Chapter Eleven
Blossoms leftover from a summoned spring filled the meadow in all directions. The withering heat of summer had yet to arrive to scorch the delicate petals, which felt like soft peach skins on her fingertips. As Shade continued to walk, unaware of where she now was, a woman appeared with long, light golden-brown hair braided into an intricate design and pinned to her head and tumbling down her back. She stood in the center of the meadow, watching the sway of grass as the breeze pushed it along with its fingers.
“Hello?” Shade called out. She continued toward the woman and hoped she would have some answers for her. Where was she? Where had Dylan gone? How did she end up in such a place?
The woman turned. Her golden skin glowed with a smooth tan and rich amber-brown eyes watched her move closer. She was slender and wore a cloak clasped at her neck over a bright yellow dress tied right beneath her breasts. It flowed down to her feet, making her look like she was floating. The woman smiled at her and held her arms out as if waiting for an embrace.
“Shade, I’ve waited so long to meet you.” She gave her a hug, squeezing tightly and sighing as she pulled away to look at her. Her eyes glistened with tears, elated to see her. Shade studied her face, throwing her an unsure smile and trying her best to pinpoint where she’d seen her face before. So familiar, yet why did it still feel like it was a stranger standing before her.
“Have we met?” Shade asked.
The woman laughed, pulling her in for another embrace. “No, we’ve never met, but I’ve watched you your entire life.” She stepped back again, taking in Shade’s confused look. “You’re my legacy, Shade. You are blood of my blood. The last and only one in existence. Inside, you carry my powers. In you, I live on, even in deep slumber.”
Shade’s mouth opened, surprised at the woman’s words. Could she be the one from Dylan’s story? The Ancient Summer Queen? It had all felt like a fairytale, but could that mean that one of the ancient queens was standing before her? There was an Ancient Ice King so why wouldn’t there be a summer queen?
“What do you mean?”
“I’m Kilara. I rule the summer court, all the Seelie clans and am one of the ancient faeries of the land. You’re my descendant—my heir. You’re the only one I have now. I need you to find my resting place before Corb does. Do you understand?”
Shade felt around in her memory. A mention of Corb and a flash of Dylan floated across her mind, like a forgotten errand she was supposed to do. “Corb? Why does he want to know where you are? How’d I get here, by the way?”
“Because he seeks to enslave me for all of time as his queen. I loved him once, but he has, for the lack of a better word, changed.” Kilara sighed, her own memories flashing behind her eyes as she continued. “He cannot find me, Shade. He’s enchanted your memory away, but you’ll remember this. He cannot make you forget everything. There is always a way to remember, Shade. Don’t forget that.” She softly tapped on the memory vials dangling around Shade’s neck before she pushed a strand of hair out of her face and her brow furrowed.
“Where are you, so I can find you?” Shade stopped, remembering her destiny to stay with Corb. “Wait, if I know where you are, won’t he find out? He has me trapped.”
The summer queen shook her head and looked behind her. She waved someone forward, presenting Shade’s spirit guides, Duende, Elaby and Astrid. Shade gasped with joy and ran to them as they took turns giving her hugs, smiling brightly.
“They will help you remember. Corb is powerful, but he cannot acquire what you don’t want him to know or understand. Don’t forget what I’ve told you, Shade. Always remember, your memories are at your side already, you just have to find a way to remember them.” She reached out and once again tapped the memory vials hanging from her throat. Shade clasped at the necklace containing her grandmother’s essence and the other vial, which held her own memories and that Jade, her mother, had made for her before leaving her at the beach. She nodded, smiling up toward the queen and her spirit guides.
“But Corb will know. He’ll take my necklace.”
The queen shook her head, a kind smile played on her lips. “He can’t do that. Memory charms are sacred and can’t be removed by anyone in Faerie except the wearer. He’ll think you’ve forgotten what they’re for. Even an Ancient is powerless to remove such sacred magic.”
Shade was relieved at her words, hoping she wouldn’t forget what they were for when the time came. “I’ll remember. I won’t forget, I promise.”
“It will be hard. Corb is quite powerful, but we’ll be there for you.” Her spirit guides said in unity. Their identical faces comforted Shade and she had missed them incredibly. The joy she felt to know that they had remained with her, even in silence, was overwhelming. They couldn’t speak to her but in dreams, and even those were now quite rare as Shade’s magic had grown intense and had kept them at bay with self-imposed barriers.
The summer queen pulled her close and leaned in to whisper in her ear. She told her where to find her and exactly what to do to wake her. Shade etched it into her mind and hoped it would stick. She knew time was short before she woke, she could feel consciousness pulling on her more strongly with every second that passed. As the spirit guides and the queen waved goodbye to her, she waved back and prayed she wouldn’t ever forget.