Cloaked: Easthaven Crest, Book One

by Justice, A. D.

  He’s your destiny, Saraya.

  What am I supposed to do, Nana? Forgive him after he hurt me so much? Take him back after he humiliated me?

  I swear I never realized how unfair life could be before now.

  Yes, sweetheart. Have you ever needed forgiveness from someone you cared about?

  Yes, of course I have. But this really feels different.

  This is no different, Saraya. Remember how you felt when you’d hurt a friend? You would’ve done anything just to make your relationship right again. No relationship is perfect, my dear. They all take work and forgiving the other every day to make it work. Just because he’s your soul mate doesn’t mean you’ll never have problems.

  I’m not ready to forgive him yet.

  I understand. You want to stay mad for a while longer, make him continue to pay for what he did. Just remember, we’re not promised to our next breath. Don’t wait so long that you end up regretting it.

  Nana’s advice is on repeat in my mind. To be alone, I walk to the clearing on the far side of the Veil, to the isolated spot where Aris took me to train with A.M., the Artificial Mage robot. With my back against an enormous cedar tree, I drop my head and let the tears flow and fall wherever they land.

  I’ve stood firm for as long as I can, physically and mentally. I’ve tried not to feel sorry for myself after what happened to Nana, being thrust into a world I’m not familiar with, and learning my parents were murdered because they were magical like me.

  But now I’ve hit the wall, and I need a break from reality.

  Whiskers tickle my cheek, and a furry face rubs against mine. I open my eyes to find Laurelai curling up next to me.

  “I’ve missed you so much. It feels like it’s been weeks since I saw you last.” I stroke her fur, and her purring engine starts automatically.

  I’ve missed you too. But I’m more worried about you than anything. I felt your pain from across the forest. She peers up at me with those huge, gold eyes, silently asking me how she can help. She already knows why I’m hurt.

  “I’ll be okay. I’m just wallowing in my self-pity away from everyone else. When I’m done, I’ll pick myself up, dust myself off, and get back to work.” I smile through the tears, grateful to have such a loyal companion.

  My offer still stands. Even though he’s your true mate, his neck still looks very tasty to me. I swear she waggles her eyebrows, and that action makes me laugh again. I know you’re conflicted, but it seems to me that you want to forgive him but won’t let yourself. Forgiving someone who hurt you doesn’t make you weak, Saraya. It takes a lot of strength to give a second chance. Only the strongest are capable of doing that.

  “You’re right, of course. Nana always said the same thing. She also said I was too proud for my own good, and it would be the death of me one day.”

  Those words stir a memory deep in my subconscious…Nana’s warning about pride…a faraway princess hardened her heart and plunged the world deeper into darkness because of her unwillingness to show mercy to someone who displayed genuine remorse for their actions.

  One of Nana’s alien world stories.

  Keep digging, Saraya. It’ll come back to you. Laurelai’s encouragement gives me the extra shove I need.

  “She didn’t read it to me before bedtime. That’s why I didn’t connect the dots. I was young, seven or eight maybe, and I was playing with one of the kids after school behind Nana’s store. The little girl broke one of my favorite toys. It was an accident, but I was so young, it didn’t matter. My feelings were hurt, and I was mad at her for making a simple mistake.

  “Nana pulled me inside and told me the story of a young princess in my favorite fantasy world. Her friend hurt her, but it wasn’t his fault. He tried to apologize and explain what happened, but the princess wouldn’t hear him out. The longer she held on to the anger, the harder it was for her to let it go. Eventually, it consumed her, and she turned into an evil witch, bent on destroying the land she’d once loved.

  “Nana said the moral of the story was to remember everyone makes mistakes, people will hurt me even when I don’t deserve it, but I must never let the bitterness control my heart. Like I’ve done for the past week. I was determined to hold on to it forever to avoid being hurt again.”

  It sounds like you have your answer, Saraya. You love him. Besides, you’re linked to him until death.

  “A merman offered to break the link. Do you know anything about that?”

  I know that has been done before, but it doesn’t always work. Even if it does, most still feel as if they’ve lost a part of themselves, never whole again. Finding your soul mate is old magic, Saraya. That’s not something you should tamper with lightly. It can be very dangerous.

  She and I settle into a relaxing silence, just enjoying the company and assurance we give each other. The sun is low in the sky, and most of the animals have settled in for the evening. The nocturnal ones are just starting to rouse from their daytime slumber, moving about in search of food. Listening to the natural sounds of the forest comforts me. With my jumbled mind settled, I can make more logical decisions instead of letting my emotions rule me.

  Laurelai and I hear the faint, distant noise at the same time. Her head jerks up from its resting place on my lap, and I sit up straight, straining my ears and eyes to locate the out-of-place creature. Our eyes zero in on one specific path at the tree line as the sound of footfalls grows louder to our enhanced hearing.

  Laurelai leaps to her feet, instantly on guard and ready to attack, and I quickly follow suit. But the face that steps out of the woods stuns me, rendering me utterly mute for a moment.

  Do you know him? She sounds surprised and even slightly appalled.

  “I do. Don’t kill him yet.”

  Saraya, he’s already dead. She emphasizes each word, but it takes a couple of seconds for her meaning to sink in.

  “No freaking wonder I couldn’t read his mind. Of course. It makes sense now. Vale is a vampire.”

  He approaches us slowly, keeping a close watch on Laurelai and trying to determine how much of a threat she poses. I don’t need to read his mind to see the apprehension on his face.

  “Hi, Sara. How are you?” His nonchalant greeting doesn’t fool me. He knows I’d only be here, in the Veil, for one reason.

  “Hello, Valerian. I’ve been better, to be honest, but I’m working on it. What brings you out here? You’re a long way from the Nightside Mountains, aren’t you?”

  “I am, yes. You obviously know what I am, and I know what you are. But I assure you, I pose no threat. Your secret is safe with me. I’m actually just passing through here on my way to talk to the mage council meeting.”

  “You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t take your word for it. I’ve developed trust issues recently.” I cross my arms over my chest while drawing all the white light into me. Just in case I need extra defensive powers.

  He nods, a troubling realization flashes across his face, and he releases a deep breath. Then I watch as he draws the white energy into his body, and I instantly understand. Only those of us with magical powers can see the flow of energy. He saw mine as clearly as I see his.

  “That’s right. I’m a vampire and a wizard, though I admit it’s a strange combination. Before you ask, Saban doesn’t know about my magical abilities either. If his family found out, my vampiric alive-or-dead status wouldn’t matter. They’d burn me at the stake for hiding my magical abilities all these years.”

  “His family?” I’m already not very fond of his mother. I don’t need another reason not to like her.

  “Yes, his mother is notoriously anti-magic, and she’s very vocal about it at public events. Isla is following right along in her mother’s footsteps. Sagran was the same way when he was alive. Saban seems to be the only one with a level head on his shoulders.”

  “That part remains to be seen, on many levels. We don’t know how he’ll react when he finds out about us.”

  “Why would he find out?
” Vale seems genuinely clueless. Even Laurelai doesn’t detect any dishonesty in him.

  He is part of the white light. You can tell him. I glance down at Laurelai, and she nods, urging me to share my secret.

  “Because on my next birthday, the powerful cloaking spell currently shielding me will dissolve, and everyone will know who I am. My parents were King Taerel and Queen Wren. I’m Saraya Nemertes, the heir to the Easthaven Crest throne…and a mage.”

  He stares blankly at me for several heartbeats, possibly waiting for me to assure him it’s only a terrible joke, but that never comes. Then his jaw goes slack, his eyes grow wide, and his hand flies up to cover his mouth. He begins shaking his head slowly at first, then increases the speed and intensity.

  “No, Sara, she’ll kill you. She knows about the prophecy too. She’ll never allow it to come to pass. That’s why she and Sagran killed your parents when you were a toddler—they were trying to get to you.”

  I stumble backward at his words. “What…what are you saying? Giselli and Sagran, Saban’s parents, were behind the killing of my parents?”

  “You didn’t know?” Regret mars his features, and empathy fills his eyes.

  “No, I didn’t. I was told no one knew who instigated the attacks.”

  “No, we don’t know who the warlock is that instigated everything. But I’m not surprised you didn’t know his parents’ part in the attack on your parents. It’s not widely known, especially since so many mages were killed during that time. But those of us who are part of the tight-knit political circuit are aware. There have been a lot of rumors over the years, but this one has merit. They were incensed when your grandmother got out of the palace with you.”

  The hits just keep coming.

  Part of me wants to ask about the prophecy—what it is, who it came from, and what it has to do with me—but I’m not ready. Too much has happened in a short time. I haven’t stopped reeling from one setback when another one slams into me out of thin air. If the prophecy is all doom and gloom with only a slight chance for a happy ending, I’m not ready to deal with it just yet.

  “I can’t stop the cloak from lifting. It’ll happen whether I want it to or not. There’s a warlock working behind the scenes, and when I’m no longer shielded, he’ll come for me. Now you’re telling me Giselli and Isla will too. I have no idea if I should trust Saban with anything after the last week.”

  “All I can tell you about that is he stood up to his mother. He put his foot down and said he’s not living his life without his soul mate. He vowed to do whatever it takes to win back your trust. They had a rather heated discussion with one shouting over the other, but Giselli ended up stomping out of the room when Saban wouldn’t back down.

  “I have no idea what will happen when he realizes the throne belongs to you by birthright. But learning you’re a mage on top of that? I wouldn’t even attempt to venture a guess about that. He loves you, he’s miserable without you, and every day you’re away only makes it worse. But the quest for the throne has driven many men crazy.”

  I’m aware…and I’m doing my best not to be counted as one of them.

  “When we have more time, I’d love to pick your brain with a million questions about vampires. I wondered why I wasn’t able to read your mind when we first met. I’m guessing that’s why.”

  “No, I keep it shielded, but I’ve found methods of hiding my shields so they seem more natural. I’ve had run-ins with warlocks and witches myself, especially roaming in the woods at night. I prefer to keep my gifts hidden. As far as that sit-down to talk about my people, your invitation to the Nightside Mountains is open-ended. Our door is always open to you.”

  Laurelai and I watch after he says goodbye and continues his trek toward the heart of the Veil. Maybe he was telling the truth about his meeting with the mage council, but I’m in no mood to eavesdrop tonight. When the sun disappears and the only light in the forest is from the flora and fauna, I give Laurelai a hug goodnight and head to my tree house to crash until morning.

  Chapter 23

  My manager has already opened the store and is chatting with some of the other salespeople when I arrive at work in the morning. She notices me walking in and flashes a smile that screams conspiracy if I’ve ever seen one.

  “Sara, a very handsome young man came by as soon as we opened this morning and left this envelope for you. Whatever he’s asking you to do, my suggestion is you reply with an emphatic yes, then marry him before someone else snatches him away from you.” She hands me the envelope, and I immediately know it’s from Saban. Instead of putting my name on the outside, it simply reads “Princess.”

  “Thank you, Cadence. I’ll keep your advice in mind.” I smile as I continue to the back to clock in. I can’t deny I’m simultaneously dying to read the letter and considering shredding it before I even open it, especially after everything I learned last night.

  But my curiosity gets the best of me, and I tear it open as if it contains the cure to every disease known to man.

  Sara,

  This paper may look familiar to you. It’s the same one you challenged me to make as good as new again. So that’s what I did all night, to the point of obsession and desperation. I tried misting it with water then steaming the wrinkles out of it. I tried pressing it between the pages of the heaviest book I could find in the library. Nothing worked.

  I was tempted to tear it into a million tiny pieces and burn it until only ashes remained. Despite my frustration, I couldn’t bring myself to actually do that. This piece of paper was the only hope I had left to win back your love.

  Then the solution came to me from out of nowhere.

  We’d sent this paper through hell and back. It has been crushed, drowned, put through the fire, and had the weight of the world on it…yet, it has endured. Sure, it has a few bumps and bruises on it. But who doesn’t? The scars give it character and show its strength. After everything it has endured, it still carries all my love to you as if it’s as good as new...

  To most anyone else, this paper is a worthless scrap, no longer good for anything more than kindling for a fire. But I don’t believe that for a second. It’s the only object in the entire realm that can prove to you our love can endure anything. We only have to fight for it—together. Every single day, if that’s what it takes.

  I’m willing to do that and more. Are you?

  When you get off work today, I’ll be waiting for you in the park where I last saw you. If you don’t show, I’ll know your heart is no longer mine, and I’ll respect your wishes to stay away.

  Saving all my love for you,

  Saban

  I turn the letter over to look on the back, but there’s nothing there. He made no mention of the argument with his mother or the rift it must have caused them. I know her well enough to say he didn’t walk away unscathed. She’d retaliate against him for his defiance by withholding her love and affection. I’ve witnessed that firsthand already.

  His only concern is restoring what was between us.

  I have so many concerns, it’s getting hard to keep them all straight.

  And to keep them to myself.

  The secrets are killing me. I want to tell him everything, to talk through what I know, and see his reaction right now. Waiting until we've meshed even more into one seems so unfair to him and me. Any one of my many secrets could be a deal-breaker for our relationship. I don’t want to be eyeball-deep in love, only to have it yanked away from me again.

  But I have to face the simple fact that I’m already in love way over my head. And a few more weeks with him will make it harder to walk away a second time if he can’t accept that I’m a mage.

  I fell through a door from another world.

  He saved me from Rycan, assuming I was from the orphanage, and I didn’t correct him.

  He gave me a place to live and work out of the goodness of his heart.

  I’m the rightful heir to the throne he so desperately wants.

  His parents co
nspired with a dark warlock to murder mine.

  His mom and sister will help kill me when they realize who I am.

  Certain members of the realm have heard a prophecy about me.

  My nana was taken from my hometown by the people who want me gone, and I now highly suspect his mother.

  I’ve been sneaking off every day to learn more about the illegal magic inside me so I can use it to assert my claim at the right time.

  I eavesdropped on his thoughts to be privy to the conversation with his mother.

  Vale is a vampire and a wizard.

  I’ve known all of this and didn’t tell Saban, even though I know he’s my soul mate.

  And yet, he’s the one begging me to take him back, to forgive him, to give him another chance.

  My guilt over everything I’m hiding from him has kept me away from him more than anything he’s done. His not choosing me when his mother gave him the ultimatum deeply hurt, no doubt. But what would I do in the same situation?

  The minutes of my all-day shift drag by, with me looking at the clock every few seconds. I try to stay busy, continually flitting around the store and helping others with their assigned chores, but time stands still for sheer spite. The note he wrote is burning a hole in my pocket. I’m surprised I haven’t worn a hole in the paper by reading it so many times today. When it’s finally time for me to leave, I rush through the clocking-out process and down the street to the park.

  My feet slow as I approach the entrance. Then when I reach the threshold, I stop, unsure if I should take the next step. Do I resume this relationship without spilling everything I know and trusting him with the entire truth?

  Stick to the plan, Saraya. Trust me. You can’t tell him secrets that put others in jeopardy.

  Even when I can’t trust my own rationale, I know I can trust Nana’s. She’s never steered me wrong before, even when I didn’t want to hear what she thought. Especially when she gave me advice that went contrary to what I wanted to do. She’s always had my best interests at heart, so I force my feet to move forward.