“Hey Soap, ready to go? I found Camulus to give us a ride.” Shade stopped, realizing how extremely serious Soap’s face had remained while he had not yet looked at her. She followed his gaze to the horizon towards the east. Her eyes widened with surprise, seeing skyscrapers and smog from a nearby human city. She could’ve sworn she had not seen it before, but the fog might’ve concealed it in the early hours. “Is that a city? Which one are we near? I can see the buildings and even some of the cars reflecting the sun! I didn’t know we were so close to one. Can they see us?” She gulped as she waited for Soap to answer. Somehow his still face made her more than apprehensive.

Soap shook his head and moved his gaze towards her. “No, they can’t see us yet, but the wards of the borders of Faerie are growing weak. I think the upset in the balance of powers in Faerie are going to cause a lot of disturbances in the wards shielding our world. If we can see the cities now instead of clouds and mountains, I bet they will be able to see us soon. That would be really bad for everyone involved. I think Aveta is working on breaking the wards and invading the human realms. If she does, your world could be in grave danger. Humans will become enslaved or killed. Aveta will stop at nothing.” He paused watching Shade’s reaction. “We have to stop her, sooner rather than later.”

Shade’s eyes widened in terror. Her breathing quickened as she stared at the city streets and buildings. They did not seem that far. In fact, they seemed almost too close. She hoped Aveta didn’t complete her treachery any time soon. Shade spoke solemnly as she thought of their situation. “Everyone tells me that I’m the key to her destruction, but I haven’t a clue how that is gonna happen. I haven’t an inkling on how to destroy her. The one vision of her gave me the creeps. She’s powerful. No way could I ever defeat her.” She took a deep breath, her heart racing against the words that slipped from her mouth.

I have to remain positive. I can’t give up!

“It’s ok, Shade. I’m sure we’ll figure something out.” Soap embraced her, pulling her close, not wanting to let go. Shade felt her heart flutter at his touch. His warmth seeped onto her cool skin making her want to just sink into it and let it claim her. She liked him a lot, but her thoughts jerked back to Dylan, wishing he were here to embrace her instead. She shook her head as she pulled away from him, smiling to cover her feelings. It was mean of her to think in such a way when Soap had done nothing but help her. She still wondered what the secret was that he was still hiding from her. She had not bothered to inquire about it again since leaving the Glass Castle. She’d wait until her curiosity could not bear it anymore, then she would risk asking him what Dylan had meant by saying Soap was not all that he seemed to be.

“Ready? Let’s go. I’m worried about my family.” Shade tugged at him and approached Camulus, who had been waiting patiently nearby. She gave him a nod as the three gripped each other’s hands, waiting for the jaunt. A moment later, they found themselves at the edge of the forest near her home. Shade hurried across the grass and up the back porch steps where she almost ran into Benton.

“Whoa, it’s about time you came back. Where the heck have you been? Mom’s been sick with worry!” He let the back door slam behind him, blocking her way into the house.

“At my grandmother’s. Get out of my way!” She waited, but Benton didn’t budge. Instead he waved her closer as he whispered in her ear.

“She remembers Shade. Mom remembers everything now.” He glanced over her shoulder to Camulus and Soap. Camulus waved at them as she turned back towards him. She watched him disappear, leaving nothing but a misty cloud where he once stood.

“Not one for goodbyes, huh?” Benton snickered. Soap came up the steps, now dressed in glamour to cover his Fey looks. He looked like a regular grunged-out teen in a black tee and ripped jeans. Benton eyed him and rolled his eyes. “You might not need a disguise. My mom is fully aware of the Land of Faerie nearby. She’s almost in hysterics at realizing how much she’s forgotten. She’s been waiting for you to come back. Don’t worry, you’ll like what she has to say.” He pulled open the back door, letting Shade and Soap enter the house.

Shade approached her mother, Jade, who sat quietly at the kitchen table. Anna waltzed in and smiled at seeing her sister. She ran over to Shade and gave her a bear hug as they shuffled into room.

“Shade, you’re back! Benton said you would be. Where’d you go? Why are you gone so much?” Anna pulled back to stare at her sister’s face, her own flashed full of suspicion.

“Hey kiddo, missed you too,” Shade laughed. “Just had some stuff to take care of. I’m back for a little while, I hope. Mom?” She glanced over to her mother, who sat fingering her cup of coffee, and nervously waiting for them to finish greeting each other.

Jade sighed as she began rubbing her forehead. She was looking very weary. “Anna, I need to speak with Shade, Benton, and their friend privately. Could you please go watch TV with James or go to your room? It won’t be too long. Okay, pumpkin?” She motioned Anna to leave. Anna pressed her lips together, frowning at the order. She sighed and glanced back towards her sister.

“You better come see me afterwards. I got lots to tell you about!” She smiled again and flew out of the room as quickly as she had entered. Shade turned to sit at the table across from her mother. Benton occupied the seat next to their mother, and Soap sat next to Shade.

Shade wrung her fingers nervously in her lap as she peered up, waiting for someone to start talking. Jade watched Shade intensely. Jade’s brown eyes were dark with a depth Shade had not seen in those eyes before. Sighing, Jade started talking softly, but sternly.

“Shade, I have to ask you where you have been going that you feel the need to stay away so long. There are things out there that aren’t natural, and some strange things are going on that I don’t want you involved in.” She glanced at Soap but quickly flashed her eyes back to her daughter.

“Mom, Benton says that you have something to tell me about what you remember. He says you remember everything. So I guess I can assume you know where I’ve been going all this time.” Shade gulped, hoping to not piss her mother off. Instead, Jade continued to stare at her. She seemed to ponder what to say next. The conflict swam around her eyes and made Shade want to just hug her. She knew exactly how her mother was feeling.

“I--I’m not sure what you mean Shade. I…”

“The Land of Faerie mom. You know about the Land of Faerie. My real father was from there. I’m not sure if you’re from there too, but I know about your abilities, your fire affinity. Benton has them too.” Shade sucked her breath in, hoping she had not blurted out too much.

Jade gasped. The shock slammed into her like a direct hit. She stood with her mouth agape and glanced between Shade and Benton. Her hands went to her face as she sat there collecting herself. Sighing, she laid her hands on her thighs and slumped down in her chair.

“I never said anything about anything to Shade. Apparently she knows a lot more than any of us do.” Benton shrank back in his chair.

“I see that you do know more than it seems,” Jade sighed. “Yes. Your real father was Fey. And yes, I’m a human born Fire Witch. Benton is also human born, but we are not Fey. We are not restricted to living in Faerie.” Jade sucked in her breath, waiting to see if anyone would stop her. “I’m sorry I never told you this before, but for some reason I couldn’t remember. Lately, it seems I have started to remember things that have been buried in my mind somehow, and for some reason or another, I couldn’t remember them at all for years.” Jade bit her lip as her thoughts ran through her head.

“Mom, I know about your memory. Lana–my grandmother–she told me what happened.” Shade reached for her mother, laying her hand on her shoulder, hoping to comfort her.

Her mother looked back at her. Surprise and concern seemed to struggle across her face. Shade watched as she fidgeted in her chair, looking a bit older than she had a few months before. It seemed something was bothering her more than she let on.

“Yes, Shade. Lana would know. She probably told your father to erase my memory to keep me safe.” Jade’s bitterness echoed in her voice as she spoke of Lana. Shade wondered what had happened between them that would make her speak of her that way. Lost in her thoughts, she realized that her mother was now staring at her.

“What?” Shade asked. The rest of them were now staring at her too. She felt the weight of their eyes boring into her and suddenly felt na**d. “What is it? Do I have food in my teeth?”

Benton let out a laugh, but Soap and Jade remained silent and stoic in their places.

“I see that you have met her. Good, maybe she explained most of what happened already to you. All I know is that one moment your father and I were madly in love, and the next, I’m a soccer mom with four kids. And now a single mom at that.” Jade shook her head, closing her eyes as the memories washed over her. “I find it hard to imagine life without your father Varenis, but seeing that he never consulted me in his decision to wipe my memory of him, I find this even more difficult to discuss. Benton, you, Anna, and James are part Fire-Witch Elementals. We are human, but we have powers like any witch to cast spells and use magic. Mainly our powers lie with the manipulation of fire.”

“Fire Elementals.” Soap spoke softly as he let the words roll off his tongue. He looked up at Jade, suddenly excited as he continued. “That’s why! Shade, that’s why fire has no effect on you! All this time, you’re a Changeling and a Fire Elemental Witch! Wow. What else does she not know?”

“Soap!” Shade elbowed him, signaling him to shut up.

“Ouch! Sorry, I was just thinking how great this is Shade!” Soap grinned as he rubbed his ribs, sore from her blow.

“Yes, that would make Shade impervious to fire or heat. I take it that you have run into some fire-wielding Fey?” Jade glanced at her. “Can I ask what kind of Faeries they were?”

Shade glanced at Soap and looked back at her mother. “Teleen. Soap is part Teleen and Changeling. I had a run in with a Teleen Warrior named Darren at the caverns they live in. He tried to kill me by torching me, but his fire was useless on me. He was really surprised that I didn’t burn up into ash. He’s insane.” Shade shuddered at the thought of Darren. She hoped he was still tucked away in the Teleen Caverns.

Jade’s eyes widened in horror, but she remained where she was as she digested the information. Her face turned serious. She sighed as worry creased her smooth skin. She furrowed her eyebrows and pressed her lips tight.

“Shade, I had no idea you were in Faerie getting attacked. I don’t want you going there. There are things that you wouldn’t understand happening right now in Faerie.” She shuddered and rubbed the goose bumps rising along her arms. “I can feel the magic in the air, flowing wild with a wisp of evil. I know Aveta has probably become more powerful than ever before. Her evil leaks out of Faerie like a balloon waiting to burst. I don’t like you treading through there.” She glanced at Soap as she spoke. “Even with such powerful escorts.”

“But mom, I..”

“No buts. I mean it Shade. You have no idea what her twisted, evil, creatures are like.”

“Yes I do mom. We’ve just come back from fighting her horrific horde of vile things. I know what to expect. I know what they can do. Corb and Evangeline; her lieutenants, scare me more than her army. They are the ones I’m afraid of running into again.” Shade licked her lips. She had to make her mother understand how far she had come in the last few months. If it meant telling her everything, so be it.

“What did you say?” Jade’s concerned look now turned into the horror of absolute shock.

“Which part, about Corb and Evangeline or Aveta’s army?” Shade waited impatiently for her to answer.

“Evangeline is one of her lieutenants? No, that can’t be. Are you sure?” Jade grabbed Shade’s arm, gripping it tighter than what was comfortable. Shade gulped, feeling a surge of panic jump in her chest.

“Yes, mom, Evangeline is one of her warriors. Why does that matter?” Shade’s hand slipped onto her mothers, hoping the warmth of her hand would ease her grip. Slowly Jade loosened her grip and pulled away, shaking her head in disbelief.

“No, no, no. It can’t be. Vange, why would she do that?” Jade leaned on the table, her hands covering her eyes.

“Mom, you know her? How do you know her?” Shade was getting a feeling that the story would not end here. She bordered on wanting to know everything and not wanting to know anything anymore. Ignorance is bliss. How would her mother know the Witch Faery? Why did she seem so upset about her being Aveta’s second in command? Nothing was making sense to her anymore. Her mother wasn’t being too forthcoming either.

“Mom?” She repeated, hoping to snap Jade back into the present.

“Evangeline is..,” Jade paused, breathing in and sighing deeply. “She’s my sister, Shade. She’s your aunt.” She eyed her daughter, watching her reaction with increased interest.

Shade felt like someone had just slapped the air out of her chest. Her face morphed into a scowl. How could she believe that? Everything that had happened to her, and one of the leaders of the evil Unseelie Queen’s army is her own flesh and blood? Her aunt? No, this has got to be a mistake!

“What? You’re kidding, right?” Shade shook her head, wanting to stand up and shake some sense into her mother. Mom’s off her rocker. She has to be. No other way to explain all this! “How can you and her be sisters? She’s Fey and you said you’re fully human, so that isn’t sounding right to me!”