{"id":136,"date":"2013-06-29T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-06-29T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestfantasynovel.com\/2013\/06\/29\/look-inside-alexia-purdys-ever-shade\/"},"modified":"2013-06-29T13:00:00","modified_gmt":"2013-06-29T13:00:00","slug":"look-inside-alexia-purdys-ever-shade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/2013\/06\/29\/look-inside-alexia-purdys-ever-shade\/","title":{"rendered":"Look Inside Alexia Purdy’s Ever Shade"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m excited to join five other amazing fantasy authors in a new collection, Faery Worlds<\/a>. For the rest of the week I’ll be featuring the other novels you can find in this ebook full of magic, love and fae.<\/p>\n

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Alexia Purdy’s<\/a> Ever Shade (A Dark Faerie Tale #1)<\/h4>\n

A dark twist on faeries. For Shade, a chance meeting with a powerful Teleen Faery warrior who wields electrical currents and blue fires along his skin, has her joining him on a treacherous mission for the good Seelie Faerie Court across the land of Faerie. Magic and malice abound and nothing is what it appears to be.<\/p>\n

“A fantastic read, full of magic and greed, love and loss, and stories to unfold. I highly recommend this to all lovers of the magical world of Fae.” — Review for Ever Shade, Anne Nelson, Angel Anne Reviews<\/a><\/p>\n

Prologue<\/h4>\n

ONE LONG PAUSE and the man pondered the choice he had just made. The faery exile, Verenis, watched the woman and her new husband as they laughed and chatted away inside their house. Her long, honey-brown hair shone in shimmering waves down her back and swung around as her husband twirled her about the kitchen, dancing to the music from the radio, which sat on the windowsill. Verenis didn\u2019t acknowledge the pangs of jealously that swirled in his stomach; he had made his decision, and now had to let it play out. She\u2019d be safer this way.<\/p>\n

The child would grow without knowing him, without knowing her powerful potential. He would not be there to teach her the ways of their magic and life. It had to be this way and he could not change it, no matter how much he longed to. For the safety of the child and the love of his life, he had erased the woman\u2019s memory of him forever. He watched them as the happiness spread across their faces. He had handpicked the man for her, made sure he would be a great father, love the child like his own, and love the woman more than life itself.<\/p>\n

The faery closed his eyes, feeling the breezes of the cool winds graze his face. He had never wished to leave her like this. He longed to hold her, and be the one to swing her around in a flowing dance. The tragedy of it all caused a fierce ache in his heart and arrested his breath in his throat. Glancing back to her one more time, he turned away and ran with the wind toward the embrace of the forest.<\/p>\n

Chapter One<\/h4>\n

\u201cYOU DIDN\u2019T REALLY mean that, did you?\u201d Shade said as she observed her friend Brisa, whose face reddened with frustration.<\/p>\n

\u201cRachel had it coming; she\u2019s the one who started it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Shade looked at her friend\u2019s ruined shirt, streaked with the remains of a red strawberry smoothie. The substance was sticking to her, and it felt cold. Her top was no longer the vibrant yellow it\u2019d once been.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a dumb idiot anyway,\u201d Brisa muttered. \u201cShe shouldn\u2019t be calling you those names. I only stated that she was a \u2018dumb as a wall, self-diluted bitch\u2019 in self-defense. I said it for you. Besides, it\u2019s only the truth.\u201d
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\nBrisa frowned and gave up rubbing at the stain with a washcloth and soap. She pulled the shirt over her head and let it slip to the ground. Glaring at her locker, she realized her only other shirt was her gym T-shirt. It figures there\u2019s nothing else to wear. She sighed. \u201cShe shouldn\u2019t have thrown her smoothie at me. The next time I see her she\u2019s going to pay,\u201d Brisa hissed and looked at Shade. \u201cYou\u2019re not a freak. Don\u2019t ever believe anything she says. She\u2019s wrong!\u201d<\/p>\n

Shade peered at her friend. Brisa rarely got along with anyone. Not a day went by that she wasn\u2019t in the principal\u2019s office cleaning chalkboards, wiping down desks or doing some other tedious job. Many times, she\u2019d received these punishments for whatever trouble she\u2019d gotten into, instead of hanging out with Shade.<\/p>\n

Still, Shade had known Brisa since they were toddlers and would stand by her through anything. She was the only one who knew about Shade\u2019s strange abilities\u2212hearing voices in her head. Brisa was the only one Shade trusted.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right, Brisa. I guess I would think I was a freak, too,\u201d Shade gave her friend a shrug. \u201cBesides, it\u2019s my fault for blurting out what they told me about Rachel. Who would have known she was cheating on the final if I hadn\u2019t said anything? She needs to wise up. Well, at least you didn\u2019t smash her nose in; you only need one more fight to get that suspension they\u2019ve threatened you with already. Your mom would hang you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Brisa grinned with a slight shudder at the thought of her mother. Brisa\u2019s face was smooth and olive-toned with bright blue eyes. Her dark brown hair flowed lazily in waves to her mid back. She wasn\u2019t gorgeous, but she wasn\u2019t bad looking either. She rarely had makeup on and preferred to wear her hair in a low ponytail instead of letting it flow freely around her shoulders. She was as much of a tomboy as a girl could be\u2212completely opposite of her friend\u2019s more girly disposition. Shade\u2019s dark, brown hair was similar but longer than her friend\u2019s, and her complexion creamier. Otherwise, they looked a lot like sisters.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I need help in that department,\u201d Brisa groaned as she pulled her hair out from the collar of her gym shirt and smoothed the wrinkles down. Brisa and her mother rarely got along. She tended to spend more time at Shade\u2019s house than at her own.<\/p>\n

Shade pulled out her cell phone to peek at the time. It was getting late, and their afternoon class was starting in two minutes. Dropping the phone back into her bag, she scooped it up before shoving away her own long, brown locks. She tapped her friend\u2019s shoulder, urging her to hurry. \u201cGotta go, do you want to be late? Ms. Temor is going to lock us out! Chop, chop!\u201d Shade turned and sprinted toward the entrance to the locker room and shoved the heavy metal doors out of her way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait up!\u201d Brisa called as she stuffed her ruined shirt into her backpack. She stumbled behind Shade and cleared the doors just before they slammed shut.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

SHADE SIGHED. SHE swung her legs down from the stone ledge she had propped herself on by the main entrance of the school. Might as well start walking, she thought. Her mom had forgotten to pick her up again, and it was a long walk home. Her backpack was heavy, but not as much as some days when her homework was piled high. Luckily, today was a light homework day.<\/p>\n

The warm air rippled along Shade\u2019s face. The final bell had rung ages ago, yet here she was, still waiting, again. Brisa rode the Portland, Oregon city bus home and was long gone. Shade wished she had hopped onto that bus with her friend. This had been happening too often lately. Mom has too much on her plate, Shade thought. Her full time job, two sons and Shade\u2019s younger sister kept her so busy. Shade, being the oldest, was on her own.<\/p>\n

The streets were quiet as she walked home. A slight breeze swept up some litter and floated it past her. She was feeling good, especially compared to how she\u2019d felt a couple of weeks ago, when she had caught pneumonia, The illness had caused Shade to miss a lot of school, and her grades had taken a beating. She\u2019d been feeling pretty out of it for the past month. Now, she wasn\u2019t so sure she\u2019d be able to get caught up enough to raise some of her D\u2019s to B\u2019s, much less A\u2019s again. One class was still an F.<\/p>\n

Squeezing her eyes together, she gritted her teeth and tried to not imagine having to endure getting an F for the first time in her life. She\u2019d graduate either way, but the drop in GPA was not going to go over well with her. Shade sighed and looked ahead, hoping her luck would get better soon.<\/p>\n

The bright sun was glaring down, and it reflected off the white concrete sidewalk like a floodlight, blinding her. Shade\u2019s little brother, James, had smashed her last pair of sunglasses just two days before while playing one of his infinitely, highly imaginative games. She wished she had replaced them already.<\/p>\n

Shade passed the main streets of the city and continued walking down the sidewalk, skipping over cracks on the aged concrete. The roads turned into longer stretches of periodic houses and empty lots as the worn brick buildings of the city\u2019s center faded behind her.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly a whole mile or so to go,\u201d Shade mumbled to herself. Both her feet ached a little. She was thankful she\u2019d worn tennis shoes today instead of her usual thin flats. Still, she wasn\u2019t used to walking so much since it was only her third day back to school. Feeling one of her shoelaces loosen as it began to whip her calf and flop around, she stopped walking and bent down to retie it firmly.<\/p>\n

Hesitating, she glanced up and scanned the street and the warehouses, which surrounded her. The cool autumn breeze whirled around her, causing the fallen leaves to float in the wind and sling dust into the air. She squeezed her eyes shut and let the dust and debris blow past her before getting back up.<\/p>\n

Holding her breath, she could\u2019ve sworn she\u2019d heard something. Is it footsteps? It was like someone scurrying about, or running, but also trying to be quiet about it. Shade peered around her, surveying the area. Whatever it was, it seemed to have come from the abandoned warehouse to her right. She studied the dilapidated brick structure; it was the only tall building for miles, and it gave her the creeps. She listened hard for anything to betray itself but heard nothing. The windows were mostly boarded-up and weeds littered the ground all around it.<\/p>\n

Go inside, now.<\/p>\n

Shade paled. She hadn\u2019t heard the voices sound so desperate in quite a while, and this was not good. It was not her inner voice or her conscience. It was very different, like someone else whispering into her ears, but she was the only one who could hear them. Shade had never been able to explain it to anyone, mostly because it would\u2019ve just sounded so crazy.<\/p>\n

They were more like some sort of entities who spoke to her inside her head and asked her to do their bidding. Shade never understood the reasons why. The voices would become clearer and stronger when they wanted her to do something specific. It wasn\u2019t ever anything absolutely insane like killing someone. That comforted her, but nevertheless, she cringed at the sound of their voices tingling in her ears. No one knew of this ailment except Brisa.<\/p>\n

Shade shuddered as she thought about telling someone else about them. No one would understand or even look at her like a normal person again if she told anyone. She\u2019d become another institutionalized, psychotic, hormonal teenager.<\/p>\n

They\u2019d think I was another paranoid schizophrenic teenager if I told anyone, she thought. Can\u2019t go to any loony house where they pump me up with drugs until I\u2019m comatose. I can\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Hurry, said the voices.<\/p>\n

Hurry to what? Shade inquired silently. There\u2019s nothing here!<\/p>\n

Quick, they told her with urgency.<\/p>\n

Shade pressed her lips together. She had to obey. The voices wouldn\u2019t leave her alone if she defied them, and she couldn\u2019t handle that. She had tried to not listen to what they wanted once before, and there had been dire consequences. Three nights of relentless chatter inside the head was enough to drive anyone to a nuthouse. She couldn\u2019t go through that again.<\/p>\n

Okay already!<\/p>\n

She bent over and slipped through a hole in the fence that was nearest to her. The building looked even scarier up close. The wind howled around her, whipping her long, brown hair up and caused it to smack her face. It was as if it was taunting her decision to inspect the building. The front door had been boarded-up with thick bolts and two by fours. Apparently, no one was meant to enter this place.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no way in, where do I get in?<\/p>\n

The basement, the voices said together.<\/p>\n

Shade gulped. It would be dark in the basement, and whatever was in there would not be welcoming her. She didn\u2019t even have a flashlight. Nothing good would come of this at all. Even so, she walked around the building toward the rear, searching for any openings.<\/p>\n

And there it was: a small, dusty and rusted window near the ground. As she knelt down, the rocks crunched under her feet and dug into her knees. She lowered herself so that she was level with the window and frowned. The dust and moist earth stuck to her jeans and fingers.<\/p>\n

Ewww, I hate getting filthy!<\/p>\n

The window was tiny and probably just big enough for a small person to fit through. Shade groaned. Just like me. She cringed at the thought of crawling through it. It would be a tight fit, but she thought she could probably make it. She pushed on the pane but nothing happened. It\u2019d been years since anyone had moved this frame, and now it was stuck.<\/p>\n

Maybe I should give a good hard push\u2026.<\/p>\n

Shade scooted onto her bottom and got closer to the window, pressing her feet against it. She gave it a good shove and heard a loud screech as the metal frame screamed in protest, opening to the world. The dust bellowed around her in a swirling cloud, causing her to go into a coughing fit.<\/p>\n

She dusted her clothes as she muttered to herself. There was no doubt that she\u2019d need another shower tonight. She peeked inside, but it was a deep void of darkness. Oh boy, this is gonna suck, she thought. Shimmying through the frame, she heaved herself into the darkness below.<\/p>\n

Shade crashed onto the floor, tumbling to a stop. Ouch! That\u2019s definitely going to leave a bruise, she thought. Shade rubbed the sore spots and scanned the room for signs of movement. There was nothing but dust and darkness to greet her. Standing, she dusted her jeans off again.<\/p>\n

There was a dim light coming from the now-busted window, but her eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness of the room. The small room was empty except for a worktable at one end of the basement and the parts to an old bicycle at the other end. There were also a few pieces of junk strewn across the floor. Even in the poor light, she could see there was a staircase in the middle of the room. She walked to it and grabbed the thin metal banister. She started up slowly but froze, hearing a sound that made her stomach tighten.<\/p>\n

Footsteps were fluttering above her, but they quickly faded. It seemed like they had stopped to listen for something or someone. Maybe they had heard her. She didn\u2019t move for what felt like a millennium, her heart pumping quick and loudly in her ears. She stood still, holding her breath and fearing discovery.<\/p>\n

The time ticked on, but Shade didn\u2019t hear any more noises and decided to slowly ascend the stairs to the door at the top. Her hand gripped the old brass knob and she paused. As she gulped back her fear, she listened for anything that might be waiting for her beyond the door. Pray, just pray that no one is waiting on the other side.<\/p>\n

Shade turned the knob as quietly as she could; the slow creaking moan of the door echoed in the silence. The wind was still howling outside the basement window, shaking it in its frame until the vibration loosened it and it slammed closed. Her stomach tightened at the sudden noise. Claustrophobia must feel like this, she thought.<\/p>\n

Shade opened the door and looked around the gloomy building. Light streamed in through the boarded-up windows as she peered into the long hallway that was just beyond the door. The place was vibrating from the forces outside; everything creaked and sighed, like a ship tossed about in an angry sea. Shade wished more than anything to be home, snuggled in her room, safe. She stepped out into the hall and closed the basement door behind her as quietly as she could.<\/p>\n

Now what? Which way do I go? She hated having to listen to the voices for an answer. At least she knew if she had to ask them anything, they\u2019d answer her without fail. She just hoped it wasn\u2019t an answer she didn\u2019t want to hear.<\/p>\n

Upstairs, follow the stairs to your right; take them now, the voices commanded in unison.<\/p>\n

Shade turned toward her right; the hallway ended by a small banister near the wall. She could see another window frame at the end of it and light spilled through the streaked glass, illuminating the bottom of the staircase. Dust particles swam in the rays and danced all around.<\/p>\n

Here we go, thought Shade. Please don\u2019t let there be a crazy person up there! She swiftly walked to the stairs and looked up; she heard nothing but the wind making the walls moan. Moving slowly over the loose floorboards, whose creaking was driving her mad with fear, she reached the landing just as she heard a crash. Her eyes widened and she fought the urge to fly right back down the stairs.<\/p>\n

Something big is up there! It\u2019s moving, too! I don\u2019t want to meet that! She couldn\u2019t move from her spot and listened again, but nothing else banged around upstairs. Shade craned her neck so she could hear better. It must have stopped. After taking a breath, she continued up the stairs.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t ever ask me to do this again,\u201d she muttered under her breath as she reached the landing and peered down to her left. There was another hall, and it opened into a big room that must have been the warehouse\u2019s office area. There were cubicles and papers strewn about on the desks, and old chairs were turned over, as if they had been thrown across the room. Um, not pretty. She looked around; whatever had been up here might still be lurking and hiding from her. It wouldn\u2019t be too hard with all the furniture upturned and scattered throughout the room.<\/p>\n

Shade didn\u2019t have to wait too long before she was diving for cover. A bolt of lightning shot across the room, and smashed into one of the bookshelves, which lined the walls. She ducked under a desk, which was still standing upright, and tried to take cover from the flying debris.<\/p>\n

What was that? She tried to pace her rapid breathing for she felt like she was having a heart attack. What if she died and no one could ever find her? Her remains would be here in this desolate place for years, if ever discovered.<\/p>\n

Shut up, she told herself, shooing the morbid thoughts away. Now, voices, come on, why am I here, to get killed? You better tell me soon, \u2019cause I am about to hightail it out of here!<\/p>\n

Shade peaked above the desk to look around the room. A sonic boom knocked her onto her back, causing more debris to fly past her. The sound had come from a different direction than the lightning. Is there more than one person here? What the hell? She stayed down and prayed they wouldn\u2019t notice her in the mess.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t hurt me, Jack. I know all your tricks, and they\u2019re pointless against my magic. You can\u2019t best me with your powers; mine will always endure against you.\u201d The woman cackled with a spine-tingling voice. She sounded like the Wicked Witch of the West.<\/p>\n

\u201cGive it up, Evie. You don\u2019t have it in you; we\u2019re banging our heads against the walls. I can have reinforcements arrive in a heartbeat. Give it up before I\u2019m forced to make you.\u201d This was a man\u2019s voice, and it echoed with strength in the large room.<\/p>\n

Ok, this is getting complicated, thought Shade. I hope they don\u2019t know I\u2019m here.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot so fast, Jack. And the name is Vange now.\u201d She spoke his name as though she was speaking of poison. \u201cYou\u2019ve trespassed on my domain. I didn\u2019t know you liked hanging out with ordinary folk now. You might frighten one of them as you speak. You should return to the forest and mountains you claim as your great domain. The cities are mine.\u201d Another boom and crash shook the room.<\/p>\n

Shade held her breath. Well, now I know she knows I\u2019m here. Now he does, too! Great!<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mortal is of no concern to me. You should stop right now before I hurt you. The Queen wants you alive, but I\u2019m sure that if you were wounded, she\u2019d understand it was a matter of life and death. Or, you could just give the talisman back and we\u2019ll call it even.\u201d Jack sent another lightning rod, or what looked like a lightning rod, toward the left corner of the room and jumped from his spot. Shade peered over at him as he ran forward and ducked behind a large wooden beam. He glanced at her for a moment, narrowing his gaze as he watched her. Now he knew just where she was.<\/p>\n

What now? Shade turned and looked down the hall to the flight of stairs. If only I can get to the stairs and get the hell out of Dodge. She glanced back at the scene before her. Jack had hunched down behind the desks and stealthily crept toward the woman. He paused periodically to listen and search for her. The woman was hiding quite well behind an office divider, if she was still there.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t run, the voices said.<\/p>\n

What am I supposed to do, die? Shade\u2019s heart raced and sweat beaded on her forehead and neck. She gulped and felt lightheaded as her chest burned from hyperventilation. What could she do? They would see her if she bolted. She hung her head down, wishing to be small and invisible. She heard Jack curse as another crash shattered a window on the north end of the building. Shade jerked her head up in time to see Vange flash a smile at Jack.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m truly sorry, Jack, but this isn\u2019t your day. My Queen will love this little artifact. Its powers will truly add to our array of weapons against your precious Queen.\u201d The woman then sprinted toward the shattered remains of windowpane and jumped, no, flew out the window and disappeared.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will finish this some other time, Vange.\u201d Jack stood at the windowsill and stared into the light of the day. The cool autumn breeze wafted in and stirred up the stale air inside. He shook his head while he groaned and cursed under his breath.<\/p>\n

Shade stood and peered at Jack; he had yet to turn toward her. She decided to discretely sneak away when he suddenly caught her by the shoulder. She screamed, and quickly spun around and forced to face him. His eyes pierced hers as his hands gripped her upper arms. \u201cLet me go!\u201d She yelled as she wriggled around in his grip.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, quit it. Who are you? Why are you here?\u201d Jack questioned as he stared at her with searing eyes. He squeezed on her arms just enough to make her cry out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know, I don\u2019t know! Let me go!\u201d<\/p>\n

He sighed and released her as she pulled away, sending her crashing to the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cOw!\u201d Shade grabbed her elbow, streaked with blood.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said \u2018let me go.\u2019\u201d Jack turned and picked up some of his weapons from the floor. He took hold of the sheath hanging on his belt, putting his knife away before he began dusting off his clothes. He wore a tight black shirt with a leather belt tightened around his waist with multiple items strung onto it, including a sword.<\/p>\n

His face was strong and well defined, portraying a radiance of youth. He appeared to be about twenty-five, but didn\u2019t have a hint of stubble, making him not quite look like a teenager. Jack\u2019s dark, black, wavy hair was long, gracing his neck, and his bangs covered some of his tanned face. His eyes had an ancient wisdom about them, making it obvious that he had seen too much for one lifetime.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s not bad looking though. Shade stood up and brushed off her clothes as well. She peered up at him, wondering if she should try to run.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you? Who was\u2014what was\u2014that woman?\u201d Shade\u2019s voice shook as she spoke. \u201cAnd how do you throw lightning like that? How can she fly?\u201d Shade couldn\u2019t hold back the torrent of questions.<\/p>\n

He stared at her quietly. It seemed as if he were trying to decide whether or not to answer. His piercing grey eyes examined her, making Shade flush as she stuttered. \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m not going to hurt you, if that\u2019s what you\u2019re thinking.\u201d If he had been a teenager, he would have rolled his eyes, Shade thought. \u201cI\u2019m Jack, by the way. I have the power to throw lightning, because it\u2019s part of what I am.\u201d He grinned, watching her face drop in disbelief. \u201cShe can\u2019t really fly, it\u2019s more like, float gracefully.\u201d<\/p>\n

What the\u2026?<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay then\u2026\u201d she chuckled nervously, more scared than ever. \u201cHow\u2019d she make the room explode in a sonic boom? What do you mean you\u2019re made of lightning? That\u2019s insane.\u201d Shade shook her head, squeezed her eyes closed before blinking nervously. This strange, young man just stared at her, a wry smile upturning the corners of his mouth. He seemed amused by her rant.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was Evangeline. Vange is what everyone calls her now, though I used to call her Evie.\u201d He paused, looking lost in thought. \u201cBut, that was a long time ago. She\u2019s an elemental fire witch, but not just any old witch. She\u2019s a hybrid offspring of a witch and a faery. She\u2019s a skilled fighter, and she has taken something from my Queen. I was sent to get it back.\u201d Jack started to walk toward the staircase, leaving Shade stunned with her mouth hanging open in silence.<\/p>\n

Okay, that was unexpected. She watched him begin down the stairs. Now what? What was the purpose of her being here? Why did she have to witness all that? Hello, voices?<\/p>\n

Why, oh why, do I listen to the stupid voices? Why can\u2019t they leave me alone! All they have ever done for me is get me into a lot of trouble.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait! Why I brought here? Stop! Don\u2019t walk away from me\u2026I need answers here!\u201d Shade scrambled after the strange man, nearly tripping down the stairs. \u201cThe voices told me to come here and I want to know why. What am I supposed to see or do here? Stop already!\u201d She cried out again.<\/p>\n

Jack was already at the front door. He studied the nailed-in boards, and began tearing them down. How did he get in? His muscles rippled as he held one plank and pulled. It crashed to the floor as he went for another one. She grabbed his arm to get his attention, but he spun around, grabbed her wrist instead and squeezed it tight. Shade whimpered, surprised by the pain.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t touch me, I might inadvertently electrocute you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her eyes widened as she stared at his hand tightening on her wrist. He let her go and sighed, his lips tight with discontent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know why you were brought here. You say you hear voices? Only oracles can hear voices. Strange,\u201d he said, more to himself than to her. \u201cAnyway, I\u2019m made of lightning and blue fire. I guess I have to show you, because if you happen to touch me when I am not properly shielded with this glamour, I can hurt you, and it could be fatal.\u201d Jack stared at her with some concern in his eyes. He stepped back from her and seemed to shake a bit, as though dusting himself off. The air around him liquefied as his glamour melted away and the brightness of his skin illuminated the dark hallway.<\/p>\n

Shade gasped. He still looked like Jack, but his skin glowed with a blue aura. Blue fire flickered all over him. Electricity crackled along his entire body, yet he didn\u2019t burn. His eyes blinked at her, smiling at her awe.<\/p>\n

No way!<\/p>\n

\u201cYou see, I\u2019m made of electricity, like lightning, and white-hot blue fire. One touch and I can zap you to heaven.\u201d He closed his eyes as the air, like liquid, poured over him. His glamour reappeared on him, like a drizzle of honey. Jack opened his eyes and studied the shocked expression on her face.<\/p>\n

Shade could hardly stand. She was confused, stunned and in sheer disbelief. \u201cHow do you do that? What the\u2026 no\u2026 can\u2019t\u2026how?\u201d She leaned on the wall, her legs felt dangerously limp.<\/p>\n

Jack straightened up and narrowed his eyes at her; the air was still shimmering around him. He seemed to pull it in tighter around him, solidifying whatever it was that formed his glamour. The glow was all but gone. His skin lay smooth, tanned and flawless.<\/p>\n

Turning, he pulled the rest of the boards off the door and swung it open. It screeched on its hinges, letting the fading light illuminate the doorway. He stepped out onto the steps and turned to look at Shade. \u201cI suggest that you come with me. I don\u2019t know why your voices led you here, but the oracle where I live might be able to help you. You would have to follow me right now though. What do you say? Maybe she has the answers you seek.\u201d He watched her slowly step outside.<\/p>\n

Shade breathed in the cool autumn air and felt more grounded. Gazing up at him, she nodded. This seemed like the only solution to her predicament. Might as well.<\/p>\n

Jack began walking and stopped before he reached the sidewalk. He waited for Shade with a look of concern. \u201cYou can\u2019t tell anyone what you see or where we go. No one. Understand?\u201d<\/p>\n

She took in the seriousness of his face. \u201cOf course,\u201d she answered hesitantly.<\/p>\n

He nodded, made his way onto the sidewalk and then headed off toward the forest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m excited to join five other amazing fantasy authors in a new collection, Faery Worlds. For the rest of the week I’ll be featuring the other novels you can find in this ebook full of magic, love and fae. Alexia Purdy’s Ever Shade (A Dark Faerie Tale #1) A dark twist on faeries. For Shade, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,161,162,166,167,169,177,592],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alexia-purdy","category-excerpt","category-excerpts","category-fae","category-faeries","category-faery-worlds","category-fantasy","category-ya"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/taramayastales.com\/bestfantasynovel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}