by Sophia Sharp
I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn’t even notice Liz running up the stairs and barreling down the hall toward my room. Her shoulder bumped into mine, and with a start I found her right there before me.
“Do you know who that was in your room?” she asked breathlessly. “Silvia!”
I stared at her blankly, not understanding. Of course that was Silvia; she had introduced herself as such! What was so important about that?
“The Third!” Liz stressed. “She’s the oldest of the elders. She’s been alive since before Arthur Eliot was born!”
“Well, that’s kind of obvious,” I said, shaking my head. “She looks older than him.”
“No, no, I mean, older than his father! Than Arthur Eliot senior. By decades!”
“Decades?” I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“The crystals don’t just grant power, Tracy, they extend our lives! Aeryth just told me so. Any woman who uses the crystals can expect to live two, three times longer than normal.”
I blinked. That was… unbelievable. “Do you know how old Silvia is?”
Liz gave me such an abashed look that I cringed. “Of course not. Don’t you see how rude it would be to ask? Isn’t it good enough knowing that she’s decades older than Arthur’s dad was?”
“I guess,” I said. “You just learned of this now? How does it work? The crystals… extend lives?”
“That’s what Aeryth just said,” Liz told me. “But I can’t keep Silvia waiting. Aeryth sent me to her because she knows about the wall inscriptions.”
“Wait, the ones from Traven Island?”
Liz nodded impatiently. “Yes, yes! Aeryth said that when Arthur Eliot senior came here the first time, the seekers gave his group some type of sketches. The seekers told them to place the sketches close to the source of crystals. As a way of luring others – us! – to the crystals. But the seekers themselves didn’t know where the source was, or rather, maybe they didn’t tell them.”
“So then, with the help of the CIA,” I said slowly, “Arthur Eliot’s group of researchers engraved the sketches in the caves below Traven Island?”
“Exactly!” Liz said. “I’m sure there’s a lot more to it. I’ll ask Silvia. You’re going to see Rob? He’s down the hall, just to the right. Just be quiet, you don’t want to—”
“Wake him, I know,” I cut in. “I won’t.”
“Good. Well, I have to go. I can’t keep Silvia waiting.”
“Alright, go,” I said.
Liz slipped around me, but stopped at my shoulder. “There’s a lot to think about for us, isn’t there?”
“So much,” I agreed. With that, Liz ran past me, and I heard her footsteps against the floor of the hallway. Finally, I’d be able to see Rob.
The brief reprieve with Liz actually helped me get my strength back, and I no longer had to lean against the wall for support. Still, I shuffled down the hallway, to the door at the end. There was a lot to think about, not even involving Liz’s revelation – the crystals granted longer life? How? – but all I could think of at the moment was Rob. I put my hand on the doorknob, and quietly turned it open.
It was a room much like the one I had woken up in. There was a single bed, made of white sheets, and a small window that allowed sunlight through. A chair stood near the bed, and there was a sturdy dresser against the wall. But all that was secondary to who was in the room. Rob was there, lying on the bed. The black eye he had been harboring for so long was gone. His face was completely undisturbed, now. If I didn’t know any better, I would have said he was in full health. But then I noticed how weakly his chest rose and fell with the rhythm of breath. His breathing was regular, but it was light. That worried me.
I clicked the door shut behind me, and tip-toed to take the chair. I brought it to the side of the bed, careful not to make a sound. Ever so gently, I brought my hand forward to delicately brush his cheek. Maybe it was my imagination – or maybe not – but just then, I thought I saw his eyes flicker briefly.
I smiled. That had to be a good sign. Rob would wake up. I knew it. And no matter what happened, I would be the first person he would see when he woke up.
That was the only certainty I felt. I didn’t know how anything else would turn out – with the girls, with the crystals, with the seekers, with the people chasing us. But no matter what happened, we would all face it together. For once, I did not feel any despair. We were all in this together, and that gave me strength.
I leaned back in the chair, and started to wait. There was nothing else for me to do.
Epilogue
Chris waited until he was sure the other person in the room had left before moving his hand to his face. His fingers trembled as they came upon the cotton bandages wrapped around his head. He reached for where he knew his nose would be – and found nothing there. The bandages were smooth, belying the ruined mass of skin underneath. He could feel the structure of his skull – his forehead, his jaw, the sunken hollows of his eyes – but beyond that, Chris could find nothing else. Even worse, the sensation from the skin was gone. His face was numb. As his fingers explored the misshapen valleys of his face, his mind wandered. He may as well have been poking at a slab of meat.
He did not feel any sadness at what he found. It was expected, after what he had gone through. Rather, he felt rage. White-hot rage that seared his marrow and boiled his blood, and fed on a newfound anger that pulsed and grew within him. All of the emotion was directed at Tracy. All his suffering lay at her feet.
He had thought the previous deformity she caused him was bad, but there was nothing that could compare to this. He had lost his face. He had lost what had made him him.
Even worse, Tracy had denied him the dignity to die. That thought fueled his rage even further. He could remember precious little of the moments after his voliar had backfired on him. But one thing stood out as in his memory: Tracy’s voice, worming into his mind like a venomous snake, as he lay on the ground ready to embrace death. ‘Yes,’ she had said, ‘of course, yes!’ when asked whether to pull Chris back from the brink. The words taunted him. He wanted to die then, he needed to die, but she had denied him even that mercy. He knew her decision was just a way to cause him more pain. He knew, and he hated her for it.
Anger and rage swirled into one, creating a roiling, dark miasma of emotion. Chris treasured that dark bundle that grew within him. He would never let it go, not until Tracy got what she deserved. Not until he could exact his revenge.
He would have to be more cunning this time, he knew. He would need to be more deliberate than before. He could not be clumsy. He could not succumb to greed or avarice. His revenge would have to be meticulous planned, down to every last detail. That was the only way to success. He would inflict upon Tracy the same amount of pain she had given him. No. A greater amount of pain! She would beg for death before him, and he would dismiss her please as she had his. Her death would be prolonged, and she would know pain unlike any other for the final days of her time on this earth.
Chris opened his eyes, and a slit of light came in through the bandages. He turned to one side, and found all his belongings on a stool near the bed. He could have wept for joy. His clothes were folded neatly in a small pile, his belt wrapped in a tight coil on top. And his knife – that precious, deadly blade – was right there beside his belt, the wooden handle protruding from a leather sheath. The fools! Did they think him so cowed he was no longer dangerous? Well, they would find the truth of that soon.
Chris reached for the knife – and stopped. If he picked it up now, he would give away his only advantage. He itched to pull it to him, to have it close at hand. But, that would give him away. Daylight still streamed through the small window in his room, and he would have to wait for nightfall to make his move. With a tinge of regret, he brought his hand back to his side. The opportunity to use the blade would come soon, but not right now.
With exacting coldness, he began planning his escape.
The
End.
Forbidden
Book 2, The Seeker Saga
About the Author
Sarah Swan was born in the summer of 1991 on the outskirts of Seattle, Washington. She is an avid reader and has been so since her mother placed her first book in her hands. She has dreamt of being a writer ever since meeting J.K. Rowling in a local bookshop at the age of 12. Forbidden is the second book of The Seeker Saga.
Introduction to Never Let Go - by Scarlett Edwards
So I was totally caught off guard, and a little bit humbled, when I was asked by Sophia if she could include one of my books in her box set. She told me it was her favorite book of the past two years – in fact, her email about it was how we met!
And of course I said Yes. Never Let Go was inspired by true events, so it’ss very close to my heart. Here’s the description:
Never Let Go
The first day of college gives every girl a chance to reinvent herself.
I go and screw mine up by meeting the most gorgeous guy I've seen in five years while talking to my cat.
But Andrew Crowner is far from judgmental. By the end of our interaction, he has me smitten by his easy manner and kind smile. And from the way his eyes linger on me before he leaves, I start to think that maybe I’ve caught his attention, too.
I let myself believe that luck may finally be on my side. That is, until I stumble on my roommate, and her overnight guest: Spencer Ashford.
Lean, tattooed, and sexy as sin, Spencer is exactly the type I need to avoid. I would have no trouble with that... were it not for his swift and inexplicable interest in me.
Suddenly, I go from a girl with next-to-no experience with boys to one caught in the crosshairs of two completely different men.
Andrew's interest is wholesome and sweet. Spencer's is edgy and raw. My choice should be easy. But there are always complications, and sometimes, matters of the heart take the least expected turns.
As a warning: Never Let Go is meant for readers thirteen and up. There’s kissing, passion, and romance... and one steamy scene near the end. But it’s not overly-done, so offers the perfect transition from Sophia’s books into something more... mature.
~ Scarlett
February 2016
PS: Sophia wanted to only include Never Let Go... but I thought it’d be fun to throw in another few books: Change of Heart 1 and Change of Heart 2.
Hope you love them all!
Never Let Go
By Scarlett Edwards
Copyright © 2013, Scarlett Edwards
eBook Version 1.0
Publication Date: October 17, 2013
Cover design by Scarlett Edwards.
http://www.ScarlettEdwards.com
Book Description:
Inspired by true events...
The first day of college gives every girl a chance to reinvent herself.
I go and screw mine up by meeting the most gorgeous guy I've seen in five years while talking to my cat.
But Andrew Crowner is far from judgemental. By the end of our interaction, he has me smitten by his easy manner and kind smile. And from the way his eyes linger on me before he leaves, I start to think that maybe I’ve caught his attention, too.
I let myself believe that luck may finally be on my side. That is, until I stumble on my roommate, and her overnight guest: Spencer Ashford.
Lean, tattooed, and sexy as sin, Spencer is exactly the type I need to avoid. I would have no trouble with that... were it not for his swift and inexplicable interest in me.
Suddenly, I go from a girl with next-to-no experience with boys to one caught in the crosshairs of two completely different men.
Andrew's interest is wholesome and sweet. Spencer's is edgy and raw. My choice should be easy. But there are always complications, and sometimes, matters of the heart take the least expected turns.
This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been use fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
NEVER LET GO
Second Edition
Copyright © 2013 Edwards Publishing, Ltd.
All rights reserved.
Edited by Gail Lennon.
Cover design by Scarlett Edwards.
Interior design by Scarlett Edwards.
Published by Edwards Publishing, Ltd.
Edwards Publishing
477 Peace Portal Drive
Suite 107-154
Blaine, WA 98230
The uploading, scanning, and distribution of this book in any form or by any means---including but not limited to electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise---without the permission of the copyright holder is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions of this work, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s work is appreciated.
Chapter One
I grunt, setting down the last of my suitcases in front of the unfamiliar building. Even though the sun has already set, it’s hot. Late summer is here with a vengeance.
I sit on the steps to catch my breath, wiping the sweat from my brow. “Looks like it’s just you and me, buddy.”
Meow.
“Oh, come on, don’t look at me that way. I know this is far from home, but at least getting here a day early means we’ll have our pick of rooms.”
Meow?
“No, I’m sure you’re not the only cat on campus. Just because we haven’t seen any others so far doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”
Meow!
“Now you’re just being grumpy ‘cause you’ve been stuck in that cage all day. I’m not going to keep you there forever! Just let me rest a bit, and then we’ll go upstairs and—”
I freeze when I hear somebody chuckling behind me.
“Don’t let me stop you,” a very male voice announces. “What happens when you get upstairs?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks. Oh. My. God. I could not be more mortified if somebody had dunked me in a tank of molasses, poured chicken feathers all over, and forced me to walk around campus like that for a week. Being known as the crazy girl who talks to cats is not how I want to start my new life.
I debate staying absolutely still and attempting to blend in with my surroundings. Given that I’m sitting on the gray stone blocks wearing a bright yellow blouse and tiny green denim shorts, that course of action seems unwise. Of course, I could just pretend not to have heard him. Maybe he will go away.
“Well?” the voice behind me prompts. “You were saying?”
Damn. That doesn’t look like it will work either. I have no choice but to face my demise.
Please be ugly, I beg in my head as I slowly turn. Please be hideously, horrifyingly, mind-numbingly deformed…
Nope. No such luck. The guy standing there, smiling at me, has a face that belongs in a fashion magazine. He’s wearing cargo shorts and a tussled white polo. His light brown hair curls a little on top, with the sides cropped into a stylish cut.
Just one flaw, I think, downgrading my expectations. Please, please, please have just one discernible flaw.
I look him up and down. I can’t find anything wrong. He’s got a sweet smile, nice white teeth, and an athletic build. Maybe he’s one of those mortal beings with one or two glaring personality flaws.
“You’re new here,” he says, startling me from my reverie. It’s not a question.
“What?” I swallow and brush the hair out of my eyes. “Um, yeah.”
What God did I piss off to meet the most attractive guy I’ve seen in a year in my condition? I have no makeup on, a sweat-stained shirt on my back, and he’d caught me talking to my cat.
Kill me now.
“I can tell by the suitcases,” he says, nudging one of them with his toe.
I stare up at him. I don’t say a word. Belatedly, I realize he’s made a joke. Is it too late to lau
gh?
God, why do I have to be so awkward? Usually I’m not like this. But usually I don’t meet hot guys after sixteen grueling hours on the road.
“Um, okay,” the guys says. “Do you speak English?” He enunciates the last word loudly. “ENGLISH.” He tries to frown, but his grin keeps winning out. “Yo hablo español. Hablas español?”
He’s making such a ridiculous effort I have to laugh. It seems to perk him up.
“So you do have some social skills after all,” he smiles. “I was afraid you only talk to that guy.” He jerks a thumb in the direction of the cage.
“Yes. I mean, no. I mean—” Damn. I’m flustered. I decide to tackle things head-on.
I stand up and offer him my hand. “I’m Paige,” I say, doing my best to appear somewhat normal.
“Andrew,” he replies, shaking my hand. There’s an interesting twinkle in his eye as he does it. “So, are you going to tell me what you were going to do once you got upstairs? Or is it a secret between you and the cat?”
