Shine

It had turned to dusk again. My stomach growled with hunger. The moonlight was bright, and for that my body was happy. It kept me energized, in my weakened state. “Elora?” Zane asked me.

“Hmm?” I responded feeling the necklace around my collarbone.

“Are you tired?” He asked. I sighed.

“Yes. But we must keep moving.” I mustered picking up my ripped skirts to continue.

“We can rest if you want?” He said. “It’s another four hour walk.”

“Are you tired, Zane?” I raised an eyebrow and looked back at him. He had some kind of meat in his mouth, it looked like a chicken leg, only bigger. My mouth watered.

“Never.” He replied cockily. I scoffed.

“Apparently not going to share his food either.” And we returned to our state of irritation towards each other again. I walked briskly in front of the two boys. I wanted to get to the palace faster, so I could meet my real parents, and be safe from the warlocks, and Odin. Then maybe I could ask them how to return to the human world.

“Zane!” Aiden half yelled to Zane, although he was standing right next to him. “We need to set up camp. I’m exhausted.” He whined.

“I want to keep moving!” I spun around to face them. They did look whipped.

“We all don’t have the power from the sun and moon on our side, pureblood.” Zane said spitefully. I rolled my eyes.

“Fine. But when the warlocks attack us, don’t blame me!” I folded my arms across my chest and followed them to where they were setting up camp.

There was a tent, a tent big enough for one of us.

“Well, I’ll be sleeping in the tent.” I picked up my skirts and half ran to the tent.

“Oh no, no, no. I built the tent, I sleep in it.” Zane said standing in front of it.

I pursed my lips. “I’m the princess!” I finally spat out. I felt powerful using that against him.

“So what!? I’m the King of Avalon.”

“Technically, he’s my father.” I grinned.

“Smartass.”

“Who’s the bad mouth now!?” I punched his chest. He barely budged.

“I have a way to solve this!” Aiden piped up and held his backpack to his chest. We both turned to look at him.

“WHAT?” We yelled in unison.

“I get the tent.” He chuckled and with that darted into the tent and sealed it shut.

“You see what you do?” I gestured towards the tent.

“I’m going to make a fire.” He grumbled and started off to get wood.

I sat down on the ground and shivered in the cold night. The moon had shifted behind the trees, and I was alone. “Elora.”

“Zane?” I asked into the darkness. I looked back at the tent where Aiden was. “Aiden?”

“Hmfpeh-palace…” I heard Aiden mutter and then roll over in his sleep.

“Elora! It’s your mother. Please come here!” A female voice rang through my ears.

“Where are you?” I asked and stood up. I looked around me, there was nothing to see.

“Elora! Behind you. Follow me!” She chuckled. Suddenly the branches shook behind me, and I assumed she was there. I followed briskly through the trees. They kept shaking as I ran. Tears crept to my face, I was finally going to see her. I picked up my pace, faster and faster. I could feel myself getting closer.

“That’s it, Princess! Keep coming! You’re not like the others, that’s for sure.” Suddenly the voice turned strange and unfamiliar. I urged my feet to turn me around but they wouldn’t. I was going faster, and my wings sprouted from my back. But it hurt to spread them. Tears ran down my face faster. My feet sprouted from the ground. “NOW PRINCESS! NOW!” The voice screamed. And then suddenly I was jolted to a halt.

“What the-“ Zane’s voice said, and all of the wood he had in his hands fell to the ground. I tried to catch my breath. Tears kept sliding down my face.

“Elora? Is that you?” He squinted in the dark. Suddenly his lantern came to my face. My body relished in the light. “You’re crying. Are you alright?” He moved the lantern over me. “Are you hurt?”

I debated on what to do next. My body was shaking in fear and I was cold. My body took the light from the lamp and dimmed it. “There was a voice.” I gasped. “And it sounded like my mother, from my dreams. I- I- I followed it, but then the voice changed. My f-feet they wouldn’t stop.” I trembled, and suddenly his arms grasped around me tightly. “I couldn’t stop it.” I burst into tears.
“It’s okay.” Zane cooed, his thumbs pushing tears from my face. “It’s okay, I’m here. You’re okay.”
“I can’t- I can’t do this anymore!” I yelled out and pushed him away from me. “I want to go home. I want to go home.” I repeated. I curled into a ball on the ground and continued to sob. I wasn’t sure what had come over me. I was usually so calm and collected. But that event caused me to crack. I wanted nothing to do with Avalon, I just wanted to be safe in my bed at home watching T.V.

Zane shrugged off his blue jacket that looked handmade. He put it over me and pulled me up by my hand.

“You’re freezing. Let’s get back to the camp and we can talk.” He said. He picked up a majority of the wood with one hand. His free arm went around my shoulders and led me back towards the camp.

Zane made a fire in lightening speed. The warmth began to fill me and I felt immediately stronger. My toes unclenched and my hands felt lively. I sighed and relaxed. Zane wiped his hands on his pants and then sat next to me. “You must think I’m weak.” I sighed again and turned my head from his.

“Weaker than a baby horse.” He smiled.

“I knew it.” I put my head in my hands and my heart cracked.

“Elora, I’m kidding. Jeeze.” He pushed back my hair from my neck and a shiver ran through my body. “You beat that first warlock. All with your light and strength. It takes years for light fairies to master that capability.”

“Really?” I looked at him. His face looked beautiful in the light of the fire.

“Of course.” He said throwing a piece of twig into the fire. “And you flew by yourself didn’t you? Fairies go to school to learn to fly. You did it in 30 seconds.”

“Really?” I repeated.

“Yeah.” He said, “So give yourself more credit.”

I looked over him once more, I never noticed how straight his teeth were when he smiled. I blushed when he caught me staring at him.

“Do you think we’ll make it there by tomorrow?” I asked. He made a strange face and I smiled.

“Of course we will.” He said and stared straight at the fire. He sighed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked searching for his eyes. He turned and looked at me and didn’t turn away this time.

“You haven’t changed at all, you know that?” He half smiled.

I looked down. “No, how have I?”

“Same eyes, same smile, same stature.”

“I am the same person, Zane.” I noted. He chuckled.

“I had my doubts, but you also have the same cute little nose scrunch when you get annoyed.” He moved a finger along my jaw and then let it drop. “That’s why I annoy you so much you know.” He mused.

“Shut up. You hate me I know it.” I mumbled the last part.

“Hate you?” He looked drawn aback. “How could I hate you?” He put his hand to his chest.

“Well your actions sure do tell a different story.” I scoffed and turned back towards the fire. I could feel my nose scrunching as we spoke. I mentally reminded myself to stop.

He sighed, bit his lip and then moved my face to face his. “I only do this because I know we can’t be friends.”

“Why not?” I asked, completely insulted.

“Because-“ He paused, bit his lip nervously, and continued, “Because-“

“Spit it out, Zane.” I clenched my jaw.

“We were friend’s once, but that was when we were little. Once you’re returned to the palace, I won’t ever see you again. You’ll be confined to the walls of the palace. We cannot associate.”

“Why not?” I asked angrily. The whole thing seemed quite silly. I felt as if he was just trying to get rid of me.

“I’m a combat fairy, and a healing fairy. They’re not exactly high on the totem pole.” He said.

“And who exactly is?”

“Light fairies at the top, then Earth, and then water, and then fire, and then combat, and finally healing.” He said. “I’m not in the same social standing.”

“Screw the social standing.” I pounded my fist on the ground. “It’s not like that in the human world. That’s where I was raised, and that’s what I believe. We can be friends once I’m at the palace. I’ll make sure of it.” I tried. Zane stood up, looking annoyed.

“You’re father will not have it.” He pressed his hand on his temple. “I know it. I wasn’t supposed to be with you that day you were kidnapped anyways. He blames me for your kidnapping. They think I was a part of it.” He said pacing back and forth.

“Well, then I will set them straight.” I said standing up as well.

“You can’t do that. They won’t believe you. Odin is finally on good terms with your family. They will believe a warlock over a combat fairy. That’s how corrupt it is there.”

I took it all in. The palace suddenly didn’t seem all it was cracked up to be. I walked steadily towards Zane. “Fine then, go back to hating me, and ignoring me. I don’t care anyways. I don’t know you. I don’t even remember you. I- I- I-“, and then suddenly his lips were attached to mine.

His hand snaked around to my back and I relaxed into the kiss. My eyes which were wide open with shock slowly shut. His lips were soft, and moist and it was the most amazing kiss I had ever had. Although you couldn’t compare it much because my last one was in seventh grade and it was a dare. His hands wandered up my back through my golden hair. My knees felt weak, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could stand. He then suddenly pulled away from me quickly.

“Sorry.” He said and put his hand over his mouth. “I shouldn’t have done that.” He said and ran a hand through his hair nervously.

“It’s okay.” I squeaked, still flighty from the kiss. My stomach growled again.

“I don’t know what I was thinking, Elora. I- ughh.” He finished.

“It’s fine. It’s okay. I liked it.” I mumbled the last part. I didn’t even think he heard. My stomach growled once more.

“I’ll um, find you some food.” He said and then began searching the backpacks for food. He handed me a can of peaches and opened them with a knife. “I can’t conjure up things like Morgan can. She went to school for that. This is all we have. Besides boar leg, but I didn’t think you would want that.” He rambled.

I smiled at him, “This is fine.” My stomach was still spinning, and every time I looked at him my heart beat faster. It was odd, hating him in the morning and being giddy over him by the evening. But he earned my trust when he told me everything. I couldn’t help it, he was incredible.

“I’m going to sleep now.” Zane said and then lied on a blanket he had tossed out. “Umm… There’s room on this side, if you want?”

I nodded and finished the peaches. Then I lied next to him by the fire so that it would re-energize me. “Goodnight, Zane.” I whispered, mostly to myself.

“Goodnight, Princess.” He said. It stung, that he didn’t call me by my first name. I rolled over so that my back was facing his. I grumbled, even fairy boys were obnoxious.