Chapter Six

 

 

 

 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea at all.” Jade protested as she paced the living room, finally tiring and flopped onto the lazy boy. The TV flashed along with the incessant laughs of some comedy show where the audience was live and their giggles permeated the soundtrack. Evie’s admittance of seeing a faery man named Jack for a few months had made her stomach knot up with guilt. She had a similar secret. So why was she so upset? She wasn’t the one about to go deep into Faerie on a journey to his home like Evie was.

“Oh come on Jade. I’m eighteen now. I can do it if I want to.” Evie pressed her lips together, annoyed with her older sister. She was still treating her with kid gloves, trying to keep her safe when all she needed was to let her go. She was going to visit the Teleen Caverns with Jack. With or without Jade’s approval.

“What if you get hurt? What if…” Jade swallowed the lump forming in her throat, stifling back a barrage of tears. “What if you never come back?”

“But I will come back, you know that!” Evie sighed, trying to form a smile toward her overly concerned sister. “Besides, Jack won’t let anything happen to me. I already visited his home in the Guildrin Seelie Court. It was fascinating! No one hurt me there. No one will.” She stood up and stared at her sister, wanting to know why she was so worried. It was would be a quick journey, he knew the way very well.

Evie’s heart fluttered at the thought of Jack. He’d been nothing but kind and wonderful to her. He’d taught her more about faery magic than she could’ve imagined. The time they’d spent together had made them realize how much their feelings had grown. It was unbearable to be away from him. He was her light, the only one that made the days right. The only one she would ever want.

Jack had made it clear that he intended to marry her. He had told her how much he had felt compelled to be in the clearing that first day when they had met. Nothing short of fate had brought them together. For a Teleen warrior, there was never a question when matched pairs met each other, it was an instantaneous connection. That’s what had happened to them, there was no fighting it. Evie felt completely alright giving in to it. She loved him, and that was all she needed.

“Don’t act so innocent either, Jade.” Evie’s voice came out soft but accusatory. Jade’s eyes flew back up toward her, a flash of guilt slipped from them, but she quickly covered it up. It was too late. Evie had seen it and knew down right well what it meant.

“What do you mean, Evie?”

“Oh come on, that faery guy you’ve been seeing too, did you think I wouldn’t notice that? Did you think I would never find out? Who is he, Jade?” She glared at her sister, awaiting a response.

The look on Jade’s face was nothing short of shock as the color drained from her face. Jade looked away, her lips tensed as she contemplated her answer.

“Verenis, that’s his name. He’s a faery prince in exile.” Her eyes flicked back up in a panic. “Evie, don’t tell anyone, please! He’ll be killed. They’re hunting him.”

Evie knelt down next to her sister, a warm smile spread across her lips. Pressing her hand down onto Jade’s. “I won’t tell anyone, not even Jack. I promise.” Jade let out a sigh of relief and grinned back at her, tears lining her eyes. “But, I have to tell you, because I love you, and I’m worried for you too.” Evie paused, hoping the words would come out right. “Don’t see him anymore. Faeries are dangerous for humans. He’ll enchant you, trick you or hurt you if he wants to. Never underestimate him, Jade. Never. Promise me you’ll stop seeing him, please…”

Jade pulled her hand away from her sister, curling into the opposite side of the lazy boy. Her fear morphed into a slight distain, unsure how to answer her sister when she knew what she would do anyway.

“I can’t do that,” she whispered, closing her eyes and let the pent up tears spill down her cheeks. They splashed onto her clothes and the chair, leaving small drops of wetness where they landed. “Please don’t ask me to do that. Anything but that.”

Evie stood up slowly, and sighed with worry. The faery already had a grip on Jade. It was probably too late to break their link. She closed her own eyes and wondered if everything would be alright. Maybe. Maybe not. There was no telling the future, not even with magic or superpowers. Not even a Faery can see such things. Some caught glimpses; the oracles she’d met could see many things. Nothing was for certain, that was the only certainty.

“Okay, just promise me to be careful, please Jade? Do that for me while I’m gone.”

Jade nodded, sniffled and rubbed her tear-streaked face. “Alright, I will.”

Evie leaned in for a hug, holding her older sister tightly. Evie felt as if she’d grown up these last few months. She was no longer the younger sister, the child. Faerie had changed them both in ways they’d never imagined it could. As they separated and Evie went to her room to pack some things, she knew it had already happened. Nothing would ever be the same for either of them. Nothing.