The Sweet Series Box Set: Books 1-4

by Bailey Ardisone

  Naminé helped by directing us with a plan, “Nariella is right, Rydan. We must make haste. Cathar, you take this end, and Rydan, you take that end. Nariella and I will take the middle with Ender.” I was so thankful to her.

  “Okay. But the second we get out of this alive, you’re explaining everything,” Rydan said, giving me that dead-serious look.

  “I will,” I smiled at him. We all got into position like Naminé suggested.

  We heaved and pulled on the stone door, but it hardly budged an inch. We grunted, pulling with all our might. It wasn’t working.

  Rydan hammered the hinges with the hilt of his sword, trying to loosen them. He worked vigorously to break up the stone all around the door. We tried again.

  “Pull! Pull! Pull!” We all said at the same time, trying to fire each other up.

  And we did pull. I could feel the sweat pouring from me, running down my spine and neck. We each made our individual growls and moans. The palms of my hands ached and burned.

  “Come on! We can do this! On the count of three, we put everything into it!” Rydan urged. “One! Two! THREE!”

  We all roared with effort, pulling with every single ounce of strength we could conjure up, until finally...

  Finally...

  The heavy stone door pulled from the wall. The stone that surrounded the hinges crumbled and fell to the floor. We were able to produce just enough space for Ender to pass through.

  We all cheered together, hugging and jumping with joy.

  “We did it!” I said, grinning.

  And then we remembered this wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. A whole bunch of crazy was going on up on the surface—and I was frightened to find out what it was like.

  “Let’s go,” Rydan said strongly, taking my hand. He pulled me behind him. Naminé, Cathar, and Ender followed along. Lómë stayed at Rydan’s side. I reached over and rubbed her ears, fascinated by this magnificent creature being this close to me. She pressed her head into my touch and closed her eyes. Awww.

  We walked through the dark corridor of the prison cells. Ender and I were secluded from the rest of them. We had been all the way at the end.

  We climbed a cramped, stuffy, circular stone stairwell. It kept going and going. It felt like ages had passed before we finally reached the top. As soon as Rydan unlatched the door and pushed it ajar, I heard the horrors ensuing outside.

  Fear gripped my stomach, but a bigger part of me was eager to get out there. I was anxious to sink my teeth into battle and protect the innocent lives I knew were currently being risked just for me. My Tavas blood called for me to do something. To fight. I did not feel connected to the Isil’Elda side of me at all. I felt a burning hatred for them. I knew Ender warned me about this, but I couldn’t fight it.

  “Rydan, hurry.” I tugged on his hand and tried to lead the way, but he kept me behind his body. Sigh—always the protector.

  “Just calm down. You don’t need to rush out there and get yourself killed the second after I rescue you. What would be the point of all that grunting just now?” he turned his head around to wink at me.

  “I need to find Döron. I need him to know that I’m alive and not in the prisons. We need to get the Tavas’Elda out of here before anyone else dies for nothing! We have to end this stupid battle! If Mycah really is out there...they don’t stand a chance!” I turned to everyone around me, pleading with my eyes. I needed this battle to end so that I wouldn’t go all crazy and kill a bunch of people—but I didn’t exactly want to say that out loud.

  “Yes, I believe you are right. We must find Lord Döron first and foremost,” Ender agreed. We all decided in unison that that was the plan. A purple-ish red bird soared above our heads the moment we stepped out of the dungeon.

  Okay—no one else seemed concerned with it, so maybe it was somebody’s Fëa.

  We made our way through the castle. I could hear yelling and hollering outside through the stone walls. It sounded violent and bloody without seeing a thing, even from here.

  Inside the castle was completely empty. Not a soul was in sight.

  “Naminé, what of Father and Mother?” Cathar asked his sister with worry painting his accented voice.

  “I do not know. Since you left, I have had my own share of misfortunes. I will have to explain later. But to my dismay, I have no knowledge of our parents’ well-being,” Naminé responded regretfully.

  We all stayed silent after that. Step after step, we quickly and discreetly worked toward the exit.

  Once we reached the outer courtyard, all chaos came to view. Thousands of soldiers were mixed together, battling it out. There were a few Fëa who also fought gruesomely, but not many.

  The giant wooden gate was closed, so Tavas’Elda soldiers were climbing the walls. A group of soldiers were trying to raise the gate, but of course the Isil’Elda guards were doing all they could to defend it.

  A few women and children were huddled into corners screaming and crying, but mostly, it was fallen Tavas’Elda soldiers that littered the ground.

  Dead bodies sprawled across the open courtyard—I held back vomit. I yanked my hand from Rydan’s grasp and broke out running full force. I barely heard him calling after me.

  The Tavas blood in me quickly shot to a rolling boil right in my veins. I didn’t care about holding back. I no longer cared about restraint. The Isil blood in me be damned.

  I was thrust into protective-mode for my people. And in this moment, my people were from Lassaira, and they were being slaughtered.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  ~Naminé~

  Distracted by Nariella breaking from his grasp, Rydan completely missed the attack a Tavas’Elda soldier made on him from his side.

  Lómë leapt through the air and intercepted the onslaught by tackling the soldier to the ground. Rydan whirled in surprise.

  “Don’t kill him!” he ordered. “Don’t kill any of the soldiers—just knock them unconscious or something.”

  Rydan glanced around the expanse of the citadel.

  “Where’d Nari go?” he asked vehemently.

  The castle gate was then abruptly barged open by the oncoming Lassaira army.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  ~Nari~

  I bent down as I ran past a fallen Tavas’Elda, taking with me his sword. I kept running. I came upon a shield and grabbed that with my left hand. I swore it was half a mile to the freakin’ front gate, which was now open, but completely flooded with people.

  I dodged in, out, and around battling soldiers. I didn’t know where I was going—I just ran.

  An Isil’Elda was about to thrust his sword into a Tavas’Elda’s heart. I ran right up next to them, and the second I got in range I pulled my arm across my body, in front of my chest, to give my swing full power. I injected all the strength I could into this one hit, and quickly brought my sword forward toward the Isil’Elda’s throat.

  I didn’t stop to watch his head fall to the ground.

  Scanning the area, I noticed an Isil’Elda soldier mounted on a horse, striking those below from where he sat. A Night Elf next to me had a bow and arrow on his back. I sliced his legs with my sword, sending him falling to the ground in pain.

  I ripped the bow and quiver full of arrows from his back and strapped it to my own. In a rush, I pulled out an arrow and aimed it at the soldier sitting on the horse.

  Taking a steadying breath, I lined up my shot, and then released.

  Head shot.

  As he tumbled to the ground, I sprinted toward the rearing beast. Just as the horse’s hooves settled back to the ground, I leapt up in one bound, right into a standing position.

  My intention was not to claim the horse. I had another idea in mind. I crouched down slightly, and then with as much power as I could put into this one move, I sprung off the horse onto the giant wall that encircled the castle.

  Just like Rydan had done the night of Ohtar’s feast, I ascended the craggy wall, sticking my fingers in every nook and cranny on
the way. I had to be fast so that I wouldn’t lose my momentum.

  In seconds, I reached the top. An arrow whipped past my head, stirring my hair. I turned to see the culprit staring at me menacingly. I smirked while I pulled out an arrow of my own and set it up against the bow. I let it go.

  Unlike this loser, I didn’t miss my target.

  Dropping my sword and shield to the ground below, I was free to use my hands. I hung my body over the other side of the wall, and then let go. Using my feet and hands, I was able to descend without actually falling, and then once I was close enough to the bottom I propelled myself off the side, landing crouched on the ground.

  The battle was even worse out here. Blood covered the once green grass. I stood frozen in place, mouth hanging open in horror. I...didn’t believe my eyes. So much death—so much pain.

  Steel against steel clanged and screeched like chalk on a chalkboard. The roar of battle flooded the air, making it difficult to hear anything else. I didn’t even think I could hear my own voice if I were to say anything out loud.

  I watched in agony as soldier against solider, Isil against Tavas, battled it out. The Tavas’Elda army was quickly losing. Their skill lay with the bow and arrow from the distance, not in close combat like they were forced to do now. However, the Isil’Elda army thrived on close combat, where their skill was fortified. I raked my eyes over the crowd. I had to find my grandfather. There was no way Lassaira could win this. There was just too few of them, and Aselaira was too powerful.

  Just then, a soldier attacked me from the side, but I brought my shield up in reflex. I attacked back, our swords joining together with a loud clang right in the middle. He brought his sword down toward my legs, but I again deflected.

  The soldier kept the onslaught of attacks coming, never breaking his offense. I had to be quick, blocking my shoulders, then back to my legs, and then my head. It was constant. I had no time to make my own attack.

  Then I recognized his weakness. He was going in a pattern. The moment he went for my legs, I blocked, then prepared my attack. He lifted his sword high in the air with the intention of swinging toward my head next, but I immediately thrust my own sword into his stomach.

  He dropped to his knees, clutching his wound. I spun on my heel, trying to locate my grandfather once more. I began to lose hope. This was impossible—there was too much chaos. He could have been anywhere. I was just at the edge of the castle, but there was an entire space below that I couldn’t even see from here.

  The cry of anguish and pain pulled my focus. It was a Tavas’Elda. An Isil’Elda stabbed him in his chest. I watched as he pulled out his blade, only to stab the Tavas’Elda once more.

  I sprinted into action, throwing my sword hard like a dagger. It sliced through the air, landing right in the enemy soldier’s side.

  Both of them fell to the ground. I knelt beside my chosen kin and prayed he was still alive. I felt his pulse and thanked all that was right in the world that he was.

  I quickly checked to make sure that no one was about to creep up on me, and then placed my hands over the wounds. I did everything I could, and as fast as I could, to heal him.

  I felt the flesh restore under my skin. I let out a sigh of relief, but felt a threat approach from my back. I went to strike behind, but the Tavas’Elda I just healed surged his sword over my head and impaled the Isil’Elda right in the nick of time. He crumbled to the ground in a heap.

  “Thank you,” I said in shock.

  “Thank you,” he replied genuinely. I smiled and nodded my head in return.

  “Do you know where Lord Döron is?” I asked with obvious hope, but didn’t expect him to know much.

  “I believe he is along the cliff, but that was some time ago. I do not know for certain,” he answered.

  “At least it’s a start. Thanks.” I shot up off the ground and made my way down the side of the mountain that the castle was carved into.

  As I made my descent, I looked on in terror at the entire village that sat below, burning into destruction. Plumes of black smoke billowed toward the orange and pink sky. The mountains that clung against the churning sea were glowing orange from the setting sun.

  I was temporarily blinded from the brightness the dying sunlight cast upon the land. It reflected off the water right into my pupils.

  At any other moment, I would have choked up just from the beauty in the nature that encompassed me. I had never seen the sky in such bright orange and pink colors before, and when it touched the mountains, it literally appeared to light them on fire.

  I wished more than anything I could just stand there and watch the sunset, but I was quickly reminded that more important things were going on around me.

  A young child, maybe only two or three years of age, stood lost right in the midst of all the fighting, crying. She sobbed, choking on her own tears, as she called out for her mother.

  My heart ripped in two. I ran to her and scooped her up in my arms. She wrapped her tiny hands around my neck and clung to me like I was her lifeline. And I suppose I was.

  “Shhh, I won’t let anything happen to you,” I cooed next to her ear, caressing her head.

  “Atara,” she cried. “Atara!” I had to assume she was asking for her mother.

  “I’ll find your mother, sweetie. Don’t worry.” I looked around, not seeing any women. I prayed she understood some English. “What’s your name?”

  “Viresse,” she sniffed.

  “I’m Nari. We’ll find your mother, Viresse. Don’t cry.” I tried to console her. I held her head against my neck, not wanting her to look at the dead bodies surrounding us, or the fighting that continued.

  I ran with her in my arms around the side of the castle to a secluded spot. I felt completely lost. I didn’t know what to do with her. I didn’t know how to help. I didn’t know how to stop this war.

  It all felt too much. I tried to not let the despair consume me. But I could not help the solitary tear that spilled down my cheek when complete hopelessness screamed in my face and rasped throughout my body.

  “Nari! What the hell!” Rydan’s voice called from behind. I closed my eyes. I couldn’t even turn around. I was so happy to hear his voice, I could just combust right then and there. He moved in front of me, coming into view.

  “Ry!” I cried, squishing the little girl in between us as I hugged him.

  “Why did you do that? Are you crazy?! And who the hell is this?” Rydan asked in a rush. Naminé ran up next to Rydan and reached out for Viresse. She spoke in Elvish, and Viresse immediately went to her, responding in their native language.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me, but I had to do something! I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing! But I have to go. My people are losing. I have to find my grandfather, and I have to help when I can. Just let me do this, Rydan! If you’re near me, you’ll only hold me back with your need to protect me. I have to do this without you, Ry. I have to.” I didn’t like that it was true, but it was. His concern for me would only delay what needed to be done. He wouldn’t let me fight, and I had to if we wanted to make it through this. Urgency to help those in battle rang through my veins.

  “Rydan, you must trust her.” Naminé placed a hand over his bicep. He stared at me, not wanting to budge.

  I took ahold of his hands in mine. “Please, you have to help this little girl. You have to find her mother. Naminé, please. Help her! Rydan, go with them to protect them! They need it. I don’t.” I kissed his cheek and turned to leave.

  He grabbed my wrist, making me turn back.

  “Be careful, you.”

  “I will,” I replied to him solidly. This time I was confident. He slowly let go of my wrist, and I could see in his eyes he hated every second of it. It killed him to leave me alone, unprotected, and a part of me hated it as well. I wanted to be kept under Rydan’s wings. I needed him like one needed a shelter from a violent storm. Since I was ten years old, I relied on Rydan’s comfort like my security blanket.
All I had was him, and I grew so accustomed to it that I had a hard time functioning without him.

  But that wasn’t healthy. As much as I loved my best friend, my protector, my Guardian, I had to learn to be on my own. I had to learn to take care of myself. I needed to grow up.

  With one final look, I poured all the words that I ever wanted to say to him into my eyes. And it felt like he did the same. We spoke volumes with just that one look, without ever having to utter a single word.

  I turned away, firm in my resolve on what needed to be done, and without Rydan being there to stop me, because I could do this. I had to do this, and there was no room for failure. Lives depended on me—Entire kingdoms now rested upon my shoulders.

  I ran from our secluded place of hiding and whipped out my sword. I submerged myself into the ongoing battle and took out as many Isil’Elda soldiers as I could along the way. I didn’t know how I would ever find my grandfather, but in the meantime I could at least fight alongside the ones my blood called to.

  I cut my way through the crowd, coming out the other side near the cliff. My eyes immediately scanned every face in view, searching out my grandfather. And then finally, there he was. My heart rejoiced right there in my chest. I found him. Thank heavens, I finally found him.

  With renewed determination, I took off like a bullet in his direction. He fought a soldier, which made me wonder where Ohtar was.

  Once he took out the enemy, I called for him as I ran.

  “Döron!” I yelled, drawing closer. He turned toward me once I caught his attention.

  “Nariella! You have escaped!” he shouted in surprise.

  But then I no longer had to wonder where Ohtar was.

  “Kill her! Kill her, you fools! Do not let her escape!” Ohtar yelled from atop the edge of the castle that looked down on this side of the land.