Shadow & Light

Chapter 14

Dreams of Malichi and James haunted me. Malichi's brilliant blue eyes, sad and searching. James--betrayal and disappointment on his features. I didn't mean to hurt or disappoint them. It wasn't their fault they got stuck with me. James deserved a better sister. One who could hug him, laugh with him, and have water fights with him. Malichi deserved a mate who could accept his hand holds and soft forehead kisses--who didn't panic at the thought of sleeping next to him.

I startled upright sometime in the night, delirious and groggy as I rubbed my eyes and smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand to alert my sleep addled mind. What time was it? I looked out the window and saw that it was still dark outside– but how long would that last?

I rapidly sprung from the bed, shrugging on my coat, satchel, and sword holster. This was it, I needed to keep moving. I grabbed the little key that was sitting on the dresser, shoved my feet into my running shoes and was out the door. I jogged down the stairs, slammed the key onto the reception desk, said a rushed goodbye to the startled old lady still sitting there, and then I was gone, a ghost in the night. I snaked around the old inn, avoiding the light of the torches that lined the cobblestone streets. I needed to be careful from there on out. Malichi had most definitely gotten word to nearby cities and this was going to be one of them.

I slinked and slipped through back alleys and dark corridors avoiding whatever light I could–like a thief in the night making away with stolen treasure. That thought made me smile. It was nice to imagine I was a swash buckling adventurer in one of my novels rather than running from my family and any sense of responsibility like a coward. In the end that's what I was. A sad, lonely, desperate coward. But I was free. This taste of freedom showed me that I could live with my cowardice if it gave me a chance to rewrite my future. I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins and I was alive for the first time in my life.

I followed my map until finally I made it to the trees once again. The walk through the forest was long and painful, I was pretty sure I wasn't even walking in the proper direction, but until I could see the sun I wouldn't know for sure so I had to muddle on.

This would have been a really good time to use the light magic that had seemed to show up for me once and never again. Okay focus Alina. How hard can it be? I squeezed my eyes shut, focusing in my mind on the hum of power I could feel thrumming through my veins like an electrical current–like plugging in a lamp and waiting for the lightbulb to glow. I pictured the power in my mind, watching the power burst from my core and surround me with a brilliant white glow, trying to feel its warmth surrounding me like I had in Wrelia. Of course, right when I needed my new power it was nowhere to be seen. Opening my eyes to see I was still standing in a pitch dark forest was more than a little disappointing. I had read that magic relies on emotion to perform and when one's emotions were turmoiled their magic acts unpredictably. I guess I would call panicking and running away from my responsibilities because I'm terrified of love turmoil. Regardless I would have to muddle through without the help of my magic.

I walked on for a long while just following the direction I had set off in but the forest had begun to look the same no matter where I turned and it made this much more difficult. Trees and dirt and bushes blurred together until I could do nothing but walk in one direction and hope I wasn't going right back to the capitol. A gurgling noise filled the quiet forest…I guess all this walking had made me hungry. Dropping down onto a nearby log to rest my legs I pulled out one of the two sandwiches I had in my satchel and dug in. The meal was brief and it didn't take long before I was on my feet again and moving in the direction that I was pretty sure was northeast. I was losing my hope and determination rapidly. Had I walked into a time loop where it was permanently night time and I was permanently lost in the woods?

Not long later through the trees I could see the sun beginning to rise, and felt my heart jump with excitement. That meant I could finally find my way again. Yipee no more time loop! Judging by where the sun was in the sky I was heading a little far to the east so I adjusted my direction and continued on.

I thought I liked nature, but after this absurd amount of time in the wilderness I never wanted to see another tree again. It was slightly lighter now and I was grateful for at least that because I was beginning to worry I would be eaten by a wild animal before I ever saw another fae. It was still quite dark though so I guess I shouldn't rule it out just yet.

The faint sight of buildings up ahead made me burst into a run in excitement, ignoring the tree branches trying to hinder my escape from this leafy hellscape. As I broke through the tree line my toe hit a protruding tree root and I went slamming into the ground, a face full of dirt as my reward, with my forehead making an awful slap against the forest floor. Yup, the trees were plotting my demise.

Crunching dirt sounded in front of me and a pair of black work boots entered my vision. Apprehension took over my excitement and I scrambled to a standing position, stumbling back to create distance while I assessed this stranger. He was definitely older than me, appearing to be in his late-twenties to early thirties if I was accounting for fae aging. I could tell the stranger was a working man of some sort, his long khaki pants dusted with a layer of dirt, dirty black muscle tee straining around corded muscles–the kind only received after hours of gruelling labor. His filthy work gloves hid his hands from my view. His face was chiseled as if sculpted by an artist. Curly hair fell in a mop that he brushed his gloved hand against to force it out of his hazel eyes. I would find this man attractive if I didn't have a mate. More like had a mate. This new me didn't have a mate. She was a lone traveller, a nomad, an itinerant who went where the wind took her.

"Well what do we have here? A runaway? I heard there was a raid in Wrelia the other day. I wonder if this little runner has anything to do with that?" Before I could ask who this mystery man was speaking to, a second stranger stepped out of the shadows. I took another step back, ensuring to step over the tree root this time. This stranger was even more handsome than the other, same dirty attire and toned body, deep brown hair shaved in a buzz cut, pale green eyes like they were picked off some vines.

The hairs on my arms stood on end and shivers skittered up and down my vertebrae like insects. I was alone in a remote town with two strange men cornering me, a forest to my back. Good grief.

"Why assume I'm a runaway? Maybe I was going for a jog?" I didn't sound so sure.

"At seven in the morning? With swords holstered on your back?" He had me there. Okay new tactic: plead for him to let me go. Did he plan to hurt me? I didn't know. I didn't like being in a situation where so little was in my control.

"I mean no harm, I am simply here looking for a place to settle down."

"Hmm" the deep, throaty sound from the dark-haired stranger rang out, deciding if he believed me. "I don't know Richy, what do you think? I've never seen innocent settlers come with swords, looking like they rolled around in the dirt for fun."

"I wouldn't call it fun," I muttered under my breath. Curly…Richy…chuckled at me. Nevermind I liked the name curly better. He wasn't wrong. After the last 24 hours I was sure I looked disgusting and dirty. It sure wasn't fun. I missed my bathtub and my scented candles.

Suddenly this Richy guy stepped even closer, curly strands of hair falling into his eyes as they thinned to slits, studying my face for secrets and deception. I gulped. If I backed up any further I'd be back in the forest.

"You know Crisslen I distinctly remember an alert being sent out early this morning– it said the king is looking for his missing mate. This lovely lady fits the description mighty well." I figured Malichi would get word out fast but didn't know how he had seemingly told the entire country in less than twenty-four hours. How would I ever find a town to settle down in if everyone was on the lookout for me. I gulped down the knot of unease rising in my throat as Richy spoke to his friend. If these men wanted to, they could turn me in easily. Could I outrun two burly guys who looked like they ate girls like me for breakfast. A quick once over of my exhausted frame told me I didn't stand a chance if they decided to give chase. My fight or flight response was ticking to life and my eyes flitted desperately over my surroundings.

"Please, I'm begging you. I just came looking for a place to call home, maybe even a job. But better yet if you let me go now I will head east. You'll never hear from me again." Fear slipped through my rushed words no matter how I tried to hold it back.

"Hey easy there rabbit just calm down--we won't hurt you." My brain stalled for a moment at Richy's words which I was starting to notice a slight drawl in.

"Rabbit?" I voiced my confusion.

"You look like a dang rabbit being hunted by a wolf. Like prey about to bolt."

"A lady cornered by two predatory looking men would look like that." Sarcasm laced my words as I snapped at him but again he only chuckled. I was beginning to feel less afraid, the urge to pull out my dagger and attack these men was more prevalent now.

Crisslen clutched his heart in feigned hurt at my biting words. "Predatory? Our goal is simply to ensure that the people of this good town are safe." There was an arrogant gruffness to his voice that gave an 'I don't care about anyone or anything' vibe to everything he said. It made my jaw tick in irritation. I dislike arrogant men–I had a bad track record with them.

"Well how about you lay off of it for a bit. Now do you think you could be of some use? I am looking for Ivoreaux."

"You are there." Curly said, making a wide sweeping motion with his outstretched arm to reveal the small town behind his wide frame. "Now who are you? From where we stand you look like we should be sending word for the king to come pick you up."

I sighed, my whole body sagging. I felt like I had aged ten years in the last two days. They had easily figured out who I was–I didn’t think I could lie my way out of this. Maybe the play here was just to be honest and admit that I needed somewhere to escape to.

"I just...needed out. Please I just need to be somewhere that isn't there." My eyes were a pleading pool of fear and desperation and I think they understood.

Both of the men shared a look before nodding. "Alright."

"Alright?"

"You can stay with myself and Crisslen for as long as you need." Curly said.

"Oh gosh no you don't have to do that, and actually I would prefer to just pay for a room somewhere." I was frantically shaking my head. Stuck in a house with two men? That did not go well the last time. Dark and Broody liked the idea of that even less and grumbled at Curly about it.

"Crisslen and I won't hurt you. We have a spare bedroom you can sleep in and it'll be better than spending money on a room. This way we can also keep an eye on you."

My brow quirked. Who was he to say that I needed an eye kept on me? But as I opened my mouth to voice this, Dark and Broody spoke up instead, grumbling something about how he didn't want some female in his space and that he was no babysitter. I rolled my eyes at him.

"That is the deal, take it or leave it, but it is your best shot. Otherwise I'm sending word to the kingdom and you'll have less than a day before this place is swarmed with royal guards."

"Fine." I grumbled and dusted my pants off. "Lead the way."

So they led the way to their home. We walked along the dirt and then stepped onto the cobblestone path that led throughout the elaborate scattering of large cottages. The homes in this town were bigger than in the other one. We passed so many shops, boutiques, high end restaurants, as well as rustic bars and antique shops. I could feel a grin split across my face. This was wonderful. It was a large enough town that I could have some anonymity if I wanted but small enough that it felt warm and inviting. I looked around the faces of fae already up and had a start to their day and my smile dropped. A few eyed me warily. They had heard the news from the castle–of the missing mate to the beloved king. I tossed my hood over my head, eyes down and pace increasing.

I just wanted to get inside somewhere to hide. I couldn't go on much longer. These men had agreed not to turn me in but I had made no such agreement with the other people in this town. The longer I was exposed the greater the risk that someone alerted Malichi to my whereabouts. If I wanted to stay here I needed to figure out how to disguise myself well enough that I wouldn't be reported to Malichi. I could chop off my hair. Dye it some obscure colour. I really didn't want to do that–I loved my hair. But this was a new life, a new me, and if it meant staying hidden then I would have to make that sacrifice.

"Is there a pharmacy here? Maybe a beauty supply store?" They both looked over their shoulders at me, saying nothing but changing course.

We walked for a bit longer before coming up on a*****e that had beautiful white painted wood walls and a green roof and when we stepped in there was a lovely fae with red hair, round glasses, and a speckling of freckles. She grinned at us from behind the counter and I watched Richy fiddle with his hands behind his back. Oh my gosh he liked her. The way he was looking at her was quite endearing.

"How can I help you folks today?"

"Hi I'm....Melody." I spoke and shoved my way in between Crisslen and Richy to wave at her. A glint of recognition shot through her eyes. "I am looking to dye my hair blonde. Do you know how I might go about doing that?" From my periphery I watched both men whip their heads around at me in shock. Probably not what they were thinking I was here for.

"I sure as sugar do follow me!" Her sweet voice chimed and she stepped out from behind the counter, nodding her head for us to follow. She brought me to an aisle of the small store that had row upon row of boxes, each box showing women with hair in different shades of brown, black, blonde, and every other colour of the rainbow. I felt overwhelmed. Twenty different shades of blond. How was there that many? "Are you looking for honey blonde, ash blonde, caramel blonde, or a more platinum leaning blonde?"

"Um...?" Half of these colours looked the exact same. She laughed at my incompetence and pointed at the different boxes while repeating the options. "I really like that silver blonde one up there." Pointing to a box on the highest shelf.

"That is a really good choice. Have you ever used hair dye before?"

"Nope."

"That will make this slightly easier since virgin hair bleaches much better. However this is not usually a colour that should be done using box dye if I am being totally honest. Typically you should go to a hair salon." I shook my head rapidly at that. I needed this done now and I needed it done fast. The less I matched the description of me put out by Malichi the better off I would be. Not to mention giving a hair stylist hours to stare at me would only risk giving my identity away. "If you would like I could help you? I'm no expert but I used to dye my hair a lot and even took a few classes back in school so I know a thing or two. Enough to get you looking pretty decent!" As much as I wanted to say no, the idea of having someone with a bit more experience than me sounded pretty good.

"I don't want to take up too much of your time if you are busy here."

"Nonsense! Hannah will watch the store and you can come to my place to do it! I own this shop so it's no big deal." That was impressive, I wondered how she came to own such a nice store in so little time. At the mention of her name a teenage fae with a deep complexion and beautiful curly hair stepped out from behind a corner.

"Hi I'm Hannah! I have worked for Zinnia here for over two years! Hey you look neat, almost like the girl in that weird add in the announcement from the king. That couldn't be you though that would be crazy. Oh my gosh you have the most beautiful hair, why in the world would you want to dye it?! Sorry I couldn't help but overhear."

“I-” I didn't have the chance to respond and Hannah didn’t have the chance to ask more questions before Zinnia interrupted.

"Hannah, could you please watch the store while I dye this lovely lady's hair?" I was grateful for this woman, hadn't expected Hannah to be such a chatterbox but I did not want to answer any of that. Zinnia grabbed the boxes of dye we would need as well as a weird purple bottle and placed them on the cash counter. Zinnia ran to an aisle briefly and grabbed three other bottles of something but said nothing about them so I didn't mention it. I paid for the dye and purple bottle and we were out of there, heading down the street with Richy and Crisslen being dragged along as unwitting participants.

~~

Countless hours and foul smelling goop later I was staring at my silver hair in the mirror in awe. Zinnia had truly worked miracles on my hair. I swished the locks around a bit and watched as they shimmered in the light. They were more brittle than they had been but Zinnia had recommended a couple of products for me to take home free of charge that would help with any dryness in my hair from the bleach. I missed my dark black hair but this was for the best. I needed to look different. When we finally left her house after many hugs and promises to see each other again I realized it worked. As we walked down the street a few people waved and smiled towards Richy and Crisslen but no one gave me weird looks. This was like a superhero comic where all it takes is a mask and no one recognizes the superhero.

Crisslen and Richy looked grumpy next to me, having spent the entire time we were at Zinnia's house complaining about being bored or hungry or any other excuse they could think of, to which I reminded them that I did not need a babysitter and they were free to leave at any time. But no, both men had been stuck to me like glue.

"Where are we going now?"

"To The Tavern. It's a pub that we love eating at." At the mention of food my stomach spoke up, growling so loud that both men turned to laugh at me, watching as my cheeks burned bright red.

The Tavern was a quaint and rustic pub that backed onto a vast field of tall grass. The music was loud inside with a band up on a small stage singing music with a twangy accent that had my foot uncontrollably tapping to the beat. The patrons of the pub were laughing and chowing down on all sorts of meals, pints of beer or glasses of a variety of colours littering each table. The noise was loud and overwhelming but in an infectious way that made me want to grab a beer and start chatting up some locals. We sat at a table near the middle of the pub and I was beginning to get that these friendly men liked to be the center of attention. As we weaved through tables, me trying to prevent my belongings from hitting heads and limbs, these two chatterboxes were laughing and chatting with everyone we passed, all while dodging questions about who the disheveled girl next to them was.

When we finally sat at a booth in the back corner, I awkwardly hung my sword holster and satchel on a chair next to me while the two buff men sat across from me. I shrugged my spring coat off, almost sweating in this warm building. A broad shouldered fae with hands the size of my head walked over with a notepad and pen in his hands and I had to crane my neck to peer into his eyes. I had never seen someone this giant. Was he an ogre? I had never seen one in person but I doubted it. He must have had crazy genes though.

"What'll it be fellas?" His voice was gruff and friendly, twinged with the same slight accent as most of the other fae here as he spoke to the men.

"We will get our usual pints Killian! This here is our friend....Melody." Crisslen had to refrain from using my real name. They had figured out who I was all on their own so there was no use hiding it from them. But to the rest of this town I was now Melody. "Melody came from out of town and is hoping to settle down here."

"Well it's nice to meet you Melody. These two nutjobs are my favourite customers so any friend of theirs is a friend of mine. If you need anything just let me know." I grinned at his offer and shook his large hand. A brilliant idea suddenly popped into my head.

"Killian are you hiring? I need a job. I'm planning to stay for a while." His brows raised in shock, clearly not expecting that. Hesitation took over next.

"Do you have any experience in the service industry, little lady?"

"Well not exactly. But I trained youth in sword fighting back where I am from and I worked at my local library for four years. I am extremely hard working, can stand long hours on my feet, and if you hire me I will not let you down." This burly man looked more than unsure but I forced my smile to stay friendly and my shoulders to remain firm, exuding what I hoped was confidence.

"I am all about giving people a chance, so if you come by tomorrow I can train you and we will see if this will work out." I clapped my hands in excitement and thanked him. I had just gotten a job! I now had somewhere to live, a new identity, and a way to make some living. This might just work out afterall.