Alyson Noël - Everlasting (Immortals)

For my readers:

Thank you for sharing Ever and Damens journey with memy gratitude for your enthusiasm, generosity, kindness, and supportknows no bounds! You are amazing, and awesome, and I couldnt have done it without you!

acknowledgments

Writing this series was an incredible journey, and Im grateful to have had such an amazing team of Sherpas to show me the way! Big, sparkly, glitter-strewn thanks go to: Matthew Shear, Rose Hil iard, Anne Marie Tal berg, Katy Hershberger, Angela Goddard, Brittney Kleinfelter, Bil Contardi, and Marianne Merolayou guys ROCK!

Also a special thanks to my foreign publishers and editors: Thank you for bringing The Immortals to readers across the globe!

And, of course, to Sandy: Always.

Know, therefore, that from the greater silence I shall return. Forget not that I shall come back to you. A little while, a moment ofrest upon the wind, and another woman shall bear me.

Kahlil Gibran

contents

Title Page

For my readers

Acknowledgments

Epigraph

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Also by Alyson Nol

Praise for the Immortals Series by Alyson Nol

Copyright

one

Everwait!

Damen reaches toward me, grasping my shoulder, hoping to slow me, to bring me back to him, but I keep moving forward, cant afford the delay. Not when were so close, almost there.

The worry streaming off him like rain from a windshield, not dimming in the least when he picks up the pace, matches my stride, and laces his fingers with mine.

We should head back. This cant be the place. Nothing about it looks remotely the same. His gaze travels the distance from the disturbing landscape to my face.

Youre right. Nothing about it is remotely the same. I hover at the perimeter, my breath coming too quick, my heart beginning to race.

Taking a moment to survey my surroundings before I hazard a step forward again. One smal stride fol owed by another, until my feet sink so deep into the mud-laden earth, the tops of them vanish completely. I knew it, I whisper, the words barely audible, though I dont need to speak for Damen to hear me, its just as easy to communicate telepathical y. Its exactly like the dream. Its

He looks at me. Waiting.

Wel , its just as I expected. I glance to the side, my blue eyes meeting his dark ones, holding the look, wanting him to see what I see. Al of this, everything you see here, its like its like its al changed because of me.

He kneels beside me, fingers splayed on my back, running his palm in slow circles up and down the path of my spine. Wanting to soothe, to refute everything I just said, but choosing to swal ow the words instead. No matter what he saysno matter how good and solid an argument he may wagehe knows better. Knows al too wel that I wil not be swayed.

I heard the old woman. He heard her too. Saw the way her finger pointed, the way her eyes stared accusinglylistened to the haunting tune of her creepy song with its cryptic lyrics and lingering melody.

The warning intended solely for me.

And now this.

I sigh as I gaze upon itHavens graveso to speak. The spot where just a few weeks before I dug deep into the earth to bury her belongingsal that was left of herthe clothes she wore when I sent her soul into the Shadowland. A spot I held sacred, hal owed

now transmuted, transformed. The once rich earth turned to a wet, soggy mush with no sign of the flowers Id manifested, no life of any kind. The air no longer shimmering, no longer glistening, virtual y indistinguishable from the dark part of Summerland Id stumbled upon earlier. So bleak, so foreboding in both its feel and appearance, Damen and I are the only creatures wil ing to venture anywhere near it.

The birds keeping to the perimeterthe carpet of nearby grass shrinking back on itselfproviding al the evidence I need to know its changed because of me.

Like fertilizer sprinkled onto a smal patch of weedseach immortal soul Ive sent to the Shadowland has tainted and infected the Summerland. Creating its opposite, its shadow-selfan unwelcome yin to Summerlands yang. A place so dark, so dreary, and so contrary, magick and manifesting cannot exist.

I dont like this. Damens voice is edgy, as his eyes dart, eager to leave.

And while I dont like it either, while Im just as ready to turn around and never look back, its not quite as simple as that.

Its only been a few days since my last visit, and despite knowing that I did what I had to, that I was left with no choice but to kil Haven, my former best friend, I cant seem to keep myself from returning, from asking forgivenessforgiveness for my actions as wel as hers.

And that short amount of time is al it took to go from light to darkto grow murky, muddy, and barrenwhich means its up to me to do something to stop it from spreading even further.

From getting any worse.

What exactly did you see in the dream? Damens voice softens as his eyes pore over me.

I take a deep breath and sink my heels deeper, the pockets of my old worn jeans dipping into the mud, but not real y caring. I can manifest a clean, new pair just as soon as were out of here. My clothes are the least of my concerns in the face of al this.

Its not a new dream. I turn and meet his gaze, seeing the flash of surprise that crosses his face. Ive had it before. A long time ago.

Just before you decided to leave me on my own, so I could decide between you and Jude. He swal ows hard, flinches ever so slightly at the unpleasant memory, which makes me feel bad, it wasnt the point I was trying to make. Back then, I was sure Riley had sent it. I mean, she appeared in it, and she seemed so vibrant and alive. I shake my head. And, wel , maybe it was her, maybe it was just wishful thinking, a result of my missing her. But, just after shed gotten my attention, I realized it was you she wanted me to see. You were the point of the dream.

His eyes widen. And he prompts, jaw tightening, poised for the worst.

And its like you were trapped in this tal , glass, rectangular prison, and you were fighting like hel to escape. But no mater how hard you fought, you couldnt break free. Even though I tried to help, tried to get your attention so we could work together, its like like you couldnt see me. I was right there on the other side, with only the glass between us, and yet, I may as wel have been invisible to you