Enticed
An Immortal Chronicles Story
Samantha Britt
Enticed: An Immortal Chronicles Story
Copyright © 2017 Samantha Britt
Cover art by Ampersand Book Covers
ASIN: B073R6SMMP
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All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction.
Any resemblance between actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental or used fictitiously.
Contents
Also by Samantha Britt
Foreword
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Afterword
About the Author
Also by Samantha Britt
Immortal Chronicles Series:
Enlightened
Ensnared
Envisioned
Book 4: Title TBA
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Dual Court Series:
Will of Fate
Work of Fate
Waiting for Fate
Foreword
Enticed: An Immortal Chronicles Story is an accompanying story of the Immortal Chronicles Series. The story contains mild spoilers for the series, but nothing too drastic which would diminish the enjoyment of the series.
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I hope you enjoy learning the story behind Eshe and Lome!
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Sincerely,
Samantha
1
Hot, dry air threatened to choke Eshe as she walked down the well-traveled road. The sounds of Alexandria’s busy markets followed her in the wind, the breeze stirring the loose sand and pushing the irritating grains onto Eshe’s skin.
She passed by fields filled with laborers harvesting ripened crops. Eshe managed the occasional wave and nod before she had to duck to shield her eyes from the flying sand. Her father’s few remaining workers continued to call out greetings, still recognizing her despite the hunched form.
The Akil family lived on the outskirts of Alexandria and were farmers for the bustling city’s residents. While most young women her age enjoyed the vibrant and noisy capital, Eshe preferred the quiet company of the fields which surrounded her family home. With a quick glance, she saw the tan building up ahead and picked up her pace until she stood outside its welcoming entrance.
Closing the dark brown door, Eshe removed the scarf she used to cover her head and shook out the gathered sand.
“Eshe? Is that you?”
“Yes,” Eshe replied to her older sister, Nebet, as she followed the voice to where its owner stood in the kitchen.
Nebet stood next to the washbasin, carefully scrubbing residue from the dish in her grasp. “You left early this morning.”
Eshe placed her bag of market goods on the table and sat on a wooden bench to remove her constricting sandals. “I wanted to beat the heat.”
“You forgot, then.”
Eshe paused and looked at the older girl. Nebet’s beautiful ebony eyes crinkled with remorse as she elaborated, “Father asked us to deliver the crops today. Remember?”
Eshe closed her eyes and released a tired sigh. Her head fell forward as she said, “I completely forgot.”
Last week, the girls’ father decided to release the delivery man from service. Funds were running low, and the patriarch believed the weekly task could easily be completed by members of his own family. And since her father was presently ill with his recent bout of lung trouble, the job fell to Eshe and Nebet. The two young women were the only Akil children old enough to travel into the city alone, let alone maneuver through the confusing and crowded streets.
“I am sorry,” Nebet offered with sincerity. “I did not hear you rise to leave, or else I would have reminded you.”
Eshe shook her head at her sister’s remorse. Of course Nebet did not hear her. Eshe made a point to move quietly throughout the room the sisters shared. Each step was taken with care to ensure she did not wake the older sister. Nebet did most of the household chores and did not get enough sleep as it was.
“It is not a problem,” Eshe said, trying to convince herself as much as her sister. Nebet knew how much Eshe disliked the city and traveling within it during peak hours, but their delivery needed to be made, especially given the family’s current financial situation.
“At least you get to see Ani,” Nebet said, trying to lessen the blow of needing to return to the overcrowded markets.
Waving a dismissive hand, Eshe worked to re-lace her sandals and ignored the comment. Nebet gave the younger sister an obliging smile but was not fooled.
Ani was the son of a local merchant and a childhood friend. He was Nebet’s age, but treated both girls like younger sisters when they were growing up. The trio spent countless summers running through the crop fields, playing enthusiastic games of hide-and-seek and enjoying the innocence of youth. The friendship was easy and simple.
At least it was. Until one year ago when Ani began looking at Eshe with something someone might describe as longing.
“Are you willing to go now?” asked Eshe, forcing the distracting thoughts away. “If we hurry, we may miss the peak of shoppers.”
Nebet nodded and disappeared around the corner to ready herself to leave. Eshe leaned back against the kitchen wall, taking the opportunity to rest. She closed her eyes and tried to force the image of Ani away. But try as she might, his kind brown eyes continued to gaze back at her in her mind’s eye.
Eshe felt the need to hide her feelings from others, but figured she should not worry about sharing them with herself.
Eshe released a heavy sigh. If she were being honest, she would admit she had feelings for Ani long before he seemed to have them for her. It was years ago, but the memory remained fresh in her mind.
Eshe had been walking to Ani’s home, eager to share with him the news of her father’s successful harvest. Theshan even gave his daughters a little spending money to celebrate–a rare occurrence for the stingy man.
Too preoccupied with daydreams of where she would spend her gift, wondering if she had enough money to buy Nebet a pretty bracelet for her birthday, Eshe did not hear the teenagers approach. The bullies pushed her to the ground before she could react, immediately taunting her with threats of violence should she scream.
Eshe remembered squeezing her eyes shut, preparing for the worst, when Ani arrived.
The pre-teen, only two years older than Eshe, fought off one of the boys and chased away his companions. To this day, she still felt embarrassed about how she cried in his arms after he saved her. Eshe never experienced such fright and to have Ani rescue her must have clicked something in her young heart. From that day on, Eshe’s feelings for her friend began to change into something deeper–something sweeter than friendship.
“Ready?” Nebet’s voice drew Eshe out of her thoughts. “Should we tell Father we are leaving? Should we ask him to help prepare the cart?”
“No.” With any luck, the man was sleeping. If not, Theshan wouldn’t be any help anyway. His recurrent illness often left him bedridden for weeks.
With the assistance of nearby field hands, Eshe and Nebet were atop the loaded cart in no time. The younger sister led the horses down the dirt road toward the heart of Alexandria. Thankfully, the wind was mild and made the trip easier than anticipated. From the corner of her eye, Eshe watched Nebet tilt her face towards the sun. The eighteen-year-old was reputed as
a local beauty, and it was easy to see why. Her bright smile threatened to blind the passing pedestrians when they looked upon her.
With great care, Eshe navigated the tight and crowded streets leading them towards Ani’s family’s storefront. The merchant family was known as a distributor of fabric and fine goods, but Ani offered to assist the Akil family in finding buyers for the family’s crops not already promised to local grocers. It was an offer Ani’s father was not necessarily fond of, but permitted out of goodwill. Theshan’s illness was no secret, and Eshe praised the gods her family had Ani to assist them with earning extra income.
The sisters turned down their desired alley. Across the sea of tan skin and brown hair, Eshe saw Ani pick up a crate and transfer it to a nearby table. She watched his muscles flex and move with the weight, all the while continuing his conversation with a customer.
“Ah hem,” Nebet cleared her throat. Eshe turned to her sister and tried to not react to the girl’s smug grin.
“Yes?”
“Nothing,” Nebet said. “Absolutely nothing.” The pair remained quiet as they finished their approach.
As if sensing their presence, Ani looked up and his lips immediately turned into a beaming smile. He lifted an arm and waved wildly. “Eshe! Nebet!”
Nebet chuckled. “You would think he hadn’t seen us in years.”
Eshe only nodded in response as she strived to ignore the light flutter in her stomach.
Ani closed the remaining distance and grabbed onto the horse’s bridle to help guide it to the side of the building. He tied the strap to the post before turning to assist Nebet, the sister closest to him, down from the cart’s bench. Eshe hopped down before he could move around the cart to help her as well. She was sure she imagined seeing the flash of disappointment.
“How fares your father?” Ani asked Nebet, but his focus was on Eshe.
“Not better, but not worse. We count our blessings.”
Ani nodded to Nebet and asked Eshe, “How are you all doing?”
She gave a noncommittal shrug, forcing herself to not react to his undivided attention. “As good as we can expect.”
Before he could attempt to make more small talk, Eshe asked, “Where do you want the crates?”
Ani gestured to inside the storefront, and the three young people started unloading the crops. Nebet and Ani made polite conversation while they worked. Eshe only contributed when not doing so was impossible. She wasn’t the best at small talk.
“Would you mind if we left the cart for a bit?” Nebet requested once they finished. “I want to visit a shop before we head back home.” Eshe’s brows raised at Nebet’s words; she had not mentioned a desire to shop.
“Not at all,” Ani replied without hesitation. “I would offer to accompany you, but Father left me in charge of the store today.” His disappointment was sincere.
“Too bad,” Nebet said. When Eshe remained silent, the older sister nudged her with an elbow.
“Yes,” she replied, taking the hint. “You will be missed.”
Ani’s eyes shined, his happiness with her coerced reply obvious. Guilt settled in the pit of her stomach.
Eshe did not intend to be unkind or cold but ever since Ani started treating her differently, she did not know how to act. She thought very highly of Ani, and her feelings for him were the same as they’d been as a child. But they were no longer children. Things could get… complicated if Eshe ever returned Ani’s not-so-subtle hints regarding his feelings.
After completing their drawn-out farewell, Eshe and Nebet left their friend and ventured into the busy streets of Alexandria. Nebet moved with a purpose but made sure to keep pace with her slower sister.
“I do not understand why you push him away.”
Eshe did not pretend ignorance. “Ani’s infatuation is temporary. I would rather not encourage him and hope we may remain friends once he comes to his senses.” She ignored the pain the thought elicited in her chest.
“You cannot believe that,” Nebet said. “If you only realized how he looks at you. There is no denying his love for you.”
“Stop,” Eshe commanded. Then, in a softer tone, “Please.” The sixteen-year-old refused to adopt any hope regarding Ani. People rarely got happy endings. She’d seen more than one life ruined by false hope and unrealistic desire. Her mom being the most memorable and heart-wrenching example.
Wisely, Nebet bit her lip and refrained from replying. She continued to lead them towards a small jewelry shop known to contain reasonably priced trinkets.
The sisters were yards away from the entrance when they passed two finely dressed men. Such a thing did not normally attract her attention, but Eshe couldn’t help but notice them. Their clothes were bright and made of fine material unlike any she or her family ever wore. The men were Greek, the nationality made obvious by their lighter skin tones. Once again, Eshe’s mind traveled to her mother.
“Oh my,” Nebet murmured. Eshe looked at her sister and followed her gaze to where she looked back at the men. The older girl stopped walking.
“What?” Eshe pretended not to know exactly what caused her older sister to stop in her tracks.
“Those men,” Nebet started, “They are incredibly handsome.”
It was only then that Eshe raised her eyes from their expensive clothing and examined the men’s faces. Nebet was right. Both of the foreign men had rugged jawlines and defined cheekbones. The features might have looked feminine on someone else, but there was no mistaking the masculinity of the men before her. They practically radiated strength and confidence.
And their eyes… their color was unique to those from the foreign nation which traded avidly with her home country. It was then that one of the pairs of light eyes turned and met her own.
Eshe forgot how to breathe.
The man’s pale brown eyes were surrounded by long, dark lashes set in deep sockets. The contrast of the feature was spectacular. Never before had she seen such beautiful eyes. She tried to turn away, to escape the snare the handsome features used to capture her, but she was unable to break away. The stranger’s eyes held her gaze, even as he began walking towards her.
Wait.
Eshe blinked. He walked towards her.
Turning on her heel, Eshe grabbed Nebet’s arm and pulled her towards a crowded street.
“Eshe,” her sister said as she stumbled. She, too, had been distracted by the handsome men. “What are you doing?”
“We’re going back to the cart and going home.”
Away. We need to get away.
It was a miracle Nebet went along with her. Eshe imagined it was only due to her continued daze from seeing such handsome men.
They are Greek, and Greeks cannot be trusted.
Citizens of the great nation had lived among Egyptians her entire life. Growing up, Eshe held no opinion of the foreigners other than awe at their unique and exciting trinkets they brought from their home country.
Things changed after her mother’s… incident.
When Eshe was only ten, the Akil family went through their first financial collapse. Her mother fell into depression. She barely spoke, rarely ate. The middle-aged woman appeared on the verge of withering away until she met him.
Eshe never learned his name. She had no desire to, but she knew the man her mother had an affair with was Greek. The young girl could remember her mother’s sudden happiness and levity following the dangerous depression.
At first, Eshe thought the change was a sign of things turning around for the family. She now knew the change in her mother was actually the result of the illicit relationship with a man who was not her father. Her youth had made her blind to the reality of her mother’s treachery. Eshe barely remembered the weeks in which her mother disappeared from the home, except for her father’s sudden bursts of anger followed by sorrowful tears.
Despite his despair, Theshan Akil never spoke of his wife’s betrayal. Eshe suspected she may have never learned the truth of her mother’s affair
had she not witnessed her mother weeping on the side of the road that day…
The older woman would not stop babbling about her broken heart, not caring she revealed her own treachery to her second daughter. Her lover disappeared without a trace. He left her with no word. And now her mother sat in a disgraced heap for any passerby to see.
Eshe did not know what to do. Wanting her mother out of the street, she decided to help her up and lead her home.
The jilted woman allowed herself one day, one miserable and dark day to weep for her lost love before speaking with her father and begging his forgiveness.
One could accuse Theshan Akil of many things, but no one could deny he loved his wife.
The once heartbroken man welcomed her back with open arms. No words of the transgression ever passed his lips. He was happy to live as if the affair never happened.
While her father strived to move forward with their lives, it seemed her mother did not have it in her. She died within the year.
Eshe was not naive. She knew it was not entirely the Greek man’s fault her mother passed away. He may have lured her with false promises, but her mother was a married woman who chose to abandon her family.
Eshe loved her mother, but she never forgave her. The young girl swore to herself that she would never get caught up in romance and destroy her life or the lives of those she loved.
Hence, her reluctance to encourage Ani’s affection or stomach a conversation with Greeks. Her father’s pain, her mother’s sorrow, and subsequent death may have been years in the past, but the pain of it all was fresh for Eshe. Almost as if it happened only days ago.
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