117 The Missing (1/2)

I didn't think I would go through all this all over again. The pain, the stress, the anxiety, the general frustration of the situation—I didn't think I would have to go through it all again. Isn't that why I'd chased after my little brother and had to put myself in danger over and over again, so I wouldn't feel like this ever again?

Yet here I was, chasing after Ty's ghost like I did Luca's. Fate just couldn't give me a break.

Luca's disappearance shattered my family. I didn't want that to happen to Ty's. Plus, Arah, who was riding on her bike alongside me, looked like she was blaming herself for what happened to Ty. But their little spat last night didn't have anything to do with it. It wasn't her fault. It was mine.

We stopped pedaling once we'd reached the end of the street and found ourselves staring into an evergreen field and the dark forest beyond it.

\”Why are we here, Dean?\” Arah asked although she was probably smart enough to know the answer herself. \”We should head back and help the police form a search party for him…\”

\”They won't be able to find him.\” I answered a little too quickly. \”There are some things the police can't help us with…\”

I pointed toward the Elfwood.

\”This is the closest place they could go if they wanted to take Ty to the other side,\” I explained, as I got off my bike and tied it to a bike rack on the side of the road.

I glanced over at Arah who hadn't moved.

\”The Elfwood Circle Stones,\” I clarified. \”It's a gateway, remember? You have to pass through it at least once in order to visit the Fayne…\”

\”I know that… but why are we headed there?\” Arah asked. \”Ty has nothing to do with fairies!\”

That wasn't entirely true and Arah knew it which is why she'd bit her lip to stop herself from speaking. The frustration on her face was clear for anyone to see.

\”Let's go,\” I said, and forged ahead without looking back.

It was a relief to hear Arah's footsteps follow me into the grass. Having her at my side made this whole ordeal a little more bearable. Then she asked a question that sent the guilt careening up the surface of my anxiety.

\”Why do you think fairies took Ty, Dean?\” Arah's voice wasn't accusatory but I could feel her eyes burning a whole into my back.

\”Because,\” I hesitated for a moment before finally caving. \”Because I think he was being followed by a fairy… no, I'm definitely sure he was.\”

I glanced back at Arah who was looking at me like I'd slapped her face.

'Let's hurry,\” I said. \”I'll explain on the way.\”

We trekked through the woods while I told Arah everything I learned after Ty told us about his dream. I even told her about the elf who was stalking Ty. But I left out the part where I eavesdropped on their conversation. That was a conversation for another day, preferably one where tensions weren't so high.

For some reason, I took offense at that. Yes, it might be my fault but I had warned them against knowing about the Fayne. It was a fact I pointed out to her, and I even added, \”You two wanted to know more even after I told you how dangerous knowing about fairies was!\”

\”Well, if you had brought us along like we'd ask then maybe—l\”

\”—Maybe you and Ty would be dead, Arah!\” I countered.

\”Or maybe we would have been better prepared!\” she spat back at me.

Arah broke down and sat on the grass, laying her head on her knees to keep me from seeing the tears falling down her face.

I knelt beside her and hugged her lightly.

\”I'm sorry I didn't warn you guys,\” I said. \”I thought I'd have time to sort it out before it became a problem…\”

Arah looked up at me and wiped the tears from her eyes with the jacket sleeve of her left arm.

\”Yeah, well, you suck at problem-solving, Dean,\” she said in a tone that suggested she wasn't as angry as I thought. \”We have to find him… we can't let him end up like Luca…\”

My brow furrowed. That really would be a worst-case scenario. Just saving Luca from the Fayne was hard enough and I knew who took him. Finding Ty after he was taken would be like finding a needle in a very large haystack.

\”We'll find him I pro—\”

I was interrupted by the sound of people talking in the clearing beyond. It was eight in the morning. No way anyone would have been at the Circle Stones before us unless they had something to do with Ty's disappearance.

I pulled out the iron dagger from its strap on my belt and silently ordered Arah to take out the iron chains I'd given her for protection in case we were attacked by fairies here in Mudgard. Although I didn't believe most fairies could stand the sun, and that meant we might be dealing with someone of the human variety instead.