Ever Shade (A Dark Faerie Tale #1) by Alexia Purdy (complete)

Chapter Fourteen

"Shade forgive us. We have tried to reach you, but you've cast us out. We're here to help you heal and awaken you from your deep sleep. Now only dreams will find us. The voices were gentle but spoke with urgency, echoing in her head.

Shade stood in an open field; the mountains and rivers were nowhere in sight. The breezes caressed the tall grasses and swirled about her hair, dancing and playing with the strands like unseen ballerinas.

Where the heck am I now?

Astrid, Duende, and Elaby stood before her. She knew them. Her spirit guides were familiar and comforting. They were flesh and bone standing in front of her now. The three sisters were carbon copies of each other. Their long black hair and gowns floated around them as if suspended in water. Their pale skin shone like moonlight glistening on the surface of a lake. She could not see their feet; it was as if they hung above the grass without touching the ground. They were beautiful.

"What's going on? Where am I? Why can't I hear you guys anymore?" Shade felt the sting of tears as her voice wavered. She was through with crying. There was enough sorrow surrounding her, making her feel suddenly so tired. She brought her hand to her left shoulder and found it no longer dislocated, hanging normally in its place. It moved effortlessly, without any pain. She hoped she was dreaming and not dead.

"Shade, we know you're afraid, but we won't harm you. It could not be helped that we were away," the sisters told her all at once. "Somehow, your magic trapped Darren in the mirror, but it also pushed us out of your head, too. We are unable to communicate with you, our ties now severed. We've worked hard to find you again. Your magic shields you, letting us in only in your dreams."

Shade pondered their words for a moment. Damn it... Darren! He had scarred her far worse than she'd even imagined. The loss of her spirit guides was like having a chunk of her soul ripped away. She sighed and watched them smile at her. Each sister finished the others' sentences. It was intriguing to listen to them as they harmonized in one voice.

"So where am I? I was on some shore, freezing. My arm was probably broken and not in the right place. Am I awake? Dead? Dreaming?"

"You are still asleep. Fear not, dear Shade, we have healed you with our powers. We have been away for too long," said the women. "Now, we are unbound."

"What do you mean? I won't hear you in my head anymore? How could I have let this happen?" Shade felt her knees weaken but caught herself before they failed.

"We are so sorry. We had no idea this would come to pass. We can only believe that any further communication with us will be only through your dreams."

Shade nodded at the revelation. There was no point in trying to undo what was already done. Even so, the loss twisted in her chest, making it hard to breathe.

The dream shifted rapidly, and the bright, warm sunlight faded into a deep gray and cloudy day. Shade spun around, watching the swirling dark gray clouds grow above her. "What's happening?" The wind howled around her, whipping the grass across her legs.

"We must go. Your dream is breaking. It's time to wake up, Shade. Wake up." The clouds came down around in a dark, billowing fog that swallowed the spirits, landscape, and Shade alike.

"Wake up...."

***

"Wake up! It's just a bad dream. Wake up!" The voice sounded familiar, but Shade couldn't place it. She squeezed her eyes together before slowly opening them to a dimly lit room. Her eyes narrowed in at the shadowy figure in front of her, focusing on its blurred edges. His face was partially covered by a dark, hooded cloak. The hood only allowed lips to show through, obscuring the rest of his face in darkness.