by A. N. Sage
“No.” Cyril laughed. The sound felt unnatural to Ruby, likely because this was the first time in years that she had heard it. “But we can make sure that each house holds a piece of it so that the full power of the sword is never united unless we all agree to it.”
She took a step back. If this worked, it was actually a pretty good plan.
“Wait, what’s to stop someone from just killing all of you and putting the sword back together?”
“Well, there is a catch.” Alice said.
“Ok...”
“It’s been a very long time since there was an AetherBorn guarding the sword. None of us can actually break the sword and we definitely can’t put it back together. Only you can do that.”
“What? I wouldn’t even know where to start to do that.”
“It’s all right, Ruby. We will be with you to help guide your powers. Although your connection to the sword is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.”
“We know this is a lot to take on. We’re asking you to become...”
“Like a queen, or something?” Jake yelled out from the corner of the room. He had been so quiet that she almost forgot he was there.
“More like a guardian. But if you prefer, I’m sure we could get on board with queen.” Myriam said and smiled. Her toothless grin put Ruby at ease immediately.
“You can take some time to think about it if you need.” Cyril said.
“No. I’ll do it.”
Her mind was racing. She wasn’t sure what she was getting herself into, but at this point, if it meant the houses were in unison, she had to go along with it. She would do anything to stop this war, even if it meant spending the rest of her life in their world. A world of powers and demi-Gods and... Her thoughts landed on Liam.
She turned around and looked at the spot where he was, only to find it empty. She panicked. How had he managed to slip away? She was so entwined in her thoughts she hadn’t seen him walk out. She was about to run out of the room and chase after him when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
“Looking for me?” Liam said, as she swung around towards him.
“Always.” She smiled.
She wanted to talk to him about what just happened. To over analyze everything the elders said and have him tell her it would all be all right. But more than that, she wanted to kiss him one more time. Her hands reached for the back of his head and she jumped up to hug him. As his arms wrapped around her waist, she could feel the rest of the room disappear. He was the only thing that mattered now. She felt his hard chest against hers and leaned in closer. Their lips met and she breathed in the heat he was surrendering, cooling it down within her own mouth. They pulled away, suddenly realizing the room was still full of people.
“So, how about you let me take you out on a real date?” He said.
“Sure,” she smiled. “But I get to pick the place.”
“Whatever you say, my queen.” he laughed, and squeezed her hand.
She couldn’t believe it. Her plan had actually worked. Ruby looked at the sword and heaviness filled her body. For the first time, it wasn’t the sword’s power that she was feeling. The weight she was experiencing was burden. The burden of being responsible for the lives of all Elementals, the burden of controlling the peace. Trying to smile, she walked to the sword, running her finger across the blade.
So, this is what it feels like to be an AetherBorn.
Chapter 46
Just going for pizza
Ruby watched Shaylah dump dress after dress onto her bed. She was pulling everything out of her own closet and holding it up to Ruby’s face before throwing it onto the pile. She was happy to have her friend back to normal again but could definitely do with a little less enthusiasm. It seemed that Shaylah was more excited about her date than she was.
“How about this one?” she asked and pulled up a leopard print mini.
“Definitely not.” Ruby said, cringing. “Shay, this is super casual. We’re just going for pizza.”
“I know, but the way you talk about this guy, it has to be perfect! How about this one?”
“That’s a hard no on that one. Didn’t you wear that to your cousin’s wedding last year?”
“Oh, yeah. And they’re divorced now, so, probably not a good choice. Bad juju.”
Ruby laughed. She was really hoping to wear her usual tee, ripped jeans and sneakers, but it seemed her friend had alternate ideas. After spending much too long analyzing everything Ruby owned, they settled on a simple black dress and nude pumps.
“So, have your parents met him, yet?”
“Uhm, not yet. But probably soon.”
“You mean, when they move down here, and you have no choice?”
“Yep. Pretty much.”
When her parents found out what happened with the elders, and the choice Ruby had made to be the sword’s guardian, they were adamant on being closer to her. She could have sworn her dad was putting the house up for sale before she’d even hung up the phone. Selfishly, she was glad they would be closer, but a big part of her wanted them to stay away. Not just so she could ensure their safety but also to have her own privacy. There was so much about her life now that she needed to figure out. It was as if she were learning how to live all over again, this time as someone other than human.
Looking back at her friend as she ran out the door, she wished she could share this new journey with her. There were so many things she wanted to get her opinion on. The elders, her role as a leader, dating an Elemental. But she knew that the more Shaylah knew about that world, the more danger she was in. Besides, the rule of ‘no powers’ in front of humans kind of meant she had to keep secrets.
“You sure you want to wear that thing?” Shaylah asked, pointing at the enormous Onyx stone hanging from Ruby’s neck. The only piece of the sword she inherited in the division.
“Yes, Shay. I already told you, it was a gift and I like it.”
“Fine, but don’t you dare change into those flats in your purse when you leave!” Shaylah yelled out the door as she ran downstairs. “They do nothing for the outfit!”
The night was warmer than usual, and she got whiffs of different foods as they walked past the shops on the street. They had eaten almost two whole pizzas at the restaurant, and Ruby suggested they walk back to her apartment to walk it off. The idea seemed quite romantic when she said it, but now her feet were throbbing, and she wanted nothing more than to get into her leggings and watch a movie on the couch.
“You look beautiful tonight, you know.” Liam said.
“Thanks.” She reached into her purse and pulled out the pair of flats. “Do you mind if I get just a little bit shorter?”
Liam’s laughter filled the street and she started to laugh with him. If Shaylah was here, she would slap her. She tried to hold onto his arm for balance but he grabbed her waist and pulled her in close. Their eyes met, and she started to pull in closer to his lips.
“Uhm... Sorry to interrupt.”
Ruby jumped back, startled to see Zag standing in the middle of the sidewalk watching them.
“Zag? What are you doing here, man?” Liam asked. She was wondering the same thing.
“I know it’s timing, but it couldn’t wait. You’d better come to the training grounds quick.”
“What’s wrong, Zag?” She asked, feeling for the Onyx necklace.
“We have a big problem.”
Chapter 47
Something we’ve never seen before
The familiar walk to the pawn shop was quicker than usual. They almost ran to the resistance, now known as Elemental Training Grounds, without exchanging so much as a glance. This was definitely not the date she was hoping for.
“Zag, what’s going on? What happened, exactly?” Liam was getting upset with the lack of information, and she reached for his hand to calm him down.
“Let’s just get downstairs, I’ll let Jake tell you.”
As they made their way down the stairs, Ruby realized the extremity
of the situation. If Jake was willing to interrupt their date, something must be really wrong. They had not spoken about what happened since the elder meeting, and Ruby had no intention of bringing it up. All she wanted was to have her friend back, but she knew he needed time away from her. She’d hurt him when she chose Liam; she’d hurt herself as well. Jake was all she’d wanted for most of her adult life, and now the comfort of his presence was almost non-existent.
“Hey, Jake. What happened?” Liam reached out his hand to shake Jake’s as they walked into one of the training rooms. “Zag made it sound like the world was ending.”
“Well, he’s not totally wrong.” Jake was looking at Ruby now, his eyes searching for guidance from her. She felt the Onyx start to burn into her skin.
The sword! She thought.
“Is it the sword? What happened?”
“My father’s piece. It’s gone. Someone took it.”
“What do you mean gone? Isn’t it more guarded than the Louvre?” Liam exclaimed.
“It is. That’s why we don’t know how it happened. No one had access to it except the elders and Ruby. It’s like it just... disappeared.” There was discomfort in his voice, he wasn’t happy having to speak to Liam and it showed in every word.
“Things don’t just disappear, Jake.” She said. “People take them. I need to get to Cyril’s office. Now.”
She ran out of the room and made her way back outside. Her feet were moving quickly now, despite having not had a chance to change out of the heels. How could this have happened? Who could have taken the sword piece? And were they coming after the rest of the pieces next?
Ruby led the way out of the elevator with Liam, Jake, and Zag on her heels. She walked straight towards the end of the hall to the room where the Water sword piece was kept. The two guards stationed outside the door stood up straight when they saw her, and she wondered why they were still there. There was no sword piece left to protect.
“Evening, Miss Black!” One of them said and stepped aside to let her enter. He could not have been much older than Ruby but was already strapped with two guns and a bullet proof vest.
Ruby ran into the room, throwing a smile in the guard’s direction as she entered. There was no evidence of a break in. The books on the shelves were undisturbed and the painting on the wall hung perfectly in place. She took it off and placed it on the floor next to her. Liam started to rush over to help but she waved him off. This was AetherBorn business now.
The lock was untouched and much like the rest of the room, spotless. She placed her palm on the sensor and listened for the locking mechanism to respond to her touch. A second later, the safe door slid open revealing the empty display case that used to house the sword piece.
The Onyx vibrated at her neck. She clutched at it with one hand and used the other to circle the room. Black fog moved from her palm to fill every inch around her. She moved quicker and with every turn, the room got darker until she could not see a foot if front of her. Her eyes opened and a cold wind pushed from her palms to clear the fog. As the blackness dissipated, glowing black marks appeared on the walls around them. Her mouth gaped open. The marks were everywhere. They covered every part of the walls, ceiling and floor. She could hear their energy scream within her.
Ruby looked from wall to wall, memorizing the shapes. Running to the corner desk, she grabbed a piece of paper and frantically drew what she saw. Every line, circle and symbol.
“Guys?” she said, “Have you ever seen anything like this?”
“Uhm, Ruby?” Liam said quietly, “You might want to get out of this room now.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“These aren’t Elemental marks.”
“So, that means that whoever took the sword...” she whispered.
“Was something we’ve never seen before.”
She looked up at Liam, his eyes were wide with wonder and fear. Her fingers laced around his as the symbols faded from the walls around them. The weight of the Onyx on her neck felt almost as heavy as the weight of the Elemental world on her shoulders. Her grip tightened and she sighed in relief. Whatever was coming next, she was glad she didn’t have to face it alone.
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AetherQueen, Book 2 of The AetherBorn Saga
What good is a queen if she can’t protect her people?
When Ruby Black was dragged into the centre of a war between powerful Elemental Houses, she faced a fight for survival with her very life on the line. Now, the war is over; shattering the Sword of Enuma into fragments and bestowing them equally among the Houses, Ruby herself was the architect of that peace. More than that though, she is Queen, elected and protected by the Elemental deities she once feared.
But peace is a fragile thing, and when the sword fragments begin vanishing from under the noses of the Great Houses, the threat of war looms once more. The pieces must be found, but with the only clue being a series of cryptic symbols found at the scene of each theft, she’ll need all the help she can get.
Dark forces are moving in the shadows, and they threaten to bring all she has worked for crashing down.
If a queen cannot rule, chaos will reign in her place.
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Also by A. N. Sage
Kartgega- Kartega Chronicles Book 1
Kartgega 2.0: A Star Reborn- Kartega Chronicles Book 2
Witch of Shadows- Shadowhurst Mysteries Book 1
Book of Darkness- Shadowhurst Mysteries Book 2
Cavern of Lies- Shadowhurst Mysteries Book 3
About the Author
A.N. Sage has spent most of her life waiting to meet a witch, vampire, or at least get haunted by a ghost. In between failed seances and many questionable outfit choices, she has developed a keen eye for the extra-ordinary.
Since chasing the supernatural does not pay the bills, she dabbled in creative entrepreneurship, marketing and retail management. A.N. spends her free time reading and binge-watching television shows in her pajamas.
Currently, she resides in Toronto, Canada with her husband who is not a creature of the night.
A.N. Sage is a Scorpio and a massive advocate of leggings for pants.
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