Read Online Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy - Free Book Online Page B

glanced at him as she turned her head slightly, absorbing his cool smiling eyes. There was much behind those eyes Shade wondered about. She wasn’t sure if his overly happy exterior matched the soul within.
    The forest floor crunched under their feet as they walked at a slow and steady pace. Some of the group was shifting into pairs while others chose to remain in single file. She looked over her shoulder to find Soap and for a moment couldn’t see him. She realized then that he was walking beside her now. He glanced over at her, smiling. His eyebrows lifted into questioning look.
    “What’s wrong, dear Shade? You looked mighty concerned.” He was shoulder to shoulder with her now.
    She gave him another quick look before darting her eyes back to the trail. She had to often check for fallen tree branches and tangled vines and roots that impeded their pathway. No wonder we’re moving so slowly. “Um nothing, just nervous, I guess. Isn’t there a better way to travel than on foot? How far away are the Santiran Lands? What was that spell that Ewan was talking about? Hey, why are you laughing?” Shade pressed her lips together, feeling the blood rushing to her cheeks.
    Soap was chuckling. “Sorry. My dear Shade, I meant no disrespect. You are so like a young child in that you know almost nothing about the fey. That’s how we’ll pass the time, I guess, chatting about our peculiar lives. To answer your questions, yes, there are better ways to get around than on foot. We have to leave the Guildrin forest for it is forbidden to fly or travel any other way near the Faery’s dwelling. Once we leave the trees behind us, we can fly, run really fast, or travel by horse if available. We won’t have horses because there are none so close to an iron city. We can’t run like we usually do or fly because some of us can’t fly at all. Plus, you are part mortal and can’t keep up with us, or in the case of flying, can’t at all. That leaves one option, walking.” He looked forward, swinging his short sword in front of him to slice off a branch that had swung back towards them.
    “What about with a car? Or even by airplane? Why not go that way?” She felt utterly confused and not one bit satisfied with his answers. She was starting to wonder what was so great about being a faery if you can’t do regular stuff, like ride an airplane!
    “No way would any fey ride in those things, they reek of iron! Like I have told you, iron is deadly to the fey. If faeries stayed around iron for long periods of time they become seriously ill and have poor quality of life.” He snickered as he beat back another branch as he walked along. He seemed amused and maybe a little frustrated that he had to explain the iron sickness again. “But, you and Jack can tolerate it. You guys didn’t seem one bit bothered. And it doesn’t bother me at all either, why? I’m part fey, supposedly. Is it because I’m part human?” She dodged a large leafy bush that was in her way just before it slammed into her chest.
    “Yes, because we are Teleen, we love iron or any kind of metals. Again, we like the conductivity it provides us. You, I guess, it’s because you are part human. The fact that you’re Halfling gives you an advantage and a valuable strength. It is the human part of you that allows you to escape from danger and you can hide in the iron cities without any problems.”
    “What else are the fey vulnerable to?”
    He furrowed his brows and seemed to pause for a second to ponder her question.
    Shade realized she would never get over how amazingly handsome he was. She wondered if he had a girlfriend in this faery tale life of his. He wore no glamour right now; he was just in changeling mode so none was needed. None of them did, besides Jack, for they were staying within the Guildrin forest until they reached the valley of the Teleen. She wondered how big the forest really was. She had so many questions that she just didn’t even know where to