She jingled her keys out of her pocket and turned the knob. No one came running to greet her, when she opened the door the house was still. It felt strange not to hear the usual noises echoing through rooms. She sighed and headed in, closing the door behind them. She turned towards Soap and nodded. “If it’s ok, I’ll gather my stuff. See if you can find any canned non-perishable food we can take. I’d like to take a quick shower.” She added.
He gave her a deep nod and smiled that iridescent smile of his. Gleaming white teeth flashed her for a second.
Shade smiled back nervously and turned, and raced up the stairs. Her room looked pretty much the same, because being the oldest, she and her little sister did not share a room. It was nice that her mother agreed with her that she needed her own space. Her mom asked a lot of her throughout the day and it was nice to have some privacy at night. Of course that meant Anna, her little sister, had her own room too. Shade smiled, taking in the loveliness of the room. The quilt on her bed had pink and red patches in it. The walls of her room were a light shade of rose. There were also various shades of pink and purple items scattered throughout the room. She loved to decorate and had tons of girlie stuff all around. Most of her things she had obtained from thrift stores, from people at church or from friends who had given them to her. Everything was a treasure to her.
She sighed, as she opened her drawers and began rummaging through the clothes, stuffing some in her backpack. She riffled through her closet; found and grabbed a pair of hiking shoes. After Shade finished throwing in some towels, a pillow, and a few blankets into the backpack she noticed a picture frame on her nightstand. All of her family was in it; it had been taken at the park on a sunny spring day. All of their faces were gleaming with laughter and flashing smiles that showcased their white teeth.
Shade picked up the little frame, feeling her eyes burning with tears. How she missed them already and it was just yesterday that she last saw them. She held back a sob and stuffed the picture into the pack as well. She reached over to hook up her cell phone for a quick charge while she finished packing. She then began getting things ready for the day ahead. She pulled a clean outfit out of her closet and laid that on her bed, clean undies, bra and socks were also tossed by the outfit. She peered in her dresser mirror; her hair was lying in tangled waves, glistening in the morning sun that streamed in from the windows.
What a disheveled mess!
She sighed and looked around once more,
now… for that shower!
She finished quickly, tossing her toothbrush, toothpaste, body wash and sponge into a Ziploc bag, to stuff in her backpack. She ran her brush through the tangles of hair and groaned at the knots. She finally got them out and the brush went into her backpack too. She loved Ilarial’s spell, no need to worry about packing light with that! She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, it was still sopping wet from the shower.
All set except for the water and food downstairs
. She listened for a moment for Soap but he was mighty silent for cleaning out the cupboards. She shrugged and left the bathroom and went down the stairs.
Soap was standing by the kitchen window that looked out at the side yard including the front yard. He didn’t seem to notice her coming in. She paused and watched him. He seemed so serene. She wondered how old he really was and how he could pass for a senior in high school, just like her. She smiled at the thought of Soap in gym shorts and shirt, not really a fitting look for him.
He was staring at her when she came out of her thoughts. “What are you smiling at? Do I have breakfast stuck to my face?” He looked at her, furrowing his eyebrows, baffled.
Shade laughed and shook her head. “No silly, I was just thinking about how you would totally not fit in at school, you don’t really look like a human teenage boy. How old are you anyway?” She glanced down at the pile of cans and water bottles on the floor, piled neatly in the middle of the kitchen. She bent down and began shoving them into her pack.
“I am about twenty in human years, approximately. That’s about one hundred-twenty in fey years; that is if you go from me being six years old when I was found. Anyway, that was what they guessed me to be. Who knows really, I don’t remember anything before that.” He bent down to help her with the food. His long ponytail hung over his face as he kneeled over the pile.
“Wow, so you could be older or younger huh?”
He nodded, not looking up. They finished and stood. “Can you think of anything else?”
“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.
“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.