in his steel grey eyes. “I understand.”
It took all of his own resolve to keep from losing his mind. He watched as the oracle turned her attention back to Shade and grasped her hands. She began chanting another incantation over her and the spot began to glow a brilliant white as smoke began slipping from it and up into the air more violently. It circled around them, faster and faster, churning and forming a small wind tunnel as it spun and spun.
The smell it produced burned his nostrils and made his eyes water. Dark magic was never pleasant to any of the senses, and it made his skin tingle like pricks of cactus. A similar noise like an echo of the darkling’s scream rang in his ears as he closed his eyes, praying that Ilarial could extend Shade’s life. The chances of making it out alive from one of the most lethal poisons in the Land of Faerie were slim.
The sound of wind and scream slowly died away, and the rancid stench from the spot faded away suddenly, making Dylan snap his eyes open. The room was once more still, but he watched as Ilarial stumbled slightly, barely reaching a chair placed next to the bed. She slipped down into it, breathing rapidly.
Sweat gleamed on her brow and her usually bright silver eyes seemed darker than before. As she slowly gained back her composure, her voice came out quiet and full of sadness. “I managed to slow it down, but she has 3 days at minimum.”
As she spoke, Shade moaned and shifted in the bed. Her eyes fluttered, and she stared up toward the ceiling, her eyes glassy and red.
“Shade?” Dylan squeezed her hand and studied the spot. It was somehow smaller but it was still black as ink. The trail remained like a dark tangle of vines up her forearm, giving it a tattooed appearance. Her skin was not as pale as before though, which let him breathe a sigh of relief.
“Dylan?”
“I’m here. Feeling okay?” He pushed his fear deep within him and pasted a smile across his face, not wanting to upset Shade.
“Like I got ran over.”
He chuckled and pushed a strand of her hair out of her face. She slowly appeared more normal and shifted to sit up in the bed. “What happened?”
“The darkling mark, it’s poisonous and making you really sick.”
She reached over and ran her fingers over the darkened spot and traced the vines that splintered from it. It didn’t hurt anymore, but she frowned as she studied it. The pain had subsided, but she wondered how long that would last.
“When will it go away? Ilarial?” She glanced toward Ilarial, suddenly realizing the oracle was there seated next to her. Her face lit up, and she smiled, but it quickly faded, realizing how worn out the oracle seemed. “How did you get here? What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, Shade, but I don’t think it ever will. It’s highly poisonous, and I could only stall its effects for few days before it will overwhelm you.” The oracle leaned toward her and took her slender hands into hers. The sadness that dwelled in her glistening eyes sent a wave a panic through Shade.
“What do you mean, overwhelm me?” Her eyes darted to Dylan and the glum look on his face gave her no assurance. “You mean I’m going to…die?”
The room wavered in her vision and a jolt of nausea filled her as she tried to control her short gasping breathes. She couldn’t die! She wasn’t ready yet!
“I think I−I think I have to get out of here.” Shade attempted to stand up and quickly sat right back down. Her legs felt like fluid and refused to cooperate. “What’s wrong with me?” Leaning over, she gripped her legs and rocked silently as the tears escaped from their restraints and spilled onto her jeans. “How long?”
“Three days, at the most.”
“What do I do? Can I stop it?”
“Possibly.”
This jerked her out of the fog that was threatening to overtake her senses. Shade sat back up and waited for Ilarial to continue. “How?”
“You definitely have to seek out the Ice King and make
It took all of his own resolve to keep from losing his mind. He watched as the oracle turned her attention back to Shade and grasped her hands. She began chanting another incantation over her and the spot began to glow a brilliant white as smoke began slipping from it and up into the air more violently. It circled around them, faster and faster, churning and forming a small wind tunnel as it spun and spun.
The smell it produced burned his nostrils and made his eyes water. Dark magic was never pleasant to any of the senses, and it made his skin tingle like pricks of cactus. A similar noise like an echo of the darkling’s scream rang in his ears as he closed his eyes, praying that Ilarial could extend Shade’s life. The chances of making it out alive from one of the most lethal poisons in the Land of Faerie were slim.
The sound of wind and scream slowly died away, and the rancid stench from the spot faded away suddenly, making Dylan snap his eyes open. The room was once more still, but he watched as Ilarial stumbled slightly, barely reaching a chair placed next to the bed. She slipped down into it, breathing rapidly.
Sweat gleamed on her brow and her usually bright silver eyes seemed darker than before. As she slowly gained back her composure, her voice came out quiet and full of sadness. “I managed to slow it down, but she has 3 days at minimum.”
As she spoke, Shade moaned and shifted in the bed. Her eyes fluttered, and she stared up toward the ceiling, her eyes glassy and red.
“Shade?” Dylan squeezed her hand and studied the spot. It was somehow smaller but it was still black as ink. The trail remained like a dark tangle of vines up her forearm, giving it a tattooed appearance. Her skin was not as pale as before though, which let him breathe a sigh of relief.
“Dylan?”
“I’m here. Feeling okay?” He pushed his fear deep within him and pasted a smile across his face, not wanting to upset Shade.
“Like I got ran over.”
He chuckled and pushed a strand of her hair out of her face. She slowly appeared more normal and shifted to sit up in the bed. “What happened?”
“The darkling mark, it’s poisonous and making you really sick.”
She reached over and ran her fingers over the darkened spot and traced the vines that splintered from it. It didn’t hurt anymore, but she frowned as she studied it. The pain had subsided, but she wondered how long that would last.
“When will it go away? Ilarial?” She glanced toward Ilarial, suddenly realizing the oracle was there seated next to her. Her face lit up, and she smiled, but it quickly faded, realizing how worn out the oracle seemed. “How did you get here? What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, Shade, but I don’t think it ever will. It’s highly poisonous, and I could only stall its effects for few days before it will overwhelm you.” The oracle leaned toward her and took her slender hands into hers. The sadness that dwelled in her glistening eyes sent a wave a panic through Shade.
“What do you mean, overwhelm me?” Her eyes darted to Dylan and the glum look on his face gave her no assurance. “You mean I’m going to…die?”
The room wavered in her vision and a jolt of nausea filled her as she tried to control her short gasping breathes. She couldn’t die! She wasn’t ready yet!
“I think I−I think I have to get out of here.” Shade attempted to stand up and quickly sat right back down. Her legs felt like fluid and refused to cooperate. “What’s wrong with me?” Leaning over, she gripped her legs and rocked silently as the tears escaped from their restraints and spilled onto her jeans. “How long?”
“Three days, at the most.”
“What do I do? Can I stop it?”
“Possibly.”
This jerked her out of the fog that was threatening to overtake her senses. Shade sat back up and waited for Ilarial to continue. “How?”
“You definitely have to seek out the Ice King and make
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