The Sweet Series Box Set: Books 1-4

by Bailey Ardisone

  My instincts called out to me as I listened to him struggle against inhaling the glorious oxygen. I placed my violently shaking hands on his wound and focused all of my attention on healing. If what Mycah said were true, and I really was a Healer, then shouldn’t this be my specialty?

  I thought about my mother Elizabeth and how I was helpless to save her. I thought of Zaylie sprawled against the dashboard of Seth’s car after the crash and again, me not able to do a single thing about it.

  Then I thought of Mycah. The agonizing blow to his heart as he fell to the ground in bloody pain, dying with each second that ticked by. I clenched my eyes closed tightly and imagined taking away this boy’s pain.

  A blinding light flooded my closed eyelids. In a blurry distance of my mind’s eye, I saw a beautiful white horse gazing upon me.

  No, not a horse.

  A unicorn.

  I gasped, but did not let my eyes open. The image was hazy and difficult to make out, but the majestic beauty did not escape me. I drew in the comfort that I felt flow through me and focused my attention on the buzz of energy emanating from my hands.

  Just as suddenly, the light and the image were gone. I peeled my eyes open and watched as the soft glow that bathed the two of us disappeared.

  The boy sat upright—perfectly strong and back to normal.

  “Ed' i'ear ar' elenea,” he breathed in a whisper, not hiding the awe and amazement from his face. “You are a Healer.”

  I nodded my head and wiped the salty tears from my hot cheeks.

  “You cannot do that,” he replied cryptically.

  “Do what?” I croaked, sniffling and swiping at my nose.

  “Nariella, you must give heed. Only heal those you absolutely cannot lose if they are dying. You must understand you cannot save everyone. Small healings do not count against you. However, it is imperative that you know your power is limited when it comes to lifesaving acts. Do you understand?”

  “No,” I answered, half listening and half mourning the circumstances we’d found ourselves in. I was grateful this boy was still alive, but a big part of me was sickened to the core about having murdered two people not moments before.

  “Your eyes will begin to dim the more you draw others from death. Eventually you will no longer be able to heal at all.” He stood up and walked over to the Night Elves lying dead not twenty feet away from us. I could not look. I could not turn my eyes in their direction.

  The boy’s words floated around my head, but it was a struggle to dwell on them. I didn’t want to think about what he was doing and tried not to listen to his scuffling around the dead bodies.

  I vaguely heard him say, “And my name is Cathar.”

  Chapter Twelve

  ~Naminé~

  I watched in horror as Remycah slowly took his last breath. An invisible force was choking the life out of him. Remycah’s swirling blue eyes began to dim.

  “King Remycah!” I shouted with all I had in me, but I could not reach him. I was paralyzed in place. My feet would not move a centimeter. My arms would not extend forward.

  All I could do was helplessly watch as Remycah grew purple, tortured with agonizing pain.

  “No!” I screamed, ripping my vocal cords in shreds from the force.

  I woke in a frightening cold sweat. Since the moment I disrupted my connection with Dae’Sûl, he had been haunting me. Whether I was awake or asleep, he would torment my mind with images of Remycah’s tortured demise.

  He fed me his ill-will toward Remycah, his hatred for him. He was bloodthirsty for Remycah’s soul, and he wished for me to feel every second of it. Dae’Sûl would flood my system with his desire for vengeance. Vengeance for what, I did not know. That he did not share with me.

  I could no longer dream-weave with Remycah or Rydan, at least for the time being. I was much too weak.

  My mind, body, and emotions were racked with aches from feeling and seeing Remycah’s suffering. For Dae’Sûl forced me to feel what Remycah felt every second of his torment.

  I shivered against the wall I leant on and wiped the stray tears that lingered from the nightmare.

  Dae’Sûl’s sinister laugh echoed in the chambers I occupied, causing me to wince. He had poisoned me.

  There was no escaping his evil.

  Chapter Thirteen

  ~Nari~

  “I need to know what just happened.” My voice was so low and raspy, I vaguely wondered if the boy was able to hear me, but it was all I could manage at the moment. I gripped the rough bark of the large tree I sat next to and worked to stand up, albeit shakily. “You have to tell me honestly—What was that? What did I just do? Did I really just kill those—”

  I stopped myself from speaking the words and instead took an incredibly long inhale of the sweet smelling air. I drew comfort from the cleansing properties I knew it must contain and focused on the hint of vanilla and jasmine it left on my tongue.

  “You certainly are a queer one.” Cathar, I thought that was what he said his name was, slightly shook his head as he stripped the fallen Night Elves of their belongings. I bristled at his casual notation of my, what I thought to be a reasonable reaction to oh, I don’t know...MURDER!

  “Cathar, that’s what you said your name is, right?” I asked, waiting for his confirmation before ripping him a new one.

  “I believe that is what I said, yes,” he chuckled with a nod of his head.

  I stood there stunned and worked to get my eyes back to their normal size.

  “Are you serious right now? This isn’t funny!” I exclaimed with wonderment at how blatantly calloused he was to death. Was everyone like that here?

  “Forgive me. What is it that has you so distraught?” he replied and stopped what he was doing to look at me.

  Now that I had his complete attention I was ready to let him have it. “Well...well...did you see what just happened?! Excuse me for being a little panicky and confused and...and...completely terrified! Now you listen here, buster, I need answers. How in tarnation’s was I able to speak Elvish?!”

  I realized I sounded completely lame—and somewhat deranged—and it wasn’t exactly what I had had in mind when I had thought to let him have it, but my mind had come up blank. I could feel myself becoming overwhelmed by confusion and uncertainty. My desire to find Rydan grew exponentially in just a matter of a split second. He was my rock. My comfort. My security blanket. He always knew how to make me feel better.

  I needed him.

  “It is difficult for me to understand your Earthly upbringing. I apologize. Is it true you have never taken one’s life before now? Or spoken our language?” he mused as he pulled his eyebrows together in question. I swear there was a hint of amusement to his voice.

  “No! Never! How was I able to do those things? I’ve never even heard your language until yesterday,” I let out in a rush as I wrapped my arms around my torso and tried desperately not to be sick. What was going on? Where did those words come from? It had felt as if something had told me to say them—it was the strangest feeling and unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

  It had felt like...I had been assisted. Supported. Fortified. I recalled the comforting reinforcement that had flowed through me as I had healed Cathar.

  The ethereal unicorn flashed into my mind and I took a gasp of air.

  That was weird. What was that? Oh crap—it happened. It had finally happened.

  I’ve gone mental.

  I’ve literally turned into a mental person.

  I stumbled backward against the tree and slowly slid down. I ignored the scratches I felt happening down my back through my thin shirt. Those didn’t matter. What mattered was focusing my attention on trying to breathe normally. Hyperventilating in the middle of nowheresville was not an option.

  Cathar began moving toward me with new vigor.

  “It is your language, too. Not just mine. With that clarified, I honestly do not know. The land around us lends power to our kind. It gives aid to us if ever we
shall call upon it, for we are one with Lassaira. Yet, for you to have commanded assistance without having any prior knowledge of being able to do so...well...that mystifies even me,” Cathar explained gently with his accent thick, as he bent down to meet my eye level. “You will be all right, Nariella. You are a Tavas’Elda. It did not surprise me in the slightest after you revealed yourself to be a Healer. As I mentioned prior, you are a rare being. The Isil’Elda are fueled by their taste for blood and power. You did what had to be done. Had you not, it would be you and myself lying there instead of them. I do not know how or why you are able to do the things you just did, but what I do know is that you must embrace it. You have a gift.”

  I slowly slid my violet gaze up into his pastel green eyes and let out a sigh.

  “I think I liked the idea of me being a mental person better,” I joked halfheartedly. Cathar gave me a confused look, but I only shrugged in return. I didn’t know what I really liked better to be honest. I found it hard to believe that I could actually be described as rare. My whole life I had been told I was worthless and nothing special. Not once had I ever felt the capability to do the things I just did in all my eighteen years of life.

  Not once.

  How was I all of a sudden able to do powerful things? Without even knowing the words that came out of my mouth? I couldn’t even remember one single Elvish word I had spoken just moments before. I could barely recall the name of the world I was in now. What sickened me most of all was that I took two lives today, evil or not, and I had no idea how to process it. I didn’t think I could process it.

  So I didn’t. I pitched the thought into oblivion and worked excruciatingly hard to forget.

  “I need Rydan,” I blurted out suddenly without even thinking about it.

  “Prince Rydan?” Cathar gasped. “Do not tell me you are acquainted with him as well?” I couldn’t help but laugh at the sound of Rydan being called a prince in an actual serious tone.

  “Of course I am. Rydan is my best friend,” I said through a giggle. Cathar didn’t laugh. He sat stunned, staring at my face. The smile I had a second ago quickly dissipated into grief. I missed him like nobody’s business.

  I couldn’t even think about his brother right then, or the dream I had of him last night. It hurt too much.

  “Listen, I want to talk to you about something. I’m going to assume you’re familiar with the area and know the direction of the...uh...what was it? Isil’Elda land? I mean—kingdom. You know how to get back there, right?” I stood up easily now that I was fueled by a new determination.

  “The border is a day’s ride from here. Why do you ask?” he inquired skeptically through his elegant accent, then mimicked my standing position.

  “A whole day?! Wait...ride? Like on a horse?” I felt my face fall in disappointment. We didn’t have horses, which meant it would probably take two whole days to get to Rydan and Mycah on foot. Shoot.

  “I am not going back to Aselaira. They will recognize me immediately. Not to mention it is a dangerous journey. How could you possibly want to venture into enemy territory?” Cathar’s eyes burned brown right before me. I gasped at the incredible sight and realized it may take a while for me to get used to that.

  “Okay, I know it sounds crazy, but your king and prince returned to this world over a week ago and they could be in trouble! Don’t you want to go help them?” I tried appealing to his elf side and prayed he would take the bait to help me.

  “If you are referring to King Remycah and Prince Rydan, they are not my king and prince. King Aglar is who I now owe my allegiance to. While it is wonderful indeed they have returned to their suffering kingdom, I will have no part in it. I cannot,” he responded.

  I held back a sigh. Lovely. Now what?

  “Please, Cathar. I need to get to them. It is so important that I find them. I am begging you,” I beseeched as I literally got down on my knees and clasped my hands together. I was not above groveling. “You said your family are slaves there. I know that Mycah would help you. If he knew of it, I am certain he would save them!” My chest tightened at my words. Sure, I believed Mycah would want to help them, but could I really make that promise that he would? What if he didn’t have that ability? I didn’t know for sure, but I hoped it was enough to persuade Cathar to help me.

  “Fine. I will take you as far as I can,” he conceded with a sigh.

  “Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you!” I gushed as I threw my arms around his neck in appreciation. He stiffened at the gesture and did not move to return the hug. Oops. I let go the same time I felt my embarrassment paint my face.

  “Sorry. I got excited,” I explained as I tucked my hair behind my ear and looked to the ground.

  “We need to find a horse,” was his nervous reply as he turned away and finished gathering our things. I bit my bottom lip and clasped my hands together again. Yes! I hadn’t felt so happy in a long time. Finally, I would soon get to see my two favorite pair of eyes again.

  I held onto Cathar from the back of the white horse we rode. I consciously made sure not to touch him too much, but just enough so that I wouldn’t be bounced off the majestic animal.

  Thankfully, he knew of a village not far from where we were that let us borrow the beautiful horse, and my feet couldn’t be more thrilled. We also stocked up on some more food and water before we left. Everyone we met was incredibly nice and hospitable, never failing to display perfect manners. There was an older couple named Kirtly and Marywane who completely stole my heart. They were the sweetest and kindest people I had ever met. I had no idea what species they were, though, because I could tell they were not elves.

  They were shorter and didn’t grow their hair out long. The biggest thing I noticed was that they didn’t move with the same grace and elegance as the elves. I was too embarrassed to ask, in case doing so would be offensive. So I kept my mouth shut.

  For now.

  We had been riding for some time. Every so often we stopped to give the horse a break. I had no idea what I was going to do once we got to the border—how in the world was I going to find two people in a strange, unknown land? It was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. Make that two needles.

  “Are we almost there?” I inquired, feeling anxious. I stifled a laugh once I realized I had probably been asking that question over and over like a little kid in the backseat of a car.

  “I am now convinced Earthlings possess not the slightest bit of patience,” he answered with humor. “We are not much further than when you asked me that a moment ago.”

  “Oh yeah, sorry.” I grabbed my awesome new canteen and took a swig of water. The crystal-pure liquid slid down my throat and into my stomach, tasting much like a dream. If I ever went back to Kennebunkport, I was going to miss the water the most. Oh, and the air.

  What I wouldn’t miss, though, were the crazy creatures that filled this land. Just on the way to the village, Cathar and I had had to duck and take cover in the protective bushes twice from things unbeknownst to me. I hadn't seen them and had never asked what they were. I didn’t want to know. Heavy breathing and heavy footfalls had been enough to keep me silent. I was so grateful that Cathar knew when we needed to hide.

  So far, we had been okay on the horse. We had stayed in the graceful, luscious forest the entire time, which made me feel more protected. It felt like home here. Even so, anxiety was building in my chest, and I knew the peace wasn’t going to last forever.

  Cathar slowed the horse to a stop. Without turning around he said, “We are about to cross into an unconcealed part of the land. It will be dangerous and risky, but it is the only way. Are you ready?”

  I stiffened at his words and contemplated my answer. Was I ready? The world of unknown was stifling—I didn’t like being out of control over my circumstances, but I had come to realize that that was the story of my life.

  “Yes,” I breathed. I closed my eyes and prayed those words were true.

  “Then hold on,” Cathar ordered as he be
nt down to whisper in the white horse’s ear something Elvish, then gave a swift kick. We shot out of the woods with blinding speed, and I struggled to not fall off. I gripped Cathar’s moss-green cloak by the fistful and sunk my head into his back.

  Oh god.

  We sliced through the wind like an angry bullet on crack, and I thought for sure my stomach got left behind somewhere back there.

  Once I peeled my eyes open, I couldn’t help but gasp at the scenery around us. The mountains—huge snowcapped, jagged mountains pierced the sky all around us in the distance. Despite being far away, I could still see there were great waterfalls falling from some of them. I couldn’t even fathom the length of how far the water had to travel to reach the bottom.

  It was utterly breathtaking. Like so many things I had been introduced to in recent times, the sight before me literally stole the air right out of my lungs and brought tears to my eyes. I had never in all my life witnessed anything more beautiful.

  That was when all hell broke loose. A roaring screech of fire ignited behind us, scorching the land like a blowtorch.

  “What the-?!” I yelped, tightening my arms completely around Cathar as I turned to look behind.

  “Dragons!” he yelled. Um...DRAGONS? I shot my eyes up to the sky, and right on cue, a gigantic red dragon swooped down, screaming his fiery breath yet again in an ear-piercing holler.

  I had no words. No thoughts. The world basically stopped in that very moment and crumbled around me. Every thought I had about what was true and fairytale just shattered into an unrecognizable pile of glass. No, the discovery of elves and a strange new land hadn't been enough to do it for me. You’d think it would have, but no.

  This.

  This was what did it.

  I had no room for fear. Only dumbfounded amazement. I could not tear my eyes away from the bright red dragon that seemed to enjoy circling us, or the fact that there wasn’t just the one dragon. No, of course not. Life wasn’t that fair. There were two.