new world out here, things you could never imagine. This is our territory, away from the cold iron cities, faeries can’t stand iron you know, and it’s our kryptonite.” He pulled his sword by the hilt that was tied to his back and began whacking at the thick vegetation that surrounded them.
Shade crept forward, more wary than before,
Faeries aren’t that bad I guess, things could be worse. Could be a tiger, lion, or a snake!
She hurried to keep up with Jack. She pulled her sweater tighter around her because the sun had gone down and the heat had faded. “Jack?”
“Yes, Shade?” A slight impatience tainted his voice now.
“It sounded like Vange knows you, like, more personally. Do you know her well?” Shade fumbled over a root sticking up from the dirt.
Jack pressed his lips together as his pace hesitated for a moment. He furrowed his brow as she waited.
“I did know her, personally I mean. That all has changed now. We were, well, lovers I guess. I loved her very much. We were to be married. Then the Lonares Court started raging war against the Guildrin Court of Faeries, where I reside. She changed then, switched sides, started using dark magic. I’m not sure what made her choose to change but she up and left one day and never returned. She became one of the Unseelie Lonares’ Queen’s top lieutenants.
‘Now, she has been stealing magical artifacts from our clan; probably trying to beef up their armory of weapons and magic against us.” He stopped, breathing in slowly as the memories washed over him.
“So you were in love and she just left, just like that?”
“Yes, I’d rather not talk about it anymore.”
Shade sighed, scanning the darkening woods. Jack seemed nice enough and she did not want to get on his last nerve, especially not when the woods looked to be so ominous.
Jack came to a sudden stop in front of an enormous oak tree; it looked ancient, like it had lived longer than anything else in the world. He reached towards it, mumbling something under his breath. With his outstretched fingers he touched numerous knots on the tree’s thick trunk. At first, nothing happened.
Shade looked around and up into the tree, something swatted her calf and she jumped. She then began scrambling around to get a better look at the forest floor. Fluttering near her was what appeared to be a small fly. Its wings batted like a hummingbird and had a snarled smile from on its lips.
Lips? Flies don’t have lips.
She narrowed her eyes at the creature; it had a soft golden glow to its skin, like a small tiny elf, with white cottony hair and long pointy fingers. Its face filled with a malicious smile painted across it.
“Um, hi, how are you? I’m…” She didn’t get a chance to finish her words for the wind flew out of her as her arm was jerked back. Jack gripped her wrist hard and furious.
”Stop, don’t speak to them! The demi-fey are not very merciful or nice. They like to play games and mind tricks that can kill you. There is almost no way to snap out of their enchantments; they can make you dance till your feet are bloody stumps! Weren’t you listening? And never eat or take anything they give you, you understand? You will belong to them forever!” Jack let go of her arm and angrily turned back to the tree.
“
Endora, philis montie!”
He touched the tree knot again and then the earth began to move near the roots. They vibrated alive, snaking, moving, and parting like tentacles. An opening with steps widened at the tree’s base, and they were all made of stone. The vibrations ceased and the ground remained open. Shade had to close her mouth, which was hanging open like a flycatcher. She had never seen anything like this in her life.
“Follow me and stay close. Humans are usually not welcomed here.” Jack stepped down into the darkness, holding onto small roots sticking out of the crumbly walls like parts of a banister. Shade followed reluctantly, silently wishing she never got out of bed this morning, descending into the void as the grass and trees disappeared from sight.
When they had almost reached the bottom of the staircase, she heard a loud rumble and felt shaking as dirt trickled down onto her from above. Her arms instinctively flew up over her head waiting for a cave-in that did not come. She looked up when the noise died away. The hole in the forest floor had closed above them.
She now stood in what appeared to be a hallway made of dirt and there were smooth stones all around them. Roots dangled from above and the only light came from lamps hanging on the walls. Slowly, in even intervals each one magically flared up. The lamps gave off an eerie flickering glow as Shade held her breath in the dim light.
Jack dusted his shoulders and shook the dirt off. He started walking down the hall and Shade had no choice but to follow, while attempting to breathe in and out slowly and deeply. The floor was flagstone, nestled in the soft moist dirt. It was cool in the dark tunnel, but not uncomfortable; there was no wind to chill her down here.
There were many tunnels branching off from the main one. She stayed close to Jack, afraid to lose him in the dim maze. Dangling roots gripped her hair, like fingers catching her strands and pulling hard as if they were alive. She used one hand to cover her hair, to keep it from catching the snarled roots. Her other hand was stretched out to help her balance against the cool smooth dirt walls. She hoped that wherever they ended up, that they would be there soon.
There was soft glowing light up ahead, growing brighter as they inched closer to it. Voices could be heard, echoing in spurts down the hall. The hall abruptly ended and opened into a large round room. Shade began to realize that the voices were coming from the many bodies fluttering around in the room. Most looked human from what she saw, but others, she wasn’t sure what they were. Their faces glared at her, an intruder from a world above; somehow, she had a feeling that they did not see too many strangers down here.
Shade felt naked under the dozens of eyes that were scanning her like a tourist. She stumbled behind Jack, who seemed oblivious of the commotion around them. That is, until a large troll stood in front of them, blocking the path.
“Out of the way Renny, I must see Ilarial immediately. I have some strange news about Vange. I brought someone who needs to see her.” The Troll narrowed his eyes behind Jack, boring his glowing, yellow spheres into Shade. She felt herself shrinking under that glare; he was monstrous and one of the scariest things she had ever laid her eyes upon.
“Can’t do that Jack, no strangers allowed without prior approval, you know that. We have to be sure she is not a spy; the forest is crawling with them. They could only be so lucky to have you waltz one right into the center of our residence. I have to tie her up now.” The troll pushed past Jack and reached for her. His large hands were hideous and reminded her of moldy green cheese. They looked burly, and if he got a hold of her she didn’t know how she would break free, even if she tried.
“Jack?” She stepped back as he came closer. “I’m not a spy! Don’t touch me! Jack?” She peered around for him as the troll’s fingers grabbed her arm and squeezed, digging hard into her flesh. The next second, the Troll was on the floor staring at the ceiling, blinking in disbelief and surprised. Jack had his sword to the troll’s throat and his foot pressed down onto the massive chest.
“I told you Renny, we must see the oracle Ilarial. I vouch for this girl. She is no spy. Now stay out of my way or the next time this blade will find your throat all the way through.”
He pushed off and looked at Shade. She trembled as she let out a breath, which she had stifled in her chest. He motioned her to follow him. She nodded and stepped past the troll, who glared at her with his burning yellow eyes. She turned away, scurrying over to Jack as he continued walking down another corridor that was off the main room. She didn’t let her gaze deviate from the room until it was out of sight. Shivering, she hugged her arms around herself even though the room wasn’t cold; the chilling feeling that overwhelmed her sprouted from fear.
“I apologize for the security around here; we’ve had a lot of break-ins and Queen Zinara is not pleased. You must understand if I even suspected you of being a spy, you would not be standing here with me at all.”
Shade gulped. She was feeling most unwelcomed.
“Ah, here we are!” Jack stopped at the end of the hall and tapped on a wooden door. It had deep carvings that curved and twisted throughout the ancient wood, smoothed over by time and use.
“Come.” A female’s voice commanded. Shade hoped she would be friendlier than the bunch they had already encountered.
Jack heaved the door open and let Shade go in before him and closed it behind them softly. She studied the room; it glittered in the dim candlelight illuminating from the center of a round wooden, table that was near the floor. There were also several large pillows tossed about the room that were probably used for seating.
From behind the table, a platinum-haired woman stared at her. She smiled and lifted her arms, motioning them to sit near her. Her gown flowed around her like liquid ice, white and sheer. Her hair glistened in the light, her eyes were like grey pearls shinning. The oracle’s eyes brought out the smoothness of her face. Her lips were dark pink and nothing about her seemed old. She almost looked like an angel without wings. Shade tried not to stare, hoping she hadn’t been rude.
She settled on a large blue pillow, which was soft and comfy.
She noticed several objects on the table before them; stones of different colors and markings were scattered on the wood. There were also some small animal bones, bleached white and spread across, mingling with the stones. Whatever these were, Shade had no idea what they were for.
“Please, take my hand.” Ilarial brought her slender pale hand towards Shade, her long white robe flowing from the thin white arm.