I swivel my head in all directions, scanning the vast, vacant, flat expanse of endless sand. Several large dunes curve fluidly in the far distance. Craning my neck, I squint at the dazzling burnt orange sun resting high in the otherwise empty sky. It looks like Earth, but … “The Sahara Desert?” I suggest, my mouth a raging inferno of fire and gravel, “or the Gobi, or Arabian Desert. Or we could be in Nevada or Tunisia …” I lie back on the scorching hot sand, wincing slightly. “Or any number of other places. Hell, we could be on another planet. Take your pick.” I flap my hands through the air. “Damned if I know.”
My skin is already coated in a film of icky sweat, and my dry, raw throat is getting dryer by the second, but I’m too far gone to care. I’m still in shock that I’m alive to worry about much else right now.
“Why is there only one sun?” Izzy asks, a perplexed frown on her face, as if it’s the most pressing question in the universe. Or the most pressing concern we are facing right now.
I stare at her, wondering if she is pulling my leg. Her blank expression implies she’s genuine. I’m not sure why I find it so funny, but I start to laugh, and once I start, I can’t stop, even though it physically pains me. Tears leak out of my eyes as I curl on my side and pull my knees into my chest. I don’t know how long I laugh for until I suddenly realize I’m in this party on my lonesome.
Repressing a final snort-slash-laugh, I exhale loudly and sit up. Ax places his hand behind my lower back to help steady me. Both of them are reviewing me as if I’ve lost my mind. Who knows? Maybe I have. It feels like I’ve just gone ten rounds with the Angel of Death and come out the other side.
A bit battered. A little bit crazy. A whole lotta grateful.
The inner revelation sobers me. I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want to leave Logan behind. I wasn’t ready to leave this world yet. Quick as a flash, my chuckles turn to sobs, as massive tears cascade down my face. I’m a churning pit of savage emotion, and my head is all over the place. Ax doesn’t hesitate. He lifts me into his lap and wraps his arms around me. “It’s okay. We’re okay. We got out in time.”
Izzy reaches over and touches my elbow. “You lied.” She says it quietly, but when I look up at her, I notice the taut set of her jaw and how hard she is grinding her teeth.
“I’m sorry,” I sniffle. “I had to. You would never have allowed me to go through with it if I hadn’t. Besides, I don’t fully know what impact the bomb had. Maybe …” I can’t finish the thought because my brain has decided, unhelpfully, to conjure up an image of hundreds of dead Tor. All lifeless at my hand. A massive lump wedges in my throat. Did I do the right thing?
“How did you know?” I ask her.
“I eavesdropped on the recording you made for Axton. After I told my friends to evacuate, I found Axton and explained my suspicions.”
“I didn’t want anyone to get hurt,” I say softly, diverting my gaze. “Least of all, you two.”
She pins me with an indecipherable look. “Did anyone survive?”
Tension fills the space between me and the two Tor. Ax stiffens though he refuses to relinquish his hold on me when I try to wriggle out of his lap. I avert my gaze again as I reply. “I don’t know.”
Both of them suck in sharp gasps. “I had to do it,” I mumble. “She was never going to give up. I can’t let her destroy L”—I stop myself just in time—“the world. She has to be stopped.”
“And you thought taking yourself out of the picture would do that?” Ax asks, his tone reeking of disapproval.
“Me and the Tempo, yes.” I look down at my lap, unable to face either of them.
“Then you don’t know my mother.” I look up to see him shaking his head.
“But she’s d—” I’m unable to finish the sentence. Axton may not have had a great relationship with her, but she was still his mother. And I don’t want to dwell on the fact that I was the one to kill her.
“She’s not dead, Sadie.”
“What?” I stare into his solemn pink eyes.
“After she chewed me out of it, she left with the council to attend a conference in the Eastern Sector. None of them were in the building.” He looks away, dragging his fingers through the sand, lifting particles of it into the air as he inspects it curiously.
“So, I killed …” I bite on the inside of my cheek.
“A bunch of innocent people,” Izzy finishes for me.
A sharp pain stabs me straight through the heart.
“Iz.” Ax jumps immediately to my defense, his cadence a clear warning. “She destroyed the Tempo and took care of those assassins-slash-killing machines my mother had created. I don’t like the thought of innocents losing their lives either, but many more will die if she isn’t stopped. Sadie did what she had to do. My mother was going to make her life, and the lives of countless others, a living hell. You and I know that better than anyone.” He pins her with a knowing look.
Tears prick my eyes again. He knows nothing of my deception. He risked his life coming back for me, and he refuses to even blame me for killing some of his kin and attempting to eliminate his mother. He should hate me, but he continues to shower me with love.
I’m not worthy.
Ashamed, I bury my head in his neck to stave off another bout of self-indulgent crying. Though I’ve had cause to be ashamed of myself a lot in the last few months, I have never felt this level of self-disgust. I forcefully remove Ax’s arms from my waist, pushing off him and standing up.
I need to distance myself from him, and I’m only doing what he would do if he were fully informed. Still, the stain of rejection flooding his face makes me feel even lower than the lowest scumbag to roam the earth.
I shield my eyes from the blaring sun with my hand, scanning all around. “I have no idea where we are, but we can’t stay out here so exposed. Let’s head in that direction,” I suggest, pointing west toward the nearest dune.
They both rise without question and follow my lead. I’m stiff all over and even putting one foot in front of the other is a challenge, but I battle on, refusing to admit defeat. Besides, I deserve to feel pain. This is minor payback for all the lying and scheming and the rising death toll attributable to me.
“So, what’s the plan?” Izzy asks in a panting breath a short while later.
“We try to find some help,” I respond, similarly breathless. That’s about the extent of it, and I have minimal energy to go into any more detail. Besides, I’m not sure how to break the news to Ax that I intend to find Logan. I stop suddenly as the logical thought lands in my brain. Ax and Izzy stare at me quizzically. I slam my palm into my forehead. I’m such an idiot! All I have to do is contact him via the comport, and he’ll organize our rescue. I’m opening my mouth to begin explaining this when I’m cut off by a distinct clicking sound behind us.
My breathing stalls as my hair swirls gently around me with a sudden, unexpected breeze. Axton weaves his fingers through mine, as we trade wary expressions. Izzy gulps and her nervous eyes meet mine. Slowly, we turn around.
Axton reacts superfast, sliding Izzy and me behind him, sheltering us with his larger body. He continues holding my hand, as he projects a fierce, confident stance. I nudge my head out to the side and inspect the three aliens staring back at me.
I emit a relieved sigh and bypass Ax’s protective stance. A smile skips over my lips as I step toward them. “It’s okay, I kno—”
A weapon jerks up, the muzzle aimed clearly at my heart. Axton pulls me back against his chest, his arms circling my waist. “Don’t move another inch, Sadie,” Haydn says, eyeballing me like I’m a stranger. His gaze lands on Axton’s carefully placed arms, and his eyes contract suspiciously. I look to Rylan and Neve, imploring them with my eyes. My heart shrivels up and dies when I notice their neutral colorless expressions. A tiny dart of indecision glints briefly in Neve’s eyes, but it’s gone so fast I’m not sure if I imagined it.
When Haydn turns his attention to me again, his eyes burn with blatant hostility a
nd another even darker emotion. When he speaks, there is no mistaking the distrust in his tone. “Make one false move and I’ll shoot.”
To be continued.
The story continues in Saven Defiance, available to pre-order now in all local Amazon stores. Releasing August 22nd 2016.
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Please continue reading for a sneak peek at Saven Defiance.
Explanation from the Author:
At the end of Saven Disclosure, I included a note about how and why I use cliffhangers, and that sentiment still applies here, so I won’t repeat myself. On this occasion, I would like to address the other elephant in the room—the time travel theme.
By this time, I expect you are familiar with my writing, and you understand that I don’t write hard science fiction (or anything even close to it). I write young adult science fiction fantasy romance, which means that a lot of the things that happen in my stories will never make logical or even scientific sense, because I make up some stuff that is nonsensical. My stories are set in a futuristic world, and I’m more comfortable exploring cultural and societal change with some technological advancements than I am focusing on purely scientific aspects of future change. I hope that makes sense! I’m also a diehard romantic, and my books will always contain a strong romance theme. I’m trusting that if you are still reading the Saven series at this time, you have already come to accept both these points.
I was actually very nervous to introduce a time travel aspect to my story, and my husband (who is more of a logical, analytical reader) and I had quite a number of heated discussions about the topic. Because, let’s face it, time travel is such a challenging subject matter, and a difficult concept to grasp, no matter how the author has structured it. However, I needed to introduce it at this juncture in the series to explain what had happened to Sadie.
The very first idea I had for this series was how Sadie had been abducted as a child, experimented on, brainwashed and conditioned, and then returned to her existing body without any knowledge of what had happened to her. For me, this was essential to the plot.
I have read some books with time travel themes and watched movies with similar premises, and I understand that in most of those stories the time traveler journeys in his or her current body. That idea would not have worked with my plot, so I’ve given the Tor a very sophisticated piece of time travel technology, which allows them to insert Sadie back into her child’s body, even though she has already lived beyond age four and she has been significantly altered. I hope you are able to suspend disbelief and accept this position.
The other aspect I feel I should address is how time works differently on alternate planets and within different solar systems. Again, you need to suspend disbelief. In reality, there would be huge variances in time with all the traveling Sadie and company are doing in space, whether it is via the hyperdrive technology or use of teleporting or the Tempo.
I had a bit of a dilemma when I was writing this series. Should I reference any time difference at all or just go all out and pretend like there was none? (Ignorance seems to work effectively for a lot of the successful, popular sci-fi movies.) In the end, I decided to try to make it somewhat believable, so I introduced an element of time difference.
In Saven Denial, Ax explains to Sadie at one point that he was fourteen and she was eleven when she was officially assigned as his mate. This indicates a three-year gap in their ages. Ax later confirms that he last saw Sadie when she was sixteen (and he was nineteen). In another part of the novella, Izzy references how it’s been eight months since she and Sadie last saw one another.
I’ve assumed a three-year time difference between Earth and Torc where time moves faster on Earth. Again, this is totally unrealistic, and the actual time difference would be vastly greater. Sadie is now eighteen, and she left Torc when she was sixteen, so two Earth years have passed. In Torc time, it is one-third of that timeframe or eight months. In effect, what this now means is that Ax is approaching his twentieth birthday.
I will not be continuing these themes as the story progresses, so this is the only stage where I feel it’s necessary to explain my actions.
I really hope you were able to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the story for the story’s sake. After all, every piece of fiction is just that—a made-up story where a lot of what happens would never actually happen in real life. To maximize enjoyment from my series, you will need to accept my creative license and keep an open mind.
The next two books in the series are going to enhance the action, conflict, tensions, and romance, and I’m so excited to share that with you all! Saven Defiance is currently available to pre-order, and it releases on August 22nd 2016. Saven Declaration will be available in November/December 2016. Sign up to my mailing list on the next page to be notified of impending releases in the Saven series.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy my series.
THE TRUTH ISN’T ALWAYS EASY
I’ve promised to protect those I love.
But someone is lying to me.
Will I discover the truth in time to save him?
With war looming in outer space and the Earthen government forced into hiding, the battle for ultimate world domination is only just beginning.
Having accepted her identity, Sadie sets out on a daring quest with her friends, which takes them deep into alien territory. Fraught with tension and danger, the journey is not an easy one, especially when previous adversaries become new allies and cherished friends become suspicious opponents.
As the heirs unite in a bid to restore peace to the galaxy, powerful enemies, determined to exact retribution surround them on all sides. When hidden agendas and shocking revelations come to light, the fallout is massive.
Sadie’s love life is a tangled, messy affair. While one relationship is embraced forever, another spirals out of control, threatening to destroy everything. Determined to do the right thing, Sadie will fight hard to protect those she loves.
But there are some battles she cannot win.
Turn the page to read an exclusive sample from Saven Defiance.
SAVEN DEFIANCE SAMPLE
CHAPTER 1
The sun shines high from an elevated position in the sky, beating a burning path straight for us. My feet sink into the thick, dense sand of the desert, to the point where my legs throb with the effort involved in walking. Sweat coats my skin like a new outer layer, and my clothes are practically welded to my body at this stage.
The frosty reception—from Haydn—is in direct contrast to the hot, humid climate. He continues to ignore my questions as he guides me toward the ship that has just shimmered into existence in front of us.
It’s as if we share a cloak of invisibility—this ship and I.
“Where’s Logan?” I ask for the umpteenth time, channeling more patience than I ordinarily possess.
Haydn’s response is to tighten his grasp on my arm and clamp his lips shut. I inwardly sigh as I glance around me. Neve is escorting Izzy on my left, and Rylan is guiding a cuffed Axton in front of us. Every so often, Ax peeks over his shoulder at me, a stern frown creasing his forehead.
I’m as confused as he is. I don’t understand why I’m being treated like a common criminal, because the three Saven—whom I thought were my friends—are refusing to talk. “Please, Haydn. Where is he? Is he okay?” My breath huffs out in exasperated spurts at the unrelenting chilly silence.
“Walk ahead of me,” he instructs as we approach the open mouth of the craft. It’s the first time he has spoken since the ominous “Make one false move and I’ll shoot” comment he threw at me when the three Saven first appeared here. Wherever here is, because I’ve no clue how I managed to teleport us safely from Torc or where we landed.
Ax and Izzy are ascending the walkway into the belly of the ship, and I trail behind them. A welcome, familiar face is waiting to greet me at the top of the
steps. Fern leans against the railing, her usual sunny features obscured behind a mantle of worry. Spotting me, she brightens for a split second until she takes in my transparent prisoner status.
She skips toward us with purpose. “What the hell?” Piercing Haydn with a murderous glare, she deposits her hands on her slim hips.
“Don’t. Interfere.” He growls out a warning as he pushes past her, hauling me along for the ride.
I shrug my shoulders as I eyeball my friend. “Don’t ask me for an explanation. No one is even speaking to me.”
“This is completely ridiculous, and totally unnecessary,” Fern yells as she stalks behind us like a miniature tornado.
“Babe,” Rylan says, stalling on the steps above us. “Let’s get to the cabin and we’ll clear everything up.”
Haydn snorts and shakes his head. I deliberately impale him with my penetrating gaze, willing him to look at me so he can absorb the full glare of my frustration. But he’s as stubborn as ever, and he pretends not to feel my eyes burning a hole through the side of his skull. As I continue to stare at him—noting the ashen pallor of his skin and how his once shorn hair has grown out, now curling and twisting around his ears and over his neck—I wonder if I’ve ever really known him at all. Or if he has ever truly known me.
Because if he did, he would know not to fear me. That there’s no need to treat me like this.
I step into the small cabin area as Ax and Izzy are locked securely into seats. A thick steel bar cages them in at the waist. “I can vouch for them,” I tell Neve. “They don’t pose a threat to any of you. I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t for Ax and Izzy.”
“Shut. Up.” Haydn’s contemptuous tone is at odds with his soft hands as he nudges me into a seat.
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