Will. His life sighs through me as gently as a spring breeze. But unlike the warmth and promise of renewal a spring breeze carries on it, all I can feel is the ache of sadness. That sadness multiplies tenfold when the stronghold I’ve called home comes in to view. The walls of Cassowary rise like a phoenix from the earth when they appear before me. I inhale sharply at the sight of smooth, pale walls that climb skyward and am struck once again by the notion that I am returning without an intrinsic member of my family. For beyond those walls, Riley and Oliver wait, and I must inform them of the ultimate sacrifice Will made for them, for all of us.
Gazing up along the perimeter of the uppermost portion of the wall, I know that watchful eyes are on us. Though I do not see them, I know they see us.
“I can’t believe we’re here,” Arnost says, his voice thick and raspy.
“I know,” I agree as we slow just beyond the gateway.
Several forms take shape on the wall. Recognizing our vehicle, the archers motion behind them for the gate to be opened. Within moments, the seam in the wall parts and the buildings tucked within the protective structure are revealed. We drive through slowly and immediately see that people are flooding the entrance. A sea of relieved faces greets us. Arnost slows to a stop and shifts the car to park. I slide from the passenger seat and immediately, thunderous applause erupts. The name “Azyln” waves through them like heather swaying in the wind. But I barely hear it. And I barely see the faces staring at me, welcoming me. There is only one that stands out.
Shining more brightly than the morning sun, June’s face appears among the throngs. Angelic and sweet and kissed by sunlight that washes over her head and highlights the gold in her hair, her eyes shine with unshed tears.
“June!” I call to her. My legs, heavy and burdened by grief, twitch to life. Shouldering past men and women, I weave my way toward her, stopping only when my arms clap around her back and I feel her heart racing against my belly. I take a trembling gulp of air then feel my breathing snag. She is safe. I am safe. We are together again. Leaving Cassowary, I never thought for one moment I would return. I thought the last image of my sister would be of her small frame shuddering, her heart broken. “June.” Her voice echoes as a whisper, a benediction.
“Avery.” I hear June say my name. Reluctantly, I release her and hold her at arm’s length. “You came back.” Her voice falters and her lower lip quivers, her eyes never leaving me.
“I did,” is all I manage through the tightness in my throat.
We embrace again and I lower my cheek to her crown, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. When I raise my head and open my eyes, they are met by a familiar gaze that makes my heart flutter. Slowly, my grip on June relaxes and she turns and sees who I see then steps aside.
“You’re here. I can’t believe it.” Sully’s words quiver with relief before he closes the distance between us and hugs me. Lifting me off the ground as his hold on me tightens, he murmurs in my ear “I love you,” again and again. Heart full and barely able to keep the tidal wave of emotions threatening at bay, I do not trust myself to speak. I simply clutch him as if it is the last time we will embrace. I breathe him in, filling my lungs with his scent and relishing in his heat. But I don’t allow myself the indulgence of his warmth for long. Oliver and Riley make their way through the crowd. Their eyes rove, undoubtedly searching for their brother, an act that causes a wave of overwhelming pain to undulate through my body.
When they reach me, they look at me questioningly. “Where’s Will?” Riley asks.
Oliver’s eyes, the same hypnotic aquamarine shade as Will’s, pin me in place. I try to speak, try to say the words, but they are stuck, lost somewhere between my devastated heart and my lips. My chest heaves and the corners of my mouth turn downward. I blink to clear the tears clouding my eyes and realization flickers in Oliver’s gaze. “He’s gone,” I whisper. Riley clutches her brother’s hand and he brings her close, cradling her head against his waist. “He saved me. He saved all of us. He stayed behind and destroyed Kildare.”
Riley’s sobs rip through me, tearing me open. I cry with her, with Oliver and June. We have lost a dear friend. We’ve lost one of our own. But his death was not in vain. He did, in fact, save me. He saved all the people of Cassowary, and for that I owe a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. All I can do to honor his life and love his siblings as I always have, watch over them, and keep fighting to survive.
I know that we are far from safe, that the Urthmen still exist, even if not in Kildare. Though their numbers have been reduced and they lack organization that I know of, we are still greatly outnumbered. We are still the hunted species. I wish to change that someday. But for the time being, I will settle for the safety we have here at Cassowary. We’ll remain where we are, work to make ammunition, hone our skills and fortify our defenses. The world will be ours in the future. Of that I’m sure. Maybe not in the next month. Maybe not in the next year. But I have made a vow to all who I love, to myself, that planet Earth will belong to the human race again.
About the Authors
Jennifer and Christopher Martucci hoped that their life plan had changed radically in early 2010. To date, the jury is still out. But late one night, in January of 2010, the stay-at-home mom of three girls under the age of six had just picked up the last doll from the playroom floor and placed it in a bin when her husband startled her by declaring, “We should write a book, together!” Wearied from a day of shuttling the children to and from school, preschool and Daisy Scouts, laundry, cooking and cleaning, Jennifer simply stared blankly at her husband of fifteen years. After all, the idea of writing a book had been an individual dream each of them had possessed for much of their young adult lives. Both had written separately in their teens and early twenties, but without much success. They would write a dozen chapters here and there only to find that either the plot would fall apart, or characters would lose their zest, or the story would just fall flat. Christopher had always preferred penning science-fiction stories filled with monsters and diabolical villains, while Jennifer had favored venting personal experiences or writing about romance. Inevitably though, frustration and day-to-day life had placed writing on the back burner and for several years, each had pursued alternate (paying) careers. But the dream had never died. And Christopher suggested that their dream ought to be removed from the back burner for further examination. When he proposed that they author a book together on that cold January night, Jennifer was hesitant to reject the idea outright. His proposal sparked a discussion, and the discussion lasted deep into the night. By morning, the idea for the Dark Creations series was born.
The Dark Creations series, as well as the Arianna Rose series and the Planet Urth series, are works that were written while Jennifer and Christopher continued about with their daily activities and raised their young children. They changed diapers, potty trained and went to story time at the local library between chapter outlines and served as room parents while fleshing out each section. Life simply continued.
As the storyline continues to evolve, so too does the Martucci collaboration. Lunches are still packed, noses are still wiped and time remains a rare and precious commodity in their household, but it is the sound of happy chaos that is the true background music of their writing. They hope that all enjoy reading their work as much as they enjoyed writing it.
Books by Jennifer and Christopher Martucci:
The Dark Creations Series (A YA paranormal romance series)
Dark Creations: Gabriel Rising (Part 1)
Dark Creations: Gabriel Rising (Part 2)
Dark Creations: Gabriel Rising (Part 1&2)
Dark Creations: Resurrection (Part 3)
Dark Creations: The Hunted (Part 4)
Dark Creations: Hell on Earth (Part 5)
Dark Creations: Dark Ending (Part 6)
The Arianna Rose Series (A paranormal romance series)
Arianna Rose (Part 1)
Arianna Rose: The Awakening (Part 2)
Arianna’s Awakening (Part 1 & 2)
Arianna Rose: The Gathering (Part 3)
Arianna Rose: The Arrival (Part 4)
Arianna Rose: The Gates of Hell (Part 5)
The Planet Urth series (A YA science-fiction/futuristic series)
Planet Urth: (Book 1)
Planet Urth: The Savage Lands (Book 2)
Planet Urth: The Underground City (Book 3)
Planet Urth: The Rise of Azlyn (Book 4)
Thank You So Much For Reading Our Book!
We deeply appreciate your readership and would love to hear from you!
For information about upcoming releases (or just to say hi!) please visit our website at http://darkcreationssaga.com or at http://on.fb.me/1dlUUF5 To sign up for our mailing list and receive information about upcoming release and special promos, please visit http://eepurl.com/Jp7yz
Thank you again for reading!
Love,
Jennifer and Christopher Martucci
Oh, One Last Thing Before You Go…
When you turn the page, you may be given the opportunity to express your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter automatically. If you enjoyed our book, please take a second to click that button and let your friends know about it.
If they get something out of the book, they’ll be grateful to you, and we will be, too!
Thank you so much!
Love,
Jenny and Chris
The Rise of Azlyn (Book 4): Planet Urth, no. 4 Page 25