Battlelines

by S. K. Gregory

  Thorn kept glancing at me as we walked.

  “Ask whatever it is you want to ask,” I said, sick of the silence.

  “Just wondering why you’re out here alone and how you managed to survive this long.”

  “Why, because I’m a girl I must be Fae fodder?” I shot back.

  “Actually, I was referring to that hair of yours. Surprised it hasn’t drawn every Fae in the area.”

  I scowled at him, resisting the urge to tuck my hair into my hood. “I faced my fair share of Fae and believe me, they have no interest in my hair. How did you survive this long?”

  “I did the smart thing and hid.”

  “That can’t have been easy. No family?”

  It was his turn to scowl. “My dad, but I ditched him a while back. Better off on my own.”

  I wondered how bad it was that he left his own father. I could hardly talk, I had no interest in staying with Mom any longer than I had to. My excuse was that she lied to me, I wondered what his father had done. Did he beat him?

  Thorn was so pale, I thought he might be an albino, but his hair was dark. Don’t they have white hair too? Maybe he was ill.

  He was cute though, I couldn’t deny that. He had pale blue eyes and the longest lashes I’ve ever seen. He was a couple of inches taller than me and though he was thin, I could see some muscle through his shirt.

  We finally started up the hill to the camp. The trees thinned out and we were able to get a good view of the lake.

  I stopped walking. “What the hell is that?”

  In the distance, I could see a huge dome pulsing with energy. All manner of creatures seemed to be flocking to the area. Was that why we hadn’t run into anything so far?

  “Some important Fae is visiting, they’re having a party or something,” Thorn said, adjusting the strap on his backpack.

  “How do you know that?” Was he a Fae? He looked human, but then so did I.

  “I was hiding in the woods and I heard some Fae talking about it. They seemed really excited.”

  “Oh. Wait, it’s not the Queen, is it?”

  He shrugged. “Doubt it. They said he was coming.”

  “Oh right.” I didn’t want to think of her being that close. Not now when I was alone with no plan.

  “At least it will keep them off our backs for a while,” Thorn said.

  We resumed walking, but I couldn’t stop glancing at the dome every few seconds. Who was it who deserved such a big party? If there was more than one important Fae, would killing the Queen make a difference?

  The epic plan may not be as simple as I thought.

  ***

  Oberon

  Many Years Ago…

  “You cannot keep sneaking away, Oberon. You could be King one day and if Father found out…”

  I cut Asteria off. “He is not going to find out, because we made a blood oath.”

  “I remember,” she said, taking a seat beside me. I was out by the lake, studying my notes.

  “Aren’t you bored with them? They serve no purpose,” Asteria said, smoothing out her ivory skirt.

  We were teenagers now, Asteria had long since given up on going on adventures and was more interested in fine dresses and jewels. She had changed so much, I wondered if our bond was gone too.

  I admit that I had become somewhat obsessed with the people on the other side of the doorway, but they were fascinating.

  “All life is sacred, Asteria. Just because they don’t have magic, doesn’t make them less than us. In fact, it makes them stronger, because they are surviving without help.”

  She scowled at me. “This kingdom is falling apart. Father needs you to step up and take your place.”

  “Funny, I hear his words, but they are coming out of your mouth. When did you become his mouthpiece? You used to be on my side.”

  She got to her feet, glaring at me. “Keep this up and pretty soon you will have no one on your side.”

  She stormed off, leaving me to my thoughts. When I returned to the castle, a while later, I found Father waiting in my bedchamber.

  “Asteria tells me that you have been somewhere that you shouldn’t,” he said.

  “I do not know what you mean, Father,” I said. Asteria wouldn’t tell him, would she?

  “Another realm like ours?”

  I froze. She betrayed me. My own sister.

  “She could not have told you…”

  “The blood oath prevents her from telling me where, but not what. You don’t think that this was important information for your King?”

  “Father…” What could I say? I had no excuse that he would understand.

  “You will tell me where this place is, right now,” Father demanded.

  “I cannot do that, Father.”

  He struck me across the face. “You dare to refuse me? I am your King, your father!”

  Asteria came rushing into the room. “Tell him, Oberon. Do not make this worse.”

  I took a breath and got to my feet. I have always been a loyal son, always followed the rules, but I could not give up what I knew.

  “I’m sorry, Father. I will not do it.”

  Father’s face went purple with rage. He threw me up against the wall, pinning me by the throat.

  “Father, no!” Asteria cried, trying to pull him away.

  He released me and I fell to the floor. “You have until morning to tell me what I want to know. Or you will be banished to the dungeons.”

  He stalked from the room, his long white robes swishing behind him as he went.

  Asteria reached for me, but I pulled away. “You betrayed me,” I whispered.

  “I did what is required of me. I cannot lie to the King. Break the blood oath and tell him what he wants to know. Son or not, he will lock you away.”

  “Get out,” I snapped.

  Shaking her head, she left the room. If I remained here, Father would get the answer out of me, one way or another. The Fae were loyal to him. There was only one place I could hide. On the other side of the doorway.

  I would rather spend an eternity with the primitive beings than one more minute in this castle.

  Packing a few belongings, I took the tunnels out of the castle, heading for my new home.

  Chapter 7

  Thorn didn’t say much on our hike up the hill. He was probably too hungry to waste energy talking. I kept listening for the beacon, but didn’t hear it. They might already be at the camp. It made sense. If they couldn’t find me on the road, then they would head to the camp.

  I really needed some water. Thorn had a bottle, but it was empty. Was there anywhere around here to get water? The sun was hidden behind clouds and a cool breeze was blowing which made it slightly more tolerable. I had to hope that there was something at the camp for us to drink.

  A few hours later, we finally reached the camp. The sign had faded so much that the words were no longer readable. I couldn’t even remember the name of it.

  “Guess they shut this place down,” I said. That didn’t surprise me. It was a dump when I was here.

  At least the cabins were still standing. I had to wonder how Roxy would have fared here. The woods had to be teeming with Fae. The cabins wouldn’t offer much in the way of protection. Too exposed.

  What if all you find are bodies?

  Then at least I would know for sure.

  “We should start checking cabins,” I said.

  Thorn moved to a tree and sat down with his back to it. “Can’t. Sorry.” He looked wiped out, his shirt soaked in sweat.

  “That’s okay. You rest, I’ll see if I can find any food.” Weren’t there edible mushrooms? Not that I would know what they looked like. I’d probably poison us both. It annoyed me how reliant we were on other people before. People used to grow their own food and hunt animals long before they invented supermarkets. They survived just fine. I made a note to ask Mom about that stuff if I ever saw her again. It couldn’t be too hard to learn.

  I started my search, moving from cab
in to cabin. Some were still in decent shape, while others I couldn’t get into because the wood had warped and the weeds had grown to the point where they almost covered some of the doors.

  There was no sign of life anywhere. I was sweating, thirsty and starting to realize that I had made a huge mistake. I wanted to take off the hoodie, but then Thorn would see the stumps.

  I led us up here and now I’ve probably killed us both. We’ll be easy pickings for the Fae as they leave their party.

  I stopped at an old picnic bench, taking a seat on it to rest. Weeds had grown up through the gaps. I could see names carved into the wood from campers in years gone by.

  Didn’t Roxy carve her name into one of the benches? I searched for it, my eyes scanning every inch. I know she did, I remember it. Something took over me, I had to find it. It was the last connection I had to her, something tangible, because I knew that this was the end of the line. There was nowhere else to go but back to the boat, if that was still possible. I would never see Roxy again.

  Reaching the last table, I climbed on top of it, ripping up weeds with my hands as I searched for her name, ignoring as several stung my hands.

  “It has to be here,” I muttered.

  Finally, on the corner of the table, I found her name. Roxy R. was carved into the wood. I traced the name with my fingers, remembering the day she carved it.

  “You are going to get in so much trouble if they see you,” I said to Roxy, as she bent over the table, carving into it with her penknife.

  She snorted. “So? What are they going to do? Send me home?”

  “Maybe they’ll make you stay longer.”

  “Don’t joke about that.”

  She finished her work and handed the knife to me. “Your turn.”

  “No way,” I protested.

  She rolled her eyes at me. “You are such a chicken.”

  She started carving my name herself, but only managed half an N before one of the counsellors arrived to stop us.

  I never should have gone to England. I should have fought to stay here. There was no way Phillip could have forced me to go without raising suspicion. I never would have gone to Stonehenge, the Fae would still be locked away and life would be normal.

  You’ve always been Fae though. Even without the Fae rising, it still could have kicked in. Imagine being in the middle of a college lecture and my wings suddenly sprouting. I would have been just as hunted and just as hated.

  Something caught my eye. A flash of blue in the distance.

  I climbed off the table, ready to hide if it was a Fae.

  It appeared again, running between two of the cabins. It was a boy. A human boy.

  I raced after him. He had a good lead and he was fast, but I managed to close the gap.

  Reaching out, I grabbed the back of his jacket. He let out a scream as he was yanked back.

  “Wait!” I said, trying to catch my breath.

  He was only about ten years old with dark hair. He started lashing out at me, trying to break free.

  “Calm down, I’m not going to hurt you.”

  “Let him go,” someone said.

  I released the boy, who fell on his butt.

  I turned to find a familiar face behind me, pointing a shotgun at my head.

  “Roxy?”

  Chapter 8

  “Oh my God, Nova? Is that you?” She lowered the gun and hugged me tightly.

  “I knew you were alive,” I sobbed, clinging to her.

  She pulled back, looking pained. “I didn’t think you were. Not when I knew how close you were to Stonehenge. How the hell did you get here?”

  “Um, Mom knew someone with a private plane. She got us out before things went to hell,” I lied. I wasn’t ready to tell her the truth just yet.

  “This is Troy,” Roxy said, pointing to the boy.

  “Hey. Sorry for grabbing you.”

  He didn’t say anything, just stared at his sneakers. Maybe he couldn’t talk.

  “Have you been hiding out here?” I asked.

  “Yeah, there’s an old bunker at the edge of camp. I do the food runs.”

  “How many? Your family?”

  Roxy looked away. “Mom…Mom didn’t make it. And Dad broke his leg, so I’ve been trying to keep everything together.”

  “Roxy, I’m so sorry,” I said.

  She avoided looking me in the eye. “No time to dwell. There’s five others. A lot of work to do.”

  She lost her mom, its not fair. Mrs. Regan was like the mother I never had. How could she be gone? Was she one of the bodies on the road? God, I hoped not.

  “That reminds me, do you have any spare food and water? There’s a guy and he’s ready to collapse.”

  “We have a little,” Roxy said, but I could sense her reluctance to share it.

  “I can help you get more, he’s in a bad way. I don’t think he can wait.”

  Roxy nodded. “Troy, go and fetch some food. Where is he?”

  “This way,” I said, leading her across the camp.

  She seemed different, subdued. The old Roxy would be talking a mile a minute. But the old us didn’t exist anymore. The Fae made sure of that.

  Thorn was by the tree, his eyes closed. Roxy handed him a water bottle and he gulped it down.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “So, how do you two know each other?” Roxy asked.

  “We met on the road,” I said.

  “So you don’t really,” Roxy replied.

  “Roxy. He needed help,” I said.

  “Yeah, well, I’m not too fond of strangers. Someone robbed us a few weeks back,” she said, kicking at a weed on the ground.

  “Was anyone hurt?”

  “Yeah, Dad. The son of a bitch shoved him down the bunker steps trying to escape. It’s how he broke his leg.”

  “I’ve no intention of robbing you. Once I get my strength back, I’ll be on my way,” Thorn said, pausing between gulps.

  Troy came running up with some food. I pulled Roxy aside as Thorn shoved the food into his mouth.

  “I’m sorry for what happened, but he seems okay,” I said, trying to placate her.

  “It’s one more mouth to feed,” Roxy said.

  “Or one more person to help find food.”

  Roxy sighed. “We’ll see.” She looked tired. She was thinner than I remembered too and it was strange seeing her without make up on. Another thing that was no longer relevant.

  “Look if he doesn’t pull his weight, we can send him on his way.”

  She nodded. “Come on, I’ll show you where we’re staying.”

  We helped Thorn up and she led us to a hidden trap door, where they used to store camp equipment.

  She knocked three times, waited a second, then knocked twice more. I heard a bolt being drawn back and the door opened.

  Before we could step inside, Troy let out a yell. We turned to find that a Fae had hold of him. A kind I’d never seen before. Guess he didn’t get an invite to the party.

  This Fae had long white quills protruding from its body, like a porcupine. It was over six feet tall with black eyes.

  “Shut the hatch,” Roxy ordered.

  The door immediately slammed shut and the locks were put back in place.

  Roxy aimed her gun at it. Thorn stood off to our left, looking shaky on his feet.

  “Let him go,” Roxy ordered.

  The Fae lifted Troy by his jacket off the ground. He used him as a shield against the gun.

  “Knee,” I whispered to Roxy.

  She glanced my way. “What?”

  “Take out its knee.”

  Roxy aimed at its right knee and pulled the trigger. The noise was deafening as the creature squealed and its leg gave out. I ran toward it ready to grab Troy. I knocked Troy clear, but the Fae lunged at me. I backed off fast, not eager to get speared.

  Thorn let out a battle cry and ran at the Fae. He tackled it hard, sending it to the ground. In the process, he managed to stab himself with several qui
lls. They broke off the Fae and were left protruding from Thorn’s chest and shoulder.

  “Roxy!” I yelled.

  She used the confusion to blow the Fae’s head off.

  “Let’s get inside. Before more of them show up.”

  Chapter 9

  I helped Thorn down into the bunker. He was bleeding but not badly. Roxy’s dad was sitting on a bunk in the corner, his leg elevated. Along with Troy there was another boy who was a little older than him and a woman in her thirties.

  The bunker was small, lit with lanterns. I sat Thorn down on a crate.

  “Do you have a first aid kit?” I asked Roxy. The ceiling was lined with cobwebs and it smelled of damp.

  “It’s fine. Just pull them out,” Thorn said.

  “No, we need some bandages first and what if that thing was poisonous?” I argued.

  Thorn wrapped his hand around the quills and pulled them free. “It isn’t.”

  “Oh and you’re the expert?” I snapped.

  “I think the words you are searching for are thank you,” he said, throwing the quills on the floor.

  “Thank you! For being an idiot,” I added.

  Roxy passed me some bandages. Thorn snatched them out of my hand and turned away to patch himself up.

  I’m sorry I’m not falling all over you! I thought. God, I am so sick of ‘heroes’. Okay, he did help out, but I didn’t need to be saved, I can handle myself.

  I got up and joined Roxy across the room. “We can’t stay here,” I said. “My mom got the military to help. If we find them, they will take everyone in. Protect us.”

  “Great. Where are they?” Roxy asked.

  “Well, I don’t actually know right now. But I’m sure they will find us.”

  She didn’t look convinced. “Uh-huh. Well while we’re waiting around to be rescued, we have a supply run to plan.”

  “I’m serious, Roxy.” Did she really think I would lie about something like that?

  “I’m sure you are, but what can the military do that we can’t? The more of us there are, the bigger the target.”

  “They have a beacon. It uses a high-pitched noise to drive off the Fae. We can travel safely.”