A/N: I've been stuck on this project for a while now, and with school work, it just became less and less of a priority. I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long. I have been working on other projects – mostly original fiction rather than fan-fiction. Because I left this project, it just became harder and harder to work on, however my Muse has given me some inspiration, and I think I can now pick up from where I left off. I will try and update more often. Haha, I shouldn't keep making excuses. If I finish anything, I would very much like to finish this. After all, if I cannot finish a fanfiction, what hope is there for my original fictions?

As I haven't updated in so long, I suggest you guys might want to re-read the previous three chapters to refresh your memory of my story. I apologise for the wait. If you're interested in reading my other works, I have posted some on deviantart and some on inkpop.

This chapter is probably a little rough around the edges as I no longer have a beta reader. If anyone of you would like to be a beta reader for future chapters, let me know. Also if you have any suggestions for improvement I would be grateful. Thank you :) Sorry to keep you all waiting.

Last time:

"Probably not - let's just hope the Rajae aren't interested in her." I was keeping my fingers crossed on that one. The Rajae are one foe too many, and I honestly didn't believe David could handle the truth right now. For once, I let him stay on his high horse; even if it was just for a little while. Or at least until I chucked him off it again. I chuckled.

"Sounds like a plan."

"Indeed it is."

Chapter four: a spark

When Laurel first started travelling with Blake, she barely spoke a word, simply stunned by his carefree attitude. It seemed whatever she did, whatever she said; he always outsmarted her, always two steps ahead. She couldn't think of a thing to say without giving away her intentions, it was like she was the pages and he was the binding – she never knew a thing about him, and yet, he seemed to know everything about her. It was unnerving, and it drove her absolutely crazy. It was only a few hours later when Laurel broke the silence.

"Where are we going?" Laurel asked, trudging alongside Blake on the mud soaked path.

"Now why would I tell you that? Just shut it and keep walking."

"If you don't, I'll run away."

He laughed, not even bothering to waste his breath on the matter.

"I mean it," she said, walking in front of him and looking him squarely in the eyes.

Blake just rolled his eyes and walked around her, faeries were always too arrogant; it was perhaps their greatest downfall, but in all honesty, he couldn't care less, if they wanted to damn themselves, then that was their problem. As long as he could still do his job, it simply didn't matter – it just meant capturing faeries was that much easier than it should've been.

"I—"

"Go on then, do it," he jibed.

This just annoyed Laurel even more, she wanted to know where they were going but to do that she had to stay with him, but on the other hand, he was really getting on her nerves; how could one man be so boring? He barely spoke, if at all, and whence he did, it was merely to patronize her. And the worst part was he didn't care less.

"Fine," she fumed, dragging her heels as she walked.

"And how old are you exactly?"

"None of your business."

"I thought as much."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He stopped dead in his tracks, causing Laurel to trip at the sudden stop. He grabbed her arm moments before she crashed into the ground and pulled her up. Laurel couldn't help but notice how close they were, his arm round hers, faces inches apart…it wasn't difficult to become lost in his eyes. She wondered what he was really like, what was he hiding? Was he forced into working with her enemies? Or was this all just a trick? He seemed to be doing the same – calculating just what the other was like, but little did Laurel know, her thoughts couldn't be more accurate, as in one swift motion, his lips were on hers.

He lifted his face from hers, bemused by how quickly her body became limp and motionless. Faeries weren't the only ones with tricks, he smirked. A little paralysis was never wasted; it was his favourite trick, one he learnt without the interference from magical beings.

"Ahh, silence at last," he grinned, hauling Laurel over his shoulder. What Laurel didn't know, was Blake had absolutely no idea where they were going. All he knew was that to find it you had to become so lost that you didn't know east from west. That was the only way the path would reveal itself; it's the reason why so many hikers never return from the woods. It was built as a trap, and the only way to enter was to become trapped yourself. Even if it meant losing a part of your sanity each time you did it. It was just how the Rajae worked.

"So explain to me again why I'm blindfolded?" David asked, being pulled along by Tamani.

"Careful there's a branch there."

"Well I'd know that if I could actually see!" David clumsily lifted his leg, having no idea where the protruding branch was.

Tamani rolled his eyes, guiding David to a stop. "I told you before, this is faerie lands. You're not even supposed to be allowed in here."

"I wouldn't tell anyone though."

Tamani sighed, "David that's not the point. It's not even my place to let you in. Why do you think you had to wait in your car so many times?"

"So why's it different this time?"

"Because I need you," he muttered.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear," he joked, a smile spread smugly across his lips.

"You heard. Now stop messing around, we need to find Pansy."

"You're kidding right? Pansy? What kind of a name is that?"

"A faerie one," he snapped, "now be quiet, I'm not the only faerie hanging around here."

"So where do we find Pansy?"

He sighed, "Wherever there's a party. So I'm going to have to leave you on your own for a bit while I go find her. Can you do that? Or are you going to run off again?" he raised his eyebrows.

"It's not like I have anywhere to run to."

"Good," he paused, "Shar?" he called out, scanning the area for signs of movement.

"Shar I know you're out there."

Shar walked out from the trees to their left, "You've got some nerve bringing him here," he said, nodding towards David, "but luckily for you, I remember how much he's helped us before."

They grinned. "So you'll help?" Tamani asked?

"Tam, we've been working together for years now. Out of those years every day you've spoken to me about Laurel. Do you really think I don't know what you're up to? I know you," he smirked, "and yes, I will help. Just don't be long. I'm not the only sentry out here."

Tamani smiled, "I know what I'm doing, and I—I really appreciate this Shar."

"Anytime, friend. Just be sure you know what you're getting yourself into. You seem to have a habit of jumping in head first, or rather, ego first…" he laughed, then turned serious and placed a hand on Tamani's shoulder, "be careful. I don't want to hear about two missing faeries. If you're doing what I think you're doing…you'll need more than just your ego to save her, without entrapping yourselves too. They're tricky beings. Don't let them get to you." His expression turned solemn, and he removed his hand from Tamani's shoulder.

"Shar? Are you—"

"I'm fine. Just go. I will wait here with David," he nodded.

"Can I speak now?" David asked.

They laughed. "If you must," Shar said, "but be quiet about it."

"Why does it feel like my legs are burning?" he jumped around frantically, patting his legs in attempt to put out the mystery 'fire'.

Tam raised his eyebrows at Shar. "What did you do?"

Shar grinned. "I told you, sentries are just as valuable as any other faerie," he winked, then whispered with a grin, "The invisible fire"; he gestured at David prancing around manically.

"Guys what the hell is going on? Just put it out already." David yelled, and then added, "Please? It's bad enough that I can't see a damn thing." He walked straight into a protruding log, thus landing face down in the mud. "Guys!" he yelled, "this is not funny!"

Tam couldn't help the smirk from spreading across his lips. "Shar you have so got to teach me that some time." Shar grinned, and then clicked his fingers, within seconds David's cries groaned to a halt.

"Thank God." The muddied bloke spat, "A little help here please?"

"I'll leave you guys to it." Tam chuckled, and began to walk towards the nearby hum of music.

"Tam! You can't leave me here like this!"

"Just watch me!" Tam yelled behind him, "No wait, you can't. You're blindfolded." He grinned.

"TAAAAAAM!"

Shar poked him with a stick, "Oi, quieten down will you?"

David sighed. "I guess this is payback, huh?"

Shar grinned, "just a little, and a little demonstration of what spring faeries can do." He bent down lower, and pulled David off the muddied forest floor. Once upright, Shar led him towards a nearby log. "Sit."

"Don't forget this." He said, placing a small bag into David's hands.

"What's this?" David asked, running his hands over the sack.

"Something that'll come in handy." He yelled from a distance.

"Wait, Shar. Where are you going? Don't leave me here like this."

Shar chuckled, and then turned suddenly serious. "There's something I have to do, I'll be back." He paused, "Just listen." He said. "Listen."

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