Kenna
I hold my breath as I run through the dark, my cloak billowing out behind me like a crimson curtain. The tunnel of gnarled, bent trees is longer and tighter than I anticipated, and I have to crawl on all fours toward the end.
But the tunnel doesn’t drop into the inky dark underground as expected. I trip, falling down a shallow ledge and land hard on my knees.
The tunnel entrance is a few feet above me, hidden in a tangle of heather and bramble bushes, but I’m still wholly in the forest.
But it’s changed. The dense woods I’d just been in with Evander and Sydney give way to sparse trees and a rolling, hilly landscape of soft green grass.
I’m past the wards.
I can’t feel the strain of my dad’s magic on my shoulders any longer.
I look up at the tunnel and can barely see the entrance through the glare of the morning sun.
‘Ev
EvanderWater pours down the walls in steady, frigid streams. My head aches, and the smell of blood hangs thick in the air as I try to open my eyes for the fourth time in the last five minutes.I think my skull might be cracked. I reach up to rub my throbbing temples but wince when I flex my hands.My fingers are shattered.“Syd?” I croak into the darkness.“I’m still alive,” he replies groggily.I open my eyes to slits. Faint light fills my vision. It’s enough to cause a searing pain to ripple through my brain. “Where do you think we are?”“One-hundred-percent underground,” he answers shortly somewhere beside me.I reach for him, unsure how far away he is, but the manacles binding each wrist to heavy chains only allow me to stretch my arms so far.We’ve been here for a day at least. No food or drink
SydneyKenna’s anguished screams slows time to a halt the moment my powers finally break through the manacles on my ankles and wrists.It’s too late.I’m too late.Evander falls face first, unable to save himself from hitting the floor.I feel like everyone is moving in slow motion. Kenna sprints forward, her shadows billowing out around her as her face twists with despair. Guards move in, blades drawn in her direction.And Gabriel is grinning like a madman as he turns back to Brie.Fuck, no.My body screams in pain as I lurch forward, shouting in rage, agony, and desperation as I collide with the nearest guard. The man falls to the ground with a crunch. I leap off his body, his ribs cracking beneath my feet as I jump, begging the Goddess to help me gather enough power to shift.We’re all so weak right now. Gabriel knew exactly how to enact t
KennaA heat like no other spreads through our joined hands. I almost pull away from Sydney, surprised by the searing pain. My heart hammers against my ribs, but I stay focused, looking down at my mate and praying so hard the words jumble together.I barely notice how everyone but Amanda has backed away. Even Granger, who looks like he’s ready to flatten Eastonia to kill the rest of the Draven Rebels with his bare hands, is resting on his knees with his hand wrapped around Evander’s ankle.But Dad stays by my side. My dad, who wanted to send Evander away, now rests his hand on Evander’s shoulder and squeezes.“Come on, son.”“Evander,” Granger whispers, squeezing Evander’s ankle. “Don’t do this to your mother. Don’t do this to Kenna.”My heart wrenches. I let my tears flow freely, several of them dripping down onto Evander&rs
A month laterKennaA rush of cool air greets me as I step out on the balcony overlooking the city of Veiled Valley. The valley is a sea of green against the mist rising from the river far below–mist that swallows whole a dozen or so bridges connecting the city on either side of the pristine, near tropical mountains.I take a deep breath, my ribs aching as the corset I’m wearing cuts into my skin. Why do we bother wearing these anymore?I pinch the fabric of my silver-blue gown between my fingers. The fabric billows out around my waist, creating a ball-gown effect that’s honestly very beautiful, if not totally inefficient. I can barely walk in this gown–this gown of silver stars and fresh-water pearls that glimmer in the moonlight–but I guess that doesn’t matter. I won’t be doing much walking until the after-party tonight, after my ascension ceremony.The
Kenna“I’m going back to Crescent Falls at the end of the week,” Sydney says over the rim of his whiskey glass, his blue eyes a stark contrast to his all black suit. “To look for Sasha.”“Ah,” I say, giving him a hard look. “You sure?”“Am I sure I’m looking for her? Yes. It’s my mission.”Ryan crosses his arms, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.Evander leans against one of the enormous black marble columns in the ballroom, his eyes sliding to mine.There’s barely anyone in here at this point. The musicians are being fed copious amounts of champagne in thanks for their near ceaseless playing over the past four or five hours, and the once riotous crowd has dispersed.It’s 2:00 A.M. Everyone is going home. Even our family members have retreated to the numerous guest rooms.So, it’s just me, Evander,
SydneyFour Months LaterDad’s orrery clicks and spins, the internal gears grinding against the soft patter of winter rain on the windows. I watch the strange tangle of metal for another few minutes, tucking my hands in the pockets of my old leather jacket before taking a breath and walking toward the stairs.It’s only 8:00 A.M. The sun barely crests the snow-capped mountains in the distance when I reach the main foyer. Maids and workers rush past me with courteous bobs of their heads.The world keeps spinning and spinning.A flash of memory clouds my vision. I watch Gabriel drag his knife across Evander’s throat. Kenna’s scream sears into my mind
Beginning of Book 9Two Months Later....SarahIt’s warmer down here under the grow lights. Electricity hums through the air as I move from plant to plant, pruning, plucking, and watering. Outside the frosty windows, the Neutral Zone is every shade of silver in the unforgiving cold. Someone passes bundled against the frigid, windy air. Their red hat disappears into a rush of snow being swept by the wind down the street. I shiver despite the slight warmth in the air. I’ve been cold for weeks. Cold, hungry, and stressed beyond belief. The baby swaddled in a sling across my chest wriggles before falling back asleep, his cheek pressed against my breast. I move to the utility sink in the storage room and wrench on the pump, but the water doesn’t start. The pipes are frozen solid. “Shit,” I whisper, closing my eyes and trying to swallow past the lump in my throat. Mr. Foxglove, my landlord, was supposed to be here this morning to fix the heat to the building. My one room apartment up
SydneyCosette screams into the foyer, her apron knotted so tightly in her hands that her slim fingers are white. Her light brown hair is flaked with silver, and her dark brown eyes glow like embers in the chandelier light as they narrow into a glare. I shut the front door to my manor firmly behind me, ignoring the incessant screech of the wind howling outside, and eye my housekeeper–my life manager, honestly–as she huffs a breath and glowers at me. “Am I past curfew?” “Alpha Sydney, I thought you were dead!”“It’s just a blizzard.” I shrug out of my coat as Dalia–the only other person I employ at my house–comes up behind me to take it, gathering my coat, gloves, and hat in her tiny hands. I give the mousy, red-haired maid a gracious, silent smile before turning back to Cosette with a frown. “Don’t look at me like that, Your Grace.” She plants her hands on her hips and looks up at me as I approach her. “It’s below zero out there and blowing like hell has frozen over.”“You’re just
ColeMisty falls into a dead sleep in my arms on Georgia’s old bed. I can’t sleep. I try, but it’s useless tonight. I’m not sure about leaving her here alone, so I bide my time, sliding out of bed and tucking her in tight before standing by the window and watching the square below as the fires turn to embers and warriors go back to wherever their comrades are bunking down for the night. Maybe it was selfish of me to take Misty here, to sleep in an actual bed, while warriors are literally sleeping outside in the square. The room starts to close in on me, and I make the snap decision to leave. The dorm is mostly empty. A few students mill about, their faces marred with confusion. Students who survived the attack but didn’t get away from Richard and his magic. Students who were turned into voiceless, mindless warriors and remember nothing of the weeks they spent in Richard’s clutches. With our bond back in place, I can sense that she’s still asleep, still safe, as I cross the square.
MistyCole doesn’t let go of my hand. He hasn’t since we left the infirmary, and I walked on unsteady legs for the first time in days, my healing powers finally reigniting to speed through the damage done by using every ounce of my powers to close the portal. He didn’t let go of my hand when Sydney whisked us through space and time to the tropical forest that hugs Serpentia, where the trees are so thick it blocks the moonlight on the forest floor. His fingers are knitted between mine, holding tight, as I follow Sydney, Ryan, and Aviva down a fresh wolf trail and into a clearing on a bluff with a view of Serpentia, and the battlefield. Ella’s kneeling at the edge of the bluff, Ryatt standing beside her, leaning down with a hand on her shoulder. Dad stands nearby, his head lowered as he runs his fingers through his hair repeatedly, his eyes locked on… on the clothing in the clearing. Cole lets go of my hand, falling in step with Ryan and Aviva, while I step forward with Sydney in s
RyanThree Days LaterTarsian is gone. That’s the only way to describe it. The cities, the packs… it’s nothing but endless, blood-stained desert now. Even the sea lapping against the shores of Serpentia is stained a dark red, but I watch it fade as I stand on what’s left of a deck overlooking the ocean. Behind me, the incessant chatter of the injured and healing overwhelm the sound of the waves. A few people walk along the sand–warriors of different ranks and alliances. A young man in tattered Arcane Umbra armor talks to a group of men in armor from the Roguelands, reunited with old friends. The curse is gone. The soldiers the Umbra Mortis turned into his puppets, his monsters, well… so far, they have no memory of the war, which is a blessing. The rest of us remember, though. How could we ever forget what happened here? How are we possibly going to move on? “Ryan?”I turn toward Kenna’s voice as she steps toward me, edging around a group of nurses from Moonrise here to help treat
ColeI choke myself awake. Smoke fills my lungs, smothering my senses for precious seconds I quickly realize I don’t have. Muffled voices fill my ears–a few shouts of pain, of surprise. People are calling out for friends and comrades.I’m not in the afterlife. I know that immediately. Pain echoes through my body like waves, driven by the tide of my heartbeat as my body claws back to life, my chest wounds knitting together in real time. But my hand is freezing. I squeeze the fingers tangled in mine and jolt back to reality, rolling with effort to curl my body around Misty. “No,” I breathe into her hair. “Come–Come back.” I can’t feel her anymore. My hand slides up to her neck, my fingers trembling as I feel for her pulse. It’s there, but barely. A weak thump that pauses for several heartbreaking seconds. “H-Help!” I try to shout the word into existence, but my voice cracks painfully, turning into a scream. “HELP!”Figures rush toward us in a blur. The battlefield erupts into view, sh
MistyI land on my feet in a sea of mist. Silver fog snakes around my ankles, around my glimmering armour made of pure light. For a moment, I think I’m… lost within the aether–in the misty, shadowed undercurrent that separates our realm from the Goddess’s kingdom. But wet grass squishes beneath my boots as I stumble forward, breathless, damn near in pieces. Rain pelts the top of my head as I grope for anything to grab onto before I careen toward the ground. I yelp as my body lands with a thud. Thunder booms, followed by its rolling echo as it bounces toward me. The rain fizzles to a gentle whisper as the mist begins to part. A great stone wall comes into view, and then two voices carry toward me, lifted in alarm. I sit up with great effort, kneeling as I gasp for breath that won’t fill my lungs. I slowly lift my head and see two women–one young and… stunning, with long, blonde hair and ocean blue eyes that seem to glow as she holds my gaze, her lips parted in surprise. The seco
Cole“Undo it,” I tell him. “Take the curse back and reinstate order.”He purses his lips to a thin line, confused. “But, Cole, I can’t. It’s not something you can just… stop. Think about it. Use that big brain of yours. Do you see this place? Tarsian is so much bigger than the rest of Eastonia. Riches beyond belief lay below the sand. There used to be mines and forges here, mines that pulled silver and moonstone from the ground and forges that turned that into magic. Yet, in our time, the magic is hoarded by the royals–the Allied Kings.” He sweeps his hand toward the battle. “But not anymore. Once I open the gate, it’s over. This world will be no more. You can come with me, Cole. Be a god instead of a king.”“You can’t, Richard. You failed. Misty is safe, with her family. You needed her to do this.”He smiles a bit sadly, but his eyes flare with mischief. “Yes, she is. Such a shame, really. It would have been easier to do it with her help. Quicker, less leg work for me.” He opens the
Misty“Forgive me, please,” I say to Mom as we walk side by side to the war room, which is really just a massive training area at the very base of the castle. “I know I just got back…hours ago….”“Bring them back for me,” she replies sadly, her hand ghosting down my back. She stops at the staircase leading to the furthest depths of the castle. I turn to face her, and she tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear. “I’m okay here. I’ll keep the kids happy and comfortable.”That’s my mom’s power. Being the leader of this family. She has a knack for bringing everyone together, keeping everyone loved and… whole. I pull her into a hug and squeeze. “I’ll come home again, I promise. I’ll be bringing my mate home with me in time for Solstice, I promise.”Her tears fall into my hair. I reluctantly let her go and turn for the stairs, refusing to look back. I have to look forward–only forward–if I’m going to get through this. Ella’s already in the armory, sorting weapons, her eyes locked on her tas
MistyEverything else is a blur. Aviva’s screamed words. Ella’s rushed explanations. Grandma taking me by the shoulders and leading me away, tucking me in a sitting room somewhere in the depths of the castle. I barely feel her arm on my shoulder. I barely register sitting down in a chair, holding the bloody pages in my lap and watching the firelight dance over the untidy scrawl I know so well. I sit there for what could be hours. Eventually, I’m joined by Sarah and Kenna… and then Aviva. Still, I haven’t read the letter. I’ve read my name, addressed at the top of the first page, over and over again. This is his final goodbye, and I’m not ready to accept that. “What are we supposed to do?” Kenna grinds out. “The reports coming out of Tarsian are–”“I don’t fucking care what they are!” Sarah’s voice pitches with fury. “The father of my sons is fighting for his fucking life right now, Kenna.”“My mate, too!” Kenna shouts. “But we’ve been told to stay, to be prepared to defend Moonrise
MistyI wait in the hallway for Luke, not believing he’s actually here, in Moonrise, in the same place I currently am. Eventually, he’s escorted around a corner by two of Ella’s royal guards. His eyes go wide when he sees me, his cheeks flushing. “Misty–”“Luke,” I whisper, trying to smile at him, but my heart is skittering out of my chest. He glances at the guards before taking several swift steps ahead of them to reach my side. I pull him across the hallway to a set of windows and benches overlooking the city of Moonrise, now bathed in afternoon light. “You got out,” he says in disbelief. “I heard that you had, but I didn’t believe it–”“Is Georgia safe?” “Yes, she’s with her family. Her father’s fighting, but she and her mother went to Crescent Falls–”“What did Cole have you working on in the castle?” I rush out. “I was supposed to help you with it but never got the chance.”He pulls a small, oval object out of his jacket pocket and hands it to me. “It’s a cryptex. He said it wa