Claimed: (The Land of Schism Book 1) Epic Fantasy Novel for Young and New Adults

by Nicole Adamz

  I don’t even know him. He’s cute. That’s all. I risked a glance in the merchant’s direction. He was watching me with a bemused expression. I quickly looked away. Okay, maybe more than cute.

  I idly picked up a small marble carving from the counter, hoping it made me look less interested in the merchant. He’s not why I came here, I thought firmly. But I was lying to myself—and not doing a very good job.

  I huffed out a breath, focusing on the object in my ruined hand. It was a carving that represented friendship. Something I’d had with Maewyn. Sadness crept into my heart, slinking along the walls until my vision was coated with tears. I blinked. I don’t know who she is anymore…maybe I never did, I thought despondently.

  She’d never mentioned Mate-Bonding with anyone. So why the sudden stranger? My fingers convulsed, and I swiftly pushed memories of Larrikin out of my mind. The skin on my hand pulled taught around the figurine, causing small fissures of pain to shoot up my arm. Sudden rage at Maewyn’s duplicity surged through me, and I doubted she’d ever cared about our friendship—or me.

  Maewyn’s words rang in my mind. This morning was the first time she’d yelled at me, fury exploding across her face at my question. She’d promptly reminded me I was her Tyro, and what she did was her business—not the business of a stick-in-the-mud True One believer.

  Fear entwined with my rage. How long has she known that I believe in the True One? It was the first time I’d seen Maewyn so livid, and the change in her attitude was marked. Why is following the Old Traditions a bad thing? I took a deep breath, uncurling my hand from the figurine and putting it back. Maewyn hadn’t apologized before I left.

  Leaning back, I watched colorful Elysian on the upper levels of the Market District fly to and from different stores. I looked back at Ash Path. Anomalies couldn’t access the stores without walking up the stairs around each base, and some stores didn’t have them anymore. I stretched my wings; glad I could leave the ground behind if I needed to. Maybe I need to fly around the city one more time. Clear my head.

  Casting a final look at the merchant, I was vaguely disappointed that he was busy with another customer. Being thrilled and nervous in his presence was exciting, but the feelings weren’t conducive to a clear mind. They only added to the confusion twisting inside my heart. Staunchly walking away from the silver-eyed merchant’s stall, I found a clear spot and pushed upward.

  The sweetness of spring was in the air, and I tried to savor the earthy aroma. However, Maewyn’s angry words nauseated my heart. You’re only my Tyro, Ari. You don’t know anything! When I need your opinion, I’ll ask for it, so stay out of my business!

  My jaw clenched. Maewyn is wrong. I do know something. I know what mistakes look like: her choices.

  Chapter 38

  Maewyn

  HEARING THE SUITE DOOR CLOSE, I opened the leather cover. Blood-Bonding. I flipped through the pages, finding the section I’d left off at. It wasn’t a large or boring read, but it was difficult. Some of the red ink was faded or smudged, and I’d wondered if it was blood—but shoved the thought away.

  My mind drifted to the night of the Durus Revue. After leaving, I’d immediately flown to the family home. Shock and terror made me beg my parents to reconsider while on my knees. Father had stared coldly through me, but mother slapped me so hard my lip split. The metallic tang of blood brought me to my senses.

  When my last hysterical plea faded, father coolly stated I had a choice: Life-Bond with Greerson and advance the family, or Life-Bond with an elder male in the family. Which isn’t a choice at all, I thought furiously. A miserable life, or a certain death?

  My hand went to my thickening waist, barely visible beneath my voluminous velvet dress. I wasn’t showing much, but that would change soon. A small flutter in my womb made my heart squeeze. I’m so sorry, I thought toward my fledgling. There was absolutely nothing I could do. When the Accolade of Blooms arrived in a fortnight, I would be Life-Bonded to Caelum Greerson—for better or worse. I knew from experience it would be the latter.

  I can’t get revenge if I Life-Bond with an elder in our family. No one will make my parents or Greerson pay for what they’ve made me do—and what they’re making me do now. Life is preferable to death, no matter how miserable it is. Especially now. I gently rubbed my stomach.

  I glanced at the crinkling page beneath my hand. I’d slowly studied the small volume, not fully understanding what was written the first time I’d read it. Or the second. Or the third. But somewhere in this book was the answer to my problems, and I was making progress. Bonding was always a tricky process.

  A Mate-Bond slammed into place when two willing Elysian mated for the first time. The life energy of both intertwined and was only dissolvable with a special tonic procured from the Aerial Prelate. A tonic I’d paid dearly for to dissolve the Mate-Bond with Davin.

  Life-Bonding tethered two souls for an entire lifespan and was only dissolvable by death. When one partner died the other felt the pull on their soul to join them. It was a serious annual ritual only performed at the Accolade of Blooms. Ideally, both partners were madly in love and would want to die together, so one wouldn’t have to bear the pain of living without the other.

  Realistically, if one partner hated the other then killing them off wasn’t an option—unless you were on a suicide mission. Which leaves poisoning Greerson off the list of possibilities. So, if a couple wasn’t in love when they Life-Bonded they found ways to cope—and some of those were less than desirable.

  Like mother’s “secret” lovers, I thought sardonically. Father tolerated them because he had his own lovers. It was a perfectly unhappy Life-Bonding. Which is what I’d been avoiding. But now…

  Now I was out of options. Not that I had many to begin with, I thought hopelessly. Disobeying the family wasn’t a possibility. Castia’s mistake had cost her. I hadn’t seen her since the family moved her to the Private Holding, but she would have delivered her fledgling by now. I’d purposely avoided her shop because I didn’t want her guessing my condition. She might not want to tell the family, but if it meant saving herself, she’d do it—and I couldn’t blame her.

  However, according to the tome, Blood-Bonding was an undiscovered way to Bond with a Claimed Elysian. I considered the times I’d seen Pearl with the group of men who looked to her for direction. They’re all Totality Claimed. It was possible she’d Blood-Bonded with them. My finger rubbed the worn page.

  I’d created a minor list of people to experiment with and was more successful with my second attempt at Blood-Bonding. An indecipherable amount of blood was needed for the ritual, and my first attempt with a Fractional Tropos had been messy. I hadn’t understood that the cuts didn’t have to be very deep, and the man had been upset until I’d offered him my body, as promised.

  He’d had no idea my bizarre request to exchange blood would let me control his energy. At least, in theory it would. I hadn’t pulled on the Blood-Bond yet. The Accolade of Blooms was quickly approaching and choosing Totality Claimed males wasn’t easy. Many were already Mate-Bonded or Life-Bonded with other Caelum and might need more persuasion.

  Ari’s furious expression popped into my mind, and I rolled my eyes, squishing the guilt that sprang up. Our friendship was damaged, but I didn’t have the luxury of explaining what I was doing—or the time to mend the rift I’d created with my angry words a fortnight ago. I’m not sorry for what I said, I thought. She thinks if she follows the Old Traditions and is a prude then everything will be okay. As if the world follows those old rules!

  My lips tightened. I didn’t like what I was doing, but I wasn’t going to continue being Greerson’s pawn. So far, I’d done everything he expected me to do. Everything he had planned for me to do. But this…I stared at the red ink scratched across the small volume. He wouldn’t expect this. Would he? A small part of me quivered fearfully.

  He was the one who sent it. Am I doing exactly what he wants? I shook my head. No, he couldn’t know I would look at it
and wouldn’t burn it. But what if he did? I bit my lip, measuring the options. Something I hadn’t done before beginning this endeavor.

  If Greerson expected me to get revenge, then he’d expect me to use this against him. But he was the one who gave it to me. So, what’s the catch? I rubbed my thick waistline protectively. I must keep you safe. Which meant Greerson couldn’t know I was pregnant. My finger tapped against the sentence stating only Caelum could take the Blood-Bond. Was that true?

  Every Elysian was eligible to take the Abeyance, but not everyone was Claimed. That merely meant they didn’t have enough Talent to be Claimed, but the fact that they could take the test in the first place…I tapped the page again. Tilting my head, I weighed a lingering thought.

  If there was enough Talent in Elysian blood to take the Abeyance—Claimed or not—would that mean there was enough Talent to Blood-Bond with? Could it be done with any Elysian? Unbidden, Niles’s smiling face popped into my mind.

  Regret coursed through my veins, my heart yearning at what could have been. Oh, Niles, I thought mournfully. If only you weren’t a Warder. None of this would have happened if things were different. My heart squeezed. Niles was warm, funny, and charming. He was good.

  Completely the opposite of Davin, and you enjoyed mating with him, an insidious voice whispered. Yes, but how I feel about Niles is different, I thought defensively. Is it? the voice whispered. I rubbed at the worn page, considering the question, and hating that I doubted myself after all I’d been through. After everything I’d done to retain a shred of free will instead of being a pawn. Yet, I still ended up exactly where Greerson wanted me, I thought bitterly.

  Shifting my weight, I sighed and looked at the small bump protruding from my belly. I bit my lip. Could I convince Niles to Blood-Bond with me? I shook my head. After how we parted it was unlikely. Not unless we…No, no. I couldn’t drag Niles into this. Could I? I thought about the way his kiss heated me from the outside in, like a ray of sunshine on dark waters.

  A slow curl of longing dragged deep in my womb, and a flutter greeted it in response. Rash decisions are what got you into this predicament, I scolded myself. Still, there would be something novel in comparing his goodness to Davin’s wickedness. Memories of the night with Davin played in my mind.

  There might have been a drug induced haze that made me agreeable, but I hadn’t wanted to say no anyway. A small smile curled my mouth before I shook myself into the present. No, a night with Niles, especially after what I’ve done, would make me feel like I’m tainting him.

  The thought left a sour tang in my mind. Still, Blood-Bonding with someone other than a Caelum could be possible. It was something to consider later. For now, I needed to focus on gaining an advantage over Greerson, and that meant starting with Caelum.

  I tapped my lip, pondering the list of possibilities. While I mulled over it, I flipped to the section labeled ‘Blood-Pulling’. I’d read this section a few times, trying to decipher how to ‘pull’ on the Blood-Bond once it was created. Deciding it was time to try ‘pulling’ on the link I’d made with the Tropos Caelum, I reread the first paragraph. Closing my eyes, I focused.

  At first, I could only sense my own Talent, like I always did when I centered myself and ‘tapped’ into my core. It was a silvery mass of wind tossed snow. Slowly, minute by minute, I made out three more colors, distinct from my Talent. A thrill of excitement shot through me, and I almost lost my concentration.

  Only years of tapping into my Talent kept my focus from breaking. Three chords. I examined them, letting the feel become familiar. One was thick, strong, and almost identical to the silver color of my own Talent. Is that my part of the Blood-Bond? An earthy green chord was next to it. It curled and undulated. That must belong to the Augment Caelum Ari saw leaving my bedchamber.

  The last was bright blue, pulsing with life and waving madly, as though caught in an invisible current of wind. I studied it, poking it with an invisible finger. It coiled tightly before releasing into a wavering line spooling into the distance, presumably attached to the Tropos Caelum.

  Now to ‘pull’ on the Blood-Bond, I thought. Silently, I gathered my end of the bright blue line and gave a little tug. My breath caught at a spurt of energy that raced up the line, singing into my skin with glee. I paused, examining the small thrum of energy filling my body. Inside, the mass of Talent glowed radiantly before dimming.

  The silvery chord next to it thickened. This feeling was…wonderful! I felt strong and powerful. Like I was finally in control, and I instantly wanted more. I tugged on the Blood-Bond harder.

  Chapter 39

  Maewyn

  ISTIFLED A SHIVER when the cool air of spring kissed the back of my neck, running a hand down my long, dark gown. I’d donned black from head to toe for the evening, and made Ari dye my wings to match. The color matched my mood perfectly. If I couldn’t avoid tonight, I could at least feel appropriately dressed for it, and there was enough chill to justify the heaviness of my clothing.

  The Accolade of Blooms was in full swing, and every street of the Main Holding was bustling. Someone bumped into me, and I readjusted my black lace mask. An oily voice made a chill run down my spine. “Without your silver hair, I wouldn’t have recognized you, my dear. All black is not your typical garb.”

  I stiffened at the bony hand firmly gripping my upper arm, caressing it proprietarily. Jerking my arm out of Greerson’s grip, I stepped backward. I’d purposely delayed our meeting. Reminding myself I wasn’t a pawn, I coolly met Greerson’s assessing gaze. Crossing my arms defensively, I tried to draw attention away from my belly. Does he notice? I thought fearfully. My clothes were getting tighter, and I would have to find other ways to hide my fledging.

  My anxiety eased when his eyes didn’t stray too far down. “I’m glad you chose to cooperate,” he purred.

  As if I had a choice, I thought grimly. I remained silent, refusing to give him the satisfaction of pleading. It never stopped him. He can’t hurt me anymore, I thought stiffly.

  Greerson wore a pale silver ensemble deeply embroidered with gold. The white mask covering the top-half of his face matched the gold-trimmed cloak thrown over his bony shoulders. We looked like day and night, and I wanted to spit on his white boots. Couldn’t let go of his status as a Caelum, I thought spitefully. At least I won’t have to see his face with that mask on.

  “Black is a stark color, but you look stunning, my dear. Come, I don’t want to wait in a long line.” Greerson grabbed my arm again, pulling me forward. Stiffening, I silently resisted our progress.

  I reminded myself I was in control. No matter what happened tonight, I was the one with more power. The energy brimming inside of me from my Blood-Bonds shot up and down my veins in little fissures, buzzing vigorously. My nights were increasingly busy with the amount of Blood-Bonds I’d created. Could Greerson feel it?

  I doubted it. He’d probably made a few Blood-Bonds of his own since he’d discovered the method, but I couldn’t sense them. No, he doesn’t know if I created my own Blood-Bonds. I knew I had more power than Greerson. Steeling myself, I walked toward the platform set up every year for the Life-Bonding ceremony.

  Bright and wild colors in every combination dotted the entire Main Holding, spilling into the Market District and Inner Holding. Most people wore masks, typical Accolade of Blooms attire, but a few had painted faces and other adornments. It was a new fad, and I distracted myself with a pale blue face in the crowd while we walked toward the high platform.

  Crushed pearls added a translucent sheen to the paint, and silk fin hair combs sat beside the woman’s ears. She looked like an exotic fish walking on land. Fascinating, I thought, briefly distracted from the misery strangling me. Hers wasn’t the only costume of its kind. There was a deer, a flower, and even a fruit dotting the milling crowd walking from booth to booth.

  Greerson firmly tugged me into the line for the Life-Bonding ceremony, and my stomach churned queasily. Throwing up on Greerson’s outfit might be t
he only perk to the evening, I thought hysterically. After receiving Castia’s letter, I hadn’t eaten before leaving Ascension.

  Tears smudged the parchment, but it was legible. Castia’s fledgling was a girl she’d named Amethyst, and she’d been held down while the fledgling was taken. Aside from the tears on the parchment there was no emotion in the letter. Just cold facts. As though a part of her had died that night.

  I shivered, refraining from rubbing my lightly protruding belly. Castia’s letter had concluded with the news that she was back in play; the family had put her beside the High Lord again. I wondered what the family had done with Amethyst, but it wasn’t my concern. My concern was my own fledgling and keeping knowledge of it from their clutches for as long as possible.

  The line shifted, and I took a step closer to my ill-fated future. Greerson’s fingers tightened as though I would run away. I can’t. Someone from the family is watching to make sure I go through with the ceremony. There’s no escape. Nowhere to go. After the ceremony I’ll have to…

  Panicking, I closed my eyes and focused on the extra energy floating through me. Breathe, just breathe, I reminded myself. You’re in control. However, the idea of Life-Bonding with Greerson was so repulsive that I swayed, lightheaded.

  As though reading my mind, Greerson leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Don’t worry, my dear Maewyn, I won’t mate with you in the skies afterwards. I’ll reserve that for a time when I can indulge in my own…tastes.”

  Revulsion darted through me and Greerson smiled, thin lips pulling the skin on the bottom of his face taught. A maelstrom of emotion swept through me. You will never touch me again, I thought fiercely. I might have to Life-Bond with you, but I will be the one in control. You’ll see.

  Once I figure out how to use the Blood-Bond completely, I’ll…I’ll…my thoughts petered out. What would I do with the Blood-Bond once we were Life-Bonded? I froze, terror shooting through me. The tome never explained how to use the connection once the Bond was pulled on.