Sleepers (23 page)

“These two princes will become our princes. We’ll raise Daniel to the throne at ten, so that means we have seven years to teach him how to be king!”

My shoulders relaxed, knowing the princes would be safe.

The crowd erupted in applause again. Bursts of light exploded above our heads. Magic fireworks.
All the light with none of the fire.

“Our scouts will leave tomorrow morning to find the next land. In the meantime, enjoy these fertile lands before we rape them and let them go barren. The land doesn’t take kindly to farming with magic, but our backs don’t take kindly to traditional farming!” He raised a goblet in a toast.

Laughter bounced around the room and I reminded myself to breathe evenly. This beautiful land I’d loved my whole life would be pillaged, raped by my own people. I didn’t want to think about it. I’d faced too many betrayals. The lies had to stop.

Trevin’s face pinched up and he let out a loud howl. The noise had finally gotten to him.

“I think this is our cue to leave,” Bryden said. I nodded my head and stood. We whispered our excuses to the people next to us and slipped out into the hallway.

“I had no idea,” Bryden said. “Like a fool I believed everything they told me. I didn’t know they were setting us up. I am so sorry. If you would have listened to Kellan…”

“If I would have listened to Kellan then we’d probably be dead right now. Did he suspect we were being played for fools? Yes, but he had another agenda of his own. If I would have killed Rotlar after his marriage to Albree and Kellan became king, do you really think we’d be standing here today?”

“True,” Bryden said. He placed his hand on the small of my back as we made our way through the hallways back to my chambers. For the first time in my life, I had my own room. I’d grown up sharing with Albree and my mother, but Albree was dead and my mother had been taken to the dungeon too. Her daughter had risen to queen, making my mother part of the royal family. Now it was just Trevin and I sharing the room.

I slammed the door behind us and locked it. I placed Trevin in his bassinette. Gripping the edges, my fingernails dug into the wood causing me an alarming amount of pain. Not enough to drown out the screaming inside my head, but enough to bring me a little focus.

“I can’t stay here,” I said, turning to Bryden.

“I’m not surprised. Do you think I want to be here either?” He reached out his hands and I placed mine in his. I felt the smooth contours of his palm as his fingers intertwined with mine. My muscles relaxed before I even realized they’d been tense. Bryden worked magic on me without using any.

“But our families. I just found my mother and my sister. I haven’t even met my father yet. I don’t know how I can leave them so soon.”

I looked around my room, the place I had grown up. How could everything have changed so quickly?

“They’ve gotten along without for the last sixteen years. Why should it be any different now?” he asked. “I don’t want to be used again and I don’t trust them to be honest with us.”

I heard the bitterness in his voice. He’d been fooled more than Kellan or me. He’d been lied to since he was a child. The lies he’d been told were what led directly to today’s battle.

“Sebrina seemed so nice,” I said, holding back tears. My lower lip quivered. I pictured my sister lying in the healer’s ward. They promised she’d be fine, but it would take time for her body to heal. Even if I stayed I might not be able to speak to her for weeks.

“She did,” Bryden admitted. “They all did. If I’d had any idea I never would have pulled you into this. I would have protected you somehow. Protected you from the Awakening. Done a better job of protecting you from Kellan.”

Bryden shook his head. “I can’t believe I trusted them.”

“You were five when you first met them. They explained the changes you were experiencing. They gave you a way to control yourself. They made it clear you were no longer alone. Why wouldn’t you believe them?”

He shrugged. For a moment I saw the little boy I once knew, so trusting, so sweet. But before me stood a man who had seen more tragedy than many people. Yet he’d remained open and kind. He was a rare find and I wouldn’t ever let him go.

“So we’ll go then? With Trevin?”

“Of course with Trevin.” I walked back over to his crib and stared at his sweet face. He’d been born under a spell but I would make sure he lived his life in truth. “We’ll be a family. We were adopted, weren’t we? We can adopt Trevin and be our own family now, away from the Dalagans and the Fithians.”

“But where?” he asked.

“I think it’s time we look for Mags.”

“And then?”

“And then we fight back.”

We sealed our pact with a kiss.

AFTERLIFE

Book Two

in

The Swarm Trilogy

Coming Summer 2012

For more info, visit Megg at:

http://www.meggjensen.com

http://www.facebook.com/meggjensen

http://www.twitter.com/meggjensen

Sleepers came to life late one night, in bed, as I let my mind wander about adoption. My life has been touched in many ways by adoption and I felt like giving the experience a fantasy twist. Anyone who ever asks if life imitates art will hopefully know that while adoption kicked off the story,
Sleepers
has absolutely nothing to do with my real life.

Lianne has few friends who understand the adoptive life. I am blessed to have a tribe of amazing friends who can share the adoption journey with me: Terah, Amy, Yvonne, Kima, and Kenna. Where would I be without you?

My hubby, Tim, was with me when the idea for
Sleepers
hit me over the head. He’s been a big supporter since day one (or night one, since it was very late) and even told me, “I’m sorry, but I have to say this and I hope you’re not offended. I like Sleepers better than Anathema.” How could I be offended by that?!

My kids have embraced my writing lifestyle over the last couple of years and learned when Mommy is
working,
it’s better for them to learn to amuse themselves. Luckily they also allow me to be silly and childish. I think living this kind of vagabond, imaginative life is what makes them feel comfortable pretending to be zombies while shopping at Target.

I have a few beta readers to thank too. Marcia Brandt, my friend and second mom, who is not only an incredible librarian, but also a great critiquer. Kathy Fenton White, my sister’s best friend who used to kick me out my bedroom as a kid, is also a writer. Her insights into Sleepers were invaluable. Loretta Nyhan held a contest for a full critique and I won! She loved this novel and I hope the finished product pleases her.

...and we’re back to the end again. I always come back to the same women at this point, my sisters at DarkSide Publishing: Karly Kirkpatrick, GP Ching, and Angela Carlie. Without them my work would be riddled with stupid mistakes and cliches. They teach me so much about being a writer and offer me consolation when I’ve fallen into the depths of despair over this crazy career I’ve chosen. They are awesome. Everyone should love them.