The Forsaken Saga Complete Box Set (Books 1-4)

by Sophia Sharp

  Nora swung her head back to look at Kalvarin’s bloody corpse. No matter who he was, he hadn’t died pleasantly.

  “So what do we do with the bodies, then?” she asked. “We can’t just leave them here to be found…?”

  Hunter nodded, serious for once. “You’re right, as always. We’ll get rid of them.”

  “How?”

  “Don’t you worry.” He winked at her. “Being a member of the Vassiz, I’ve had lots of experience hiding bodies over the years.”

  Chapter Four

  ~A Meeting of Friends~

  A few hours later, Nora finally left the old mill behind. She had been impressed with Hunter’s efficacy at clearing up the fight scene, so much so, that by the time they left the mill there was absolutely no trace of the battle that had gone on there.

  Nora still didn’t much like the fact that they had to face Algar and his brother head-on – she would have preferred to sneak out of the attic without attracting attention – but had to admit that not worrying about somebody coming up from behind them was a welcome relief.

  She allowed Gray to lead the way forward, as he knew exactly where to take them. Back to Alexander and Madison, who were waiting, probably impatiently, for them to return from the expedition to the mill.

  Ever since waking up in that marble chamber, Nora felt a new sense of purpose dawn upon her. After what Gabrielle had told her about the prophecy, and the war the Vassiz fought against the angels, and the deceitful way in which the elders rose to power following an armistice, she knew what she needed to do. She had to seek revenge against the elders, for the way they imprisoned the angels and betrayed their own kind. For the way they were hunting after her, leaving her no peace. For their role in uprooting her from her family, from her home, and from her friends, all in an effort to prevent…whatever role it was she played in the prophecy.

  The prophecy called for a sacred daughter to free the fallen ones from their place of imprisonment. And while she still didn’t fully understand what her role had been in freeing the six angels from that horrible silver pool, she had been there when it all occurred. And she had fought against that horrible, daemonic creature, which, just maybe, started the entire process.

  She fought the creature, but she didn’t defeat it. That had been thanks to Hunter and Madison. They were the ones who finally took it down, and if not for them showing up in the nick of time… Nora didn’t want to think about what would have happened.

  Thanks to Madison. Maybe that meant she was the one whom the prophecy spoke of?

  Nora shook her head. If that had been the only requirement for finding the destined one, Madison would clearly have been the better choice. But there was more to it than that.

  When darkness comes, and hope is lost, a shimmering star shall be revealed. And she will free the fallen ones, restoring order to the rule of man.

  That had been what Gabrielle told her before naming her as that very star. Nora shivered despite herself. The sense of responsibility coming from that was enormous – if it was all true. But it was the next part that cemented it all in her mind.

  “It says many things, of course,” Gabrielle had told her. “Debate has raged through the eons about its true meaning. But some things are certain. It speaks of a new coming order, a realignment in the place of all. There is mention of a human child, taken in the dream, and ripped to reality. She is the shimmering star of hope. It is told that before her eighteenth namesday she will return to her world of birth, and with it she shall set the fallen free. The order of rule will be realigned in those who set the prisons, but she shall come both as one of them, yet set apart.”

  A human child – that she was. But Madison had been one, too. She was not a pure-born.…before her eighteenth namesday, she will return to her place of birth, and with it she shall set the fallen free…

  She assumed a namesday was another word for a birthday, and based on that, she was the only one it could be speaking of. Madison had lived for hundreds of years and had been transformed when she was older than Nora. That pointed the prophecy directly away from her.

  …she shall come both as one of them, yet set apart…

  And, of course, that was the very defining characteristic of her transformation. She came as one of the Vassiz, yet set apart by the nature of that formative first feeding. She had feasted on Vassiz blood her first time which, as far as Hunter or Alexander or even Madison knew, had never happened before. That very clearly, and very conspicuously, set her apart.

  Yet there were other things she did not understand – things she did not even want to think about. Taken in the dream, and ripped to reality. Did that mean… she had been born in the dream realm? That was ridiculous, of course. She knew with all her heart that she was born in Seattle General Hospital, less than thirty minutes away from her childhood home. It was where her mother gave birth to her just over seventeen years ago. Right?

  And yet, despite the certainty of that, Nora felt a gnawing doubt grow at the back of her mind, nagging at her ceaselessly. She had heard the stories of adopted children growing up blissfully unaware that the people they thought were their parents – their real parents – were actually adoptive parents. She heard of those children growing up feeling as if they knew their parents and then being absolutely crushed when that knowledge came face-to-face with reality – and their world crumbled around them. But that couldn’t be the case with her – could it?

  No. That was just not possible. All her life, her parents had looked after her with love and caring, and she was sheltered from the dangers of the world in the safety of their love. And yet… that unnerving dissonance kept creeping up at the back of her mind. Would her parents have treated their daughter any differently had she been adopted? Resentfully, she had to admit that no, they probably would not have.

  But that was neither here nor there. She knew what she had to do, what she decided to do in the presence of Gabrielle and the angels.

  She would fight to take down the elders.

  If she were successful, it would accomplish so many things. The elders held the monopoly of power over the Vassiz. And if they were taken down, it meant the packs should leave her and Hunter alone. Which meant, in turn, that she could finally go back to see her family and stop living in fear of contact with others of her own race. She wouldn’t have to run anymore and could see her family and get to the bottom of this adoption issue. She could live in peace, then, together with Hunter forever.

  Looking at it that way, she had to admit her own goals did seem to align quite well with what that prophecy foretold. She shrugged. Maybe she was the destined one, but it didn’t mean her task would be anywhere near easy.

  And of course, there was that last part, the one that Gabrielle had told her directly in regard to the prophecy. It was clearly unambiguous to him: “It speaks of you, Nora.”

  “We’re here.”

  Hunter’s voice jolted her out of her thoughts. She looked around and saw they had come upon the campground they had taken residence in last night. But Madison and Alexander were nowhere to be seen.

  “Where is everyone?” Nora asked, after a moment. “It’s empty.”

  “I think,” Hunter said slyly, “our friends thought it prudent to take a little…rendezvous…when they realized we would be taking so long.”

  Nora’s cheeks blushed at the suggestion. But just then, before Hunter could see her embarrassment, she heard movement through the bush. She turned her head toward it.

  It was Alexander, picking his way out toward her and Hunter. He smiled when he saw them.

  “Greetings,” he announced. “Finally back, eh?” He eyed the two of them warily. “And just what have you two lovebirds been up to for so long?”

  Hunter laughed and went over to greet Alexander. Clasping his hand, he slapped him jovially on the back and whispered something very quickly in his ear that Nora couldn’t pick up. Alexander smiled, nodded surreptitiously, and said something back. Nora couldn’t hear that ei
ther. She felt a little left out, but decided she probably didn’t want to know what was being said. And anyway, she was glad to see Alexander in such good spirits. His shoulder had completely healed, thanks to the angel’s touch. The same touch that had saved her life after she had taken such a beating from that nightmarish creature.

  Nora noticed movement behind Alexander and craned her head to get a better view. In a moment, she saw it was Madison, looking as beautiful as ever. And even a little bit…flustered. Nora thought she would never see the day.

  Madison came over to wrap her arms around Alexander’s neck and then smiled warmly at Nora. “Welcome back,” she told her. “We were starting to wonder what was taking so long.”

  Nora felt the color in her cheeks rise again and strode over to Hunter briskly. If only to feel the cool wind against her face. But she smiled back at Madison and Alexander and curved her lips ever-so-sweetly for Hunter.

  “We had some excitement,” Nora said, looping her arm through Hunter’s. “But it was nothing we couldn’t handle.”

  Hunter smiled adoringly at her. “That’s right,” he said. “Although I have a feeling Nora would have been happy to avoid it all altogether.”

  “Not true!” Nora defended. “I just didn’t appreciate…the way we went about it.”

  Alexander raised his eyebrows suggestively, and looked from Nora to Hunter and back again a few times. Madison had taken to stroking the side of his arm lovingly. She was very clearly avoiding Hunter’s or Nora’s eye for the moment. Hunter laughed that great laugh of his, breaking the momentary silence.

  “So,” Alexander began, motioning to the center of the camp. “We should sit and discuss the day’s events.” Madison cooed something softly in his ear, and he chuckled briefly, then moved his head to the side to kiss her cheek. “Shall we?”

  He walked over to the spot he had designated before, and Hunter followed after him. Nora started after them, but Madison caught her sleeve.

  “He is stubborn, that man of yours,” she told her gently, “but I have a feeling he would sacrifice everything for you.”

  Nora looked back and frowned. “What would give you that impression?”

  “Just a feeling I have.” Madison smiled kindly. “He reminds me a lot of Alexander, when we first met. A bit…rough around the edges, but his heart is in the right place.”

  Nora giggled at the description. It fit Hunter perfectly.

  “So don’t be too hard on him if he sometimes sticks his feet in the ground and refuses to move. He simply thinks, as all men do, that he knows best. And when that happens…” Madison winked suggestively at Nora.

  “…he just needs a woman there to show him the way,” Nora said, finishing the sentence. And then she and Madison both burst out laughing.

  “Come on,” Madison said, once the laughter died down, “the boys are starting to stare daggers at our backs wondering what’s taking so long.” Nora glanced at Alexander and Hunter and realized that both of them were staring at them, and both had befuddled looks on their faces. Nora laughed again and followed Madison to the center of camp.

  Chapter Five

  ~Decisions~

  “So,” Alexander said, once they came within earshot, “you two finally decided to grace us with your presence.” He lifted a brow in mock irritation.

  “Oh, give over, Alex.” Madison sat down and nudged him with an elbow. “Nora and I were just having a quick private chat.” She winked at Nora. “Anyway, I’m sure you two had plenty to talk about without us.”

  “Right,” Alexander said slyly. He shot an unreadable look toward Hunter, who nodded in reply. Nora settled herself on the ground, leaning her back against the log Hunter sat on. “But now that the pleasantries are done with, we need to get down to business. And the first question on my mind is; did you find what you were looking for?”

  Nora looked to Hunter, who shook his head. “No. It seems somebody beat us there and wiped the entire mill clean. There was nothing left in the chest.”

  “So the letters, then,” Madison began, looking worried. “They’re…”

  “Gone,” Nora confirmed, nodding. “The elders set two guards on duty there, in case we came back. We overheard them speaking.”

  Alexander leaned forward intently. “Guards? Did they trouble you?” Under his breath, he added, “I knew we should have gone.”

  “No,” Nora and Hunter said at the same time. He looked at her, and after a moment tilted his head in acquiescence.

  “There were two brothers,” Nora began. “They were talking about guarding the place in case we came back. As far as I could gather, they’d been stationed there by the elders and had been there for quite some time.

  “When we got to the mill, it was empty. We lucked out in that sense, I guess. We went to the attic, where Hunter had kept the chest, but when we opened it – we realized it was empty. That was when the two guards came back. One was named Kalvarin, and the other…”

  “Algar,” Hunter said, finishing the sentence. “It sounded like they weren’t too happy to be there.”

  “Wait,” Madison said, frowning slightly. “Did you say Algar?”

  “Yes,” Hunter said. “Why, do you know him?”

  “I may have…once, long ago. The name is not one you hear every day. Tell me, did he have a deep, somewhat hoarse voice?”

  “Yes,” Nora said.

  “And dark hair, with wide shoulders?”

  Nora looked to Hunter. He’d been the one who fought him. “That’s right.” Hunter nodded.

  “Then it likely is one and the same.” She bit her bottom lip, something Nora had never seen her do. “I did not know he had kin, but he was never one to take kindly to being told what to do or where to go. If he stayed there on order of the elders…well, I doubt the assignment would have come easily.”

  “They were both arguing about what they were set to do,” Nora confirmed. “From what I could gather, neither wanted much to be there.”

  “But you fought them,” Alexander said. “Does that mean they are…”

  “Dead.” Nora finished the sentence for him. “There was no way to get out without attracting their attention.” She looked at Hunter ruefully. “And they fought to kill, too. It was either us, or them. If you knew him, Madison, I’m sorry.”

  Madison waved her aside. “There are more important matters now than long-forgotten acquaintances. He threw his lot in with the ones chasing you. In war, you do not mourn the casualties on the other side.” Her tone was surprisingly cold.

  “So, what do we do now?” Nora asked. “Since we couldn’t get the letters, we’ve made no gains in finding where the elders reside.” She looked to Hunter, then to Madison, and finally to Alexander. “Do we press on, or do we alter course?”

  “That’s your choice, Nora,” Alexander reminded her gently. “You steer us the way we need to go.”

  Nora sighed and massaged the bridge of her nose. Since the meeting with the angels, where it had been revealed she was the prophesied one, everything had been her choice. Every decision they’ve made so far, from coming back to the mill to look for the letters, to where to set up camp had been her choice.

  “I know it’s my choice,” she emphasized strongly, “but as much as you might believe me to be some destined one, I can tell you that doesn’t guarantee anything.” Alexander believed in the prophecy immediately and saw no other explanation than Nora being the one it spoke of. He reminded her of it at seemingly every opportunity. “And as much as I wish I held some divine wisdom about our future path, I don’t. Which is why I ask for your advice—” she motioned with her arm to take everyone in, “—when it comes to matters that might affect us all. You’ve all been alive much longer than I have, and I’d be a fool not to make use of your experience.”

  Hunter smiled at her lovingly and squeezed her arm. He knew of the prophecy as well as Alexander had, but he still treated her exactly the same way as before. Well – maybe a little differently. After finding her in th
e underground marble chamber, transformation complete and all, he had taken on a slightly more challenging attitude toward her than she remembered. But she loved him for it. It kept her grounded and always on her toes. If everybody started swooning around her the way Alexander sometimes did, she would go absolutely crazy.

  “It seems to me,” Madison began, “that we have two options.” Madison had also begun to treat Nora differently once the prophecy had been revealed. But it was a good type of different. She started relating to her as a grown woman, an equal of sorts. She respected Nora’s opinions – but at the same time was never shy about giving her own. “And either of them could lead us to the same goal, finding the elders’ stronghold and taking the fight to them.

  “The first – and this is infinitely more risky – involves making an appeal for help to other Vassiz we have known throughout our lives. We could start with the ones we trust the most – an oxymoron, I know – and hint vaguely at the beginnings of unrest under the elders’ rule. I could do it myself, even, through the dream.”

  “She is very good at persuading people,” Alexander said, smiling up at her.

  Madison cleared her throat. “Right.” Nora knew she didn’t like being interrupted. “We could become the force behind a type of political shadow, hinting and suggesting…but never outright saying anything that could get us indicted. Although,” she added slyly, “it’s not like Vassiz law ever had the need for formal proofs to be upheld.

  “Anyway, that’s the first option. Like I said, it’s infinitely more risky and, therefore, much more problematic. What if, for example, someone we speak to holds a strong allegiance to the elders? Nobody knows the web of relationships that hold one Vassiz to another. So all we could do is hold our breath and hope none that would stop us hears too much. At the same time, we must hope those who might potentially support us understand enough to back us up.”

  “And the other option?” Nora asked.

  “The other option,” Madison said, “is to keep going forward, undeterred, just as we’d planned. We continue toward the sanctuary you and Hunter found before.” That had been their plan all along – to go back and find the letters, then return to the sanctuary to see if Rafael had survived the horde. Nora prayed he had. He could provide invaluable information, about the elders, about the prophecy, about the angels. About everything they had discovered in the prior weeks. And – it was a last resort, one final hope –maybe he knew where the elders were. As Alexander had told her once, Rafael “knew more than all.” And if he’d survived, Nora was intent on finding him and making use of that knowledge.