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

by Olivia K Moto

  What was wrong with me?

  Lynk looked away, then took another swig from that canteen, seemingly unaffected as he stood to his feet. Perhaps I'd just been imagining that look in his eyes …

  Eli just stared between the two of us with a considering look.

  I forced a cheery smile and tried to make my body go back to normal. "Not at all. I just tripped on the step. Now, what are we here for?"

  I turned towards the clearing and gasped. I'd been so focused on the guys that I'd missed what was in front of my face.

  A beautiful red and black checkered blanket sat at the center, ruins to the left and wildflowers scattered around. The blanket was covered with fruits, meats, and breads … a veritable feast.

  "Eli … did you set this up?"

  He shifted uncomfortably on his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. "It was really all Aunt Harlsted. She put the whole thing together."

  "Oh, come on, kid. Just admit that you did it all. You're trying to impress her, right? Might as well admit to it, so you get the credit." Lynk's gruff words made me smile.

  "Fine. Yes. I set it up." Eli said, glaring at Lynk, then turned back to me. "I did not plan on having him join us, though. Not that I mind having him here …"

  I shook my head and walked over to the picnic. "At least there looks to be plenty for three of us."

  "And I brought whiskey!" Lynk said, lips quirking. "Whiskey makes everything better."

  Eli smiled at him, that dimple peeking out. "Well then, I suppose you can join us, too. You do seem in a rather jovial mood today — or is that just the drink talking?"

  Lynk took another swig and shrugged. "Perhaps a bit of both. I had a bit of good news earlier and thought I'd celebrate."

  Eli reached out for the flask and Lynk pulled it away. "I didn't say you could have any! It's for adults only." He twisted the lid back on and sat it beside him.

  I laughed as Eli spluttered and glared at him. "Old man. You cannot be more than a few years older than us, and we're both adults. Now share that whiskey … or else you won't get any of these pies …" He opened a small basket slightly, letting the sweet scent of fruit and buttery crust waft out.

  Lynk growled, but grabbed two glasses from the blanket and poured a couple fingers worth of whiskey in each. "Don't blame me if it's too strong, though."

  I took a long sip and immediately coughed. It was so terrible! Nothing like the wine the vicar brought over.

  "I warned you!" Lynk said, chuckling softly to himself as he took another sip straight from the canteen.

  "Well, should we sit?" Eli asked, gesturing towards the blanket.

  I nodded and plopped down on the far corner, as far away from the two men as I could, the soft fabric a nice buffer between me and the cold ground.

  Lynk looked unsure, but carefully sat across from me, back stiff and legs out straight in front of him.

  I smiled and leaned back onto my elbows. "Like this, old man."

  He quirked a brow and looked between the two of us. "Like what? How is that any different from what I'm doing?"

  I shook my head, trying not to laugh. "It's not. Sorry."

  "I hope you're both hungry!" Eli said, cheek dimpling.

  I grinned and leaned forward to flip open the large basket at the center of the blanket. It was overflowing with goodies that made my stomach growl. "Oh gods. This looks heavenly! Shall we?"

  Eli laughed. "Greedy, greedy."

  I stuck my tongue out at him and pulled out a little container of what looked to be meat tarts.

  "Here, you relax and I'll pass them out." Eli said, pulling it from my hands.

  I shrugged and leaned back on my elbows, happy to let him take charge.

  Finally, when the little plate he'd grabbed was completely full, he passed it over to me. "Here you go, my lady." His fingers brushed mine and electricity shot up my arm.

  Nope. I still wasn't over whatever those feelings were.

  I'd need to be careful.

  I scooted further back, then looked down at the food on my plate and groaned. There were melons, some of that lemon bread Eli liked to carry around, and even a meat tart — golden crust holding the juicy mixture of meat and vegetables captive, a light white sauce leaking out the corner.

  Yes! I'd start with that …

  I picked it up and took a big bite, catching a bit of juice that leaked out with my tongue. I moaned at the rich flavors that exploded on my tongue, then went for another bite.

  Someone cleared their throat, and I looked up to see Lynk glaring at a blushing Eli.

  Smirking, I took that bite and met their eyes as I licked the juice from my lips.

  Eli shifted uncomfortably on the blanket, and Lynk’s eyes went dark around the edges.

  A heavy heat settled low in my belly as I lifted the tart for another bite.

  “Well, then. Er - shall we have a toast?" asked Lynk, breaking the tension. He motioned to the whiskey.

  Spell broken, I sat the tart down and tried not to think of my completely improper behavior. Instead, I focused on the silver flask in his hand.

  Wrinkling my nose, I glared at it. That stuff tasted awful! It felt warm in my belly now, though …

  Perhaps this time wouldn't be so bad?

  We all lifted our glasses and words tumbled out of me, "To friends, adventures, and a happily ever after."

  They smiled, and for a moment, I felt full and at peace.

  Then I remembered Solyn in that cage, the application still sitting atop my desk at home, and Aunt Grace's words from earlier.

  This was all temporary, and I dare not forget it.

  39

  Kaiya

  "So, what are we going to do about those relics?" I asked, staring between the men.

  We'd been sitting there for long enough that the food was all gone, and my rear was cold and numb. But I didn't want to get up. I didn't want to go back to my normal lonely life, fixing up the house and cleaning.

  Lynk grimaced. "I snuck back down today and still can't figure out a way to remove them without getting twisted. At least that cave-in blocks the mages from getting over there, though. We may need to reach out to your team, Eli."

  Eli nodded and took a sip from his whiskey. "I can ask."

  Body warm, I turned to him. "What's it like working for the Reapers? How did you get in without training?"

  He grimaced. "It's not all that interesting. Lynk, though … his story of joining the monster hunters has to be enthralling. How'd you do it, old man?"

  I narrowed my eyes at Eli. "Fine. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want, but can you at least tell me how you handled your magic?"

  "He shields — poorly," interjected Lynk as he poured us all the last cups of whiskey in the flask. “It’s harder for strong bond mages like you, but you could do it, too.”

  Was that a compliment? No. Lynk didn’t do compliments. “Why is it harder?”

  “A strong bond mage can reach out to people and draw them in. It's powerful and dangerous in the wrong hands … but if the bond is strong enough, they’ll get full access to you. That’s where your magic's issues are actually helping you right now. Someday, when you form deeper attachments, it'll be hard to keep yourself from them."

  Well, that sounded terrible. I already struggled letting people close and they’d get full access to me? I sighed and leaned back, staring up at the cloudy sky. "Of course. It couldn't be simple, could it?"

  He chuckled. "Just don't fall in love, little thief, and you'll be fine."

  The picnic blanket suddenly felt very small …

  Cheeks hot, I stood to my feet and shook out my skirts. "I — uh — really need to be getting back. I promised Sylvie that I'd help with some house chores. Knowing her, she'll be doing it without me already."

  Lynk's brow lifted knowingly, but he just stretched and stood up, gathering the now-empty flask. "Me, as well. I've ignored my duties for too long, I fear. This was … pleasant, though."

  He turned
to look at me. Those silver eyes made me squirm. "I actually have a small favor that I might need help with, Kaiya. Perhaps I could help you with your powers, and then in a few months you could help me? It's something … personal."

  Had he actually used my name? It sounded so different coming from him … And he was asking for my help? My heart did a strange little thump, but I swallowed hard and nodded. "Of course."

  He dipped his head, then turned to Eli. "I'll admit that I'm a bit disappointed. Neither of you have asked about the library. And here I thought you were worried about the Ellingsworths and those vrytra," Lynk said, voice teasing.

  I grimaced and met Eli's eyes. This was exactly what we'd been avoiding.

  "Well," Lynk continued, "you'll be happy to know that I got everything cleared up with Ellingsworth. Solyn will be safe and the experimentation will stop."

  Shock twisted in my gut. "How — how did you do that?"

  "You'd be surprised what can be accomplished when you exert the right pressure," he said, slipping the canteen into his pocket.

  His words sent an icy shiver through me and I looked to Eli, then back at Lynk. "Well then — " I grimaced. "You probably don't want to know that we didn't listen when you said to wait for you."

  The slight smile that had been dancing in his eyes all morning went out, and his jaw pulsed. "What did you do? I told you I would handle it …"

  I grimaced. "Well, it started out as just finding answers about the pearls."

  He growled and motioned for me to continue.

  "We made a deal with the Overseeker."

  Lynk paced away as I continued to speak, shoulders tensing with every word.

  "We gave him a map of the facility, as we remember it, for protection from Ellingsworth for both our families AND Solyn. He plans to follow up with us in a week, but if our map proves accurate … the Ellingsworths will be in BIG trouble."

  "Fuck," he said, finally turning to face me. "You didn't have all the information! Why didn't you just wait for me?"

  Irritation twisted in my chest. "Why didn't you talk to us?" I gestured towards Eli. "We asked you to tell us the plan, and you told us to stay put!"

  He grimaced, and I pressed on. "Lynk — we aren't children to just do as we're told. We have brains and are fully capable adults."

  His jaw tensed and he ground his teeth together.

  "Can't you at least tell us what you did?" Eli asked from behind me. "Is it something we could help fix?"

  Lynk shook his head. "You say you're adults, but you still do things without knowing the repercussions. Well," he gestured widely, "I hope you can live with the consequences. I fucking hope we all can." Then he strode off.

  Eli and I stood there, quietly watching him disappear into the forest, muttering to himself.

  "Were we wrong?" asked Eli.

  I shook my head. "He didn't give us much choice."

  "Kaiya."

  Eli's voice was so soft, and I turned to face him, surprised to see his face completely serious. "Come away with me."

  I grimaced and forced a laugh. "Funny joke, Eli."

  He shook his head. "No. What if this is the best things are? We could leave now and I'll help you. I have connections …"

  "No," I said, shaking my head. "I'm sorry, Eli, but that's ridiculous. We've known each other for what … a few days? That's nowhere near long enough to know what we feel."

  His face dropped, and he looked out at the ocean briefly, but he nodded. "Then let's pack up and get you home."

  I bent and helped him pack the basket in awkward silence.

  We put it in the carriage and then climbed up onto the seat.

  I needed to fix this. He had been misguided, but I knew he'd just been trying to help. "I'm sorry, Eli. I know this wasn't what you wanted," I said, pressing my fingers into his arm.

  He grimaced and shook his head. "No. I mean, it wasn't what I planned, but I enjoyed it more than I expected. I just — "

  He urged the horses forward, and we moved towards our estate.

  "I just wanted to clarify," he finally said as we turned the corner by the Ellingsworth's and pulled to a stop. "I — I was serious before." He turned to face me, mouth tight and eyes earnest. "I'd like to court you."

  My heart lurched, and I pressed my hands into my skirts as he rushed to explain.

  "There are things about me you don't know … things I can't tell you, yet. But I think there's something between us, or at least the possibility of it, and I'd like to see where it goes. I'm not going to try to convince you to run away with me, but I would like to spend more time with you when we aren't running for our lives or fighting people."

  I looked at him, into his beautiful green eyes, and wished things were different. Would we have kids? A little cottage somewhere?

  It sounded beautiful … and completely impossible.

  I'd already seen how magic could tear a family apart, and I didn't want that for my own. No. It would be better to focus on the future for now. Besides, this fucked up heart of mine had feelings of some sort for the damn barbarian, too.

  I couldn't just choose one of them, and there was no way to choose both. Family groups had stopped after bond mages disappeared with the Fall.

  My chest ached as I tried to figure out how to explain all that, though.

  Breath shallow, I reached for him. We may not have a life together, but surely we could enjoy being together right now? That almost-kiss tugged at my memory. If we could have more of that …

  Just as my hand brushed his shoulder, though, he turned and looked at me, eyes soft. "You were right before. I don't want this until you're ready, Kaiya, and I don't think you're there yet. I just — I know it's fast, but I wanted you to know that it was real for me … that I take you seriously. You aren't just some crush."

  I nodded, throat tight.

  "Let's get you home, then," he said, voice back to its normal energy. "I wouldn't want this mysterious Sylvie to come after me!"

  I smiled softly as he got the carriage moving again. "Thank you, Eli. For everything. Today has truly been one of the best days of my life."

  His eyes lit up. "Hopefully it's just the first of many, many more."

  40

  Kaiya

  The week sped by. I'd dropped off the application the afternoon after the picnic, but still hadn't heard anything.

  Since the picnic, we hadn't seen Lynk anywhere, and I'd tried searching for him. The way he'd left had given me a terrible feeling, though.

  Hopefully, he wasn't putting himself in any unnecessary danger.

  If only the damn barbarian would let us help!

  With that, though, Eli had gotten even more mischievous.

  "What was that boy thinking?" Sylvie asked, her lips pursed as she scrubbed my gown. "A fight with colored whipped cream? What are you two? Children?"

  I shrugged. He was fun to spend time with, and he kept me from worrying too much. We felt a bit empty without Lynk, but it was fun to get to know him more. And he hadn't broached the idea of running away together again, either.

  We were just enjoying ourselves.

  "It was rather funny," I said. "Though I'm sorry you're having to clean up his mess."

  "He owes me another of those sandwiches from his aunt," she said, smirking. I'd made the mistake of introducing her to them earlier in the week, and she hadn't let it go since.

  "He's very handsome, you know."

  I grimaced. "Trust me, I know, he knows … everyone knows."

  "He'd keep you on your toes. It's unfortunate you met now, and not in a few years."

  Nodding, I studied my hands. The more I spent time with him, the harder it was to imagine leaving. Though it wasn't like either he or Lynk would be around forever. Eli's partner was due to arrive in town any day, and Lynk hadn't been around at all.

  Their lives did not revolve around me, no matter how much I wished they did.

  "Oh, miss. This letter came for you." Sylvie set down the gown and pulled a little env
elope from her apron. "I think it might be from the Reaper Guild."

  Curious, I reached out to grab the envelope. The paper was a creamy, thick parchment, and the logo in the top left corner confirmed Sylvie's guess. I wanted to squeal, but just smiled and pressed it into my lap. Should I wait and open it with Eli? Or perhaps with Aunt Grace?

  No. This was for me.

  Excitement made my fingers shake as I slipped open the back flap. The seal popped off, and I took a deep breath before removing the folded letter. The paper was so smooth! Like silk.

  I ran my hands across the sides, imagining the contents.

  "Come on, my lady! I can't handle the tension! Did you get in or not?"

  I laughed and took a deep breath, then opened it.

  Dear Miss Maderoth,

  We regret to inform you that your application to participate in the annual Reaper Guild exams has been denied. If you'd like more information …

  The rest of the letter blurred as I re-read the first part over and over. I'd known it wasn't a certainty that I'd get in, but I'd felt sure …

  Maybe I should have tried getting in with Lady Frexin instead? No. This had been what I'd always wanted. It was the right choice.

  Why had they refused me, though? Eli had gotten in! Why not me? I had so much more experience!

  My eyes burned, but I pressed my tongue to the top of my mouth and forced a smile as I folded the note carefully and slipped it back into the envelope. "They weren't able to accept me at this time." The quaver in my voice was almost unnoticeable, but Sylvie knew me too well.

  "Oh, miss." She rushed over and wrapped her thin arms around my neck. "I'm so sorry! They're idiots to deny you!"

  I laughed and let myself relax into her embrace for a moment. "Thank you, Sylvie, but they aren't idiots." I sat back up and wiped my nose with a handkerchief. "What do I really have to contribute to the Guild? From what Eli said, they need money … not more bodies to feed."

  "You are special, and you know it. The way you find relics is like no one I've ever seen. I bet you'd have made them rich within a few months of working there."