Free Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy

start. For now though, she pushed her fluttery feelings aside.
    “Well, if you think about the stories about faeries, they can be quite useful in helping you defend yourself against the fey. Cold iron is toxic, as you know. People can fend the fey off by reversing their clothes. We also have an ointment of truth that humans can use to have ‘true sight’ and see past our glamours or tricks. Fire keeps most wild fey away; I guess they don’t like the burning carbon. I’m not sure though. Not much of it bothers me, and anything not related to nature is an anti-fey charm. I would always keep some sort of a memory charm on you to remember your way home. Those are impervious to spells any faery might throw at you to make you forget who you are and enslave you.”
    “You don’t sound like a friendly bunch. Honestly, I can’t see you guys being that bad.” Shade waved towards the other warriors and shook her head. “I just don’t get it.”
    Soap laughed the deep belly laugh that made Shade glare at him. She hated being laughed at. She shook her head and continued on, ignoring his giggling. The other warriors were already a good deal ahead of them.
    They remained in silence for a good deal after that. No one spoke, everyone silently hiking along, slicing down branches. Only the crunch of dead leaves and twigs filled the afternoon air. The birds twittered above, sometimes flying in groups with their wings flapping loudly. It wasn’t easy moving fast in the forest. Roots and uneven ground were plenty, threatening every footstep with a fall or worse, broken bones if one was not careful. This situation is just a twisted ankle waiting to happen , Shade gritted her teeth concentrating on the loose rocks and roots that lay haphazardly across their path.
    They came upon a clearing in the forest. The warriors paused, watching Jack and Ewan for a signal. Jack scouted the clearing’s edge and looked for any kind of movement. The rest of the group was hunched, and hiding behind trees and bushes, waiting for the all clear. Shade perched herself behind a large redwood tree, the bark was rough and crumbled under her fingers. It felt warm under her touch, like there was life pulsating inside the massive trunk. She wondered why she suddenly could feel the life all around her. Did it have to do with this forest being fey territory? She wondered if there was something new happening within her or if they all were being affected by an unknown force around them.
    She suddenly realized then it had been quite some time since she heard ‘the voices’ in her head. She felt relieved but it also felt like something was missing. Maybe she would try what Ilarial had mentioned to her. Since she took the medicine that Ilarial gave her to control the voices, it was easier to think. She thought now she would try and speak to them with specific requests, and listen then for a specific answer. Ilarial had said that this exercise would help her get to know the voices and hopefully learn to use her spirit guides, to her own advantage.
    Are we safe? Shade waited, quieting her mind and listening for the response.
    Yes, they said as one .
    She jumped. The answer had come like a voice on the breeze, or like someone whispering into her ear. She spun around but saw no one. She glanced over to Soap who was behind another tree to her left. He placed a finger to his lips, signaling for silence and turned back towards the front of the group. Wow, a one-word answer. It was enough to make her freak out, Ok, well that was a good little exercise . She watched Ewan give them an ‘all clear’ signal. She then stood up and shuffled back into line behind the warriors.
    The sun felt warm on her back. They worked their way across the field, and made sure they were not in the center because they would be exposed. They were near the edge and it would take longer to get through, but it felt safer knowing cover was nearby. Shade inhaled the fresh air of the countryside.