Page 110 of Touched

Catching my eye, he chuckles before angling his head and saying, “I knew this day would come. I’m prepared.”

My eyes widen but I nod.

Cyrus grips his axe. His thick fingers are wrapped around the leather- wrapped handle. He is battle ready, poised and ready to strike. Ma is also holding her long, carved walking stick. She rolls her neck and her hands, making arches with the stick I never realized until now was a weapon.

Reaching for the vials of various herbs within my satchel, I take out the combination that will basically create what Callum has told me is a flash-bang. A loud, disorienting noise and bright light that will confound and confuse anyone within the vicinity long enough for us to make an escape. Ma meets my eyes. Her face is determined.

We are ready. Prepared to fight.

To give whatever it takes.

I nod, understanding her with no need for words. “We have to cross the clearing and make our way to the woods behind Cyrus’s garden. Callum and the others are there waiting for us,” I say, the sound of urgency evident in my voice.

No one answers. There is no need. Everyone simply nods in agreement, jaws set. We don’t have time to talk over details. My parents, and even Cyrus are listening to me, awaiting my instructions.

Da is the head of our family, and he has always been there for us. He has taught us how to survive, how to fight, and how to love. He is the reason we are who we are. But now…

Now it’s my time to lead.

“On my word, go. We must run. Don’t stop until we’ve made it to the trees. We can try to cloak ourselves, but I don’t think it will work. The FaeDorcha saw through it. She smelled us as we made our way into Laric.” I glance to the sky, seeing dark blurs. “Do not attempt to fly. Understand? Whatever you do… do not fly. We must make haste, on foot. This is our best bet. I don’t think they were aware we were in the house.” My voice is firm and commanding. I look from Cyrus to my parents. Cyrus smiles and jerkily nods while Ma and Da look at me with pride. Both nod in agreement.

I scour the clearing, seeing no one about on the grounds before us, and whisper, “Cloak yourselves… Now!” Everyone murmurs the enchantment. I retort, “Now! Quickly!”

Together, we dash through the collapsed wall, running across the clearing as fast as we can. Everyone’s head is on a swivel as we run for our lives. The grass is wet and slippery. The air is putrid and thick. More bangs and crashes happen directly behind us, as the enemy continues to attack our home.

We don’t stop. We don’t fly. We just run.

My lungs burn with the exertion and smoke, but no one seems to chase us.

Are we cloaked? Can they not see us through the haze?

Or are they more content to destroy everything in Laric than worry about four Fae fleeing into the woods?

Did they really not know the house was inhabited?

Questions run through my mind as we race across the clearing. Through Cyrus’s garden, then, beneath the woven trees and branches he has meticulously cared for and encouraged to grow. As I run, I catch small, quick glimpses of the sky. It is dark and cloudy, filled with smoke and the shadows of the FaeDorcha. They are flying above us, swooping down to hurl rocks, fireballs, and curses at our homes. At our colony.

Laric. In ruins behind us.

The FaeDorcha started this war. They invaded our land. They killed our people.

They hate us… fear us… envy us.

They want to eradicate us.

We are the light.

We live in harmony with nature. We respect the balance of life. We cherish our freedom.

We have a bond with the earth, the water, the air, the fire, and with spirit.

We have the gift of pure, untainted magick.

A spark of creativity.

A touch of beauty.

We live in peace.

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