Page 12 of Shadows of Air and Earth (Remnant Archives)

F linching, the shrill pitch of her tone was worse than being pierced by an arrow. I had hoped, prayed even, that if I buried my terrible secret long enough it wouldn't be real and Xi would never have to know what I had done.

I stumbled on my words like a fool, watching a kaleidoscope of pain, shock, and rage morph across half of her revealed face.

How could I possibly make her see…it was never a choice to have this terrible power.

For the fae, the most powerful of them evolved, their traits transcending into something uniquely their own.

It did not belong to a faction or a court or a people or even a goddess who created us.

It was just ours. Unfortunately, mine was naught but a fucking curse, one I had to use to save her and damn us.

"Of course he isn't like them, Xi Chin." Remnant Dark interjected, mystically between us with raised brows, her hand set firmly on her hips, and the shadows swirling around her agitatedly, "Don't let your own fear tarnish what you two have.” Sighing she shook her head, “I am sure Riley has an explanation," she gave me a pointed look, "but it is one we must save for now, we really need to go.

" Her eyes falling off us towards the river with lips pressed in a thin line.

Following her sight, I narrowed my eyes on the whirlpool churning in the river nearby, “Is that—?”

“The water fae are coming,” Remnant nodded, grabbing our arms and hurrying us along swiftly, away from the riverbend.

Xi scowled, snapping at the shadow fae, "And what exactly are we walking into with such haste and since when is any fae fearful of the water fae?"

Unfazed, Remnant pursed her lips while a subtle breeze swirled her hair, pausing its cooling current to honor her—something I had never seen air do before unless manipulated by an elemental.

Sweet goddess, Faerie gravitated towards this fae like she was its very heartbeat.

"I believe the next beast of origin will be unleashed, that is what we are walking into—and only a fool would not be wary of the water fae, Xi Chin.

Do I look like a fool to you?" she snapped.

"It’s still to be determined,” Xi snarled back and a smile twitched at the shadow fae’s lips from her sharp quip.

Seeing the truth shifting in the general’s emerald eyes, my brows raised, “You believe the twin seal has weakened already?"

“Yes, I do,” she muttered, head tilting towards a soft chirp on a low rooftop where a lone chickadee hopped along the edge, agitated and restless.

Xi refused to meet my wayward glance but I knew what she was thinking, that this shadow fae was crazy. Normally, I would have agreed but there was just something about that bird …something that felt like we should listen.

Shaking my head to release the strange feeling, I sighed, "Lacail it is."

"I'll gather my things," Xi barked, stomping towards the direction of the tavern, and I knew it wasn’t just Remnant she wanted to escape from. Her fury towards me was palpable on the fucking air.

"No need and no time," Remnant said cheerily, but I did not miss the way she glanced at the water one more time. "I took the liberty of having the shadows gather your things."

My arms crossed in front of my chest and I smirked at the innocent expression on her face. "When exactly did you have time for that?"

The General shrugged. "This morning when you joined me for breakfast."

My stomach rumbled at the thought of the food we had left behind on the table.

Xi huffed, "And where exactly is our stuff then?"

Goddess damn, she was in a mood. I wasn't even fucking sure how I was going to fix it but I sure as Sheol wasn't going to lose her, not over something I had no control over.

Remnant indicated the shadows trailing after her. "Ask and you shall receive."

Cracking my neck to the side, I grinned, needing to feel the solace of my parent’s blades since the past was so eager to haunt me.

"In that case, I'd like my scimitars…" I paused, peering at the endless void of darkness, hating that I wondered what was really within them.

Was it truly a non-existence or was there something else, something alive ? "Please."

Xi snorted, but her laughter was comically cut short when blades were expelled from the darkness like thrown javelins.

Reacting quickly, I spun my element, slowing their descent, and catching them lightly in my hand, relishing the sound of steel cutting through the air.

A delicate hiss that was almost as sweet as the one I drew out of Xi last night.

Grinning, I winked at the shadows. "Thanks…uh…what do you call them exactly?"

Remnant shrugged. "My loves, darkness…" she smiled widely at me, her brilliant green eyes glittering, "death."

"Uh…right," I drawled, caught by the intensity of her dark humorous gaze, and sheathing the swords at my back.

"Well if we are in such a rush to run from water fae, then why don't we get moving," Xi grumbled, not finding any amusement in our current predicament while I was fucking coming alive.

I could feel it simmering, the excitement and anticipation—new challenges, new risks, new friendships, new truths.

I glanced over at my glowering friend-lover, lover-friend, or whatever we were, perhaps we could finally be free to be both now… if I just had the time to explain.

Remnant nodded, "Right, do your thing then…I am curious to know how you disappeared so easily from the City of Light."

Xi grinned widely, her singular grey eye sparkling with dark intent.

"Shit. Don't do it Xi." I took one step too late. Goddess damn it, this wasn’t just a mood, it was a whole new vibe—one we were about to pay for. I groaned as my foot sunk straight into the earth. I hated it when she did this.

Falling through the fastest quicksand I had ever had the displeasure of being a victim to, I held my breath instinctively while the earth swallowed me whole within seconds.

Suffocation. A horrible ironic way for an air elemental to find himself and yet here I was, the pressure of the earth condensing my body, the ground so thick that there was only the air left in my lungs for my power to manipulate.

I cursed heavily inside my mind as we sunk deeper still, wondering how the shadow fae general was faring and what kind of repercussions I would face in defense of my partner for her latest stunt.

Feeling suddenly weightless, I dropped from the earth, landing in a quiet crouch, deep into a very large cavernous tunnel. Slowly standing at the vicious cursing of Remnant Dark.

The shadow fae had already passed through the earth moments before me and was currently spitting out dirt with disgust.

"Goddess damn it, Xi Chin," she cursed, summoning what looked like a canteen from her shadows. My assumption was proven correct when the sound of water sloshing in her mouth became the only sound within the tunnel.

Holding back my laughter, I listened to the general of Faerie rinsing and spitting out water in rapid succession.

Any proper decorum she may have had was truly lost, continued curses along with the forceful expulsion of dirt from her body enough to make any fae recoil.

"I know there was a better way of doing that.

" Sticking out her tongue and smacking her lips. “I’m going to be tasting dirt for days.”

Xi's dark laughter behind us revealed that she had been there all along, quietly watching with retribution in the darkness and damn it if I didn’t find her quiet stalking sexy.

Running my hand through my hair, I shook out the lingering dirt, hearing it rain down on the smoothly carved tunnel floor.

“Welcome to my eternal version of Sheol, General.

" I muttered, shaking out more dirt from my pant leg and wincing at the fact that there was sand grating against my ball sack right the fuck now.

"Shall we get moving? You did say we were in a hurry, general?" Xi said sweetly, brushing by me aggressively, throwing her shoulder into my body as she went.

Evidently, burying me alive wasn't enough for her to forgive me.

Remnant Dark narrowed her eyes at the fae walking by her. "Why do I have a feeling that tone is never a good one?"

I chuckled darkly, flicking off a large chunk of dirt still caked on the shadow fae's shoulder. "Because it's fucking not."

She pursed her lips, throwing her canteen upwards for the shadows to engulf and I blinked at the messed up way that simple act stirred an admiring fear inside of me. "I blame you for this, Riley Dragoon."

Sidestepping, I waved towards the darkened tunnel Xi had already disappeared into, frowning after her but keeping my tone lighthearted, "You'll fit right in here then, General. After you."

Grumbling under her breath about fucking elementals and still spitting out grit, Remnant trailed after Xi. I cursed inwardly with her, my hands curling the air into fists at my sides.

Fuck me to Sheol and back, I now had drawn the ire of two of the most powerful fae of Faerie. If I came out of these tunnels unscathed it would be a goddess damn miracle.