Chapter 6

The earth beneath me feels both solid and alive.

The ground is soft, a carpet of thick moss and wildflowers spreads out beneath me. The scent of sweet nectar and pine filters through the air, the sound of unseen songbirds resonates through the trees. The air feels heavy, as if I could run my hand through it, feel it. I slowly stand, my vision still blurred at the edges.

I can make out massive trees, some taller than cathedral spires. Their emerald leaves shimmer like flames as winged creatures flit between them.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, steadying myself.

I open my eyes, my vision clear, and gasp.

Every blade of grass, every leaf and flower, shimmers with gold…even the air seems to glow, unearthly and magnificent. Unable to control myself, I pluck a blade of grass from the ground and hold it close to my eyes. The blade is lined with a golden hue that seems to pulsate, as if it is alive.

Magic. This world is filled with magic… Aria.

Where is Aria?

"Aria, where are you?" My voice echoes in the grassy meadow.

I search frantically, hysterically. There is no sign of her in the vibrant wildflowers, nor the swaying branches of the massive trees. I hear running water in the distance and run towards the sound, hoping she has gone to find water.

I find the stream and become entranced for just a moment as the sky-blue water flows over the mossy foliage beneath. I want to reach my hand into the luminous sparking water, to make sure that it is real, to feel it run through my fingers…

Find her, I remind myself, clearing my head.

I tear my eyes from the memorizing water and search the rocks near the stream, hoping to find Aria sitting atop one of them.

"Please Aria, I need you!" My voice breaks as I yell for her.

I did not want to be alone, not here, not in a world I have never been. All of the courage I had felt has vanished, I feel as lost as I had the day my father had abandoned me.

I whip my head towards the sound of a branch breaking in the distance, praying to see Aria's bright fluttering wings. I see no one in the distance, yet my palms begin to flare once again. The intricate golden swirls changing to ruby red.

Something is in this forest with me...

Anger flares through my core, causing my palms to burn brighter.

"I know you're there!" I widen my stance, preparing to use what minimal strength I have to protect myself.

A man steps into the clearing.

His virdis eyes bore into mine, causing every muscle in my body to lock. I have become paralyzed under his emerald gaze…I have seen those eyes before.

He saunters towards me, his muscled body evident through his dark brown tunic and black leather pants. He moves elegantly, powerfully…

He stops a few steps before me, the smell of pine needles and earth flowing from him. His face is devastating in its beauty. His dark chestnut hair stops right before his thick eyebrows, his features are sharp and striking.

"I remember you," he whispers through full lips.

His voice, I know that voice. The voice that belonged to the shadow that had attacked me when I first arrived on the Isle of Skye, once more in my fathers cottage.

Before I have the chance to react, his stare darkens as rage and hate fill his emerald eyes. Shadows begin to form around him as the entirety of his eyes fill with onyx ink.

I stumble back, no longer trapped in his paralyzing gaze.

"Run, little fox."

I continue to stumble back, petrified and amazed, unwilling to look away from him. My palms are on fire, the pain is nothing compared to my paralyzing fear.

I hear footsteps in the distance, coming towards us.

"I told you to run."

His shadows rush towards my face like a spear. A black cloud surrounds me, obscuring my senses. I thrash, trying to clear my vision. I lose my balance, falling onto my back. The shadows wrap themselves around me, holding me in place.

"Alasdair, save some fun for us." The voice of a demon sneers.

Alasdair. The shadows name is Alasdair.

"A female, fun indeed." A second horrific voice hisses.

"Remove your shadows, I'd like to see her cry as we gut her."

I trash harder, the fire in my palms has turned molten. I have to escape, I must find Aria and not let Aoife and Duncan die in vain. The shadows latch harder, pushing me further into the ground.

"Manners, pig. I do not take orders from you." Alasdair drawls, almost bored.

"I'll gut you just like Orcus gutted your mother, boy. Remove your shadow." The first demon hisses.

I feel tension lift from my right wrist. Without hesitation I latch my claws into the mist that binds me. I feel instant release, my vision clearing. I watch as Alasdair's shadow wraps around the man's throat.

Times slows, and then everything happens at once. I watch in horror as the thing trapped in Alasdair's grasp chokes, his mouth is open wide, showing his pointed jagged teeth. His black eyes are wide, his oily grey skin slowly fading to purple.

The other man is staring at me. His serpentine features twist into a horrific smile, showing his sharklike teeth.

"Eyes of iron, crown of fire…you're a Baird." The creature hisses as he draws a jagged blade from his side and charges towards me.

I turn my palms towards the creature and scream as molten fire blast from their center. The demon screeches as he is engulfed in flame, the smell of burning rotten flesh fills the air. The fire within my palms is gone within a moment, the flayed corpse lying before me.

I look past the burned body and see Alasdair staring at me, his shadow still grasped around the other demons throat.

"Run." He growls, his voice reverberating throughout the forest.

I scatter to my feet, willing my legs to run. I stumble over air as I rush through the trees, wanting to escape Alasdair…to escape what I had done.

Why had Alasdair let me run? Why did he hide me from those demons? The hate in his emerald eyes was evident, he hated me, and yet he let me run.

The thoughts swirl around my mind, turning to panic. Alasdair was going to come after me, this was all a game. I willed myself to run faster, the taste of iron coated the back of my throat.

My legs begin to ache, my lungs on fire. I lunge for the largest tree I can find, praying to whatever gods that now watched over me to help me conceal myself.

I gasp, the sensation of hot needles stabbing my throat with each inhale. I wrap my arms around my knees, hugging myself tightly.

I had just killed someone…something. That monster was going to kill me, I remind myself. My hands are cool now, the wildfire inside of them calm and waiting. Where had this fire been the first time I was attacked? Has it always been inside of me? Dizzying thoughts run rampant through my mind, my breathing harder to control. I try to calm myself, to think, to remember…

Alasdair.

Had Alasdair been the shadow my father wrote about? Did Alasdair kill my mother? The thought sends waves of anger throughout my entire body, causing my palms to ache.

I want to hurt him. I want to make him suffer for all of the pain he has caused. For ripping my family into pieces so small that we could never be put back together.

The relics on my hands glow softly, telling me someone is near.

I inhale deeply, ignoring the shards of glass that rip at my throat, and stand. I can protect myself, I know that now. If Alasdair has come back to finish what he started, I would be prepared.

I step out from behind the massive tree, my palms facing forwards, readying myself.

In the middle of the clearing stands a fox the color of snow. The fox's large chestnut eyes stare into mine, reminding me of Aoife.

"I'm Finley." A young boy's voice echoes through my mind.

I stagger back, my breath catching in my throat.

"I heard you…you were calling for Aria. I can help you." Says the childlike voice again.

The bone-white fox is walking towards me, his massive eyes staring into mine.

"How…" My breathing becomes more rapid,the edges of my vision darkening.

The fox sits, wrapping his large tail around his body like a cat. "I know where Aria is, she arrived earlier, without you. She has been looking for you."

"Arrived where?"My mind is spinning, nothing makes sense.

"The Thallo, of course." The fox tilts his head, examining me.

"I don't understand…I'm…"

The fox jumps to his feet, his magnificent tail trashes violently. "We must go, it is not safe for us here."

The nape of my neck is slick with sweat, my stomach turning. I know that Alasdair is still out there, that the demons are too…

"You can trust me." The fox says again.

I nod slowly, knowing in that moment that I have no other choice, and follow the fox deeper into the golden forest.

We pass through the ancient cedar trees silently. Golden sunbeams pierce through the thick canopies high above. Light reflects from the massive toadstools and delicate ferns that cover the forest floor. Dragonflies and other small creatures fly past us, leaving trails of sparkling gold in their wake.

The sound of plummeting water echoes through the forest, the sounds of the songbirds grows softer.

"We're here." Finley says playfully, his tail wagging excitedly.

Before us stands a massive waterfall. Water tumbles down violently, creating a current of mist that dampens the air around me. The water is so vibrantly turquoise that I feel myself becoming entranced by it once again, unable to look away...

"Follow me!" Finley barks before lunging towards the waterfall, right towards where the violent water plumets into the earth.

"No!" I rush after him, terrified that his small body will be crushed by the force of the plummeting water.

The aqua blue water surrounds me as I rush for the small fox, yet I cannot feel it. I do not feel the pull of the current, nor the dampness of the water. It feels as if I am walking through thick air, cool mist.

"Only those who want to protect Skye can pass through these waters." Finley says into my mind. "Now I know that I can trust you."

"I..." I have no words, overwhelmed by the magic that surrounds me.

"The entrance is this way." Finley disappears beneath the roaring water.

I follow him blindly.

Behind the waterfall stands a stone wall fully encased in ivy. Finley stands before the wall, bowing deeply. The thick ropes of ivy begin to slither away, revealing an arched entry way.

Through the archway I can hear voices, laughter…music. Music so lovely that for a moment I do not believe it could possibly be real.

"You are safe here." Finley says as he nudges me towards the archway with his snout. "Welcome to the Thallo."