The Eden Series: The Complete Collection

by Stalder, Janelle

  She balked. “Thank you? You move me as if I’m some toy! What is there to be thankful for? I do not have choices anymore!”

  His eyes and mouth went hard. “Throw the fire and be done!”

  Rain closed her eyes as she felt her arm pull back and push forward, releasing the flames. A piercing screech filled the small cavern. The horrible smell of burnt flesh filled her nostrils, and she gagged against it. She covered her mouth and nose, her hand now her own again. The man continued to scream in agony. Rain stepped back, distancing herself from the now massive flames that covered his body. She slammed into something hard. Looking over her shoulder, she met Elex’s eyes, his face not betraying an ounce of emotion. His bare chest heated through the back of her dress. Not caring what anyone thought, she turned to bury her face in his warmth, covering her ears to block the sounds as best she could. She took a deep breath of his scent, welcoming the escape from the putrid stench around them.

  His arms banded strongly around her, holding her tightly against him. One of his hands cupped the back of her head, his fingers lacing through the strands of her hair. The man’s screams had all but died out now, the only sound a slight moan and the sizzling of burning flesh.

  “Your first kill is always the hardest,” Aziz said, speaking in a detached, conversational tone. “You’ll get used to it.” He must have looked at them, because she felt Elex stiffen. There was a tense silence before she heard him say, “Take her back to her room.” It was such a dismissive tone, Rain felt herself shudder. In one quick movement, Elex had her cradled in his arms, and was walking away from the terrible scene. A darrkness slowly washed over her, and she knew she was about to faint. It was an utter display of weakness, but there was nothing she could do. It dragged her down until she could no longer see or feel anything.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Her head was going to explode. Groaning against the throbbing pain, Elisa slowly rolled onto her side, pulling the covers all the way over her. The darkness seemed to help, but her side ached like she had been kicked there repeatedly.

  “What the –” She sat up gingerly, lifting her top to look down at the design now permanently inked on her skin.

  “How are you feeling?” Markus asked, causing her to jump.

  “You scared me,” she breathed, dropping her shirt quickly. He was sitting down, tying his shin guards. He looked handsome in his armour, but there was a coldness in his eyes as he looked at her. Suddenly Elisa felt terribly uncomfortable.

  “I’ve felt better,” she replied honestly. The truth was her head had never felt so bad in her entire life. Every movement made her cringe. What had she been thinking last night? Bits and pieces slowly came back to her, but most of the evening was a blur.

  “You had better get ready,” he said, his voice flat. “We have a battle to win today, or did you forget?” Without waiting, Markus got up and left the tent, leaving Elisa feeling like a child that had just been scolded. Of course she hadn’t forgotten! What kind of stupid question was that? She hated when people made her feel as if she’d done something wrong, when really she didn’t think she had. Sure, maybe she shouldn’t have had so much to drink, but it’s not like that was going to stop her from performing at her best today. She got up shakily, grabbing her pulsing head. Okay, she hoped it wasn’t going to stop her from performing her best.

  Quickly dressing in green so she would camouflage with the small cluster of trees she had been assigned to, Elisa strapped on her quiver and bow and headed toward the exit. The sun was just beginning to rise. If she had to guess, she’d say she only got a few hours of sleep at most. Adrenaline would keep her going. Until then, she’d have to try her best not to show anyone how awful she felt.

  Pulling back the flap, she froze mid-step. Hiding herself behind the fabric of the tent, Elisa watched as Wolf stood outside in the early morning light. His hair was tied back from his face, for once, accenting the hard, clean line of his jaw. He wore no shirt even though the air was still cool. It didn’t seem to bother him, which Elisa always envied. He was lazily balancing a rock on the toe of his boot. He’d flip it up into the air and then catch it again, switching from foot to foot. It was a popular game that most of the children in the Capital played during their school breaks. It was such a childish game, and yet he looked so focused that Elisa couldn’t help but giggle. She covered her mouth so he wouldn’t hear her. She watched him do this for a while, oblivious to anything else around him. For some reason, watching him act so innocently made a warm feeling spread through her chest.

  Stepping out, Elisa made sure to make noise so he’d know she was there. He dropped the rock, turning to face her, surprised.

  “Good morning,” she greeted, her voice sounding hoarse so early in the day. A slow grin spread over his face.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked. He didn’t say it in a mocking way, which surprised her. She expected him to show up just to gloat. Instead he actually looked a bit concerned.

  “F-fine,” she stuttered, struck dumb by his unusual behaviour.

  He chuckled. “I doubt that.” He walked closer to her, pulling out a bottle from his back pocket. “Here, I thought you could use this.” Elisa grabbed the bottle, pulling out the stopper on the top. One whiff and she knew it was alcohol. She could feel her face scrunch up in distaste.

  “Are you trying to be funny?” she asked, putting the stopper back in.

  “No, trust me. It will make you feel better. Just take a swig. It’ll take the edge off.”

  “I’m sure it will,” she replied, dryly. “I’d rather go into this with all my wits about me, so I’ll pass.” She handed back the offending bottle.

  “Suit yourself,” Wolf said with a shrug. Elisa looked around at all the men preparing for battle. The sun was barely up, and fires were still burning dimly. She couldn’t believe this was happening again. Memories of the last battle filtered through her head, and she shuddered at the thought of all the lives that would be lost or ruined by night. The air will smell of fresh blood and sweat, she thought, and be filled with the sounds of dying and injured men. It was horrible, and she would be a part of it. When she turned back to Wolf, he was watching her intently. She smiled weakly.

  “How did Markus react last night?” he asked after clearing his throat nervously. She shrugged since she didn’t actually remember. He was pretty mad this morning though, but there was no way she was telling Wolf that. “I still can’t believe you did that,” he said, shaking his head to himself. Elisa reached down to lift her shirt for the second time that morning, inspecting the beautiful work that Moose had done. She would have never guessed he would be so artistic. She looked up at Wolf, who was also admiring it appreciatively. They stared at each other for a moment before they broke out into laughter.

  “It was pretty crazy, wasn’t it?” she asked as her laughter subsided.

  “Yeah, your dad is going to kill you.” They both laughed again. “Well, we should go see the others. Jameson wants us to meet before this thing starts.” This thing. Gods, how was she going to get through it again? Without speaking, Elisa simply nodded her head and they began walking through the make-shift camp side-by-side.

  “Hey Wolf?” she said, breaking their silence.

  “Yeah?”

  “Do me a favour and don’t get killed today.”

  He didn’t respond right away. She almost thought he wouldn’t, until right before they reached their friends he replied, “I’ll try my best.” She looked over and he was smiling that same smug grin he always wore, except beneath it she could see he was scared. Without thinking, she reached out and squeezed his hand quickly before letting it drop again.

  * * *

  Aiden sat outside his tent, enjoying the eerie quiet around him. It was the calm before the storm. Everyone was getting ready, but the chatter was kept to a minimum. He had eaten a small breakfast and could feel it turning in his stomach. He hated fighting, even if it was for the greater good. He didn’t want to have to kill other
people, and possibly loose someone close to him. Felix’s face came to mind, bringing with it the usual sorrow that followed. He would not lose another friend. He’d make sure of it.

  “Morning,” Lily said as she walked toward him. Aiden got up, stretching his stiff muscles. Riding should have made him sorer than he was, but his body was already adjusting to his life in Eden. When he looked at Lily, he started to laugh.

  “What have you done to yourself?” he asked, still snickering. She wore pants for once, which clung to her slim legs. He couldn’t remember her ever wearing anything but long, flowing dresses. Her shirt looked like an oversized leaf of some sort. It wrapped tightly around her upper body, showing glimpses of skin at the sides and back. This was almost normal – for her – so that’s not what caught his attention. Her white hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, while her face was painted with blue designs. She stopped just in front of him.

  “It’s war paint,” she answered, lifting her face, and turning it to either side so he could inspect it.

  “I see that,” he laughed. She looked adorable, and yet something was so funny about it.

  “My people always paint their face before battle,” she explained.

  “Well, it looks good,” he said.

  “Thank you,” she smiled. “Do you want me to paint your face too?”

  “Uh, no. I’d rather not look like a lame Mel Gibson,” he replied.

  “What is a Mel Gibson?” she asked, her brows creased in confusion. He shook his head, trying to hide his smile.

  “Never mind, I’d just rather not. Probably shouldn’t draw more attention to myself than I already do.”

  “Of course, how stupid of me.” She stepped towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist. His immediately tugged her closer. “You’ll be safe today, won’t you?” she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.

  “Always,” he answered. He rested his cheek against the top of her head, enjoying the simple pleasure of standing there with her. “Where will you be?”

  “I’ll be in the trees with Elisa and the other archers.”

  “Well, make sure you stay out of sight,” he said, holding her a little tighter.

  She leaned back, looking up at him. He looked down, admiring the way her violet eyes sparkled. “You’re the one that needs to be careful, not me. I’m pretty hard to kill.”

  “So am I,” he said with a smile, even though he knew he was being overconfident. Now was not the time for doubts. He pushed them down as far as they would go. She smiled, although it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was worried. The realization hit him hard. He lifted a hand and gently cupped her face. “I’ll be fine Lily,” he reassured her. She was actually worried for him, and for some reason that made him incredibly happy. Aiden leaned down and meant to give her a light kiss, but as soon as their lips touched, she moved her hands to his neck, and kept him close. Their tongues met and he moaned at the sensation. The fuzzy feeling started to fill his mind, erasing the world around them. As far as he knew, they were the only two people there. His hands dropped lower on her back, pressing her firmly against him. When they broke apart he saw her eyes were wide in wonderment.

  “You do the strangest things to me,” she said, her voice breathy.

  He chuckled, kissing her nose quickly. “You’re one to talk. My whole mind goes blank when we touch.”

  She smiled, almost shyly, her pale cheeks growing pink. “It is part of my power. We can hypnotize people with our kisses, but it doesn’t work on you. I don’t know why, but I’m glad. It just means you want me all on your own, and it has nothing to do with magic.”

  “Of course it has nothing to do with magic. I don’t need a spell to see how beautiful you are,” he said gently. “I know we haven’t known each other long, but there is something between us, Lily. I don’t understand it, but I love it anyway.”

  Her smile widened. “Well, we have the rest of our lives to figure it out.” Her words hit him in the chest like a battering ram. His light mood plummeted. Reality was a cruel joke. The look on his face must have changed; he watched her eyes suddenly grow sad.

  “Lily, you know –” he started to say that he wouldn’t be around forever, but she interrupted him.

  “I know,” she said, with a sad smile. Her eyes began to swim with unshed tears, and it nearly broke him. Why was it that he had met someone so wonderful, only to know that they couldn’t actually be together? Life was incredibly unfair sometimes. A tear fell from her eye and rolled slowly down her cheek. He kissed it away, tasting the salt on his lips. “Let’s not talk about it,” she said, her voice a whisper.

  “Okay,” he agreed.

  They walked to where the others stood. Logan and Moose were standing with the King and the Captain. Aiden noticed Markus walking up just as they were. He didn’t see Wolf or Elisa anywhere, but figured they’d be by soon. The King nodded at him as they walked up, which Aiden returned.

  “How did you all sleep?” Jameson asked. Aiden could see that he hadn’t slept well, if at all. He could only imagine what the King was going through, and did not envy him for it. They all replied with the standard “fine”.

  “Morning,” Markus said as he walked up, bowing his head to Jameson. His men stood behind him at a distance. Markus looked to the sky, commenting on the fortunate weather. No one had really given him an explanation as to how Elisa had come to be engaged to this man. It was a surprise, to say the least. He was clearly younger than Jameson, and from all accounts, a good leader. But Aiden had been rooting for Wolf. Yes, he was jealous in the beginning, but Wolf was his friend and he wanted nothing more but to see him happy. There was just something about Markus that rubbed him the wrong way. Aiden wasn’t quite sure what it was, but the man bothered him. Every time he saw Markus and Elisa together, Markus seemed possessive. It was completely opposite to the way Aiden thought Wolf treated Elisa. Where Markus simply appeared like he wanted to own Elisa, Wolf secretly cherished her. Aiden got the sense there was nothing Wolf wouldn’t do to make Elisa happy. As if on cue, he turned to see Wolf and Elisa approach them…together. Markus also noticed, clenching his jaw.

  “Right,” Jameson said, after greeting the two newcomers. “Now that we’re all here, let’s start planning. Turk,” he said, motioning to the Captain. Turk laid out a large map of the area. They crouched down around it. Aiden quickly glanced at Logan, and saw that his friend’s face looked a little green this morning. He must have felt Aiden’s look, because their eyes quickly met. He smiled.

  “You’d think I’d have learned by now,” he whispered. Aiden chuckled softly, as did Moose on his other side.

  “Boy, you’d have to have a brain to learn anything,” Moose whispered. Logan shot him a stern look, but a smile hovered on his lips.

  “Oh yeah? Well –” Logan started.

  “Shut up, Logan,” the Captain said, his voice tired. “It’s not like you’re going to come up with some intelligent comeback, and we need you to focus.” Aiden had to bite the sides of his cheeks to stop from laughing. The Captain sounded like a father who was so used to his children’s banter, he no longer had the energy to even get mad about it. He simply shook his head and looked down at the map. Moose and Logan smiled too, and when Aiden’s eyes met the King’s, he saw he was fighting back a grin. It amazed him that even in a time as serious as this, there was still laughter to be found. He guessed that they were all trying even harder to act as normal as possible, since no one knew how the day would end. He took a slow look at the group and wondered if the same people would be there come sunset. The thought made him feel ill. As if she sensed it, he felt Lily grab his hand in hers. He looked down in thanks, and then turned to listen to the King.

  “We have a large area to cover so our men will be spread pretty thin. The land is wide, and we don’t want Callum’s men to get behind us. Each of you will be stationed along this line,” he said, indicating one that had been drawn across the map. “You’ll be given a group to lead. There are no beast
s this time, which we should be thankful for, but his men have had plenty of time to rest, and we’ve been travelling for days. That is their advantage. Our advantage is we have more men and no sea at our backs. Hopefully our numbers will outweigh their strength.”

  “It will be close,” Turk said, his tone serious. “With so much land to cover, there will be a lot of weak spots.”

  The King let out a long sigh. “There’s nothing we can do about that.”

  “What about your archers?” Markus asked.

  “They’ll be stationed behind us and will pick off anyone trying to get through our lines. A group will be up in these trees, giving them an advantage with the higher position. Elisa, you’ll lead that group.”

  Elisa opened her mouth to reply, but she didn’t get a chance before Markus interrupted. Aiden watched as the leader of the Sun People’s whole body stiffened.

  “I would prefer if she stayed behind with Diana,” he said. A number of mouths fell open, including Aiden’s. He was almost afraid to look at Elisa.

  Jameson just looked confused. “I’m sorry?”

  “She is to be my wife, and I’d rather not have her in any immediate danger. The witch should have someone stay with her anyway to make sure she is safe. This fight is for soldiers.”

  “Elisa is a soldier,” said Wolf, his voice dangerously low. Aiden could see his jaw working in anger. This was not good. Markus turned with a haughty look.

  “She is my wife. That needs to come first from now on.”

  “You think just because you’ve asked her to marry you that gives you a right to dictate what she does? She has been part of this army since she was young, and is a valued member! We all consider her one of us, and she deserves to fight!” Wolf’s cheeks were red with anger. Aiden saw Moose lay a calming hand on his brother’s arm. They were all still crouched down, and Aiden could just picture Wolf growling like an animal and pouncing forward on the other man.

  “Enough,” the Captain said, putting a stop to any further conversation. “Wolf speaks true. My daughter is a member of this army and will perform her orders from her King as expected.” Markus opened his mouth to argue, but the Captain levelled him with his infamous hard look. “She is my daughter, sir, less you forget. Do not think for a moment that keeping her away from this isn’t something I’d rather do as well, but that would be unfair to her. When you two are married then the two of you may discuss what her role will be. For now she is still a member of the King’s army, and our best archer. The bottom line is we need her.”