The Violet Line

by Bilinda Ni Siodacain

  I sat on the bed. He was right; they would kill me and I did need a better plan. Most of my hopes were riding on the fact that they wanted me to be there dark queen so badly that they would grant me some last requests before they tried to change me.

  “I have no other choice. There is no one I can turn to for help; well, not unless you can help me?” I looked at him hopefully and then back at Emily, who smiled at me sadly. He watched the floor for a moment and the silence in the room was unbearable. My heart sank and I wanted to jump up and scream or do something as equally childish. I could feel the tension building and then he spoke quietly.

  “I’m afraid we can’t. We’re not allowed to interfere; the laws forbid it because of the long standing feud and uneasy truce between our fey folk and their kind. As much as I long to help you, Jade, I’m not allowed to and technically neither is your mother. If we did interfere to aide you, it would be a violation of our laws and the law between our respective groups. It would mean war and your mother and I and possibly you could be put to death for the violation. It hasn’t been directly specified that your mother shouldn’t interfere, but it has been hinted at.” He walked over to me, knelt down in front of me and looked into my face. “Jade, you have to know that I would help you if it were possible but I can’t; you must understand this. I can’t risk war between our kind and theirs all because you love Sam. The risk is too high a price to pay for something so uncertain and changeable.”

  I couldn’t stop the words pouring from my mouth in a vehement torrent. “You think my love for Sam is UNCERTAIN and CHANGEABLE! You don’t believe it is worth the risk; you don’t think I am worth the risk? Well, let me tell you this; without him, I am nothing. If I don’t do this and he dies, I will die with him. My place is by his side fighting with him against them, not staying here and hiding away from them in the hopes that one day they might get bored. I can’t stay here and let him risk himself anymore in the hope that he can save me from them. I just won’t do it. And if you’re not willing to accept that then I don’t want anything more to do with you and your kind!”

  He reached his hand out and tried to cover mine but I jerked away and jumped to my feet.

  “Don’t touch me. I’ll find somebody else who can help me, who believes in me and what I’m trying to do. I certainly won’t hide like a coward.”

  With that, I stormed from the room and down the stairs. I stumbled into the kitchen, my anger still bubbling beneath the surface until I saw Lorcan still sitting at the table. I couldn’t help letting my anger out on him too.

  “Why did you bring me here? Why did you even tell me what you did? Did you enjoy seeing what it does to me? Couldn’t you just have left me alone to do what I had to do? All I wanted was to find Sam and bring him home. I never wanted any of this other stuff but you just had to tell me!”

  He sat in silence listening to my anger boil forth. My tears coursed in hot tracks down my face until I couldn’t shout anymore. It wasn’t his fault; he was simply doing a favour. With this thought, I ran from the kitchen, out through the back door and into the garden and field beyond the house. I ran until my lungs burned and my legs grew heavy. I still ran on, hoping to outrun my pain and disappointment. I had really hoped they would help me and now I felt as lost as I had in the beginning. I was certainly no further along in finding Sam then I had been; I was failing him.

  My legs gave way beneath me and I fell in a tangled heap near the edge of the woods in the field. Drawing myself upwards, I sat on the ground. Tucking my legs under my chin and wrapping my arms around them, I simply sat there. I had run a good bit away; the house was now just a small dot in the distance. How had everything gone so wrong and when had it become so complicated? I felt like Alice when she fell down the rabbit hole; everything was different here and I didn’t know if I was coming or going anymore. I had wanted so badly for them to help me and I knew it was irrational for me to be angry, but I really couldn’t help it; I was still human.

  I sat on the ground and I could feel the damp soaking up through the bottom of my jeans. Looking at the sky, it really was beautiful here; blue, pink and purple hues swept across the sky like someone had taken a paint brush and simply placed them there. I stared hard at the cloudless sky and watched as stars began to appear among the pinks and purples. They looked bigger here for some reason, as though when you were in this place you were closer to them. The air ruffled the short grass and I shivered. I should probably go back, I thought as I stood up stiffly and dusted myself off.

  A twig snapped somewhere in the woods behind me and I spun around, but I couldn’t see anything in the darkened trees. Scolding myself, I turned again and began to walk back towards the house but a hand clamped across my mouth and an arm snaked around my waist, pinning my arms to my sides, and lifted me clean off my feet. I kicked out and tried to wriggle out of his grip but I couldn’t; he was bigger than me and much stronger. He turned us and dashed back into the woods, all the time carrying me in front of him as though I weighed little more than feather. I couldn’t release my arms enough to grab him and use my power. Just as suddenly as he had grabbed me, he dropped me onto the forest floor. I landed on my backside and scrambled to get away but each time I turned, he stood in front of me. I looked up and realised with shock who my abductor was.

  “Lorcan, what the hell are you doing?” I questioned, angry that he had first of all frightened me so much and secondly, that he had snuck up on me so easily and I hadn’t been able to defend myself against him. He laughed as I pulled myself back onto my feet and brushed my clothes down angrily.

  “Well, I heard what you said to your parents back there and I could hardly talk to you about it in hearing range of your dad, now could I? He’d kill me for sure. But what I was thinking was that I could help you. That’s if you wanted me to help you. I know I’m not the best fighter in the world, but I am strong and I’m fast and I can glamour; the vampires can’t compete with that. I’ll understand if you don’t want my help; I know I’m only really a last resort and even at that, probably still not good enough, but I might be some help.” His eyes shone with suppressed excitement as he spoke but I didn’t understand why he would want to help me; after all, wouldn’t that get them all in trouble?

  “I thought you couldn’t interfere, that it would start off some sort of war or something.”

  He smiled this time and the excitement poured off him in waves. “Yeah, that really only applies to the fairies. The leprechauns never had a feud with the vampires; we prefer to leave well enough alone. But you know what the fey are like; always poking their noses in where they don’t belong and bossing others around.” He paused and scratched his head. “Well, I suppose you don’t know what they’re like really since this is your first time meeting them. But yeah, totally into bossing others around. The last time it happened they took it a step too far and before you know it the whole thing goes kaboom and everyone is in the shit. Fairies are being attacked by vampires, vampires are dying from fey poisoning and then the whole issue of fairy blood came up; vampires become addicted to it. It’s a bit like their version of crack cocaine; one bite and they’re hooked. And none of it would have happened if they hadn’t started the war. It’s part of the reason the fey had to go underground; too many of them were being attacked by vampires. So you see, I could help you and there would be no repercussions. Well, apart from your dad maybe killing me but I’m sure we could work that one out if you promise to stay alive.”

  He grinned at me and I couldn’t stop the same look from creeping over my face, but I quickly sobered. He was a nice guy and we were quickly becoming friends. I didn’t want anything to happen to him. I wouldn’t have him getting involved in something that had the potential to kill him; I wanted to save Sam but not at the expense of someone else.

  “Look, Lorcan, it’s a really lovely offer but I don’t think I can drag you into this. I mean, I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you and I don’t want you risking your life for someone
you barely know.” He looked at me seriously as I spoke before beginning to laugh once more. It seemed to be the only thing he was really good at; if all else failed he could simply laugh the vampires to death. I kept my face as serious as I waited for him to stop his giggling.

  “Jade, seriously, do you honestly think I would offer to do something I didn’t think I could do? I’m not thick. And really, all I’m offering is to give you a hand. I mean, I’m not offering you my life or anything and if you don’t let me come, I’ll simply follow you and possibly abduct you at the most inconvenient time simply to ask you pointless questions about inane subjects. So now you really don’t have a choice in the matter; either you let me help you or suffer the wrath of serial abductor Lorcan Fitzgearld!” His declaration caused me to splutter out a choking laugh but I could see from his face that in a way he was being serious and he was a big boy; he knew what he was getting himself into. After all, he had saved me from the vampire in the club without too much hassle.

  “Fine. Looks like you’re not exactly leaving me with a choice, now are you? You can help me.” I tried not to seem too pleased; I really didn’t want him to get hurt but I was glad to have someone powerful on my side. He snorted at my reply.

  “Jeez, don’t get too excited. I mean, I didn’t just offer to help you fight some vampires and also go against your dad’s wishes, all in one fell swoop.”

  I smiled. “Lorcan, I am grateful but I am also worried. I already have the guilt of Sam being taken without adding to that guilt with something happening to you and it being my fault. You promise me you’ll be careful?”

  Smiling, he replied, “Yes mother, I promise; scouts honour!” He saluted me as he spoke. “So, can we go then or do you want to go back and say goodbye to your parents? Do you think it’d be wise? Your dad would see straight through me.” He chewed nervously on his lip as he spoke and I had to agree with him that going back now, no matter how much I wanted to, would probably be a bad idea.

  “No, you’re right. Let’s get going; going back would only prolong things and cause problems. You do know the way out of here, don’t you?”

  “Yup, I surely do; didn’t I get you in here? I go to the human world all the time, so of course I know the way in and out; almost like the back of my hand at this point. Hmm, but we’ll have to walk. I doubt you’re very fast, are you? I could just blink us there but you’d be chucking up everything you ate for at least an hour afterwards. It’s not really worth it to you so we’ll just have to walk. Hmm, maybe if I drag you, we could get there faster?”

  I stared at him as he spoke. “You’re not dragging me through the woods. We’re not back in the stone age where you can simply drag me around the place by my hair.”

  “Hey, I wouldn’t drag you by the hair, Jade; by the arm, yes, but by the hair is a bit stupid.”

  I sighed. “Lorcan, have you ever heard of a little thing called sarcasm? I know you wouldn’t drag me by the hair, but dragging me in general is out of the question. Okay?”

  He blushed furiously. “Oh right, yeah; well, I thought... hmmm, got ya. No dragging; walking it is.”

  He was innocent in so many ways that I hoped I was doing the right thing. Maybe I should simply have refused his help point blank; I really didn’t want anything to happen to him. But I wasn’t his keeper and if he wanted to do it, who was I to really argue with him? I nodded at him. “Ok then, lead the way. Let’s get back to the real world and kick some vampire ass!”

  He jumped up with excitement. “Follow me.”

  As he set off at a fast trot into the woods, I stumbled to keep up to him and in the pit of my stomach, I felt nervous about what lay ahead. I wasn’t sure how we would find where the vampires held Sam, but I knew we had to figure it out. Maybe if I was lucky, they would send me another message and I could get some clues from it. I wasn’t so sure. I stumbled after him, tripping over fallen logs and other debris in my hurry to keep up, and in my heart I prayed it would all work out.

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  I followed Lorcan as quickly as I could but he was much faster than me, his legs carrying him further ahead of me with each stride. I stumbled several times and it wasn’t until I actually tumbled over a particularly well hidden log in the darkened forest that I was forced to admit defeat. Poised on my already well bruised knees, I looked around but he was nowhere to be seen; he was just too fast for me to keep up with him.

  “Lorcan!” My voice rang out around me, only to be bounced back from the surrounding trees. I dragged myself to my feet and shouted again; surely he couldn’t have gotten that far ahead of me. I once again began trotting through the trees as fast as I could without letting myself fall head first over every branch that littered the forest floor; the last thing I wanted or needed was to fall and really hurt myself.

  “Lorcan, come back! I fell and you travel too fast for me to keep up! Come on, it’s not funny. I need help!”

  A cacophony of animal noises started up in response to my shouting; birds flapped and some smaller animals rustled nearby, but it was the howling that really held my attention and caused my heart to beat faster. What if there were wolves out here and Lorcan didn’t come back in time? The thoughts flashed through my brain, forcing me to run faster, not caring now whether I tripped over rocks or branches just as long as I caught up to Lorcan. My heart thudded in my ears as I flew through the trees. My clothes caught in branches and twigs scraped at my skin, but I didn’t care anymore. I came to a shuddering halt as I crashed into a very broad chest that suddenly appeared in front of me as though he had been dropped from the tree branches. I screamed in surprise but a large rough hand clamped down over my mouth and Lorcan’s breath tickled my ear as he spoke.

  “Shh. Jesus, Jade, you’re thumping around in the woods like some sort of an elephant. Can you not hear the heart hounds starting up? You’ve disturbed them with your roaring. Come on. You better hope I can run you out of here faster than they catch up to us because if they do, well, let’s just say people don’t normally go shouting and trouncing through the fey forests for very good reason.”

  He slowly lifted his hand from my mouth and I sucked in a large breath as he cocked his ears to listen. “Come on now, run this time; light on the balls of your feet.”

  With this, he grabbed my wrist and took off at a very fast trot, much faster than anything I could achieve at a full tilt run. His grip was tight on my wrist and it hurt like hell, but at least this time I couldn’t get separated from him as he ran. He stopped suddenly and I crashed into the back of him once more, grunting in surprise as only his grip kept me upright.

  “Jade, seriously, come on. You’re part fey; you can run better than this. Try please, or we’re not going to get out of here.” As he spoke, I could hear loud thrashing in the undergrowth behind us that seemed to be gaining on us.

  “Lorcan, I can’t. I was never good at sports and I really can’t run; I don’t think I got that gene from the fairies.”

  “You did; you just don’t know how to use it. Jade, you’re going to have to try or they will catch us.”

  The crashing and snapping of twigs grew louder as he spoke and he ran again, dragging me behind him like some sort of unwanted rag doll. I tried to run the way he wanted me to, but I didn’t seem to have the ability; it probably had something to do with the fact I didn’t have access to all my powers. I could hear their snarling and growling as they began to close in behind us but I dared not to look behind me in case I fell on my face and dragged Lorcan down with me. We zigzagged through the forest as Lorcan did his best to shake them from our tail, but to no avail. I grabbed at him in terror as he came to a thundering halt once again.

  “Jesus, Lorcan, they’re right behind us. Why are you stopping?”

  He didn’t answer but instead grabbed me and pulled me in close against his chest. The snarling and growling grew unbearably loud as he held me in a tight bear hug. A faint glow swamped my vision and I felt completely weightless; it was the most wonderful exp
erience I had ever felt. It tingled in my veins like bubbles in champagne and when I opened my eyes again, the forest was once more surrounding us but it seemed different somehow. I couldn’t hear the snarling anymore and the attack I had been certain was coming never arrived. Looking up at Lorcan’s face, I beamed at him. He’d done it; he’d saved me again – and I wasn’t altogether sure how he’d done it.

  Gently, he released me from his grip and I stumbled backwards, trying to regain my balance. As he stepped away from me, my feeling of wellbeing dissipated and just as suddenly as we had arrived, I felt my stomach catching up with me. I watched his face turn sheepish.

  “This is why I didn’t want to blink us here; I knew this would happen. You’re not used to that mode of travel. I’m so sorry, Jade.”

  But I wasn’t really listening to his explanation. I broke away from him and doubled over at the base of the nearest bush. All I had eaten making a sudden unwanted reappearance. He stood awkwardly to one side as I continued to throw up everything I had consumed and didn’t try to speak to me until I slumped back onto my backside on the dirt.

  “Are you ok? I really didn’t want this to happen but I didn’t know another way of getting us out of there fast enough to be away from them.”

  I nodded, not daring to open my mouth again for fear I wasn’t yet finished. I knew it wasn’t his fault and he had already warned me about that particular type of travel, but it still didn’t make it any easier. I suppose it served me right for drawing attention to us in the first place, I thought as I sat on the ground and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand until a handkerchief appeared below my nose. I took it from him gratefully. I wiped my face as I stared at the ground, waiting for my stomach to settle before I chanced standing upright.