The Sweet Series Box Set: Books 1-4

by Bailey Ardisone

  “And we can’t have that now, can we?” Mycah then drawled in a fake American accent, “I wouldn’t want you breaking a nail at my expense.”

  “They’re very nice, aren’t they?” Rydan joked sarcastically. “It’d be a tragedy.”

  I smiled at their silliness, but all the while it reminded me of my happy and carefree times with Zaylie during school lunch. And when it wasn’t just the two of us, Desmond and Liam would have us cracking up. Because of Zaylie, my daunting life was made exponentially brighter. As much as I didn’t want to believe it, I didn’t belong in this realm. I belonged with my friends and people who actually accepted me. People who weren’t trying to kill me every second of the day.

  “Where’d you guys get this food?” I couldn’t help asking, wanting to switch my thoughts.

  “Eh, you know, here and there and around.” Rydan smiled. I shrugged. Good enough answer for me.

  Finishing my small portion of a meal, I was eager to resume our journey out of here. I meant what I said to the Wood Elves. If they wanted me gone, then so be it. And more than anything, I couldn’t wait to see Zaylie again.

  Mycah chuckled about something Rydan said, and I paused for a moment to revel in its sound. I absolutely loved his laugh. It was so attractive and sexy. I smiled a second more before standing up. I brushed off my pants and fixed my hair. “Ready?”

  “Anxious much?” Rydan quipped.

  “Ender and Naminé are waiting, and we’ve wasted enough time as it is. We don’t even know how far we are from the tree, do we?” I sighed, kicking at a stone. I also wanted the heck out of here as fast as possible because I was deeply hurt by the Kingdom of Lassaira.

  “Well hurry it up then. What’re you waiting for?” Rydan mocked teasingly, ruffling my hair lightly. I shoved him backward playfully. He seemed to be in a good mood, and I had no idea why.

  “Fight nice, girls. Fight nice.” Mycah gathered the rest of the things they were carrying.

  We continued on our journey for what felt like days, but I knew was probably just a few hours. We squeezed in and out of tight spaces, climbing up over rocks, tiptoeing past narrow edges while clinging to walls, everything you could think of until breaching fresh air.

  Darkness met us once we exited the cave, followed by an owl hooting somewhere in the trees nearby. A full moon hung low in the sky, painting a hazy glow on every surface it could reach. As I skidded to a stop, tiny rocks were flung off the side of a high cliff by my boots. I was thankful it wasn’t my body instead.

  Peering over the edge carefully, I saw that we were countless of miles up. I couldn’t tell how far exactly. All I knew was, I couldn’t see the bottom from where we were.

  “We’re a long ways off from the Ëlemmiire, it seems. We should sleep here,” Mycah suggested.

  “Sleep? I don’t wanna sleep,” I complained, not feeling tired yet, but also I was afraid to sleep. Being back in Luïnil was a huge reminder of the nasty things I had done. If I slept here, what sort of nightmares would I have, like while I was in that forest? Sure, I had suspected it was caused by the darkness that crept there, or perhaps it was all part of the Maranwe Journey, but I didn’t know for certain. “And we’re like, really high. What if I roll off the edge?”

  “We’d be safer here, and it’s already late. We must rest, Nariella.” Mycah took my hand. “And I would never let that happen.”

  “Yeah, we’ll just set up right inside the mouth of the cave.” Rydan went back the way we’d come. “We’d be safer in here.”

  “Fine. But we leave at dawn, agreed?” I gave in, unable to argue, knowing they were right.

  “Obviously,” Rydan murmured.

  We spread out the blanket they had packed away in a backpack. I huddled in the middle between Rydan and Mycah, trying to keep warm. Not that it was super cold or anything, but who wouldn’t want to be snuggled in between these two hotties? I thought of Lissë out there all alone, but I realized she was used to it. She wasn’t afraid. She enjoyed being in the forests of Lassaira and was fit to care for herself. We exchanged emotions, comforting each other. She’d find me once we made our way back to where we needed to be.

  Unforgivably, with Mycah this close to me, my thoughts immediately went to my horrible actions when I was here just a few days ago and ruined his plan. My chest tightened, remembering the lives I extinguished. There was no way Mycah could forgive me. I made every effort possible to push the thoughts away. I tried to sleep, but my brain wouldn’t shut up.

  I couldn’t hear Mycah breathing, but if I scooted over just slightly…

  His heart could be heard beating faintly through the stillness of night. His scent filled my senses, sending a tingle throughout my blood. Just his close presence was intoxicating. Frenetic energy buzzed between the slim space that ran between us, just beseeching me to squash it into oblivion. And oh, did I want to. I wanted to give in. I greatly desired the warmth of his body to meet mine.

  “Nariella,” he whispered, startling me.

  “Yeah?” I tried to whisper back, the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

  “Sleep.”

  “Right.” I exhaled slowly, disappointment crashing down on my lungs. Why must he be so enticing, especially at the most inconvenient of times? Like when I had to refrain from smelling him. Refrain from feeling him. Couldn’t he at least stink or transform into some sort of ogre until we were able to be alone? For goodness sake.

  And then he started playing with my hair ever-so-lightly. My heart spiraled into my stomach. But slowly, a soothing sensation floated over my insides, like a warm blanket gathering heat. Unconsciousness descended gradually, until there was no turning back and I was out like a light.

  The sunshine of the new day penetrated the darkness of our cave. My regret wouldn’t leave me alone. The cruelty of my actions toward the Isil soldiers when my blood had so foolishly controlled me popped back up in my mind. I should be thinking of good things. I should be grateful for what I had and to be alive. Not be dwelling on the past when nothing could be done about it, anyway. But I couldn’t seem to stop worrying over how Mycah felt about it, although I didn’t have the strength to face his scrutiny. I didn’t know how to bring it up. I had killed his people, and yet, not even during my rescue did he do the same to mine.

  No, I was being stupid. I knew I was. I pitched the worry and regret out of thought and reveled in the picturesque scene before me as I stepped out of the cave. I smiled then, soaking in the sparkling land that lay stretched out for miles.

  “I’ll summon Dúlin,” Mycah said softly from behind. Relief immediately coated my already blissful nerves, making me almost giddy. We’d get off this mountain and back on solid ground in no time with a dragon taking us. Plus, despite all the dangers it possessed, there was something about being in Luïnil, witnessing unparalleled beauty intertwined with a sense of home, that made it seem like everything would work out perfectly in the end. I knew I would miss it, but I didn’t want to feel that way. I didn’t want to feel connected to it if I was no longer welcome.

  Either way, I felt…happy. Well, sort of. But that was beside the point.

  Mycah whistled a lovely melody, and I recognized it instantly. It was the same tune he had made when I’d been falling from the cliff next to the castle in Aselaira. It was his call for his dragon. His Fëa.

  Magically, and seemingly out of thin air, a loud whoosh repeated every other beat somewhere in the distance. It drew closer, gaining volume. A roaring fire crackled from above, sounding like a ginormous blowtorch. I gazed upward to find the black dragon slowly descending, flapping his wings every now and then as he mounted a nearby rock.

  Opening his mouth, he rasped a mighty roar, displaying rows of frighteningly sharp teeth. Had I not known better, I would’ve been terrified.

  But this was Mycah’s Fëa. Like Lómë was Rydan’s, and Calen was Naminé’s, and Lissë was mine, I knew Dúlin wouldn’t hurt any of us. He may have appeared to be horrifying and terrible j
ust yesterday, but he was on my side. I didn’t have to be afraid. Not to mention, I’d spent a little time riding on his back already, so I was experienced in dragons.

  Right? Right.

  No need to be scared.

  Mycah took my hand, perhaps feeling my nerves. “Do not fret.”

  Yeah, okay. Easier said than done.

  “Way too cool,” Rydan said in awe, staring at the giant dragon. I could hear his slow heavy breathing that was like a coal furnace. His scales glistened in the sunlight, resembling black opal. The thing that had me so enraptured, though, were his eyes. Sharp and elongated, his pupils were shaped like diamonds and infinitely piercing. But it was their color that had me. They were exactly like Mycah’s—multiple hues of blue with dancing ribbons of violet and sparkles of jade.

  Mycah helped me climb up the gargantuan beast the same time Rydan effortlessly scaled Dúlin’s back. Mycah had no problem joining us either, of course, and we immediately took flight. Mycah sat at the very front with me behind him and Rydan behind me.

  Mycah spoke in Elvish, perhaps instructions on where to go or something, I wasn’t sure, but he did so softly while petting the dragon’s neck. I felt Lissë down below somewhere, making her way to the portal. I made sure she knew to stay hidden and out of harm’s way. Cautious was the name of the game at this point. None of us could be too careful.

  We climbed higher and higher into the air. It was exhilarating being up in the sky, flying on the back of a black dragon. There was no denying that as the wind whipped through my hair. But I refused to look down. I kept my eyes on either Mycah’s back, or straight ahead.

  “This is incredible,” Rydan commented, leaning over the edge.

  “Ry! Stop it!” Oh crap, he was freaking me out. “Just, please, don’t do that, okay?”

  “Why? It’s fine.” He chuckled, doing it again.

  “It is not fine! It’s scary! You could just fall off or something,” panic resonated in my voice.

  “Oh, please. You’re silly,” he disagreed, still chuckling. I rolled my eyes, but removed one hand from around Mycah’s waist and grabbed Rydan’s hand from behind, wrapping it around my stomach. I gripped his wrist firmly, fearing for his life.

  I no longer was afraid of being up here; in fact, I loved it. But it terrified me to think Rydan could lose his balance and plunge head first to the hard ground below. The ground that wasn’t even visible to me from here. I knew I was being ridiculous, but better safe than sorry. Rydan could be unpredictable and careless.

  Dúlin flew gracefully, slicing through the tepid air. I focused my attention on Lissë so that she knew where we were at all times and how much farther we had to go yet. At the rate we flew, we’d more than likely arrive at our destination just as she’d arrive as well. She was much closer to the Ëlemmiire than we had ended up. We flew over mountains, waterfalls, open valleys, marshes, forests, villages; it was truly amazing. So much time was being saved, I could grin from joy.

  It would’ve taken a day or two to walk the distance we’d gone in a matter of only a few short hours. Rydan hooted and hollered with one arm in the air from the thrilling ride, and I couldn’t help smiling and laughing at his playfulness. It was so unlike him. Gliding through the clear blue sky was sublime, and I felt myself ease up my hold on Rydan’s wrist a little. He wouldn’t fall, and regardless, I knew Mycah wouldn’t let him get hurt either way.

  I trusted them both. My fear slipped away, left behind somewhere back there between a mountain and a castle. I threw my arms up into the air, doing my own set of cheering, and felt Rydan remove his hand from my stomach. We both had our hands outstretched toward the sky like we were on a rollercoaster, enjoying the feel of wind on our faces.

  Lowering my tired arms around Mycah’s sexy neck, I laughed quietly against his back, feeling light and fancy-free. He slid his fingers around my wrists gently, yet holding them tight. It was all great and dandy, until we reached our destination.

  We descended to the ground carefully in a place of concealment. Mycah kept his eyes moving, looking out for Ohtar’s hunters and now soldiers from Lassaira as well. It pained my heart to think of my own people hunting me the way the Night Elves were. I didn’t want to imagine two entire kingdoms being after us now, but that was the situation we had found ourselves in. It made me think of the danger we had following us in the Earthly realm, too.

  “What if the Black Eagles are waiting for us on the other side again?” I asked quickly, sliding off Dúlin’s back.

  “They shouldn’t be. I took care of them before I left,” Rydan replied as he joined me on the ground. “But there’s only one way to find out. I really hope not, though, because that’d mean Ender and Naminé would’ve had to manage them on their own.”

  “I’ll handle it if they are,” Mycah assured us. I nodded my head, knowing he was fully capable of doing so.

  The Lassaira Ëlemmiire—the other side of my Weeping Willow tree—was nearby somewhere. Mycah said good-bye to his Fëa before it wafted back into the sky. I searched for my own using our connection. She was close, but still hiding until we were ready.

  My heart filled with heavy sadness at having to part with my Fëa after just getting to be with her. I never knew it would feel this way. We waited until she broke from the trees.

  Watching her draw nearer, I closed the gap between us and wrapped my arms around her neck, absorbing her heat into my skin. I could feel energy and power transferring seamlessly between our bodies—between our souls. She replenished my molecules the way sunshine energized a plant. She was my sun.

  I stepped back and glided my hand from the top of her forehead between her eyes, all the way down to her velvety muzzle. She was beautiful—completely milky white from the tips of her ears, down to the tip of her tail that was similar to a lion’s with hair only at the end. Her ankles were decorated in that same pretty tuft of hair and lay over the tops of her hooves.

  There’d be a hole in my soul when I left her. I knew already there would be. She dipped her head and pressed it gently against mine. I gave her one last kiss and said my good-bye. The sad part was, I didn’t know if I’d ever be back. I didn’t know when or how soon I’d get to be with her again, especially since I was no longer welcome here. Maybe one day soon when we didn’t have the Black Eagles after us she could sneak into the Earthly realm for a few moments. She couldn’t stay there, it wasn’t where she’d be happy, but she could at least visit.

  Rydan took my hand and pulled me away to leave. If he hadn’t, I didn’t think I’d ever been able to let her go. It was dangerous and risky lingering around this area too long, so we had no time to dilly-dally. She darted back through the forest to hide the same time we quickly headed to the Weeping Willow.

  Our nightmare came true the instant we broke from cover. Soldiers could be seen running toward us from a great distance away, but it would only be a matter of time until they reached us. I didn’t know how they knew we were here, unless maybe they had seen us flying on the dragon.

  “Hurry!” Mycah shouted, taking my other hand and pulling both Rydan and myself along in the process. My pulse raced a mile a minute. Together, we entered through the magical gateway, but I didn’t feel any safer. The elda warriors were just going to follow right behind us here in any second.

  Bodies littered the ground, but I didn’t see Naminé, Ender, Lómë, or Calen among them. It appeared to be mostly men from the Black Eagles Organization. Except for Zaylie’s lifeless body, right where I had seen it last, only she was in a more respectable position.

  “Nariella, quickly, revive her now, and I mean do it now.” Mycah paced back and forth in front of the trunk of the tree, squeezing his bottom lip between his fingers. His other hand was buried deep in his black hair. Fear clawed at my chest as he waited for a fight to break through the gateway within moments.

  I nodded without voicing a reply. Zaylie looked exactly like she did before we left. Perfect and napping as if a needle dropping could wake her up. But
it couldn’t. I had come to accept the fact that she was dead.

  And I would be the one to undo it.

  Rydan came to my side and took my hand for support, pulling me to the sleeping Zaylie. My heart slammed to my throat as I knelt before her, placing one hand around her head and one over her heart. Please work, please work. Mycah spoke something in Elvish as he continued pacing from right behind us. I closed my eyes and focused on bringing her back to life. My breath was held involuntarily, and my heart had completely stopped as I waited. Thoughts and memories of her swirled rapidly and repeatedly in my mind as my love for her and our friendship practically oozed out of me. But nothing happened.

  Oh, no. Please no.

  Tears were already brimming in my eyes. I bit my quivering lip, not wanting to give way to tears. I had already cried for her in Luïnil. Hope had weaseled its way into my heart, and I couldn’t bear to fail. Rydan knelt on the ground next to us with his eyes glued to her face. His shoulders dropped, and I knew then that he also had given in to hope, but was quickly realizing it was all for nothing. I couldn’t do it after all.

  Then I felt it. A warm, liquid rush of energy covered my body from head to toe, and I was blinded by a shining radiance. Through the light, I could see Lissë in my mind as if she were right there in front of me. Lowering her head, she touched her twinkling horn to Zaylie’s chest.

  Burning smoke along with a fearsome heat at my back caught me off guard. Completely distracted by what it could possibly be, I turned around to find my majestic, beloved Weeping Willow tree up in roaring flames.

  “What are you doing?!” I screeched with alarm, my heart breaking instantly at the sight of it. Mycah stood before it with his blade readied, watching it burn.

  A sudden gasp of breath sent me lurching forward. My eyes snapped to Zaylie instantaneously, but at the same time, I had to clutch onto Rydan’s arm for support, afraid I’d pass out. I felt extremely drained and heavy, and a sharp pain racked my insides. We were wholly bathed in the brightest glow I had ever seen after a healing, and yet, my mind struggled to pay any attention to it.