The Iron Realm (The Iron Soul Book 1)

by J. M. Briggs

  “Oh hey, you must be Alexandra,” a masculine voice suddenly said from the doorway, breaking the moment. She spun to face the new arrival.

  A tall handsome young man with short blonde stood just inside the door with a stack of boxes in his arms. He stepped further into the room and gently set the boxes on the bed of her roommate before straightening up. Stepping closer, he held out his hand and smiled at her.

  “I'm Arthur Pendred,” he introduced. “I'm helping Jenny move in. It is nice to meet you Alexandra.”

  “Alex,” she squeaked as she accepted his hand and met his blue eyes.

  There was a rush of warmth over her as she inhaled the scent of smoke and heard the crackling of charcoal. Then there was a metallic ringing that echoed twice before it all vanished.

  Alex blinked and took a breath as she tried to orient herself. She was in her new dorm room and Arthur was looking at her expectantly.

  “Uh I prefer Alex,” she managed, giving Arthur a shaky smile. “Alexandra is a bit stuffy.”

  “Nice to meet you Alex,” Arthur replied, releasing her hand. “I've only got a few more boxes to get for Jenny and then I'd be glad to give you a hand with your things.”

  “Great!” Alex cheered a bit too loudly before lowering the volume of her voice. “Uh, thank you, that's really nice of you.”

  She shoved aside the brief flash of… something as a reaction to the excitement or maybe a scent on Arthur's clothing. Maybe he'd been camping in that shirt or something recently. Alex was about to inquire about the nature of Arthur's relationship with Jenny when a suitcase was shoved through the door and a man stumbled in. He was just over six feet tall with a receding hairline of brown hair and behind his glasses he had gray eyes like Alex's. He set down another suitcase and sighed in relief as he stepped fully into the room, fanning himself.

  “Uh this is my dad, Michael Adams,” Alex told Arthur, gesturing to her father.

  Realizing that there was company in the room, Michael Adams finished catching his breath and looked curiously at Arthur. The young man just smiled and stepped forward, extending his hand once more.

  “Nice to meet you, sir,” he greeted pleasantly. “I'm Arthur Pendred, I'm your daughter's roommate's boyfriend.”

  Alex's shoulders sagged slightly at Arthur's statement, but she smiled and pulled one of the suitcases further into the room. Her movement was just in time as her mother darted into the room to avoid the bustle of the crowd, loaded down with shopping bags. Moving quickly, Arthur stepped out of her way so that she could deposit the bags on Alex's side of the room. Turning to her daughter, Alex's mother brushed a strand of graying blonde hair from her face.

  “This place is insane,” she remarked to Alex before looking around the room. “Oh dear, where did we lose your brother?”

  “Here,” a higher male voice called as a young man dashed into the room. He glanced at Arthur and then at his sister, but shrugged off his presence. Instead he set the plastic bin he'd been carrying down and pushed it to the side with his foot. “How much longer do I have to do this?”

  “That was only the first load Ed,” his father said, ruffling his son's brown hair.

  Edward pulled away from his father and straightened his hair the best he could before giving his sister a look while his parents exchanged amused glances behind his back.

  “Why do I have to help?” Ed asked his mother, pretending he wasn't a pouting fourteen year old. “First we had to help Matt move in and now I have to help Alex move in, but they won't be around to help me move into my college dorm room.”

  “Yeah well deal with it kid,” Alex told him as she picked up the plastic bin that Ed had brought up and moved it over by the desk. “Just one of the joys of being the youngest.”

  Arthur chuckled and gave a small wave to Alex as he moved towards the door. “Looks like you've got help, so I'd better go get the last of Jenny's stuff.”

  “Right,” Alex said quickly. “Nice to meet you Arthur.”

  “Just remember to lock the door if no one stays up here,” Arthur reminded her before he vanished out the open door into the throng of moving people and boxes.

  “Who was that?” Alex's mother asked with a smile. “Your roommate's brother?”

  “Liz,” Michael scolded, “That was her roommate's boyfriend.”

  “Oh,” Elizabeth sighed. “Too bad.” She winked at Alex and gestured to the boxes. “Why don't you start unpacking and we'll get the rest of the boxes. That way you can leave the door open for us and Arthur.”

  “Thanks,” Alex told her mom with a grin as she pulled off the lid of the top box in the waiting stack.

  “Ah, that means I have to carry more,” Edward protested.

  “Come on,” Michael told him. “Parking is only supposed to be for fifteen minutes.”

  Elizabeth started to follow her husband and youngest son out of the room, but turned back to Alex.

  “Don't forget to start making a list of things you need,” she reminded Alex. “We'll go shopping this afternoon for anything you think of.”

  “Right mom,” Alex agreed without looking up as she pulled out the first stack of textbooks.

  Moving over to the desk, Alex slid the books onto the shelves above the desk. She didn't bother with ordering them by class just now and instead shoved them up as quickly as possible. Her Jane Austen books and other favorites were given more respect and placed much more gently on the lower shelf. A small plastic box of school supplies was shoved into the top drawer of the desk before Alex turned her attention to setting up her laptop.

  She'd just gotten some music started and turned the volume up enough to hear over the people in the hallway when Arthur returned with another three boxes stacked in his arms. Despite barely being able to see over them, he maneuvered into the room with ease and set them down on Jenny's side of the room. Alex opened her mouth to ask him what music he liked when a beautiful young woman about her age walked into the room with a suitcase and canvas shopping bag.

  While Alex was tall and had a slim athletic build with blonde hair that she'd inherited from her mother, this girl was of average height and curvy with Hispanic coloration and an elegant face. Her long dark brown hair was wavy and Alex felt a twitch of jealously for her face that even made her cleft chin seem feminine and pretty. Nearly jumping forward, the girl dropped her bag on the bed and left the rolling suitcase standing near the doorway to approach Alex.

  “Hi Alex,” she greeted cheerfully. “It is so nice to finally meet you! I'm Jenny.”

  “It's nice to meet you too,” Alex told Jenny with a smile of her own. “Texting can only do so much.”

  “Well at least we were able to iron out a couple of things in advance that way,” Jenny replied with a shrug before glancing Alex over. “I admit I was hoping for someone I could swap clothing with, but maybe we can still share shoes. What's your size?”

  “Eight and half,” Alex replied, slightly startled at the sudden conversation change.

  “That's perfect, so am I,” Jenny told her before glancing down at the blue high top canvas shoes that Alex was wearing. “Those are cute.”

  Looking over Jenny's head, Alex spotted Arthur leaning against the closet door and watching with an amused smile. He must have seen Alex's look of concern because he laughed and announced, “Don't worry she's only like this when she's really excited and has had too much coffee.”

  “Arthur,” Jenny hissed, flushing slightly at the cheeks and tugging at her bottom of her shirt. She looked up at Alex, giggling at the three inch difference between them. “Sorry about that,” she apologized a moment later. “Guess I probably should have skipped the second espresso.”

  “Probably,” Arthur agreed as he came up and slipped an arm around Jenny's waist and rested his chin on her head. “Anyway, what else can I help with?”

  “That's it for me,” Jenny told him as she looked at the stack of boxes that were now awaiting her. “I just need to get organized.”

  “Then
I can help Alex's family unload,” Arthur offered as he looked back at Alex.

  “Thanks,” Alex told him as she glanced between them. “Uh are you a student here?”

  Arthur laughed and ran a hand through his blonde hair with a chuckle. “Yeah I am, sorry I probably should have said that earlier. I'm a freshman here too and majoring in political science.”

  “Arthur's a member of the football team,” Jenny proudly told Alex. “He's already been here for a month.”

  “That's great,” Alex replied automatically as she turned back to her boxes and began to unpack the rest of her supplies. “And your major was communications right Jenny?” Alex asked, thinking back to the texts she and Jenny had exchanged since they'd been assigned together.

  “That's right,” Jenny answered as she began unpacking her own things. “I can't believe how small this closet is.”

  Alex chuckled as she opened a suitcase and began to unload her supply of jeans and t-shirts into the dresser. Her family returned a few minutes later with more boxes, greeted Jenny quickly and left to retrieve the last load with Arthur's help and a promise to talk with Jenny more when they returned.

  “I never asked, why did you pick Ravenslake?” Alex asked Jenny as she finished emptying one suitcase and shoved it under her bed.

  “Arthur was offered a full ride scholarship here and second string on the varsity team,” Jenny answered with a cheerful tone. “I came to see it with him and … I don't know what it was, but it just clicked with me. Surprised me since I figured I'd go to Berkley or somewhere closer to San Francisco and Daddy. Plus Arthur loved it too, despite offers from bigger schools.”

  Turning, Alex found Jenny gently hanging up her clothes with a soft smile on her face. Jenny looked over at Alex and shrugged. “This place just feels right I guess. My dad told me that finding a place to be happy was really important for college since I'd never learn anything if I was miserable,” Jenny laughed softly. “And I had been figuring I'd be trying to convince Arthur to pick the same school as me, not supporting this one so much.”

  “It is pretty far from San Francisco,” Alex agreed.

  “Farther than it is from….” Jenny hesitated as she tried to remember. “Seattle?”

  “Close,” Alex replied with a shrug. “Spokane. My older brother Matt is at the University of Minnesota so compared to him I stayed in our backyard. He's already back at school, but you'll have the pleasure of meeting my younger brother Ed as soon as they get back.”

  Alex stepped back and looked at her side of the room. A couple of empty boxes were stacked by the door now with two half-unpacked ones shoved under the desk until she could get to the pile of small items inside. It was already taking shape, but she'd feel better once she was could make up the bed.

  “You made arrangements for the fridge and microwave, right?” Jenny asked her suddenly. “Here between our desks would be a good place for it. And it gives us some prep space.”

  “Sounds good,” Alex agreed, putting a makeup bag on the top of the dresser. “So how long have you and Arthur been together?” Alex asked. “I mean that you are living separately.”

  “We've been together for three years,” Jenny informed her. “Ever since the start of sophomore year, but the coach here insists on the players living in singles the first semester so they can train. So good news you'll probably only have to put up with me for the first semester.”

  “Too bad,” Alex said as her eyes went to the pile of shoes that Jenny was loading into a door organizer on the outside of the closet door. “I could have gotten used to borrowing some of those shoes.”

  Jenny held up a bright yellow pair of strappy heels that made Alex's feet hurt just looking at them.

  “Maybe not that pair,” Alex amended quickly.

  The next two hours were a blur as the last of Alex's things were brought up and her father and brother left to collect the mini-fridge and microwave they'd arranged to rent for the year. Arthur had vanished to football practice and Jenny was humming softly while she unpacked on her side of the room. Working alongside her mother, Alex unpacked everything for her desk, her clothing and the stuffed beagle she'd debated leaving at home. Her mother smiled as they finished making up the bed with the dark purple bedding they'd bought last week and placed the stuffed beagle on one of the pillows.

  “There, now Galahad can look after things.”

  Alex glanced over at Jenny's side of the room with a soft blush, but her roommate just grinned at the stuffed animal before reaching into a box and pulling out a worn teddy bear. A moment later the bear was sitting on its own pillow.

  “That's Zoe,” Jenny told Alex with a smile. “I've had her since I was six.”

  “I've had Galahad since… forever,” Alex volunteered.

  “Two and a half,” her mother filled in before picking up a small spiral notebook that they'd been writing things down in. “I didn't think Galahad would survive this long.” She didn't give Alex time to respond before looking over at Jenny, “We'll be heading to the store as soon as the boys get back. Would you like a ride?”

  “No thanks Mrs. Adams,” Jenny said quickly. “I'm good and if I think of something I'll get it after the initial rush.”

  Alex's mom nodded, but still had a thoughtful look. “Then how about you join us for dinner? That is unless your parents are town…”

  “That would be nice,” Jenny replied politely. “Dad couldn't leave home due to an appeal of one of his cases and Arthur is tied up so much lately with football.”

  “Excellent,” her mother declared, “Then you'll join us tonight.”

  There was a heavy thud as Alex's father steered the cart holding the mini-fridge into the side of the doorway. Everyone jumped and looked over at Michael as he tried to adjust the angle of the cart enough to get through the doorway. After a moment of struggle, Michael rolled the cart into the room, followed by Edward carrying a microwave.

  “Now where do you girls want this?” He paused and looked around the room. “Well that's much better.” He grinned at Alex, “I think you'll be very happy here honey.”

  “Yeah,” Alex agreed with a smile and glance at Jenny. “I think you're right.”

  3

  Myrddin

  834 B.C.E. Snowdonia Wales

  A young man, no more than fifteen, stared transfixed at the rise and fall of the flames before him. The fire burned in a small dug-out pit surrounded by bare earth. A soft breeze blew past him, but barely affected the flames as the woven branch fence a few feet to his left blocked most of the wind.

  He pressed down the bellows in his right hand, pushing more air into the fire before repeating the process with the bellows in his left hand. In front of him, the two bellows joined into a single tube leading right up to the fire and with each depression of either bellow, the flame jumped. His knees were beginning to ache from kneeling so long on the ground, but he did not shift his position, too afraid of losing the rhythm he'd established. His auburn hair seemed on fire itself in the glow and his brown eyes were alight with awe, anticipation, nervousness and a touch of fear.

  Heat rolled off the small fire as it consumed the charcoal, and the young man thought he could see the glowing crucible even through the flames. He wanted to wipe the sweat from his brow, but he couldn't risk losing the heat; not when it was so close. His tunic felt sticky against his skin in the front while he felt a chill at his back, but he kept the steady pace of the bellows: up and down.

  There was movement to his right and he risked a quick glance to see another young man, a little older than himself, carefully bringing a stump of wood near the fire. The older boy vanished and returned carrying a pair of carved stones closely bound together. These stones were carefully placed against the wood, exposing a small opening at the top.

  “It's almost ready Myrddin,” the boy told him as he studied the fire.

  “I know,” Myrddin replied, fixing his eyes back on the flames and ignoring the sting of the smoke.

  “Don't
worry,” the older boy told him. “It will be fine.”

  “I don't wish to do this once again, Candon,” Myrddin informed him softly. “The last casting-”

  “It happens,” Candon stated before leaning towards the fire. “Almost there, it should be perfect.”

  Myrddin didn't reply as the tension doubled. This was where he'd made the mistake the last time. He didn't want to do so again.