Free The Hybrid by Lauren Shelton Page A

He’s just protecting the veil.”
    “The veil?” Tru had no idea what he was talking about.
She knew that he couldn’t have meant the piece of fabric
that a woman would wear on her head on her wedding
day, but what else could that word mean?
    “The veil is where I live. It is where my colony lives,
deep in the forest. It’s a shielded and cloaked village, protected by the magic of The Fey. There are other veils, too.
Some live near the river, some live farther up in the
mountains.” He released Tru’s hand from his grasp. She
lowered it calmly to her side, though it still felt as though
it was wrapped tightly in his own.
    “Can I see it someday?” Tru was curious. He didn’t
have to say yes. He didn’t even have to say anything if he
didn’t want to. Tru just wanted to know how much he
would let her into his world.
    “Someday. But not until it is safe.” He grabbed Tru’s
chin between his thumb and index finger again, and tilted
her head back until her eyes were staring directly into his.
“Promise me you will not go looking for me, whatever
happens. Come here, to the meadow, if you need me. I
will be here shortly after.” He turned his head towards the
forest behind him with Tru’s chin still in his grasp. He
could hear something that she obviously couldn’t.
“What’s wrong?” she asked when he looked back at
her.
     
“I have to go. But you must promise me.” He placed his
other hand on her shoulder, stroking at it with his thumb.
“I promise.”
    He released Tru’s chin as he turned and began running
across the field. When he reached the boundary of the
trees on the opposite side of the meadow, he turned
around to look at her. She could see the moon glistening
off of his face, casting a shadow on his neck and chest.
Tru smiled as he waved, before he quickly turned back
around and disappeared behind the pines.
Things were quiet now, too quiet.

7
Artensia
    Tru walked slowly out of the meadow, back towards
the house, taking as much time as she possibly could. As
she pushed through the trees, the air became surprisingly
colder, almost like it were the dead of winter, but it was
only the second week of November, still fall by her standards.
    How had I managed to stay so warm in the meadow?
The air was open there. How did I not freeze to death?
Tru took a deep breath and watched the steam circling
in the air as it flowed from her mouth and nose as she
exhaled. She walked slowly, wrapping her arms around
her chest, tucking her hands under her armpits, trying to
stay warm.
When she reached the edge of the backyard again, Tru
could see that the porch light had been left on, leaving a
small halo of light on the ground. As she grew closer to
the house, she could see a small figure, leaning back
against the wall next to the door. Squinting as she walked
forward, Tru could see that the lump was the shape of her
grandfather, sitting in a small lawn chair. His eyes were
closed and his arms were casually folded over his chest⎯
his snores echoing out across the open yard.
Tru remembered, in that second, that she had been
gone all day. Being responsible and protective grandparents, they must have worried that something had happened to her. She had snuck out of the house. Of course
they were worried. Ben must have stayed behind and
waited for her to come home while Maggie went out looking for her.
Tru wondered what time it was. It looked late, and she
hoped that her grandma wasn’t panicking the way Tru
was currently picturing in her mind.
Cautiously, Tru walked to her grandfather’s side and
tapped him gently on the left shoulder.
“Grandpa? I’m home. You can wake up now.”
He quickly opened his eyes, jumping slightly in his
seat, apparently startled by the sound of his granddaughter’s voice. He looked around quickly, and slightly disoriented, to see where the noise had come from. When his
eyes rested on Tru’s face, he began to speak ⎯ though it
seemed more like shouting.
He rose