The Eden Series: The Complete Collection (68 page)

PRELUDE

From the private diary of Sunny - wife of Hawk, Chief of the Riders

If the pain of losing a child could kill you, surely I would have died by now. Words cannot describe the pain. After the army from the north arrived, led by Brutus the Red, I feared for the safety of my people. The shield that protects our city from outsiders had been torn down by the traitorous Shaman. That betrayal alone would have made my heart bleed, but a deeper one has taken seed. Our youngest and only daughter, Rain, has left to ally herself with the sorcerer Aziz. I cannot help but think the Shaman brainwashed her. Surely she would not willingly turn her back on the family that loves her. She will come home, I cannot believe anything otherwise. Our eldest son, Moose, has already left with the warrior Aiden. I fear for them both. Aziz has his eye on the boy from the other world and I can only pray to the God and Goddess that nothing bad befalls him. They ride, even as I write, toward Capital City…toward my Wolf. All my love goes with them, and I send a second prayer up to the skies that they will all return to me safe, and unharmed.

Sunny

CHAPTER ONE

Perpetual darkness.

Stone walls surround you at every moment, offering no escape from the blackness that encompasses everything. The torches did little to light the way. No windows decorated the walls. It was damp and cold, the air musky and, at times, almost sickening with the stench of sweat, blood, and something else she did not want to know. It had occurred to her within the first couple of days that she was most likely underground somewhere. The earthy smell clung to everything. Even as her eyes got used to the lighting, her heart ached for fresh air and the warm touch of the sun.

Then there was the screaming. No matter the time of day, which was hard to judge, there was screaming. Most of the time is was the wailing of the beasts he created. Occasionally a very human scream would echo off the stone walls. Those would set her on edge, and she’d catch herself grinding her teeth together. More than anything, it was the enraged screams of someone, or something, that Rain couldn’t identify. A scream so full of hate and sorrow that she didn’t know whether she should cry for the person or be afraid of them. It was this scream that haunted her even in her sleep. She would pull the covers up around her neck and try to ignore him, but it didn’t help. He couldn’t be ignored. It wasn’t until his voice was raw and worn did he finally cease. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

Aziz had been there waiting for her the second she stepped through the portal. Anger radiated off him when he realized only Rain had come through. He didn’t so much care about the Shaman’s death, she quickly realized, but focused solely on the loss of Aiden. When she hastily explained what had happened, he stopped her with a single upheld hand.

“A forest person was there?” he asked in a voice that sounded stronger than she remembered.

“Yes, my lord,” she answered.

A slow, frightening smile spread across his pale face. “How interesting. So the Goddess has a hand in all this again, does she?” he muttered almost to himself. That was it. He didn’t speak another word about it, his anger almost instantly retreating. Instead he showed her to her rooms, where she’d been now for two days.

Despite the conditions of the cold, stone halls, the quarters she’d been given were comfortable. There was a small sitting room, almost as big as the one in her home – correction – her
parent’s
home. She could no longer consider it
her
home if she were to survive in her new life. Rain constantly reminded herself that she did not miss it, or the people there.
They
had sought to repress her by giving her a role she never wanted. Everyone had failed to see her potential, to grasp that she wanted more out of life than being someone’s wife and mother. No, it was not the life for her, and she had taken all the right steps to ensure she never became just another woman amongst the Riders. The Shaman had taken her under his wing and taught her to broaden her mind, and accept the ways of magic. Soon, if she had her way, she would be the strongest sorceress in all of Eden. The loss of the Shaman was like a wound on her heart, but she knew she was now in the hands of the one person who could really help her reach her goal. Aziz was her way to a life beyond anything that would have been offered to her in the West.

Two chairs sat in the sitting room around a great hearth. The stone walls were decorated with grand tapestries, which helped to keep some of the cold out. They were intricately woven pieces; magnificent landscapes with trees and flowers she had never seen before, animals that were not known in the West, and threads the colour of sunset and dawn. She had never known such bright and beautiful fabrics. They were from the East, where things were vastly different than anything she had ever known.

Off of the sitting area was her bedroom. A four-poster bed, draped with curtains made of silk dyed a deep purple, stood in the middle. The bed was decorated with pillows of all colours, that were made of such soft, plush feathers that she swore clouds could not be as comfy. Large, elaborate rugs covered almost the entire floor, so her feet would not freeze when they were bare. A wooden chest sat at the end of her bed, filled with dresses and jewellery for her. They were a gift to her from Aziz, one she would not dare refuse, despite the implications they carried. Aziz was something she would deal with, just like she dealt with everything in her life.
One step at a time
, she reminded herself.

Next to the bedroom was the bath, which was always full of hot water when she needed it. No servants ever attended to her, yet things were always prepared when she needed them. An example of the sorcerer’s magic.

Even with all the luxuries surrounding her, the screaming and darkness got to her. Being stuck in the same room for two days was beginning to wear her down. She wanted to go and explore. She wanted to learn everything Aziz had to teach her. She just wanted to do
something
. One of the large beasts that walked on two legs, horns reaching high above their heads and faces made from nightmares, was constantly outside her door. If not, one of Aziz’s human soldiers took its place. Both were not to be messed with. Despite her outwardly calm, she admitted to herself that they frightened her. Not that she would ever betray such emotions…any emotions for that matter. Still, there was no way she could leave her chambers.

It wasn’t until late in the evening on the second day that someone knocked on the door. Rain had been curled up in one of the chairs in front of the continuous fire, waiting for the most recent episode of screaming to pass. They had been human screams that time. It was always worse when they were human.

“Come in,” she called out, uncurling her legs from beneath her. A small lady entered, her eyes lowered to the floor. Rain was taken off-guard by the appearance of the other woman. She believed there were no servants here, up until now.

“My lady,” she said, making a small formal curtsy. “The master wishes for you to join him for dinner this evening,” she continued. “He asks that I help you get ready.” Excitement bubbled in her stomach. Finally she would be able to leave the constraints of her rooms. Eagerly agreeing, Rain led the woman into her bedroom where the chest was. The lady efficiently sorted through the fabrics, choosing a gown made of a deep crimson. The colour showed off her dark hair and green eyes admiringly. The woman swept the long locks up into a twist at the back of her head, pinning it there with pearl and diamond pins that sparkled in the dim light. She came around to stand in front of Rain and applied a small amount of colour to her cheeks and lips. Taking a step back, she looked Rain over from top to bottom and gave a satisfied grunt before turning to leave.

“Follow me,” she called out over her shoulder. Quickly matching her steps, Rain followed the woman out into the dark halls and down numerous passages. If she were on her own she would surely get lost, she quickly realized. It was amazing anyone knew how to get around. Some halls, she noticed, would end in nothing but stone walls, as if they were created just to confuse intruders.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they came out into a room that took her breath away. The ceiling was open to the sky above. Thousands of sparkling stars looked down on her. She could not see the twin moons, but their glow was cast onto the high walls. Stone jutted and sparkled all the way up to the large opening. The room was rounded, the walls carved with expert precision. How anyone could have created something like this was beyond her understanding. Rain had once thought Avalon the most beautiful of places. This – this was beyond beautiful.
Where were they?

In the centre of the room was a table that looked like it could sit dozens of people. Tall candles were lined up down the middle of it, casting a warm glow over the plates. There was so much food, she wondered how many people were expected to dine with them. That thought was dismissed as soon as she realized only two plates were set. One on the end closest to her, and another on the opposite side. The whole span of the table separated them. Even though nothing else decorated the room, it was perfect. With the stars above, and the candles shimmering, it was more than she could have dreamed of.

As Rain walked around the room, admiring the night sky, and breathing in her first breath of fresh air in days, she failed to notice the entrance of the person behind her. It wasn’t until he placed a hand on her shoulder that she realized he was there. With a slight jump, she turned to look. Before her stood Aziz. But not the Aziz she had known before. Where his skin had been pale and wrinkled before, it was now the dark, flawless bronze it was rumoured to once have been. His eyes were no longer sunken and bruised-looking. Now they shone with amusement and intelligence, the light caramel standing out against his tanned skin. His dark hair was slicked back off his face, reaching just below his chin. He even stood straighter, taller than before. It was as if he had gained years back. Before, Rain had thought he looked like an old man. Now he looked no older than thirty. He wore a black jacket and pants. The shirt beneath was buttoned just above his collar bone, the rest of it clinging to his chest.

“My l-lord,” she faltered, bowing her head respectively.

“Admiring my dining hall, Rain?” he said lightly, his voice even stronger than before. It had a deep, almost calming, note to it. Rain tried to hide her bewilderment.

“It is amazing,” she answered, focusing again on her surroundings. She was finding it extremely difficult not to stare at him.
How could such a drastic change happen so quickly?

“Thank you,” he smiled, showing perfectly straight, white teeth. “It is a shame more people cannot see it,” he continued, his voice holding a small amount of regret. He slowly regarded her from head to toe, taking in the tight corset around her slim waist and breasts, to the flowing fabric that draped around her legs. She tried not to show how uncomfortable she felt. His lips turned up slightly at the corners. “You look beautiful,” he said, reaching out to run a strand of her hair that had escaped the twist through his finger.

“Thank you,” she replied, her voice weak.

“Shall we dine?” he motioned to the table. Walking slowly to one end, he pulled out the chair and waited for her to be seated. As soon as she had, he walked down the long length of the table to his seat. Instantly three servants appeared and began filling plates for each of them. One filled a crystal glass with a deep red wine and placed it before her. When Aziz had his, he raised it in a toast. Rain immediately followed suit. “To new beginnings,” he said with a lazy smile.

“To new beginnings,” she repeated, taking a small sip of the drink. It slid smoothly down her throat, creating a warmth in her belly. She had never had wine before. Her father had always refused to let her. Most fifteen year old boys amongst the Riders were allowed alcohol, but Hawk had insisted that it was not appropriate for young ladies. This was just another accomplishment in her mind, so she took another sip, this one larger than the other.

They ate in silence. Rain’s stomach growled in pleasure as each mouthful filled her. She had been given meals in her room, but none of them had been this decadent, and she soon realized how starving she was. When she felt as though she might explode if she ate another bite, she sat back and observed the man across from her. The change was amazing… and strangely welcoming. It had never escaped her notice the way Aziz would look at her when she was still with the Shaman. It was clear that he intended to have more to do with her than just a teacher. In the beginning the thought almost made her sick, but the Shaman stressed that there were endless possibilities for her if she were to become his mistress.

“He has never had a wife,” the Shaman had said. “The power you would hold would be immeasurable.” Rain had reluctantly accepted it, even though the sorcerer’s appearance frightened her. He didn’t scare her now, although she was still hesitant. A slow smile spread across his face when he caught her observing him.