Talia Jager - Unexpected Promise (A Between Worlds Novel: Book Five)

Unexpected Promise

A Between Worlds Novel
Book 5

Talia Jager

Unexpected Promise

A Between Worlds Novel: Book 5

Copyright 2016 by Talia Jager. All rights reserved.

First Smashwords Edition: May 2016

ISBN-13: 978-1532914355

ISBN-10: 1532914350

ISBN 13: 978-1-944389-02-4 (eBook)

ISBN 10: 1-944389-02-4 (eBook)

Editing by Christine LePorte

Cover Design and Formatting by Streetlight Graphics

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual personsliving or deadis entirely coincidental.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to:
Montana Stockwell Thank you for being my army.

Chapter One

Rylie

T here was something very wrong. My head felt like it was going to explode and I could taste blood in my mouth. Moving my head, I realized I was lying on something hard and uncomfortable. My eyes popped open and I saw three figures standing above me.

Shes awake, one of them said.

Where was I? What was going on? As the blurriness cleared up, I realized Ealdun, Varwik, and Satine were the ones standing above me. Images of them capturing me flashed through my mind. My heart banged violently in my chest. Think, Rylie. How do I get out of here? I could use their talents on them. I focused on Ealdun to find his talent, but after several minutes of not being able to find it, I switched my focus to Satine, but had no luck there either.

Whats wrong? Is the great Aurorian having problems? Satine sneered, giggled, and then yanked on something in her hand. The action pulled me forward like a chained animal and made me erupt into a fit of gasping and coughing. Laughing even louder, she said, I have you on a leash and you cant do anything about it.

Satine, stop playing with the prisoner. Its unbecoming, Ealdun scolded.

Satine rolled her icy-blue eyes and yanked on the chain again before turning around.

My hands flew up to my neck and touched something cold and hard. I followed it all the way around my neckit was some sort of collar with a chain attached. After feeling around for a latch and not finding one, I yanked on the collar over and over again. Panic filled me and tears sprang to my eyes.

Satine laughed as she knelt down in front of me. Whats the matter, Princess? All tied up?

I tried again to use her mind control talent.

The collar is magickal. It neutralizes your talent. Did you really think Ealdun would let you use his poweror mineagainst us? Hes had this planned for a long time.

I dug my fingers into the ground, hoping it would respond. Nothing. The collar must block all my faery gifts. I was weak and powerless.

The figure farthest from me started to walk my way and a minute later, Ealdun stood looking down at me. This was the first time I had seen him in the flesh. I wasnt impressed. Scared, yes. Impressed, no. His dark hair was combed to the side, his black wings looked tattered, but his cold dark eyes made my blood run cold. He really was pure evil. Take us to the Aurorian stone.

No.

Im asking nicely. Dont push me.

No.

You remember your connection to the earth? He paused. The pain you feel when nature hurts? I can make you hurt so much youll beg for me to stop. We can start with a fire in the forest. Poison in the water.

Dont. The land hasnt done anything to you.

Then take me to the stone.

I couldnt do that. No.

Then you leave me no choice. He raised his hands, but before he could do anything, he looked to the east and said, Theyre early.

Ealdun grabbed the end of the chain and saying some foreign words drove it into the ground. His cold eyes held mine, sending fear through me. The underworld holds you now. You will give me that stone. I have time. I will come for you. For your loved ones. You will never be safe.

I shot up in bed, breathing heavy, heart racing. I was in my room. At home. With my husband.

Kallan sat up and rubbed my back. Its okay. Just a nightmare. Youre safe.

No. He was wrong. We were anything but safe.

Not a single night had passed that I didnt have a nightmare. Every night I relived the day I had been captured and chained to the underworld like an animal. It was a curse no one had the cure for.

It had been two full moons since that fateful dayand there hadnt been a single spotting of the evil three. Some of the faeries thought they had been killed in Sierras explosion, but not me. I knew better. They didnt die. They were out therewaiting.

Most of the faeries who had been staying on our land for protection slowly went back to their homes and lives. I didnt think this was a wise decision, but Kallan told me to let them go. We didnt want to force them to stay. Some stayed a little longer to make sure nothing happened to the ones that left, and then they left too. It was as if the other faeries memories had faded and they forgot how dangerous the evil ones were.

We had a few faeries with shield talents. They took turns making sure Kallan and I were safe in our home. The shield was designed to allow certain faeries to go through, but had to be dropped for others.

I was sitting on the ground with my feet and hands flat on the cool dirt trying to reach out and feel for anything to lead us to the evil three. I felt Sierra approaching from behind. She and Drake were still here a month after the other faeries left. I could tell she was apprehensive, but I didnt move. I would let her come to me.

Youre stressing, she said finally.

Itd be weird if I wasnt.

You need to rest. Youve been at this day in and day out. Have you had one lead yet?

No.

Take a break. There are a lot of faeries out there searching. Lorella is constantly surveying the future. Maybe they went back where they came from.

You think they just gave up that easily? I opened my eyes and shot her a look.

She let go of a sigh. No, but youre worried, tense, stressed. Its too much. We need to try to get back to normal. They may or may not still be here. Maybe their plans were foiled or maybe theyre just enjoying watching us squirm, but we cant live like this forever.

Theyre more than dangerous, Sierra. Theyre pure evil. I shuddered.

I know. You have nightmares every night.

Meeting her green eyes again, I said, You know that?

She nodded, but didnt say anything more about it. I think I should leave.

Leave? And go where? It felt like someone punched me in the gut.

Azuras. If you dont mind. I mean I love living here with you, but you guys are newlyweds and you need some space. You need to find normal. But I dont want you to think Im deserting you. Her emotions were all over the place.

I chewed on my lip. This is supposed to help me not worry so much? Having you off the land that protects you?

Ill stay if you need me to.

I knew she would, but I wouldnt ask her to do that. Maybe she was right. Maybe I needed to relax until they showed up again. The only thing we could do was prepare for them and we were doing that already. We had trainings every day.