by Alexia Purdy
I tried to shake my head again, but the squeezing had made my muscles stiffen. The air was completely cut off, and all I could hear were the squeaks of breath trying to pass through my collapsed trachea. Was he going to kill me? But we couldn’t be killed, so what was the point of all this? To break me? To wear me down? For what?
“Arthas,” I mouthed. I heard nothing, but my lips begged him to stop. My eyes felt like they would explode out of my head as my vision slowly faded. Would he let go if I passed out? Would he continue until he could wake me to do it all again? The way he spoke of torment… it was like he’d done it to someone before. Had he?
I would go mad enduring this over and over. Of all the Ancients, there was only one who’d once been truly crazy.
Rowan.
Had he done this to her? How long had he imprisoned her like this, to nearly kill her over and over and over again? The feeling of death approaching, only to be spurned, would be pure misery. I felt my capillaries exploding as I came to the edge of blacking out.
Arthas….
I could no longer speak or rationalize anything. Begging was futile. I barely heard myself say it in my mind. Please stop. Arthas….
He leaned forward, his heated breath brushing my burning skin, hotter than molten rock.
“See you when you wake up, princess. Maybe then we can talk with a little more sense.”
Chapter Nineteen
Dylan
I paced back and forth in the small living room of Benton’s house. It used to be Shade’s home as well, but that had been a long time ago. We were no longer those people, and the past was gone now, but the memories played on repeat in my head until it ached.
“Will you stop the pacing? I’m trying to watch a show.” Benton threw me a distasteful frown as he sipped on his beer and leaned back and forth while I moved, trying to see the screen behind me. I paused, watching the events on the show he was so interested in, and shook my head.
“How can you watch this garbage?” I asked, disgusted.
“Hey, you lived in the human world for a while. You know how addictive these reality shows can be.”
I sighed and plopped onto the threadbare sofa before rubbing my face. My beard was growing in, and the stubble was rough across my palms. I probably looked like hell and hadn’t really taken a good look at myself in ages. How long had it been since I’d really taken stock of things? Far too long. Here in Shade’s family home might be the best place to do so.
“How’s James?” I asked, looking up at Benton, who’d tucked his younger brother into bed earlier. The Pyren, where his family’s magic core stood, was housed beneath this place. That’s where he’d taken James as soon as we’d gotten here to recharge. It healed them in some mysteriously magical way.
“Good. Nothing like good old family magic to perk one up. It cleared a lot of the faery residue off him. He’s exhausted but has more color in his cheeks. He said he feels loads better. Once Anna wakes up, I’m bringing her to the Pyren as well. It helps a lot.”
“I see. That’s great.” I settled back into the sofa cushions and tried to relax. I could return to the Scren with the information Ciaran had given us, but I didn’t want to leave until I saw that James was awake and fully functional. It was as good a time as any to just sit still for a moment and ponder what was going on with the magic of Faerie.
Would Shade be affected? I doubted it. Even though she was a half-blood, she’d become an Ancient of Faerie, which meant the part of her that had been human was more than likely gone. With it had gone the woman I loved. There was no bringing her back from that. The loss of her humanity had cost us everything. It had cost Soap his life. I kept having to remind myself that he wasn’t really dead, but he might as well have been. I would do my best to get him back for our daughters, but the sinking stone of failure sat heavily in my gut.
“You look like your puppy died,” Benton muttered as he reached out for the remote and pressed the mute button. His eyes flicked toward me as I pressed my lips together.
“I’m just thinking about things I cannot change.”
“Don’t we all?”
“You mustn’t dwell on such thoughts.” Isolde entered the room from the kitchen, where she’d been making a pitcher of iced tea. She offered me a glass, which I accepted graciously, and I held it out as she filled it. She did the same for Benton.
“I know. I can’t help it. This year has been a doozy. I don’t know what else could go wrong.”
“Negative thinking won’t get you anywhere,” Isolde scolded, taking a glass and filling it for herself. She sipped on her tea for a moment before continuing. “If you stay in the depths of despair, you’ll get nowhere. I suggest you look forward. Forget the past; it’s over.”
I nodded. “I know. I’ve tried to move on, but everything reminds me of Shade. I’m here in her old house, for crying out loud. It’s like she’s everywhere… in my dreams, in my children’s faces, these surroundings, every place. How do you move on when everything reeks of the past?”
Isolde leaned forward, patting my knee like a wizened grandmother. “You just take it a moment at a time. Breathe through the heartache and let time do its job soothing the pain away. Only time heals the greatest of offenses.”
I knew she was right, but it didn’t make me feel any better. As she settled back into the crook of Benton’s arm, a pang of jealously stung me. It wasn’t surprising. It was hard to see others so happy, even when I knew that maybe, in the future, I could find love again. Just not right now. Not while the hurt and wounds were so fresh.
“I ordered pizza, by the way. I’m in need of some real greasy human comfort food.” Benton grinned sheepishly, unashamed of his desire for creature comforts. I nodded. I had spent time here in this house when Shade was still in high school and had learned to appreciate the preferences of the human world. Hot, cheesy pizza would hit the spot right about now. It was the ideal food for forgetting about pain and loneliness, at least for a moment.
When the pizza arrived, I went to fetch James. As I roused him from sleep, he yawned and rubbed his eyes.
“What time is it?” he asked. Always the one to want to know the time of day. He was obsessed with it. It was a sure sign he was feeling much better.
“It’s six o’clock in the evening. Time for dinner.”
“What are we having?”
“Pizza.”
His eyes open wider. “Delivery or the frozen oven kind?”
“Delivery.” I turned and headed back out to the kitchen table where Isolde and Benton were already divvying up the slices onto paper plates and pouring soda into red plastic cups. It couldn’t get more humanlike than this. The whole scenario was completely cliché, but it somehow made me feel happy for the moment, which I hadn’t felt in a good, long while.
“Hey, Dylan. Here you go, mate. Two slices of extra cheesy meat-lovers deep dish pizza with veggies added. Just the way you like it.” Benton handed me a plate and a cup of soda. I accepted it graciously and sat on one of the chairs at the other end of the table.
Shade’s family had been a big one. There had been six people to feed in this tiny house. The table barely fit in the small eating area next to the kitchen. As we all sat there together, I admired the homey feel of the place. No matter what, this place always felt familiar, even though it wasn’t home for me. It was Shade and Benton’s home, a place where I was always welcome.
“This is so good. I’ve missed it so much!” Isolde mumbled between bites. Her moans of delight were reciprocated by the rest of us as we munched on our food.
This normalcy lifted my spirits. How long had it been since I had been able to eat a family dinner like this? Far too long. Though the company was different, it felt amazing.
“So, Dylan,” Benton mumbled between bites, “Soap mentioned to me before our last adventure that the magic in Faerie was wonky. Have you found out anything about it? It always feels strange to me, so I can’t really say if it has changed or not. It probably ha
s to do with me not being a faery.”
I wiped my mouth with a napkin and thought about what he’d said. Soap had mentioned it to me too—that the magic in Faerie was flickering, as though it were not quite stable. I had noticed a lot of odd things here and there, but nothing overt. It was small things. Charms wouldn’t work, scrying was difficult, enchantments wore off far too quickly… small things that could add up to something big.
“I can’t say that anything has markedly changed, but I do feel the life force in Faerie waning. Shade believed it was due to Kilara being ill, and that’s why she needed to take the helm as the Summer Ancient. But the magic in Faerie is still unstable, and I can feel it fluctuating unlike ever before.”
Benton nodded as he glanced at Isolde. She was also a half-blood, part faery and part Nephilim, a descendant of angels, but I could tell she had felt some disturbances as well.
“We should head to the Guildrin Court,” I said. “Ilarial returned there after helping Anna. She must have more information about what’s going on. She’d be the one to ask about anything Faerie related.”
It’d been ages since I’d been to the city of Aturine in the Guildrin Court. At least it was near here, and we’d be welcomed by its ruler, Queen Zinara.
Benton lifted an eyebrow and groaned. “I can’t go back into Faerie until we figure out what’s going on with our magic. My brother and sister were poisoned by just being in Faerie, and I could feel it trying to subdue me. I guess I’m more used to pushing away Faerie magic, but it’d be stupid to go back now, before I know anything more about what’s going on with James and Anna.”
I nodded. “True. I’ll return alone. You stay here, watch over James, and make sure you guys don’t step a foot back in Faerie until we get this resolved. You made it out once; that doesn’t guarantee a second time.”
Benton sighed as he turned to Isolde. “Do you want to go with Dylan?”
“No,” she answered right away. “I’m staying here with you. I’ve spent more time in the human world than in Faerie. My friends… the ones you met in Detroit?” She glanced at Benton to see if he remembered; he did. “They’re safe for now, and they know I’m here. They can contact me whenever they need to, so I’d rather stay.”
Benton nodded and turned toward me. “I guess it’s up to you, Dylan. I hate to leave you alone in this but—”
I stopped him. “No worries. I’ll go to Ilarial and see if she knows anything. It’s really not a problem.”
A knock on the door made us all jump. I got up, wondering if the pizza guy had forgotten something. Had we signed the credit card receipt?
I swung open the door to find Anna and Nautilus standing on the front step.
“Anna! You’re okay! Nautilus.” I threw the former Teleen Captain of the Guard a curt nod as I opened the door wider to let them in. “Please come in. We have pizza if you’re hungry.”
“Thank you, I’m starving! Hospital food is so bland and disgusting.” Anna hopped over to James and threw her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a tight hug. “James! Thank God. I was so worried.”
“Anna! I’m good. It was you who had me worried.” James let her squeeze him until he complained for air. She let go and went over to Benton and Isolde to give them the same treatment.
“Hey, sis, how are you feeling? I didn’t know they’d let you out.”
“I wasn’t in prison, Benton.” Anna crossed her arms and pouted.
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, yeah. I woke up today and demanded to be released. It was surreal, and I didn’t know where I was, but Nautilus helped me and updated me on what was happening. I can’t believe the magic of Faerie rejected me!”
“You’re all better now though, right?” Benton held her at arm’s length, scrutinizing her. She tugged away.
“I’m fine. Really. Still a bit weak, but Nautilus says the Pyren should help. If you’ll excuse me, I would love to take a slice of pizza with me down there while I charge up.”
Benton nodded and handed her a plate and a cup. She excused herself as Nautilus stayed behind with us, picking up a plate for himself.
“It’s good to see you, Nautilus,” I said. We’d had our differences, but it wasn’t a lie; it was damn good to see another Teleen here in the human world.
“It’s good to see you again too, Dylan. I’m just relieved Anna and James are out of Faerie. Something is not right.”
“I’m heading to Guildrin in the morning to see if Ilarial has any insight about what’s happening.”
Nautilus perked up at this. “If you don’t mind, I’ll go with you. Anna should stay here with Benton. I told her returning to Faerie is completely out of the question, but you know she doesn’t listen to me.” He turned toward Benton. “She’ll listen to you, though.”
Benton winked and gave Nautilus a fist bump. “I got this. No worries. I’ll keep your princess in this tower until you get back. Even if she doesn’t listen to me, I’m way more powerful than she is.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Nothing like a real-life Rapunzel, heh?”
“Right. Just try to be chill about it. Thanks, bro.” Nautilus visibly relaxed as he sat to eat his food. He’d been as tense as the rest of us the entire time Anna was hospitalized, from what I could tell. We all looked worn and torn from the troubles of Faerie.
“Then that settles it. Tomorrow, we head out to Guildrin,” I said, holding my cup up even though I’d already drunk half of the soda. “Here’s to getting some answers. Cheers!”
Chapter Twenty
Shade
I awoke in darkness, the sound of dripping water and the smell of moss and stale air surrounding me. My head ached liked when I was human, and the dress I wore was damp and torn.
How had I gotten here?
I shook my head, my memory failing on every account. There was a black void where recent events should be, but I could not see past it. Cut off from my memory, I recounted my name and who I was to make sure I hadn’t been completely erased.
My name is Shade Dyer, Summer Ancient of Faerie, former ruler of the Scren Palace, mother of….
I stopped, frowning at the memories flooding me once more. They didn’t seem to mean much to me anymore. They should. Why did I feel nothing?
“Arthas!” I called out, listening to my voice echo against stone and masonry. Wherever I was, it was old, an ancient place void of power yet full of essence, but I couldn’t say of what. “What did you do to me?” I pushed my hands against the slick stones, attempting to get off my knees. My legs failed, and I stayed seated as though I’d run miles and my muscles refused to cooperate.
What was this place?
“I’ve had enough of your jokes, Arthas!” I screeched. There was no response in the darkness as my eyes adjusted to the dim light spilling in from above.
I was in a dark hole, a deeply buried dungeon of some sort, but how had Arthas put me here and why? Also, where were my powers? I reached my hands out in front of me, conjuring from my chest the mass of power that did my bidding. It remained dormant and unusable, but I could feel it twitching, aching to work, but too tired to answer my call.
What had he done to my magic? Had he bound it somehow? If so, he had used a human, another person to bind with my powers. I’d learned long ago when I’d been bound to Corb that only humans could be bound to Ancients. Like I used to be. Only humans. So who had Arthas bound me to?
I hoped he hadn’t done it, because if he had, I was in trouble. Stripped of my power, I was as vulnerable as a human and at the mercy of whoever held the reins to my magic.
“Hello?” I called out once more, hoping someone would eventually come by. I listened, concentrating on the minute noises beyond the drip, drip, drip of water and the distant running of an underground stream. Wherever this was, I was in a forgotten place, much like the oubliette I’d spent time in with Dylan when magic was new to me and love even more unknown.
I shut my eyes, willing my heart to flutter at the lovely memory. I loved
Dylan. He was the only one who had my back, ruling at my side at the Scren. He was the father of my children. He was my husband.
Was? No!
I reached for the place my wedding ring had occupied for years but found it empty, the skin soft and undented from the lack of a ring. How had it gotten this far? I shook my head, confused by the lack of tears stinging my eyes. My soul darkened further. I was empty even though I was full of Faerie magic. I’d give anything to turn back the clock and return to better times.
“Arthas, you’ll pay for this,” I hissed, crossing my arms around my body, grateful for the lack of the cold. It should be cold here. My senses told me this, but my faery magic shielded me from it. At least I had that going for me. I sat on the frigid cobblestones of the floor, brushing dirt and old hay away from it, my dress pooling around me. I had to find a way out of this place, but how? Whatever curse Arthas had placed upon me was going to take some finagling to break.
Four walls to keep you here.
Cold stone to match your fears.
Nowhere else to run and hide,
From a dark and twisted mind.
I jumped to my feet, spinning around to locate the source of the groaning whisper as it repeated the verse, but it echoed around me, disembodied. I couldn’t pinpoint it for there was nothing but darkness and dampness here.
“What do you want?” I called out, scanning the walls and roof of this prison.
The whisper abruptly stopped. The silence following it was just as unnerving.
“Corb?” I called out, afraid this wasn’t Arthas’s doing but maybe my other mentor’s. But it was Arthas who I had seen last, fiery anger in his twinkling black eyes as I had called him out. Maybe I’d been too blunt. Maybe I should have used Arthas the way he wanted to use me. Not for pleasure but for power. To gain more ground in the Land of Faerie. But why would I want more? I had enough already. I had given everything up for this power, to keep my family safe, and with it had gone every other care in the world.
