The Faerie Slayer
Chapter 6

Kade's Pov

I had spent all day away from the faerie girl, withering about, clinging onto the shadow of the task in hopes of another. I checked my phone frequently for a text from the messenger summoning me for yet another assignment so I could move on from this one. Truth be told, I could not abandon it. Curiosity about the girl slithered inside of me, alongside shame for lying to my father. I followed the girl outside of her home and back to Deadwood Creek. I could not figure out why on earth she was returning, unless it were to meet that rotten trow Jack who must have summoned her back. I explored the possibility of a trance, she could be glamoured attached to the body of water but when I seen a dark headed boy approach her with a flower, it had all become so clear.

She came to meet a boy. At first glance, I was convinced that this was your average mortal man, but I could not be so sure. His steps were aligned, sentences structured yet unplanned. He was kind, with big genuine eyes and the aura to suggest that he was a giver. This was the boy that the girl falls in love with. The only thing that made me suspicious were his timing and line of questioning. It could not have been a coincidence that he'd appeared to enter her life a day after that trow, and to summon her to no other then the only creek nearest by. His fascination with her birth parents struck me.

'Don't you wonder about what your parents were and what that might have made you?'

If he were sent from the land of the folk, then he was surly a messenger on behalf of the queen. He was not here to kill the girl, as the other had. He bore a larger purpose. Perhaps it was to educate her of heritage. Within the privy of the bushes on the other side of the creek, I watched with captivating interest as Aubrette closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss. The boy, Caleb seemed to have the entirety of his life flash before his eyes. It was almost as if he had realized he'd led her in a direction he did not mean to. He must have recollected himself because the sight of Aubrette's flushed face was only within my view for a second. His lips were on hers and she seemed to like it that way.

I swallowed back a gut wrenching sort of ball that seemed to be stuck at the top of my throat.

I stalked them back into the station and watched a mystified Aubrette load into her train and depart ways with the boy. This time, I did not follow her home, but the Caleb instead. He missed his train and exited out of the station instead. Through crowds of bodies I glided myself to keep him within my view. Outside now, the night was lit by tall lamps panelling the sidewalks. The moon was nowhere in sight. I slid a finger into the pockets of my suit and ensured that I had both salt and sugar. He made a sudden turn into an alley and I followed, meters behind. He turned again and again. It was at the fourth turn that I had finally realized that he had done a circle. I halted at the realization and peered onto the ground where my feet felt as if they were burning. Scattered in the soils and brick of the alleyway were a different type of berry. I did not recognize them from any of my readings. I lifted my shoe to peel them off and felt the skin of my palms begin to blister. I looked up and met the eyes of the boy. He hissed a word at me that I could not recognize. I broke out into a run but he was faster and immune to the poison. I slowed with pain at the sensation of the berries that sent shocks of electricity up my leg. When I was able to recover, the boy had vanished.

When I had reached the Odin Pack reserve, I marched past my home and into the pack gym. Part of me was beginning to be accustomed to getting in later when father was asleep. I was constantly haunted with the wonder of if and when he'd found out I'd lied to him. Inside were three other younger members of the pack. I watched as they congratulated the newest shifted.

"Hey Kade," The tallest one, Jacob greeted me as I entered," Mike just came back from his ritual."

"Glad to have you back," I responded," how was it?"

Mike was smiling with new confidence. He looked and seemed a changed man," it was intense. For the first hour I felt like I could see everything, but nothing at all. Trunks blended with branches and ground with air. I smelled and heard everything even if it was a mile away. I thought my brain was going to explode."

I laughed out loud at the accuracy of his description," there's no way to prep for it, is there? How long were you gone for?"

"He was only gone for about two days," said Jacob.

"Two days is nothing compared to Kades return. I heard he came back after twelve hours."

"You shouldn't compare yourself to me," I patted him on the back," I trained for the Neturi ritual since I was eight and I went through everything you did. Two days is still very impressive."

"Yeah, unlike Jacob who took like four days to finally replace his way back." This time is was Paul. He was the eldest aside from myself and had found his way back home after just 15 hours of shifting," we learned about this in school for like two years dude, how the hell did you take four whole days?"

"At least I came back," Jacob defended," some never do."

"Then they become rogues," I concluded," luckily that hasn't happened to anyone here."

"We should go out for a celebratory drink," Mike suggested," like old times."

"Alright, let me know when and I'll be there," I bid the three boys goodnight and disappeared into the weight room.

I loaded four plates to either side of my barbell and began my workout in hopes that it would rid my brain of the puzzles for at least an hour or two.

An image of Aubrette's lovely tawny hair sitting on the bed of her shoulders as she leaned in for a hopeful kiss. I suddenly wanted to strike Caleb in the face. The trick of the berries confirmed my assumption, that he was a faerie. I suppose I had time to stalk him a little longer. I yearned to unveil the mystery of his intention and more so, the enigma that is Aubrette Evergreen. I was able to conclude a couple things about her. She is half faerie, half mortal. She is adopted by human parents and has no knowledge of what she is. Aubrette is being haunted for death by a mysterious women that had previously sent the trow, Jack. The queen of Fey is also in search of Aubrette and quite possibly had sent Caleb for a purpose I had not yet concreted. My father must have somehow been altered of a nearby faeries presence when all the attention became to surround the girl. Other then that, he mustn't know much of anything else.

I wondered if Aubrette was being haunted for the mere reason of being a Moiety Child. If that is the case, why hadn't the queen summoned her dead already. In my head echoed the words of the trow.

'The girl must die so others can prosper.'

'The human girl has royal blood ,her fate is forethought.'

If it is true that Aubrette bore the royal blood of the folk, I could not image what their intentions with her would be. For a Moiety Child to be kept alive I'd imagine is a crime across all courts of the folk. Unless of course there were demanding circumstance.

The gym had been isolated for over an hour. I was now drenched with sweat that clung my clothes to my skin. My phone had not gone off once. I grabbed my belongings and headed home. I was through the front door and was just about to walk past my father's study when I halted. If I wanted any sleep tonight then there would be no alternative solution then to face this head on. I raised a fist to knock and almost immediately, a deepened," come in."

Inside, my father sat at the center of the table and crouched over him was the messenger. He smiled polity at me," how can we help you, Mr Kade?"

In my fathers grasp was a scroll. He began to fold it back, his actions were slow, and I knew him well enough to know that it were as if to hide it away.

"I was wondering if you had a new task for me, father."

"It is only been a day since your last," the messenger replied on his behalf. His face was paler then usual. An odd looking man, with a missing nose and thin lines where his mouth was. I noticed droplets of sweat forming at the top of his shiny head.

"And everything is alright?-with the last one I mean."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Father suddenly sat up.

"Just ensuring," I added. I could feel the thick tension of the air. I had walked in to something that they had not wanted me to," I will wait then, for a new one."

I made movements to turn but my father continued.

"About that reward son, it is coming. We should have it very soon."

I nodded,"alright."

"You may have already noticed that you were paid a lot more this time. For the faerie girl in Deadwood Creek."

"I hadn't checked."

"Yes, well, you shall understand soon enough."

Perhaps father knew more about Aubrette Evergreen then I had imagined.

"Why would that be, father? What was different about this one?"

"You should know soon."

His lips formed a line to indicate that he would not explain further more. I merely nodded my head and before turning to leave, I caught glimpse of a thick crimson feather fallen atop the carpet. I picked it up and presented it between my fingers. It must have been the largest feather that I had ever seen.

"What's this?"

Father stood up and walked around to where I was. He reached for the feather, pricking it out of my grip and examined it closely. His head pointed at the window but he was addressing the messenger.

"We mustn't leave that window open overnight anymore, Borris. Who knows what could be wandering into here when only the moon is out."

He exited before I did and left the door open for my mirroring actions. Borris stood by the table and the scroll, awaiting my departure. I nodded my head at him, my thoughts now racing like waterfalls and left the study for my bedroom.

I noticed that my father had taken the feather with him.

Monday morning was quick to come. I rose from slumber and did my usual week fillers in between assignments. I visited the school on the reserve and walked past dozens of classes filled with little children not yet shifted. Second from last was a room of around fifteen teenagers, all on the brink of the great big shift. Today, I was scheduled to present them with a speech that was meant to ready them, not that I believed that anything truly had such capable abilities.

I demoed my arrival with a stern knock on the door. Inside, Ms. Jasmine startlingly jumped up.

"I'm sorry-" I began but she was already rushing towards the door in a flush of giggles and chagrin.

"No, I'm sorry! I completely forgot that you were coming for noon!"

Candice Jasmine was a lovely women. She had long black hair that I sometimes was sure to be made of silk. It halted behind her at the hem of her pencil skirt and danced with the shadows of the light with her every movement. She had kind black eyes that smiled before her lips did. She often hid them behind big framed reading glasses, like today. Light years ago, we dated briefly, despite not being mates. We ended things before either one of us could get too attached though I still believe to this day that we had already been too late.

The red still rushed to her face at the sight of me.

"This is grade 9?" I cleared my throat and stepped in.

"Grade 10. Most of the kids in here are either 15 or 16."

I nodded my head and faced the audience of teenagers. They stared at me with admiration and respect. They recognized me as the son of their alpha, their future in command.

"Alright, most of you already know me, I'm Kade Odin, son of Alcindor Odin. I came today to answer your questions about the Neturi Ritual."

I've given the speech about a dozen times and already knew most of what to expect. Hands shot up in the air as soon as they could. In the back, a blue eyed girl, tawny hair braided above her head caught my attention.

"You," I pointed with my eyes.

She smiled politely and in a sort of surprised to be picked kind of way. She had a face I could only describe as subtle. She reminded me of someone.

"When you do turn 17 and transition for first time, is it immediately after your first full moon? Or will the moon be around for a while before you slowly begin to feel it?"

Angelic, I suddenly thought, like Aubrette.

"Good question," I found myself clearing my throat again," the answer is it really depends.

We all know that the transition will happen on the first full moon after you turn seventeen. That day will be like another birthday for you. The pack will host a Neturi Ritual for you. You will be surrounded by your closest friends and family, by the edge of the woods bordering the Odin Pack reserve. For some, you will feel the shift as soon as the moon begins to display.

Others will have to wait, sometimes hours.

It will come when it comes, you cannot rush nor slow it."

More hands. I picked another.

"I read somewhere that although it's rare, most newly shifted wolves don't return because they starve to death. To better the odds of the wolf not dying, why don't we line the forest with food?"

"The Neturi Ritual was invented to guide you, not to do the work for you. As a new wolf, you have to learn to be capable, on your own. The woods are filled with food, you just have to get out there and replace it on your own.

Think of it like this, your wolf is a new born baby. It must learn to do things on its own, early on, or else it never will."

Another hand I picked amongst the crowd.

"How long do newly shifted wolves usually disappear for?"

"Again, depending on training, it could range.I've seen wolves come back in as little as half a day. Others could take days. The longest we've had at this pack was was eighteen days."

I felt the heated eyes of Candice and turned to look at her. She sent me a shy smile as if I had caught her staring and turned away quickly.

"Ms Jasmine over here only took 21 hours to return after her first shift," I said," it was the most impressive return time for a female wolf since my mother."

The classroom roared with clapping students cheering on their home room teacher. I stayed for a couple more minutes and answered a few more of their questions. Now, I was out the door and in the empty hallway waiting for Candice who would subject the class to reading time while she told me something. I heard the sound of her heels clank against the ground. She retrieved out of the class and shut the door.

"How did I do?" I began.

She lifted the corners of her mouth as if to show off her bright teeth. I used to often tell Candice that her smile had the power to halt traffic.

"You were great. The kids loved you."

"They are good kids with great questions."

She nodded, eyes planted on the ground and her expression was as if she was trying to be careful with her next words.

"Kade-How are you? We never really talk anymore."

"I'm alright. Father keeps me pretty busy with the folk stuff," I answered. I was surprised with the tone of her voice. I found myself wondering if she had heard something about me.

"And later this week? Are you going to be alright?"

I forged a look of confusion on my face," why wouldn't I be?"

"It's your mothers birthday."

I had completely forgotten. Could that be apart of the reason why father had been acting strange lately? I was shocked that Candice still remembered. Every year on my mothers birthday we'd sit by her grave and bid her roses and conversation. For the past two years I had done it on my own. Briskly and suddenly in a rush to depart, I nodded my head," of course. I'll be alright."

"If you need anything Kade, please don't be a stranger." Her eyes held a spark of something hopeful-genuine. I smiled as easily as I could muster.

"Thank you Candice." I could not help a quick stolen glance at her fingers. There was no ring.

How could it be that after all of this time, she was still not mated?

I retrieved out of the school with a heavy heart. Partially, I felt a new found wave of sorrow that benched itself atop my shoulders. It suddenly felt as if my feet were sinking into the mud with the weight of my mothers memory. Majorly, I felt guilty. How could I have forgotten?

I had driven up to the school in my Harley SoftTail Slim S that I'd used whenever I did not care to be concealed. Now, I wanted nothing more then to blend with the roots of the tree. I ditched the bike, jotting a mental note to be back for it later. I ran towards the edge of the forest when my phone began to ring. I ignored it the first time, but the second time I hoisted it out of my pocket. It was a message from Jacob.

'Hey boss. You still up for that drink with the guys tonight? We're thinking of going into town tonight, La Belle.'

'Let's do it.'

I figured it would be a good excuse to get drunk and then later this week, amongst my lonely I could be free to fall apart at the will of my mothers gravestone.

I hid the phone into the camouflaged pockets of my suit and leaped into the air, landing as a creature of the shadow world.

I had submerged myself into becoming one with the woods for longer then I cared to realize. After my run in with the folk of Sequoia Forest, being lost amongst the trees did not provide me with the comfort it once did. I found myself amongst stolen glances at tree roots in fear of catching a glimpse of something moving and keeping my distance just in case. Eventually, it was a battle between the previous and the now. irascible and defeated, I retraced back to my bike. I had a few hours to kill until I was meant to grab drinks with Jacob and the others. Meanwhile, I could not get my thoughts to linger off of Aubrette.

I thought about it twice, maybe even three times. I bid the school goodbye with the barking of my engine and raced to the other side of town, over to Deadwood Creek High where Aubrette should be starting lunch soon.

When I arrived, I parked my bike amongst long bushes stationed around a piece of gravel clearing. In the distance, I could see students bursting through the school doors and out into the fields accessorized with benches of all sorts. High schoolers sat in cliques, some unloaded lunch boxes of bologna sandwiches and crackers, others lit a cigarette and corked open a can of an energy drink. All enjoying the newly arrived spring and happily abandoning New York's brutal winter. A mild gust of gay wind was just slightly brisk. It was the kind of day you'd start off wearing a sweater with, and later on around mid afternoon, the weather would permit you ditch it for a tank top.

I waited and waited, eyes peering into the distance and in all sorts of directions. There were at least six doors that Aubrette could come out of. I did not move, I stayed put and finally, I caught sight of someone familiar.

Her insipid mortal friend. Ben, I think his name was.

The sight of him piqued me. I could not define it. He held the door open, a look of irritation had crossed his face. A minute later, Aubrette came out, her phone practically glued to the skin of her face.

He mumbled something to her that I could not hear but she did not respond. She seems different, I thought, she's almost glowing today. I wonder what's got her so effervescent.

It couldn't have anything to do with the boy she had just met, what was it? Caleb?

Ben's resentment was increasing by the second. Finally, he snatched the phone from Aubrette's grasp and took his seat upon a vacant bench. Aubrette tackled Ben from behind but he slid the phone down his chest using the opening of his vneck. She puffed in defeat and took her seat. Although I could not hear anything, I remained put until the end. Part of me wondered if I were there as the faerie slayer of my pack. The other part of me that studied the perimeter of the field for anything out of the ordinary knew that I was there for a different purpose.