by J. C. Lucas
Dazed, I heard the guys groaning around me as I lay still trying to get my breath back. Flopping over, my eyes opened to a cloudless purple sky. I thought it was daytime, but the three half-moons in the sky threw me off. I checked to make sure Hunter and Teagan were ok. They both stood watching me, perfectly fine.
My beanie had been torn from my head in the crash, and I was so happy to find it beside me. Worried I might lose it, I tucked it into one of the many pockets lining my suit for safekeeping. I rolled my eyes at both guys as I turned to look around.
We stood in a clearing, much like the clearing where the oak tree stood, except this one was not the same. The grass was brown and dead. The trees surrounding us were bare and looked scorched. Small lizard-like creatures sprinted over the dead branches, and my ears twitched as I realized I heard the skittering of their feet over the bark.
Just then, a sharp pain lanced through my eyes, causing me to cry out. I took my glasses off, pressing my fingers against my eyes, trying to ease the burning pain. I heard Hunter and Teagan arguing behind me, and the pain only intensified.
“SHUT UP!” I screamed.
Silence engulfed the forest. The pain eased, and I pulled my hands away, squinting as I opened my eyes. I wish I had kept them shut.
In the dead woods ahead of me, there were weird creatures. All of them standing still, staring. It terrified me. Grouped together, they were bizarre and frightening figures. What stunned me more than the fact they were there was that I wasn’t wearing my glasses, and I could see them all crystal clear.
“Guys,” I whispered, but they didn't respond. “Guys!” I whispered louder.
Still, there was no response. Afraid, I turned to look behind me. They were still in the same spot from before, but their mouths were sewn shut. Black thread ran through their lips, reminding me of scarecrows I had seen in cornfields. Hunter’s eyes showed sheer amusement, but Teagan’s were most definitely not amused. He was furious, and it appeared directed at me. He pointed to his mouth and then pointed back to me. Glancing back at the woods, the creatures hadn’t moved. Looking back at him again, I pointed at myself.
“Me?”
He nodded and pointed again at his mouth. It took me a minute to figure out that I had done this. When I told them to shut up, somehow, I had literally caused them to “shut up.” I looked at them, amazed, wondering how in the world I did that. I knew I had to do something to make them talk again, and the only way I could think of to make that happen was to do the opposite of what I had done before. So, I took a chance.
“Talk!”
Still, they stood there with their mouths sewn shut. Nothing changed. Hunter rolled his eyes at me this time and Teagan shook his head hard, his hair shifting with the movement. He made a gesture with his hand and pointed to me again. So, I guess I was supposed to do that too? It couldn’t hurt. I mimicked the motion and yelled again.
“Talk!”
Threads fell from their mouths onto the ground, and they wiped away the rest.
I stared at my hands, amazed. I did that? It scared me a little that I was able to do something that might harm someone with a few words. And I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a little exciting that I had this kind of power too. It was exhilarating and scary all at once.
“Sorry, guys. I didn’t know something like that would happen,” I apologized, looking down at my feet. “And, um, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but we’ve got company,” I stated, pointing toward the woods.
“Don't worry about them, Andie. They’re not here to harm us. They’re more interested in what we’re doing here. If they wanted to do us harm, they wouldn’t be waiting,” Teagan told me. “If you can see them, then your Fae powers have been activated fully. You won’t need these anymore either.” He plucked the glasses from my hands and put them in one of his pockets.
“Yeah, if they weren’t working, you wouldn’t see anything strange. It would look like normal woods, normal sky,” Hunter added as he gathered the packs that had been thrown away from us when we landed.
Handing them to us, he looked around, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. “Okay, time to get going. Something is coming, and I don’t want to be around when it gets here. We will have to work swiftly to find the Key.”
“I wonder what his deal is. I can’t ever gauge his mood. One minute he’s nice, the next he is aloof or being a jerk,” I said plaintively to Teagan as Hunter walked off.
He agreed and looked thoughtful as he and I watched Hunter walk along the border of the woods, taunting the creatures still watching us. They were more restless now with Hunter’s actions.
“He’s a Were shifter. They’re always moody. Don’t take it personally. Rarely do they let anyone outside of their pack close to them, emotionally or physically. The fact that he’s even here says a lot about his loyalty to Aine and this mission. Believe me, I’m not fond of him either. He doesn’t like Warlocks and has taken a real dislike to me.”
“Why, Teagan? Why wouldn't all the different groups want to work together? Wouldn’t everyone be stronger if they did?” I asked. “I really want to understand how the dynamics of the Fae, Warlocks, and Weres work. You know, newbie here.”
Teagan laughed at my response. “Come on. Let’s go, or else I think Hunter will freak out on us.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me after him. “I’ll explain it as we go and hopefully give you enough information to satisfy you.”
We followed Hunter to a small path on the other side of the woods, opposite of where our earlier audience had been.
Chapter Nine
We walked forever through the stark, dead woods. Teagan filled me in on all the various groups and how they stayed to themselves, only aiding others when urgently needed. They weren’t enemies but never mixed well because of past grievances. Hunter interjected a few times with snarky comments about Warlocks and Witches, but he seemed to have a soft side for the Fae. Which was a good thing, since I was half-Fae.
Rounding the bend, Hunter stopped, throwing his arms out, silently telling us to fall behind. He sniffed the air and growled while Teagan pulled me back further from him. Seeing a large boulder nearby, Teagan put his finger to his lips.
As we crouched behind the large stone, there was rustling in the brush ahead, and I peeked around the rock. A huge black wolf stood in the spot where Hunter had been, his suit in pieces on the ground.
Hunter had shifted to the wolf to protect us.
Covering my mouth, I stifled a gasp at the hideous creature standing in front of him. Boils covered its hairless body, and short tusks curved out alongside a pig-like snout. Its eyes were blood-red, and it had dagger-like talons for fingers. The monster stomped its feet several times at Hunter, and he responded with a roar. Lowering his head and sprinting forward, he jumped at the bizarre thing, raking his claws against its throat, blood spurting out of the deep gash he made. The monster screamed, the noise echoing through the woods, making me cringe as it thrashed without mercy. I couldn’t look away from the deadly fight, terrified for what might happen to Hunter.
“We have to do something!” I whispered to Teagan.
Hunter advanced again, slashing his claws at the stomach of the vile creature, before jumping behind it. Confused, the monster stood stunned for a moment before it howled, moving around to face Hunter. It swiped out as he moved backward, and a talon sliced into Hunter's shoulder. The wolf wasn’t fazed; he only became more enraged. He engaged the monster in a frenzy, and they battled in earnest, moving so fast my eyes couldn’t keep up with what was going on and who was hurt worse.
They rolled around on the ground, arms swinging until Hunter snagged the beast by the throat with his teeth, shaking viciously until it lay limp and unmoving. Rising from the ground, Hunters body twisted and turned, bones and joints cracking as he shifted back into his naked human form. My cheeks heated, and I looked away. Teagan gave me a stern look before walking around the boulder toward Hunter.
“Andie, you can come out now,”
Hunter called in a jovial voice.
Instant anger bubbled up in my chest at the sound of him so carefree after I had been terrified for him. Charging from around the rock, he had his suit back on, and the strange velcro suddenly made sense. It made it easier for him to shift without destroying his clothing each time.
Deep gashes covered his face and neck, and blood ran in rivulets from them. I worried about the extent of the injuries he sustained that weren’t visible to us. My heart stopped at the thought, and in my panic, blood rushed to my head, making me woozy. The guys noticed my distress and were by my side, supporting me before I fell. Both of their faces were grim.
“I’m okay, guys—I swear.”
Teagan didn’t believe me. The worry in his eyes was heartwarming. Putting his arms under my knees, he lifted me up, carrying me away from the gruesome scene. He carefully sat me down on a patch of dry grass and grabbed a bottled water from one pack, putting it to my lips.
“Here, drink. This will make you feel better,” he mumbled, concern etched on his features.
“Really, Teagan, I promise I’m okay. I’m more concerned about Hunter’s injuries. Are you okay, Hunter?” I called over my shoulder.
Walking into my line of vision, he stood still for me to look him over. Most of the gashes and cuts on his face and neck were almost healed. Steely eyes bored into mine.
“Please, I’m perfectly fine. Those were just scratches, and they’re almost healed. That’s the advantage of being a shifter—we heal fast. We don’t have to resort to magic to heal ourselves,” he said in a cocky voice. “If you think you’re well enough to head out, we’d better go. I want to find a secure spot to camp tonight, and I don’t need a weakling holding us back.” He sneered.
Great. The jerk is back again. Why had I even been concerned about him?
Anger simmered in my chest, and I was about to seriously give him a piece of my mind when Teagan jumped up from beside me, closing the distance between him and Hunter so fast I barely saw him move.
“Man, what is your problem? Why do you have to be an idiot and treat everyone like crap?” he asked, getting in Hunter’s face. He pointed at Hunter’s chest. “Andie has nothing to do with what happened. There’s no reason to be a jerk to her. Treat me however you want, I don’t care, but leave her out of it!”
I’d never seen him this mad before.
With arms crossed tightly in front of him and an eyebrow raised, Hunter stayed silent the entire time Teagan ranted. But from the look on his face, he’d hit his limit.
“I don't have a problem with Andie. Yet. And you’re right, I will treat you however I want. I can’t stand you Warlocks, and I won’t pretend I’m happy to be here. But I’ll do anything Aine asks me to do. To keep our people from perishing, I will do what’s necessary,” he hissed, turning back toward the path. “Let’s go!” he bellowed over his shoulder.
Scrambling, I grabbed my pack and gave Teagan a furtive glance as I followed Hunter. Maybe tonight at camp, Teagan could explain why there was so much bad blood between the two of them.
I tried to keep some distance between Hunter and me as we walked single file down the small path. The further we walked, the more the surrounding scenery changed. Some trees had green leaves, and patches of small white flowers burst through the dead grass. The purple sky was gradually changing to dark blue, and close by, water flowed. Ahead of us, through the dead woods, an abundance of more green vegetation grew. The path ended at a fork, and Hunter stopped, listening and smelling the air. Deciding to go left, he trudged down at a quicker pace. I struggled to keep up; I was worn out and knew I would need to stop for a break soon. My stomach growled, reminding me it had been hours since I last ate. After hiking for a good while, the path ended, and we stood on a stone cliff jutting out over a valley of large red flowers.
Hunter and Teagan looked over the side of the cliff, Teagan’s eyes lighting up as he pointed to our right, where a cave opening was nested into the wall. We scrambled over small boulders and brush to get to it. The opening wasn’t huge but big enough for us to duck into.
“Stay here, Andie. We’ll go inside to make sure it’s safe, and that nothing’s in there,” Teagan said, setting his pack down beside me.
The thought of something lurking in there gave me the heebie jeebies.
“Okay, but if you're not back out soon, I'm coming in to look for you,” I stated with a bravado I didn’t feel. I already had my fill of excitement for the day.
They ducked into the cave, and I sat on a rock to wait and catch my breath. Looking around, the woods we traveled through weren’t visible from this vantage point, only the massive rock face of the cliff that stretched on for miles. High above, there were several other small openings in the rocks. The wind picked up, and wisps of my hair that had escaped the braid flew up into my eyes. As I tucked them behind my ears, a painful pinch on my ankle made me look down.
There, crouched in a defensive posture by my foot, was a fairy. This one was different from the ones in the forest that had been so happy to see me. Armor made of bark covered its body, and its wings resembled dead leaves. The fairy looked up at me with an evil smile and meanness glowed in its eyes. Its grubby little hand held a sharp metal pin.
The pain began to spread through my foot into my lower leg, causing me to gasp aloud as the fairy yelled in a language I couldn’t understand, shaking its fist at me. My leg felt like it was boiling from the inside out, the skin around the wound turning a dark red. That stupid evil fairy hopped from foot to foot in glee, watching me writhe.
The pain was so intense I couldn't help but cry out, right as the fairy was lifted into the air, suspended in front of me, its look of glee replaced by horror.
Teagan stood at the entrance of the cave, his hands thrust out in front of him as he chanted a spell. Fury lined his face, determination fierce in his eyes as he glared at the fairy. Smoke curled as flames flickered at its feet before consuming the fairy’s entire body. It screamed long and loud before the sound abruptly died. Teagan made a swift motion with his hand, and he flung the dead fairy over the cliff into the red fields below.
The boiling pain spread over most of my leg, making me dizzy from the rawness. Hunter picked me up and ducked into the cave, setting me down gently on the ground to lie with one of the packs under my head.
“It hurts!” I sobbed, holding myself as still as possible because every movement made the fire in my leg ten times more painful. “What’s happening to me?” I cried out, fearful as Teagan and Hunter both looked at each other, worry heavy in their eyes.
“It’s poison, Andie. That little bugger had a poison dart,” Hunter spat angrily.
Teagan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small knife.
“This will hurt, Andie, but we’ve got to get the poison out. That was a wood sprite, and they kill with poison darts. Hunter, you will have to hold her down.” He motioned toward my legs before sitting down by my feet. Pushing my pants leg up, he took the injured ankle in hand.
“Ready?” he asked me, voice filled with confidence. I nodded, biting my lip to keep from screaming in pain. Through the pain, I realized I did something I usually wouldn’t do. I trusted him.
“One, two, three!” He slashed a small cut over the wound as Hunter held my shoulders down. I jerked at the pain, and black liquid gushed out from the injury, slimy and foul. That was the last thing I saw before blackness consumed me.
I sat in a chair, my legs tied to it and my arms restrained behind my back. The room was dim, with no light but a few candles, and smelled foul. A woman with midnight black hair stood in front of me, her pointed ears lined with jewels stuck out from between the dark strands of her hair. Her red dress flowed as she paced in front of me. Bare feet peeked out from under the dress as they touched down on the stone floor.
“Now that we have you, I’m not sure what to do with you,” she murmured. “You are too powerful to kill, so we must find a way to use you to help us destroy our enemies. You WILL
tell us where they are!” She stopped in front of me, bending down to my eye level, her green eyes flashing hatred. Her red lips sneered, and then she laughed, a deep, dark, evil laugh that made my insides quiver.
I would never tell her what she wants. Never!
Disgust for this woman spilled out of my pores, and the energy built inside me, so strong it consumed me. I knew that I needed to let it go before exploding. Though I was restrained, she couldn’t keep me prisoner. My body arched forward, unleashing the power trapped inside of me in a rush, and the room exploded around me...
There was shouting, but I couldn’t tell where it came from. My body ached, and my stomach rolled. Groaning, I opened my eyes, and dust motes floated in the air. Small pebbles of rock surrounded me on the ground.
“She’s awake. Andie, can you hear me?” Teagan’s voice sounded as though it came from far away, and I heard Hunter replying to him as they cautiously approached me. Both had white dust covering them from head to toe, and a few pebbles fell from their hair as they brushed themselves off.
“Wha... What happened?” I croaked. My throat was impossibly dry as if I hadn't had a drink in days. My whole body ached, and my head was pounding. The dream was still at the forefront of my mind, and something niggled at my brain that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
“They poisoned you, Andie. Somehow the Fomori found out you were here and commissioned a wood sprite to kill you,” Teagan stated plainly. He wasn’t surprised at all.
“Then how am I still here if they poisoned me? It doesn’t seem like they knew what they were doing at all because it didn’t work,” I scoffed, sitting up and dusting the dirt and rocks out of my hair and off my clothes. Wincing, my body felt like it had been used as a punching bag.
“Are you serious?” Hunter exploded.
