Forsaken Secrets: A slow-burn new adult fantasy romance (Isle of the Forsaken Book 1)

by Olivia K Moto

  I shook my head and turned to Lynk. "That still doesn't explain why you've been following us around enough to hear our plan. We don't have information on the monsters you're hunting."

  He grimaced. "Trust me when I say that following you two around would not be my choice. I'm practically just keeping the area safe from the havoc you two cause. I've never met two mages so reckless with their use of magic." He stood up and started putting his papers into his bag as my brain scrambled at his use of that word again. "Besides, who's to say that I've not been coming here to listen to the weeping cliffs and work in peace?"

  "The weeping cliffs?" Eli asked, looking between the two of us.

  My mind remained stuck on that word, though … mages …

  And the way he'd said it, as though it were obvious.

  "Listen, lordling," Lynk said, gesturing towards the ocean, "and you'll hear what I mean."

  They couldn't find out about me, though. What if they worked for the Empire and turned me in? What would happen to my aunt? She'd surely lose the estate!

  A low wail echoed in the distance, half roar, and half cry. I barely heard it.

  "Holy — what is that?" Eli turned to us, eyes wide.

  "It's the vrytra in the bay," I muttered, mind still on Lynk's words.

  Eli stared, jaw agape, out at the water. "But why? Why are they crying?"

  "People say that they're mourning something, but no one really knows what." I stepped to Lynk's side and crouched, helping pick up papers and passing them to him. "It started after the last plague and has gotten worse in the last year."

  My heart thundered in my ears as I debated how to ask my question. We'd always assumed my magic was broken. That's the only way I could have passed the Seeker's tests! But if he knew …

  Could I just let it pass? I mean, Eli hadn't brought it up …

  "I know what you're thinking, little thief," Lynk whispered, voice low enough that only I could hear. The gravelly timbre sent a tingle down my spine. "But, you aren't broken. Your magic just hasn't fully matured yet. Eventually, you'll need to learn to shield, too."

  My jaw dropped. "I — I don't know what you're talking about. Seekers have tested me at least a dozen times and I've been clean each time."

  Stuffing the last paper into the sack, we both stood, and he knotted it closed. "I've seen this before. Your powers are just numb, but that numbing won't help protect you from wraiths."

  I stepped back, heart pounding loudly in my ears. "Wraiths? No — there are no wraiths around here. Our city is blessed!"

  Lynk laughed bitterly. "Blessed with me, little thief. Though the two of you have made that job much harder lately. Damn shades are especially drawn to you."

  He was a mage. He knew I was a mage. Eli was a mage.

  Brow lifted, Lynk shifted his glare to Eli, "You, at least should know how to shield better than you do. What do your employers teach anymore if not basic skills like that?"

  Eli grumbled some response, but I couldn't hear it. My mind just kept repeating the same words over and over … he knew. He actually knew.

  "Whoa. Kaiya, you okay over there. You're looking a little pale …" Eli said at the same time as I felt a pressure on my shoulder.

  I looked between the men, mind racing. Eli just looked worried, and Lynk wore his normal, angry scowl.

  They'd just discovered that I was a mage and weren't running away screaming …

  Then again, both were mages themselves, so perhaps that was what made the difference?

  Who were they, though, to be free? Were they free?

  Oh gods. What if they worked for the Empire?

  "Look, neither I nor the boy will tell anyone. We have our own secrets to keep. Right, lordling?" Lynk said, eyes tight as he motioned to Eli.

  Eli nodded and cleared his throat. "True. I would never betray you, Kaiya."

  I shook my head. No. I couldn't trust them! I'd already been risking things by helping them, but if they knew my secrets? I had to run …

  Before I could move, though, a warm, calloused hand grabbed my chin. "Little thief, look at me."

  My heart leaped as Lynk pressed beneath my chin until I met his silver eyes. They were narrowed and serious.

  "We will not betray you."

  Words. They were just words. What did words mean?

  I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat, so I shook my head, breaking free of his grip. This would affect more than just me. The Seekers could throw my aunt in prison for harboring a mage!

  "Look at me, then look at him." Lynk tried again, motioning to Eli. "Do you see a King's mark anywhere on us?"

  A mark? That's right. My spinning mind slowed to focus on the thought. A King's mark … unless they were free mages, hiding from the Empire, they would have one. That black tattoo wouldn't be as obvious as on a Seeker, but it would be somewhere visible. Else, how would normal people know of the mage's danger …

  Lynk held his collar out from around his neck, eyes surprisingly gentle. I stepped up and pulled on it, breath coming fast. Then I checked his wrists and ankles.

  Nothing.

  I turned to Eli, brow lifted in question. "How about you?" My voice came out as a croak, and I winced.

  He nicely ignored it and held his own arms out. "I mean, I could drop the rest of my clothes, too, if you'd like …" he said, voice warm.

  I just glared at him and checked the visible skin.

  He was clear, too.

  I stepped back, heart still racing, but at least I could think now.

  They spoke the truth.

  I looked between them. Eli's lips quirked into a half-grin, Lynk's face still as a statue.

  Were these two actually free mages?

  My chest ached.

  It wasn't safe to trust them completely, but if there really were relics down there, I might earn enough to fix all our problems. Aunt Grace would be safe and my vow to my uncle fulfilled …

  This one time, the risk was worth it … hopefully.

  "How are you both free? What are your affinities? Are there more of you?" The questions tumbled out of me as my tension started to ease.

  It was as though my words broke some kind of spell, and both men relaxed, looking at each other expectantly.

  Finally, Eli sighed and shook his head. "Well, I can't tell you about other mages," he glared at Lynk, "but I'm a weak bond mage. My affinities allow me to bond and connect with animals."

  My jaw dropped. A bond mage? Those had been rare in the Age of Mages, let alone now. "Do you create relics?"

  "Never." His jaw pulsed. "My people believe it's wrong to tap into the natural magics by taming and shaping creatures. Most think relics are just a crutch for those with weak korras."

  I sensed some bitterness in that and filed it away to ask more about later.

  "What about you? Do you think they should remain wild?" I thought back to the reverted relic in the shrine. It had been so beautiful and free …

  He swallowed and looked into the forest behind us. "I do have a companion … a relic of sorts … but he's definitely not tamed or shaped. We're partners … or at least we're working towards that."

  A piece clicked into place in my mind. "Is he by chance a blue revyn?"

  He had been there when I'd been hurt, and then again when Eli had fallen. As a wild creature, it made no sense. But if he were bonded to Eli …

  "Riarlo." Eli nodded, lips tight.

  I searched the trees for the familiar blue form. He wasn't visible, but revyns were experts at camouflage. "Well, please tell him thanks for me. He saved me from a pack of wild gremlyns."

  "Of course."

  I turned to Lynk. "And how about you?"

  He quirked his brow. "I have a strong spirit affinity."

  Interesting. I hadn't heard as much about spirit mages. I stared at him for a bit, hoping he'd expand like Eli had, but he remained quiet.

  Of course. He wouldn't make this easy.

  "Well then, let's do this." I shifted the s
ack of gear on my back. "I'm assuming you're planning to accompany us, Lynk?"

  He nodded. "I assume I'll have to rescue you either way, so I might as well tag along."

  "You say that," Eli chided, "but we all know you just want to spend more time with this lovely lady and me!"

  Lynk harrumphed and I let myself smile, just a bit.

  20

  Kaiya

  Cool ocean air blew my hair around my face and tangled my skirts in my legs. I'd have to get rid of those if we were going to descend the cliffs. I checked behind me to make sure the men were still occupied, then unclasped the back and slipped the heavy skirts off.

  "Uh — what's she doing?" Eli sounded scandalized.

  My cheeks heated. Of course they'd noticed. What had I been thinking?

  No. It didn't matter. They were just legs …

  "Why don't you try climbing with skirts on?" I shot over my shoulder, pushing away my emotional discomfort as I adjusted my chemise and drawers to cover a bit more. That rope was going to burn …

  Lynk grunted behind me and tossed something into the air. A small ball of leather plopped onto the ground in front of me.

  "Try these," he said.

  I picked the ball up and shook it, jaw dropping as it unfurled into a buttery soft pair of fawn leather trousers.

  I stared at him, letting my eyes roam his muscular thighs and narrow hips. We definitely did not wear the same size.

  So had he made them? Bought them? Did they belong to another woman?

  The thought sent a weird pang through my chest.

  No. It didn't matter to me if he had a dozen women. He was a tool to get a job done. Nothing more.

  Shaking my head, I slipped them on over my legs and hips and groaned. Gods. They were soft …

  I ran my hands over the soft leather, then dropped into a crouch and stretched each leg. The leather was snug against my rear and hips, but still surprisingly flexible!

  Eli grunted behind me, then coughed. "I don't think that's much better, old man."

  "Worse. So much worse …" Lynk muttered as he walked past me.

  I smiled and rolled my shoulders, then stuffed my skirt into my pack.

  All set, I walked over to the two of them and crowded in next to Eli.

  "From what I saw in the notes, there should be an entrance around here, somewhere." Eli motioned to the tower behind us. "But I can't find it."

  Lynk grunted and reached over our shoulders to flip the book around. "If that's all fallen into the ocean, we're here." He pointed towards a little tower at the far edge of the structure on the map.

  "That would fit with what I saw on the cliff," I said.

  Eli twisted the map around several times then nodded, his jaw tight. "I hate to say it, but I think you're right, old man."

  Lynk growled at the nickname and I shook my head, examining the ruins carefully to better match the shapes of the towers around us to the map.

  "Uh — should we be following him?" Eli pointed to Lynk, who'd already taken off for the cliffs.

  I sighed. "I suppose so."

  We strode to the cliff in time to see Lynk drop to his belly and peer over the edge — right towards the area Eli had fallen off the day before. "The cliff must have fallen further overnight. There's now a hole the size of the lordling in the cliff."

  "Perfect." Eli's voice was tight.

  I studied his stiff shoulders and pale face.

  Could he handle this? I'd experienced enough close calls that it didn't bother me as much, but he was still a novice.

  "You going to be okay going down there again?"

  His lips twitched, and he grimaced. "I'm fine."

  Lynk looked between the two of us, his expression serious. "We can always find another way down, Eli. There's no shame in admitting that something is beyond you."

  Eli's brow climbed. Those were the last words I ever imagined coming out Lynk's mouth. Him admitting something was beyond him would be almost as unlikely as seeing a dragon in real life!

  "I'm saying it's fine." Eli pulled an anchor from his pack. "Let's do this."

  Lynk shrugged, then hammered a few anchors into a stone nearby, and we hooked up our ropes.

  Eli did the same, his pallor almost back to normal.

  If he wanted a career in relic hunting, this was probably the best decision, but it couldn't be easy.

  "You ready?" I asked, adrenaline making my body hum with anticipation.

  Eli gave me a thumbs up, and Lynk just shrugged then dropped.

  Taking a deep breath, I let my body fall.

  This was how climbing should be.

  Hair whipped around my face and I pressed a lever to make myself slow. Gods, it was nice having the right tools!

  Lynk was right. What was just a statue and a couple columns the day before was now part of an archway and an opening! "Be careful," I muttered.

  Lynk dropped into the opening. "I'll make sure it's safe."

  "You'll find all the good stuff, you mean," Eli grumbled, moving slower. He was still pale, but his green eyes glittered with excitement.

  The next drop would be even easier, and soon he'd be an addict like me.

  I laughed and followed Lynk in, dropping to the floor in a loud whoosh that sent dust billowing up around us. It carried with it the musty earthen smells of a room long forgotten.

  The resulting chorus of the three of us hacking up our lungs was loud enough to wake any creatures who had claimed the area as a home.

  I rubbed the grit out of my eyes and pulled the lyphos lamp from my pack, tapping the glass to wake it up.

  Two orange glows dotted the room where Eli and Lynk woke theirs as well.

  "Looks like you were right, lordling." Lynk's voice was even more raspy than normal as he pointed at charred bookshelves stretching from floor to ceiling for the entire length of the room. "I don't think we'll be finding much down here."

  Some kind of fire had destroyed everything …

  "Do you think whatever did this also destroyed the city?" Eli asked.

  "No." Lynk's voice was quiet. "The city was something else …"

  "Surely some artifacts survived, though? Maybe no relics, but something?" I said. "We should split up and see what we can find."

  "No. We don't know what's down here. You'd better stick close to me."

  "You worrying about us, old man?" said Eli.

  Lynk shook his head and strode off, muttering something about impulsive young mages.

  I grinned and traced my fingers along the edges of the burned wood, trying to imagine what the room had looked like.

  The floors would have glistened a pale white as people moved quietly through the towering book shelves, pulling books and leafing through them.

  I could practically smell the aged pages and leather …

  "Well, it looks like it was some sort of mage library, at least." Eli held up a charred rectangular piece of metal, a dozen steps behind me. "It says, Archivist — Spirit Order."

  Heart racing, I rushed to his side, holding my hand out to inspect it.

  "Where'd it come from?"

  He pointed to a skeleton, stretched lengthwise near our feet. My breath caught, and I searched the room with fresh eyes.

  There were bodies … dozens of bodies!

  How had I missed them before?

  My skin crawled as I bent to examine the remains closest to me.

  The skeleton was all that remained, and even that was crumbling in places. Now that fresh air was coming in, it probably wouldn't last much longer.

  The arms were outstretched, as though the person was reaching for the area we'd come through …

  "Normal fires leave people curled up in balls, trying to protect themselves." Eli motioned to a skeleton by his feet. "I don't think this was a normal fire."

  I nodded and walked to the next one.

  Another body with arms outstretched.

  "This one has a sword and looks like they were facing into the building when they died.
" Lynk's voice echoed from deeper in the room.

  "So it was something they thought they could fight. Maybe an experiment with an unstable relic?" I'd never heard of one that strong, though.

  Excitement fluttered in my chest. Could Eli have been right? Was there a strong relic down here somewhere? Even a twisted one would have value to the Empire!

  "Perhaps we should turn around." Eli's voice was quiet.

  I turned and cocked a brow at him. "Really? You climbed down the cliff that almost killed you, but this is where you draw the line? If these were mages, and it was before the Fall, this had to have happened at least a thousand years ago, Eli. I highly doubt whatever caused it is still lying around."

  He shuddered. "Fine. I'm not taking the lead, though."

  I grinned and stepped past him, slipping the metal badge into my pack. The little object wasn't a relic, but perhaps it would fetch some money?

  "Which way should we go?" I pointed to the main hall and several smaller hallways off to the sides.

  Eli pulled out his book and pointed to a place that vaguely looked like the area we were in. "There are a series of small rooms back here." He pointed to a hallway to our right. "I'd guess they'd be our best bet to find relics. Though, with how long it's been and the state of this place, I'd guess most have reverted already."

  I nodded. "Where's Lynk?" He'd told us about the swordsman skeleton and I hadn't seen him since. "So much for sticking close together …"

  Eli's eyes were wide in the lyphos light. "What if something happened to him? You never know what's down in these ruins. I've heard stories of wraiths lurking in them for years, then killing any Reapers who come through."

  I squinted into the darkness. If some creature had taken Lynk, it had been extremely sneaky about it …

  "You two coming along?" Lynk's voice reverberated like a gong from down the hall, as though we'd called him with our worries.

  "Coming!" I shouted, winking at Eli before walking towards Lynk's voice.

  "Oh, come on." Eli followed me. "You know you were worried, too."

  I shook my head, then ignored him until we reached Lynk. He stood with his arms crossed, glaring at us impatiently.