Shadow Dancer Boxed Set

by Courtney Rene

  I sat on the ground to rest a moment. I wanted to watch Lucas when he arrived. I wanted to see if he was experiencing the same thing. His group finally arrived. They popped in nice and firm. Lucas, however, dropped to one knee.

  I hurried over to him and said, "What's wrong?"

  He shook his head. "Nothing. I'm fine."

  "Lucas? Is the phasing of so many people hard for you?" I asked. Please say yes. Please say yes. I didn't want it to be only me that was weakening.

  "Or course not," he said petulantly.

  "But you went down when you got here," I said.

  "I stumbled," he argued. "Why? Are you having a hard time with the phasing?"

  "No," I said carefully. "I'm fine."

  "Fine," he snapped.

  "Fine," I said and then jumped back over to Gabriel.

  I didn't even wait for the effects of the jump to wear off before I demanded, "Where's my next group!"

  Gabriel jerked back and looked me over. "You all right?"

  "Yeah, peachy," I said. "My group?"

  "There," he said, still watching me.

  Freaking great, sixteen of them. "How's Austin doing," I asked suddenly. I was stalling for time. I didn't want to pull that many. Was I really the only one that was having a hard time?

  "He's not complained yet," he said.

  "Lucas too?" I asked.

  "Same."

  "Great." I was the only one. I linked up with my group and waited for Lucas to get back. As soon as he popped in, I phased my group to Acadia. We made it, but that's about it.

  The next thing I knew both Austin and Lucas were standing over me where I lay flat out on the hard ground in Acadia. "What happened?"

  "You tell me, us," Austin said.

  When I didn't reply, Lucas asked, "Why didn't you say you were having problems?"

  I was silent for a moment. Then I figured why not, "Because. Neither one of you were having any issues. I didn't want to be the weakest link for once."

  "Sunny, I was having issues too," Austin said.

  Lucas pursed his lips, before he slowly admitted, "So was I."

  "Why didn't either of you say so?" I demanded and sat up.

  They looked at each other and grinned. "Same reason you didn't, I guess."

  "But I asked you!" I shouted at Lucas.

  "I know," he said and grinned at me sheepishly. "I didn't want to appear weak in front of you. I'm supposed to be strong and the jumping was kicking my butt."

  "It's the groups," I said. "They're just too large. I can jump myself without any problems, but the moment I got above ten it got weird."

  Both guys nodded in agreement with me. Austin said, "Yeah. I noticed it right off."

  I got to my feet and brushed myself off. "Well, we better get over to Gabriel and tell him we need to take smaller groups. Stick with ten maybe."

  Chapter Twelve

  We all phased back to the Fire Realm and to Gabriel. Gabriel took the news relatively well. Well after calling us 'stubborn idiots' that is. After that he quickly adjusted the group sizes and we got back to work. Although ten people groups were not easy, it was at least easier than sixteen.

  No matter the group size, by early afternoon Lucas, Austin, and I were whipped. We were also only about half way through the group of fire people that needed moved over to Acadia, maybe not even halfway.

  After another trip to the Fire Realm, I sat down on the ground and decided I wasn't moving. Lucas phased over, saw me on the ground and joined me, and then Austin, wondering what was taking me so long.

  "I'm done," I said. "For today anyway."

  "Good. Me too," Lucas said.

  Austin flopped down to the ground next to me and said, "Me three."

  Gabriel came over and asked, "What the hell are you three doing?"

  Austin slit open one eye and said, "I think we are done in for the day, Gabe."

  Gabe? I had not heard one single person the whole time I had known Gabriel call him Gabe. I glanced his way and when he didn't bite Austin's head off, I tried it myself. "Yeah, Gabe, we're pooped."

  Gabriel swung his hot glare in my direction and said simply, "Don't."

  I shot him a smirk. I knew he wasn't a Gabe type of person. "I think this job is too much for just the three of us," I said. "We really need to recruit more people to do the phasing with us."

  "I'm with Sunny on this one," Austin said. He was still lying on the ground next to me with his eyes closed. For all appearances, he was asleep. He wasn't though. He was just listening. Taking in the area and people around him. Always watching.

  "Any ideas on who we can get to help?" Lucas asked.

  I had an idea. "I think I might. I'll let you know tomorrow."

  "We should each try to find someone to help. If we just find one person, that would be a help, but if we find three, that would make a huge difference."

  I nodded. I couldn't agree more. Any help would be enough.

  We called it a day from there. I promised the remaining Fire People that we would be back the next day, same time, same place, to begin transporting them over again.

  Then all the Shadow Walkers phased back to Acadia. Me, I phased to the stables. I was about to pounce on Taylor. He may not want to be a soldier in the army, but he was part of the cause all the same. He could help transport, at least.

  I just needed to talk him into it.

  "Hey," I said to Taylor when I found him inside the newly expanded stable. With all the people that had come to Gabriel's woods, the stable was too full. Gabriel had to have the stable and paddock expanded to hold the additional horses.

  Taylor was in his element at the stables. I was happy to see him so content and needed. That was what he had wanted the most. Not to be a soldier, not to be gifted, but to feel needed. He was definitely that at Gabriel's.

  It seemed like a lot of work for one man to me, but he'd told me that he had plenty of young boys to order around and do most of the little work. He was happy. That's what I cared about.

  "Hey yourself," Taylor said. "How'd the transfer go?"

  "Well, since you asked," I said, "it went really well, but we have decided we need some help."

  "Why? What kind of help?" he asked from where he was bent over a horse hoof picking out the bottom of it.

  "There are just so many of them. We need a few more people to help transfer the people over here," I said.

  Taylor looked up at me and then frowned. "Oh, no. No way," he said.

  "Why not?" I demanded.

  "Because, I have never been off this realm," he said and dropped the horse foot he had been holding so he could turn around and face me. "I don't want to try it now."

  "Taylor," I said, "we need your help. I know you can do it."

  "But I don't want to do it," he stated firmly.

  "Well, you just have to get over it. I know a lot of people here, but I don't trust that many. You, I trust. We have been through a lot together and I'm asking you for help. Please."

  "That's not fair," he said.

  "I know it, but it's true all the same," I said.

  After he sighed and groaned a bit more, he finally agreed. "Fine. But you have to teach me how first. I don't want to get there tomorrow and look like an idiot in front of everyone."

  "Deal," I said and threw my arms around him in a quick hug. "You're the best!"

  "Whatever," he said, but he said it with a smile. "You say that only because you got your way."

  "Yes," I said and tossed a grin at him, "partly, but it's also true."

  "Lord," he muttered.

  After I left Taylor with instructions to meet me in about an hour at the training field, I headed off to find Simon. I wanted to see what his plans were for all the fire people. I hunted him down in the great room with Gabriel.

  "No," Simon said. "I figured I would see what all they could do, once we had the lot of them here. Today, I just helped get them set up in their camps and such."

  "What are your plans for them?" I asked
Simon.

  "As I was saying," he said, "once we have them all here, I will run them through our training. I did have a chance to talk with that Brick fellow. He's pretty intelligent. Good man to have on our side. We talked about what type of healing they can do and from what I can tell, as long as the heart of a person or animal for that matter is still beating, they can heal them. Once the heart stops though, it's all over."

  "That's wonderful," I said. "And they can all do this?"

  "Just about. Apparently there are few of his children that are unable to heal," he said.

  "Well, that would make sense," I said. "His wife is a Shadow Walker. I would bet they have other gifts."

  I turned my attention to Gabriel and said, "I guess we can worry about the training and such later."

  "Yes, tomorrow is soon enough," he said.

  "On a side note, I did find another Shadow Walker to help with the fire people."

  "Who?"

  "Taylor," I said.

  Gabriel raised an eyebrow at me, but it was Simon who asked, "And how did you manage that one?"

  I laughed and said, "I played dirty."

  "No doubt," Simon said and laughed with me. He knew me pretty well by that point.

  "I still need to show him how, but I think he will do fine. In fact, I need to head that direction now," I said. "I will probably go directly home from there, so I'll see you all tomorrow after class."

  ~ * ~

  "What do you mean, weird?" Taylor asked.

  "With you, I will be honest," I said. "The first time I jumped I threw up. It's a twisty ride that I was not prepared for. The first time is the worst, and after that, you get better with it every time."

  "Why did I agree to this again?" he asked and sighed a big huffy breathy sigh.

  "Come on," I said. "Don't be a wimp."

  "Thanks," he said.

  "That's what I'm here for," I said and slugged him on the arm. "Let's try it. See how you do."

  "I have a feeling I am so going to regret this," he said, but he linked his arms up with mine.

  I pulled us into the shadows and said, "Probably." Then, "Are you ready?"

  "No," he snapped.

  "Good," I replied. "On the count of three I'm going to take us over. Okay?"

  "Kay."

  "One, two, three!" I pulled us over to the Fire Realm, right where we would be going the next day. The moment we hit ground, I let go of his arms and watched his face for signs that he was going to barf on me.

  He looked fine! No green, no sick face, just fine.

  "You all right?" I asked tentatively.

  He was silent for a moment then he looked me full in the face with a huge smile and said, "That was awesome!"

  I frowned. Awesome?

  "We have got to try that again," he said and grabbed my arm. "Can I lead this time?"

  I was stupefied. Out of all the people I had been jumping back and forth that day, not one of them had said it was 'awesome'. "Yeah, sure. You know what you're doing?"

  "I got this," Then he pulled us to the shadows and back to Acadia. It was a nice easy landing too. Perfect.

  "Very nice," I said.

  "Don't sound so surprised," he said.

  "No, it's just that I think we have found your gift," I said.

  He smiled and he beamed, but he still shook his head and said, "No. My gift is with the horses."

  "You have two gifts then," I said adamantly. "Enjoy it."

  He shrugged, but I could tell he was happy too.

  "Okay, let's do it again, both back and forth. Then I gotta get home," I said and linked up with him. "Ready when you are."

  ~ * ~

  "Hey guys," I said the next day, the moment I made it to the field. "You find anyone to help transport?"

  "No," Austin said. "A lot of the people don't seem to…trust me. Yet."

  I shook my head and said, "Don't worry about that. They will. They just need time. If it's any consolation, I trust you."

  "Me too," Lucas chimed right in. Only he added a punch to the shoulder along with his words. It was a hard hit too. Austin had to step back with the weight of it.

  Why do guys have to be so, so mean to each other to prove they're friends? Doesn't make any sense to me.

  "What about you, Lucas. You get anyone?"

  "Nope. I don't think it's a trust issue either. I think it's an 'afraid' issue. They are all just scared to phase realms."

  I smiled big at both guys and said, "Well, I did."

  "Who?" Lucas and Austin both demanded.

  "Taylor," I said.

  "The horse guy?" Austin asked, obvious surprise in his tone.

  "Yes, the horse guy," I snapped. "And wait till you see him. He is awesome. A natural."

  "Hmph, really," Lucas said. "Well, you never know what you will be good at until you try it. Good for him."

  "Okay, fine," Austin said. "So where is this natural. I'd like to get a move on."

  "I told him to meet me up here around noon. So he should be here any minute," I said. "And speak of the devil, there he is." I stood up on tiptoes and waved at Taylor as he made his way to the field.

  "I was just bragging about you," I said when he had finally joined us.

  He gave a nod of his head and said, "Hey guys. What's up?"

  Taylor being a bit younger than all of us apparently was uncomfortable with my praise, as he pretended not to hear me. The red blush that stole over his cheeks though, gave him away.

  Gabriel, Simon, and Jack headed toward my little group. "You about done?" Gabriel snapped in his usual tone of annoyance.

  I shot him a smile, which he unthinking returned. I liked that man. I really did. "Yes, we're done. I take it you're ready to get started again?"

  "Same order as yesterday," Gabriel said.

  I nodded at Taylor and said, "Yeah. Just add Taylor to the end of the line. He is going to help out."

  Gabriel looked him over but didn't say anything more about him. When I stood there he waved a hand at me and said, "Well, go to it."

  I laughed and said, "You coming with me?"

  "Hmph," he said and then he was gone. The show off.

  I smiled at the rest of my group and said, "I guess I'm off. See ya on the other side."

  I popped over to the Fire Realm almost right next to Gabriel. Thankfully, the fire people were ready for us and we got to work putting groups of ten together. I grabbed my group and the day began. We jumped one group after another, after another, until the field in Acadia was full and overflowing.

  The fire people from the day before came out to the field to help greet and organize the growing mass of people. The Acadian people also came out more to watch than to help, but in the end, they also were recruited to help get the people settled.

  After dropping off a group, I sat down in the shade under a tree and looked out over the crowd of people, both red and white skinned milled together helping and talking and laughing. The day was gorgeous. The sun was shining bright and yellow. There was a cool breeze that blew around us, chilling the damp sweat on my arms. It felt glorious. I tilted my head back and let the breeze blow through my hair and the sunshine warm my face.

  Lucas sat down next to me and pulled me into his lap. "What's up?"

  "Just taking a break," I said.

  We sat in an easy silence for a minute before I asked, "So what do you think?"

  "About what?"

  "The army. What do you think? Do we have a chance?"

  "We do," he said and squeezed me close to him in a quick hug. "We have numbers now that we didn't and I hadn't hoped to have. The fire people will make a huge difference. You did a good thing with them."

  I laughed. "I didn't do anything with them. They insisted. I tried to talk them out of it."

  "Doesn't matter. I still think we have a chance."

  "Hey!" Austin said. He came up and stood with hands on hips in front of Lucas and me as we relaxed together on the ground. "What are you doing?"

  We laughed
at him and I said, "Taking a break. What's it look like?"

  "Come on and sit down, join us for a minute," Lucas said.

  Austin gave us a glare that turned quickly to a smile. He dropped down beside us and said, "You got any food?"

  "Austin, I swear you are always hungry," I said.

  I sat up. A cold chill suddenly ran down my back. Goosebumps rose in its wake. The air filled with a static charge and all the little hairs on my arms and neck stood on end. Something was coming.

  I got to my feet and yelled, "Star!" I frantically looked around for the seer. I didn't see her.

  "What's wrong?" Lucas asked from my side.

  "Sunny?" Austin said.

  I whirled around to face them. I pointed at Austin and said, "Go get Gabriel."

  "Why?" he asked.

  "Just do it!" I snapped and took off running to where Simon perched on a big log. "Lucas, go find Star."

  He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a halt. "What is wrong?" he demanded.

  I shook my head and said, "I don't know." I pulled my arm free and took off toward Simon again.

  I didn't make it. There was a sudden drawing of the energy around me then a loud ear popping snap. I say snap, as that is what it was. Like someone had snapped their fingers together before a microphone. The sound echoed around all of us that stood in shock on the field at what we saw. At the far edge of the field behind me, out of nowhere, stood an army. A huge one.

  "No," I said and shook my head. I couldn't believe what I saw. "No, no, no. It can't be."

  I stood alone in between the two armies. My soldiers were a mess of loud chaos behind me. I couldn't look to see what was going on though, as my focus was firmly on the army of the king.

  One moment I was alone, the next, Gideon stood before me. Out of nowhere, without sound or warning, he was simply there. Dressed in a flashy gold and red button down shirt, black slacks, and shiny boots, he didn't look like he belonged in a grass field. Maybe at a fancy dinner, but not there.

  "What are you doing?" I snapped.

  He smiled and tilted his head. "What does it look like?"

  "It looks like you're starting a war!"