The Eden Series: The Complete Collection

by Stalder, Janelle

  As her eyes swept back across the room, she saw him, sitting at a large table in the back corner, surrounded by three women and his sidekick, Logan. Both boys looked like they had been drinking for a long time already, their cheeks red from the heat of the place and the alcohol in their blood. Logan was busy talking to a vibrant redhead, who was wearing a dress that revealed almost everything she had to offer. Elisa scoffed inwardly at the woman. Had she no respect for herself, she thought angrily. Wolf was busy with three women, all blonde, all pretty. Figures, she thought, and this was the man her father had suggested she marry. It was clear neither of them wanted to marry the other, as she noted his intense interest in the ladies around him. She would have to speak to her father about it when the time came, she thought again, for the millionth time.

  Unexpectedly, Wolf looked up from his three lady friends, and stared across the whole bar, over all the heads, right at her. She instinctively looked away, pretending to have not been looking at him. Her mask was still covering the upper portion of her face, and the dress was so uncharacteristic that there was no way he recognized her.

  Waiting another minute, she peeked out the corner of her eye in his direction, and saw he was speaking with the blondes again. She let out a sigh of relief. Time to move on, she thought. Weaving back through the crowd, Elisa headed out into the crowded streets. The fresh air was welcoming after the atmosphere in the stuffy tavern. She moved through the herds of people, accepting a few more kisses on the cheek from rambunctious men. It was all in good fun, she thought, smiling to herself.

  “Now, what could such a beautiful lady be thinking, to make her smile so?” she heard a voice say. Looking behind her, she saw Wolf, two blondes on one arm, and one on the other. Logan trailed behind with his fiery redhead. There was no way he could tell who she was, so she didn’t want to speak. There was a chance he might know her voice if she did. Turning around, she tried to walk away again, not replying to his small comment.

  A hand reached out and grabbed her arm. She looked back in panic, wishing he would just leave her alone. The three blondes stood behind him, each with a distinct pout on her face. Now that Elisa could see them up close, she realized that they must all be at least five or six years older than Wolf. Women. She mentally rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth—not in jealousy.

  “Where are you going?” he asked in a quieter voice, so the three behind him couldn’t hear. Elisa could see them stretching to find out what was happening. He stepped closer to her, so their bodies were only inches apart. “Will you not speak to me?” he asked, smiling down at her.

  She looked hesitantly up at him, knowing there was no way she could respond. She didn’t want anyone to know who she was; otherwise, no one would leave her alone. Elisa knew exactly how most of the men in the army viewed her, and knew there were probably quite a few who’d be searching for her that night. Even though that was the case, she wasn’t interested in any of them, making secrecy very important. As she tried to think of a way out of the current situation, Wolf looked down, searching her eyes with his through her mask. She tried to pull away, but he kept a firm hand on her.

  “Have I done something to offend you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. She shook her head no. “Do we know each other?” Again, she shook her head. His eyes narrowed more as he looked at her. Slowly, his eyes wandered down her whole frame, then back up to her eyes. Her face burned with anger and embarrassment. Who does he think he is? she thought angrily. It was as if he thought every girl in the whole town was just waiting to throw herself at him. Well, not me, she shouted in her mind. Wrenching her arm from his grasp successfully, she stepped away from him to give them some room.

  “I have to go,” she said quietly, hoping the noise around them would help disguise her voice a little. She turned and started to walk away as quickly as she could in the God-awful dress she wore. She couldn’t wait to put her pants back on. Before she turned the corner, she felt another hand grab her arm.

  “Oh, for God’s sake—” she started, but stopped as the person’s mouth found hers. He held her tight as the warmth from his lips covered hers. She had never been kissed like this before—technically, she hadn’t been kissed before, period, for that matter, and was so frazzled that she didn’t have the mind enough to push him away. It lasted what felt like hours, before he finally broke away from her. Her mind was still spinning as she tried to catch her balance again. Who kisses a stranger like that? she thought, feeling somewhat violated. Looking up, she saw Wolf’s face smiling down at her.

  “Now you can go,” he said, turning without waiting for a response, and rejoining his entourage. Elisa watched him in shock as the group walked away. Wolf never looked back.

  “I hate that man,” she said out loud.

  The hour was getting late, and she didn’t want the witch to wait too long. Rushing through the streets, she reached the dormitory in no time. She greeted the guards, and then headed up to her room quickly before anyone could see her. Inside, she finally removed her mask and called out for her maid.

  “Franca?” she called.

  The little old lady appeared out of the door that led to her room. Franca had been her maid since she was young. She was now in her sixties, but still had all the energy she had when she was young. She was very short, not reaching above five feet, and just as round. Her hair was now completely grey, and she wore it constantly in a tight bun. Her face was wrinkled, her lips only two thin lines, and her eyes just tiny beads of dark brown. Elisa had always loved her like a mother, having lost her own during her birth.

  “Back so soon?” she asked as Elisa came in.

  “I have some things I need to do tonight. Can you please help me out of this contraption?” she asked, pulling at the dress. Franca laughed, coming to her aid.

  “At least you looked like a proper lady for one night.” She sighed as she began to undo the ties at the back. “Did you have fun?”

  “It was—interesting,” she replied. Franca raised her eyebrows when Elisa gave her a hesitant look, but didn’t inquire further. After finally being freed from the confines of the garment, Elisa walked over to her bed and quickly re-dressed into her riding outfit. She let her hair loose and placed her headband around her temples again.

  “Would you like to wash your face?” Franca asked, pointing at the light paint still there.

  “I haven’t the time,” she replied. “We’ll take it off when I get back.”

  “Where are you going at such a time?” her maid asked in a disapproving voice. “Does the Captain know about this?”

  Elisa looked over at her maid in exasperation. She always thought Elisa was up to something she shouldn’t be, which was usually true, but not this time. The poor lady probably had multiple heart attacks because of her antics.

  “Don’t worry, my father is the one who instructed me to do this,” she reassured her. She still looked doubtful, but didn’t argue. Saying a quick goodnight to the old lady, and giving her a peck on the cheek, Elisa rushed out of her room, knowing there was still a bit of a journey waiting for her outside.

  “Where are we off to?” she heard a familiar voice say. Wolf stood in the hallway outside his room, only a couple of doors down from hers. Elisa could hear girls laughing from behind his door, and wondered why he was outside in the hall.

  “Sounds like you’re busy,” she pointed out. “I won’t keep you.” She turned around and started to head away from him.

  “Elisa, wait,” he called out. She rolled her eyes, before turning around to face him again. “I’m serious—where are you going?”

  Her defences immediately went up. “Why do you care? It is the spring festival; everyone is out tonight.”

  “True, but most girls are out with masks and fancy clothes on, not like this,” he replied, motioning to her current attire.

  “I have to meet someone,” she quickly explained. His eyebrows shot up, as he misunderstood her meaning, but she didn’t correct him. If he wanted to believe she was
meeting a man in the way he thought, then she’d let him. She smiled inwardly. “Have a good night,” she said as sweetly as she could, before leaving him standing alone in the hall.

  When she got outside, she couldn’t help but laugh. His expression had been priceless. As she headed toward the side wall where the secret exit was, she ran into her father and the King.

  “Good evening, Elisa.” The King smiled. The King’s lady, Melaine, stood behind them.

  “You are leaving?” her father asked. She nodded her head. “How was your evening out?” Elisa could tell that he didn’t really want to know, which made her laugh at how awkward he sounded.

  “It was fine, Father.” She smiled. “I just walked around for a bit, before returning to my room.” He let out a sigh of relief, which made the King laugh. Her father looked at him accusingly, making the King hold up his hands in defence.

  “Be safe,” he said to her, before kissing her forehead.

  “I will,” she assured him. She bowed to him and the King, before continuing toward the exit. She couldn’t help but wonder what this great warrior would be like, and as she made her journey, her excitement at the unknown increased. He would have to be a large, talented, and hopefully handsome man, she thought with a smile.

  “What are you doing?” Logan asked, drunkenly sticking his head out of their room. Their night had started early, beginning with the bottle of liquor they had snuck into his room that afternoon. By the evening they were already drunk, and headed out into the glory of the streets. Training had been postponed that day because of the festival, so they were taking full advantage. All of the older soldiers kept telling him and Logan how much they reminded them of the Captain and the King when they were their age. Apparently they, too, had been up to no good when they were younger. For some odd reason, the comparison made Wolf proud, even if the reason for the comparison wasn’t necessarily the best. The first three taverns they visited were boring, but by the fourth they had found their spot. It soon filled with other people, and then the music started. It wasn’t long before women began visiting their table.

  Wolf knew there would be a couple of key women seeking him out that night. He was quite popular with the ladies, and tonight was the night they could act however they pleased, and no one would notice. It was while he was talking up the three sisters from the farming town outside the city gates that he felt someone looking at him. He found her immediately, standing off by herself, simply observing the other patrons. Their eyes met, and he knew instantly who it was. There was no mistaking her from the other masked ladies around him. She looked embarrassed to have been found out, though, so he pretended not to notice her and continued with his previous conversation. Out of the corner of his eye he watched her leave.

  “Time to go!” he announced to the table. Logan gave him a weary look, most likely sensing something else was going on, but he didn’t question him. Wolf could remember the feeling of her lips against his.

  “Hello? Are you in there?” Logan asked, nudging him.

  “What? What is it?” Wolf asked, somewhat annoyed with his friend.

  “What is it?” Logan repeated, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him. “I’ll tell you what it is: there are three women in there waiting for you—who are completely intoxicated, I might add—and you’re out here by yourself. What is it with you? Why are you standing out here?” he asked again, looking around at the empty halls. His eyes stopped on her door, his eyebrows shooting up. “Don’t tell me you’re waiting for her to come home,” he said, sighing. “You’ve already kissed her tonight. Can’t you just leave it at that?”

  Wolf looked at him in surprise. He was well aware of who the lady had been, but he didn’t realize Logan had clued in as well. His friend was much more observant than he gave him credit for, especially considering the amount of alcohol he had consumed that night.

  “What? You didn’t think I hadn’t noticed, did you? When will you admit that you’re in love with that girl, and stop acting like you can’t stand the sight of her?”

  “What are you talking about?” Wolf asked, his defences rising up. “You are drunk, friend, and therefore saying things that don’t make sense. I’m in love with no one, especially not someone like the one you suggest, who can barely stand the sight of me. As for me being out here—I was just getting some air, that’s all. In any case, she already came home and went back out again, so it has nothing to do with her.”

  “Uh huh.” Logan nodded his head slowly. “She went back out, huh? Interesting …”

  “Why is that interesting?” Wolf asked defensively again.

  “You’re right. I guess it’s not.” He smiled, shrugging his shoulders. He was trying to get to him. Wolf knew this, and he wouldn’t rise to the occasion. “Shall we rejoin our party?”

  Smiling, Wolf shoved him toward the door, and they both went back inside. He couldn’t help but wonder where she had been going, however, especially that late at night. Reminding himself that he didn’t actually care, he focused on the friends waiting for him, and the long night ahead.

  The training had gone horribly. Not only was Aiden too weak to hold or swing any of the weapons Diana had laid out, but he also didn’t appear to have any coordination skills. His legs and arms were covered with bruises, and he even got a huge gash on his left side from a mishap with the axe.

  “I could have sworn none of these were sharpened,” Diana said when she saw the blood. Apparently, she had been wrong, Aiden thought as he winced against the pain. It felt better now—Diana had put some herbs on it to ease the pain—and by the next day it was healed. It paid to have a witch as a friend, Aiden thought when he saw how nicely he had mended.

  They spent the next three days practicing, and eventually he could actually hit the target Diana had set up with the double-sided axe. It seemed to be his best weapon, which made him happy. At least he was okay to some extent with one of them. His arms felt like jelly, though, and all he wanted to do was rest.

  “If you think this is hard, wait until the Captain and his men get hold of you,” Diana was saying that night as she made them some tea. He moaned in pain at just the thought. “You are getting better every day, Aiden. You should be proud and excited.”

  “If you say so,” he mumbled.

  She walked over and sat beside him on the sofa. “I will miss having you around,” she said, smiling at him sadly. Someone was coming that night to take him into the city walls. She hadn’t told him who was coming, or when, just that it was soon.

  “Thank you,” he said awkwardly. “For all your help so far.” She smiled and reached out to give his hand a squeeze.

  “I know you will be everything I had hoped,” she said, keeping her hand on his. “All you have to do is believe in yourself.”

  If only it were that easy, he thought dispiritedly. Even though he could hit the target with the axe, it still took him quite a few tries, and he couldn’t imagine fighting someone with it. One knock from an opponent, and it would surely be knocked out of his hands. He was all bones and skin—there was no muscle in his arms. The realization made him slightly depressed, knowing that everyone would have expectations of him, and he surely would not live up to them.

  It was late in the night when there came a knock on the door. They had been sitting quietly together, both lost in their own thoughts. Aiden jumped at the sound and looked questioningly at Diana.

  “Your guide has arrived,” she announced ominously. They both stood up, Aiden anxious to see who it was. Diana walked to the door and opened it to reveal a small figure with a hood pulled up. “Good evening,” she greeted the person, moving aside to allow him or her to enter.

  The figure walked in, throwing back the hood to reveal a girl, not much older than he was. Aiden stood frozen where he was. He had expected a man, some big, rough-looking man, who would inflict pain on him throughout the rest of his training. Instead, in front of him was a goddess in her own right. She wore plain brown pants, and a shirt
that fit tightly around her thin body. Her golden hair was held against her head by a thin headband, and her eyes were large and accented by a small amount of makeup.

  “This is the warrior?” the girl asked. Aiden could tell just by the tone in her voice that she was disappointed. Clearly she had been expecting more, which was exactly what Aiden figured. His shoulders fell a bit as he felt the sense of expectation on him dwindling.

  “Elisa, I would like you to meet Aiden, and yes, he is the warrior we’ve been waiting for,” Diana introduced them. “He may not be what you expected now, but he will be. Just give him some time.” The girl looked him up and down, and Aiden could see the scepticism on her face.

  Clearing his throat, he held out his hand in greeting. “It is nice to meet you,” he said roughly.

  She regarded his hand for a moment before grasping it. “Likewise,” was all she said.

  “Elisa is the daughter of Captain Turk,” Diana explained. “She also happens to be the best archer in the King’s army.” This surprised him, as he had not realized she was a soldier herself. The girl didn’t seem impressed by his reaction. Instantly he felt bad, and didn’t recover.

  “Is he ready to go then?” she asked, turning away from him. Great, he thought, kicking himself. Now her manner toward him would be cold for the rest of their journey.

  Diana nodded her head and handed Aiden a small bag with some clothes in it.

  “Make sure you listen to everything they tell you, and trust your comrades. Most importantly, trust yourself, and believe that you can do this.” She looked him in the eyes throughout her speech, and then gave him a quick hug before going back over to the door. “Be safe,” she said before they left. “Elisa, keep an eye on him for me, and help him out the best you can.”