Ever Wrath (5 page)

THE EDGE OF
Faerie was like staring out a plate glass window. Chicago looked like a bustling town beyond the see-through ward. It was one of the few left standing with Arthas and Aveta still rapidly pulling them down left and right. They passed by this barrier silently, observing the pollution and loud honking of cars as they continued on toward the outlying land around Chicago, where Rowan’s sanctuary lay.

“You sure we can trust these two?” Nautilus nudged her as they made their way along the border of Faerie.

“No.” Shade was in no mood to talk, even with Nautilus.

“Quite reassuring. Look, I
don’t know what you know about the Ancients, but this is serious stuff. They can pulverize you if you get on their bad side, just like that.” He snapped his fingers, but she ignored it.

“We have no choice.”

“Have you been to Chicago before?”

“No.
I’ve never really lived anywhere but Oregon.”

“Maybe we should check it out one day. Heard there
’s tons of good food there.”

Shade peered over toward Nautilus, hoping he was joking. He wasn’t. His face was hopeful, probably holding out for her to say yes to him. Turning away, she gulped and pushed the thought from her head.

“One day I’ll travel. But that won’t be anytime soon.” She picked up the pace, in the hopes of not encouraging him any further.

He pulled back and resumed the rear guard, not wanting to harass her any more, especially since Dylan had been throwing him speared looks from the forward position. He’d just grin and wave an eyebrow until Dylan turned back to the front.

Something in the back of Shade’s mind was bothering her, something in a story someone had told her long ago. She was afraid her memory loss had affected her recall somewhat, for it was murky and wouldn’t come to her, no matter how hard she thought about it. It was a story about the Ancients that didn’t sit well with her. Maybe it would come to her with more time and focus. She hoped it would return before it was too late.

Back in the forest, Shade felt a bit more relaxed. Dylan kept
turning to check on her and throw her his handsome smiles. It always sent a tingle to her stomach when he smiled like that. His eyes would twinkle in the sunlight, and his long locks of hair would fall into his face. She longed to have more time to pull him closer and run her fingers through those soft strands of obsidian and brush her lips against his.

It had taken about
three days of hiking to go from Lake Tahoe to these forests. The wards were still standing, making travelling a bit easier to different areas of the Land of Faerie, and it was faster than hiking straight though the human world would have been. Still, she was weary of traveling and kept thinking about how useful it would’ve been to have Camulus with them now or at least the use of a car or airplane. Her feet ached, even though she was pretty fit now compared to how soft she’d been when she’d first traveled into Faerie. Hiking took its toll on anyone after weeks and weeks of it.

Where was that green skinned teleporter now? She hadn’t bothered to inquire since she
hadn’t returned to the Glass Castle since Ursad’s betrayal, when he’d dumped her right into Corb’s hands, having Camulus leave them in the Arctic without a ride home. The memory made her frown and feel slightly empty. Her alliances were all in question after that; nothing lasted forever in the Land of Faerie. Not trust, not life.

“Here.” Kilara stood in
the middle of a meadow, a clearing surrounded by evergreens with tall grasses and wildflowers swaying in the constant buffeting of the wind. They had returned deeper into Faerie, a fair distance from Chicago. Her yellow dress was looking a bit ragged after several days hiking, but it didn’t seem to bother her. She never even slept or ate, so a pack with supplies and a change of clothes wasn’t needed, but it was strange even so. Shade remembered how Corb never seemed to eat or sleep either, though he’d had tons of human food served to them in their imprisonment. It was mind blowing to say the least, but they were true immortals.

Shade bent down to touch the ground. Unsure
of how to get to the hidden chamber apparently below the dirt, her fingers raked through the soil to no avail. She craned her neck to look at Kilara, a sea of questions in her eyes. “How do I open it? You said you can’t use your magic, so how do I do it if I’m not her descendant?”

“This chamber does not have that requirement
, as mine did, but a descendant could do it. The problem is, Rowan never had any children. Only those who know of the chamber and its exact location can open it, along with an Ancient’s magic. Since no one really knew both things, it was very safe. You have to but ask the land to open the entryway for you, Shade.”

A sudden jerk in her mind br
ought a sickening feeling growing in her stomach. The story she’d been trying to remember rushed back in. Dylan had told her all the Ancients slumbered together, except for Kilara. If Arthas was awake, he’d know where Rowan was. She would’ve been right next to him, in a sarcophagus in the same chamber.

The thought made her sick
. Rowan was probably already gone. Maybe not, though.

Shade stood up
, surprised at the simplicity of the hidden entrance key. She nodded and stood back, licking her lips as she closed her eyes. She could feel Dylan shuffling behind her, looking out for any enemies who might be lurking about.

“Land of Faerie, I ask with a humble heart, open the entrance to the chamber of Ancients, and let us enter.”
Could it be so simple? She hoped it was and waited, letting her eyes flick open as she scanned the weeds and rocks beneath their feet. The dread didn’t ease. She kept her fingers crossed that Rowan was somehow still safely sleeping under their feet.

A soft rumble shook the ground, sending
Shade scurrying back away from the clearing. Dylan joined her, with Nautilus stooping behind another tree. They gripped onto the trunk of a large pine until the shaking stopped.

In
the ground right before Kilara was a small hole, leading down into the darkness. It reminded Shade of the oubliette she’d spent a night in, chased by some Unseelie soldiers. It very well could be one.

“Come on.” Kilara descended
the small dirt steps into the chamber below, followed by Shade.

“I’ll keep an eye out her
e,” Nautilus offered. Dylan stopped at the entrance and waved her on, motioning that he’d stand guard, too. She nodded and continued until her eyes adjusted to the small torch flames burning inside the perimeter of the darkened chamber.

Kilara stood before three sarcophaguses, Corb a few feet away from her. “
She’s gone. He took her,” Corb said.

Shade
turned to see Kilara, whose paleness was replaced once more by her purple coloring, filling with rage and about to implode.

So the story was right. The three Ancients were in the same chamber to slumber. Arthas had
already returned here to take Rowan from her sarcophagus. How naïve could they have been to not realize this sooner? Shade’s fear grew as she watched Kilara about to lose her wits.

“No!” The Ancient shoved the empty sarcophagus to the gr
ound, where it shattered into thousands of stone shards. Shade stepped back as the Ancient screamed an inhuman screech. Shade covered her ears and fell to her knees, the pain of the noise feeling like drill bits making their way through her brain.

“Kilara! Stop!” Her voice
was drowned out by the waves of maddening noise. Corb was the one to embrace Kilara and muffle the scream in his chest. She resisted, pounding his chest and kicking him with the ferocity of a feral cat, but she’d stopped her yelling. Shade collapsed to the floor, relieved as the pain slowly retreated, leaving her numb and worn.

“Shade…
.” Dylan scooped her up into his arms, glaring at the two Ancients. “Are you okay?” She nodded and focused on Kilara, who had finally calmed, her chest heaving as she let Corb continue to hold her in his embrace. Her eyes looked lost in the darkness of the chamber. Whatever was going on in there, Shade was sure she didn’t want to know. She’d let her magic return, for it no longer mattered if she kept herself hidden. Arthas had Rowan, and that was all that mattered.

“
She’s gone. Arthas took….”

“I know.” Dylan’s jaw tensed as he helped her back to h
er feet. The room was a mess. Stone shards littered the floor, and the torches were all either blown out or hanging at odd angles after being shaken from their holders. Dust billowed around them, sending Shade coughing as she ran back up the stairs and into open air.

It was useless.
She had to return to the Scren Palace, gather her forces and hit the Withering Palace in full force. Kilara was useless without her sister to control her. The Ancient was madder than a hatter, and her unbridled magic would destroy Faerie faster than even Aveta could. This was all going awry, with no plan, no actual leaders, to tell Shade what to do next. It was entirely up to her this time. She’d known it would end that way but had placed her bets on the wrong person.

“What happ
ened?” Nautilus sprinted toward them, concern filling his surprised face.

Tears poured down
Shade’s cheeks, the frustration of the last year tumbling about her, overwhelming her emotions. There was so much loss, so much still to lose, and she had put her trust in an insane immortal. Even Corb was more stable. It was no wonder Kilara had wanted to slumber. She must have known she was losing her grip on reality.

“
Rowan’s gone. Arthas most likely has her,” Dylan answered, comforting Shade as her sobs filled the air.

“That can’t be good.”

“Hey.” Dylan stepped back to look down at Shade. Her misery was etched on her features, and she pulled him closer once more, hiding her face in his chest. His warmth was the only constant lately. It kept her grounded, and their bond felt comforting in this desolate place.

“She’s
of no use to us. She’s insane.”

“Shh
… I know. We’ll figure this out.” He hoped the Ancients were not listening in on them from below.

Shade pulled away
, scanning his face for the hope she desperately needed. “We need Rowan. Or do you think she’s just as mad as the others? How do we survive this if they’re all crazy? They’ll destroy us faster than the Unseelie ever could.”

“I don’t know. I’m sure they just ne
ed to adjust to the world now. It’s been a long slumber. Give it some time.”

Sniffling
, she wiped at her face and tried to look more pulled together as the immortals emerged from the hole. They looked unaffected by the tantrum Kilara had just thrown, as if it had never happened. But the blank determination masking their thoughts made them look more like animated statues upon the meadow than real-life beings. Shade slipped her fingers through Dylan’s as she faced them, waiting for their next move. Nautilus readied himself with his sword still in hand, just in case.

“Rowan
is being held prisoner in the Withering Palace with Arthas. I can feel her energy there; my magic is returning rapidly. They will know I’m awake now, just as I feel them. Just so, Arthas is now aware of our presence here. He knows and will prepare for our coming. We must decide on a plan to infiltrate the castle and get Rowan back. Shade, you will go there and submit as a prisoner.”

Shade’s
eyes widened, and Dylan’s protests echoed in her ears.

“No, I’ll never go back there as a prisoner.
Never again.”

How could
Kilara suggest such a thing? Shade swore she’d never return to that venomous place, ever.

“There has to be another way.”
Dylan’s face had turned red, his fury threatening to unleash across the meadow at the Ancient’s emotionless suggestion.

Kilara’s calm
demeanor melted away faster than Shade thought possible. The anger flashed in her eyes, but was more controlled than before. “You will go, no more questions. Prepare what you must, but get in there and find Rowan. Once you’re there, give her this. It will help her focus her powers and link them to mine. That way, I can locate her more easily, bring her back and take the castle down with Aveta and Arthas inside it.”