Intangible
Page 33
“They aren’t angry with you, Olivia,” he says softly. “They are angry at this girl because they know her heritage as a Caretaker.” Cedrick’s free hand clenches into a fist. His eyes flash silver as fury grabs hold of him for a brief moment. “She knew what following you would do, and yet she chose to align herself with the Sentinels.”
“What did it do?” Mason asks. There is fear in his voice, though he keeps his expression as even as he can.
Cedrick stands slowly and gestures for us to do the same. I try to, but my knees collapse under me as soon as I try to stand. Mason gently slips his hands around my middle and helps me up. I’m surprised to find many of the Aerlings gathered around us. Several place comforting hands on me. Others, though, are focused elsewhere. I follow their gaze to where Robin is held awkwardly with squeezing bonds of air, held by two hefty Aerling men.
It isn’t her posture that sends a new flame of anger through my body. Strength returns in a rush at the satisfied expression on Robin’s face. Mason is too surprised to stop me from tearing out of his arms and slamming my fist into Robin’s jaw. A gasp goes up from someone, but not Mason. He steps up behind me a moment later with Cedrick. Neither one dares to pull me back.
“Why?” I demand, so much fury backing this one syllable. “Why? How can you hate the people you were born to protect? Why would you betray them… betray Mason? I almost believed you cared about him once.” My chest heaves as a broken sob erupts from my lips.
Blood drips down Robin’s chin as she awkwardly hoists herself back to her knees. Bound by the Aerlings’ power, she can’t wipe away the sign of her betrayal. She looks up at me with dispassionate eyes, a smirk twisting her lips and sending another burst of blood down her chin. She turns away without answering and I slap her again. When Robin manages to look back up, her indifference is tainted with anger.
“I chose my own destiny.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I demand.
“It means I am not a pawn to be forced into a role by some race I care nothing for,” she snaps.
Cedrick finally steps forward, but not to push me away. He squats down so he is level with Robin’s eyes. “If you think you have not been used by the Sentinels, you are more ignorant than I could have imagined.”
Standing, Cedrick gestures for the guards to take her away. They jerk her up roughly, but before they can drag her off, Cedrick snatches Robin’s chin up in his hand and squeezes hard. The air crackles with energy, and Robin’s eyes widen by the tiniest degree. “You,” Cedrick says, “will pay for your crimes. You did choose your own destiny, my dear, and it will not be a pleasant one. You have sealed your fate.”
He flicks her chin away from him and the Aerling guards drag her away without another word. The millions of questions I already had running rampant through my mind are only made worse by that exchange, but Cedrick gives us no chance to ask even a single one.
“I’m sorry,” he says quickly, “but you two will not be able to stay here after all. You must leave quickly before the Sentinels come.”
“What?” Mason demands. “Go where? Why?”
Cedrick shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself.” He takes one of our hands in each of his. “What Robin did by forcing her way into this world has put us all in danger. The barrier placed between this world and the human world was created to keep the Sentinels from gaining access. Only Escorts and Aerlings could cross without damaging the bridge. Robin has not broken it completely, but her passing has caused a rift, and the barrier will fail rapidly now.”
“Can we fix it?” I ask. Terrible thoughts of what will happen to these people if the Sentinels reach them makes my stomach roil.
Sighing deeply, Cedrick shakes his head. “We cannot. Only the Mother can repair the bridge, and only Mason can reach her.” Cedrick squeezes our hands and the other Aerlings crowd in around us. Dozens of hands reach in and touch us, lending power and strength alike.
When Cedrick meets our eyes again, they are filled with uncertainty and fear. “Even though you have both just come home, you have not returned to safety. We must ask you to leave this place that was once a haven for our people and return to the human world where the Sentinels will be waiting, gathering an army for invasion, and doing everything they can to kill you before you can reach the Mother.” His eyes slip to Mason alone and he says, “I hate asking something this dangerous of someone so young, Mason, but you are the only one strong enough to save us.”
Desperation fills the air around us as Cedrick pulls back to give us a moment to breathe. Fear so intense it threatens to choke us is echoed in the eyes of every Aerling here. Mason and I turn to face each other. We knew crossing into the Aerling world would only be the beginning of our fight to save the Aerlings. The last thing I expected was to be sent back home, but then again, in those last few moments before coming here, I fully expected to die.
“I have to go,” Mason says.
“Not without me,” I say.
We have survived being separated. We have survived Sentinel attacks. We have survived so much more than I ever expected to face. I don’t know if we can outrun every Sentinel on Earth and repair a broken world. This may be the one thing we cannot survive, but we will face it together.
End of Book 2
Of the Aerling Series
Acknowledgements
The list of readers on Wattpad who hounded me daily to start and then finish this book is too long to include here, but all of you are the reason I couldn’t take more than a few days after finishing Invisible to get started on Intangible. I love your energy, and the way you have all taken Mason, Olivia, Hayden, and Evie into your hearts has inspired me so much. You all were everything an author needs all wrapped up into one, beta readers, fact checkers, marketing gurus, and the sharp stick in the side that kept me writing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I also need to thank Angela Fristoe for being there for me when I asked her way too close to the release date to set up a cover reveal and blog tour for this book. She is not only a tremendous friend, but an excellent marketer!
As always, thank you to my husband, Ryan. It’s been a crazy year, but he’s stuck by me through it all.
About the Author
DelSheree Gladden lives in New Mexico with her husband and two children. The Southwest is a big influence in her writing because of its culture, beauty, and mythology. Local folk lore is strongly rooted in her writing, particularly ideas of prophecy, destiny, and talents born from natural abilities. When she is not writing, DelSheree is usually reading, painting, sewing, or working as a Dental Hygienist. Her works include Escaping Fate, Twin Souls Saga, The Destroyer Trilogy, and Invisible. Look for, Wicked Power, the next book in the SomeOne Wicked This Way Comes Series, and Soul Stone, book two in the Escaping Fate Series, coming 2014.
Connect with DelSheree online at:
http://www.delshereegladden.com
http://delshereegladden.blogspot.com/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/DelShereeG
Facebook:
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Book Blog:
http://theediblebookshelf.blogspot.com/
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4305414.DelSheree_Gladden
Also by DelSheree Gladden
Escaping Fate Series
Escaping Fate
Soul Stone
Oracle Lost
(Coming 2014)
Twin Souls Saga
Twin Souls
Shaxoa’s Gift
Qaletaqa
The Destroyer Trilogy
Inquest
Secret of Betrayal
Darkening Chaos
SomeOne Wicked This Way Comes Series
Wicked Hunger
Wicked Power
Wicked Glory
The Aerling Series
Invisible
Intangible
Invincible
The Date Shark Series
Date Shark
Shark Out Of Water