The Eden Series: The Complete Collection

by Stalder, Janelle

  He was in the Sanctuary garden when she found him. The tall, slim figure of the High Priest had an instant calming effect on her. Elisa walked along the pebble path towards the large fig tree Alistair stood beneath. No one else she knew took such joy in plants and trees as he did. Often, when she arrived unannounced, Elisa would catch him speaking to the plants, as if they were one of his students. She’d laugh at him teasingly, calling him senile is his growing age. He would just smile and tell her that even plants needed encouragement to grow strong and healthy.

  As she made her way, the small stones crunching loudly under her boots, she could hear him softly humming as he worked in the dark light.

  “Two times in one day. To what do we owe the honour of this visit?” he asked, not bothering to look at her.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt your serenade,” she replied dryly.

  He looked up with a smile. “We don’t mind.” Elisa rolled her eyes with a smile. As if the plant cared that he was singing to it. When she met his eyes she watched his face quickly sober. “You look horrible.”

  Elisa sighed, sitting down at the base of the tree, letting her back rest up against it. “I suppose you’ve said worse to me.”

  Alistair chuckled, sitting down slowly beside her. “I am serious. You look like you just ran into an army of ghosts.”

  Elisa scoffed. An army of ghosts was almost preferable to her at this point. “More like an army of suitors,” she replied sarcastically.

  “Ah,” he said. “That would explain the arrival of our southern leader this evening. It would appear you made quite the impression during your extended stay down there.”

  Elisa simply shrugged, absently picking at the grass around her.

  “Has he come to ask for your hand?” Alistair asked, watching as her fidgeted.

  “Yes,” she answered miserably.

  They sat in silence. She could feel his eyes on her even though her face was lowered. Finally he reached out and gently lifted her chin. “Explain to me what is bothering you. If you do not wish to marry him then just say so. No one will force you.”

  Why didn’t she just say no? A circus of emotions was whirling wildly inside her. “I don’t know what I want,” she admitted out loud. “Markus is so nice. And attentive. Not to mention he is the leader of the Sun People, which would give me opportunities I’ve never considered.”

  “But?” he guided her.

  “But, I’ve only just met him. How am I supposed to commit to someone for my entire life when I hardly know them? If we marry I would have to leave here, forever.”

  Alistair chuckled. “Elisa, it is not as if we will never see you again. You will be allowed to come home and visit whenever you want.”

  “I know, but it’s just not the same.”

  “What about Wolf?”

  Elisa’s body stiffened and her head snapped to look back at him. “What about Wolf?”

  “Well, technically, you are already promised to him.”

  “Yeah, well, he didn’t seem like he minded in the least. He doesn’t care.” Something clutched at her heart. Alistair was watching her closely again, but her eyes had sought out the twin moons, watching as the blue glow reappeared from the clouds. He had just stood there. It was as if he would rather be anywhere else. Didn’t he care at all? Did he really hate her so much that he wasn’t going to fight at all for his right to her hand? Wait. She shook the thoughts from her head. She didn’t care what he thought, they weren’t in the least bit compatible anyway. Wolf had a whole line of girls waiting to be asked for their hand, what would he care if he lost one? Elisa let out a frustrated sigh. Everything about the situation bothered her. She couldn’t pinpoint what was bothering her most; her thoughts and feelings were all just muddled together like a fog in her brain.

  “I think,” Alistair started off slowly, “it would be best if you slept on this. Take some time to look into your heart and figure out what you really want for yourself. Those who care for you will not judge you on your decision.”

  He was right. She needed time and sleep. Alistair walked her back to the street, giving her a long, careful hug when they reached it.

  “Thank you,” she whispered against his soft robe. He gave her a quick squeeze before letting go.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Things had gone from bad to worse so quickly that Aiden barely had time to register the events taking place. A sword sliced past his ear, missing it by mere inches. He could almost hear the wind rushing by as it moved with expert speed. Quickly dodging the elbow that was now aimed at his jaw, he stepped around the massive man attacking him, forcing his axe to bite sharply into the man’s collarbone. The man screamed in rage and pain before dropping to the wet ground. Aiden realized, with a sudden lurch of his stomach, the wetness caused by blood spill. Quickly surveying the battle, he saw Moose fighting not far from where he stood. Both boys were on their feet while most of the Riders remained on their mounts.

  “Moose!” he called out as his friend’s northerner opponent fell to his feet. He looked back, his face splattered with blood. Aiden pointed towards the upper ridge where he could see Hawk and some others struggling under the Northern army. Moose nodded, running back to meet him. The two ran over to where they had the left their horses. There was something to be said for the discipline of the horses of the west. Each of them swung up quickly, kicking off towards the Chief. Aiden cut down three more men effortlessly as they went. As screams filled the air, and the metallic smell of blood assaulted his nose, he couldn’t help but wonder how the day had turned into this.

  * * * * *

  “An hour’s ride sir,” an older man said, as he rode up to Hawk. Aiden and Moose sat on either side of the Chief, watching as the others readied themselves. All the women and children had been instructed to stay indoors. Avalon was well protected. With the shield up, the army would never be able to find them, but even so, Hawk insisted everyone be prepared for battle. Both Moose and Aiden had been ready as soon as the day began.

  Sunny had prepared a large breakfast for them, her face warm and smiling, although somewhat more reserved than normal. Having the enemy army so close cast a sombre mood all throughout Avalon. Even Rain was abnormally quiet and subdued. At one point during breakfast Aiden caught her eye and gave her a reassuring smile. She gave him a long, levelled look before staring back down at her food. Aiden mentally shrugged. He would never understand women.

  When they emerged from the small cottage, the rest of the village was already bustling with movement. Hawk was at the end of the road, yelling orders at anyone who stood near. Moose gave his father a weary look.

  “We should go prepare the horses,” he said, starting for the opposite direction.

  Aiden chuckled. “You’re such a chicken.”

  Moose looked over with an easy smile. “An army from the north I can handle. My father while he is stressed, I cannot.”

  The horses had to be fit with saddles and brushed clean. There were advantages to leaving the saddle off, like the easy movement and space it left for the rider to manoeuvre, but there were disadvantages as well. Having the saddle gave them better standing leverage. It also helped to protect the horse. The saddle Moose had given Aiden also covered the underbelly of the horse, just in case the enemy tried to knife it from below. This was not unheard of, and the Riders made sure to keep their animals protected as well as themselves.

  Since neither horse was used to wearing them, it took longer than they expected to get everything put in place. Walking back into the morning sun, Aiden wiped the sweat off his forehead, looking out at the far ridge surrounding Avalon. That would be where they would come. Nothing stood there now, but soon there would be a whole army, looking down, ready to find a city waiting for them. Instead they will see nothing. The magic surrounding it would slowly lead them around. All they had to do was sit within the borders and watch. Just in case. Just to be safe.

  Aiden and Moose joined Hawk shortly after, sitting on either side of hi
m, ready to perform any tasks he wanted done. Most of his commands were directed at others. The two boys simply sat there silently.

  Hawk let out a long sigh when the three of them stood alone. “I’m getting too old for this,” he muttered. There was nothing too old about Hawk.

  “Whatever doesn’t break you makes you stronger,” Aiden said, encouragingly.

  Hawk looked over with a grateful expression, but didn’t smile. “I can feel it in my bones,” he said gravely. “I don’t know what it is, but something is coming.”

  Moose raised his eyebrows at Aiden over his father’s back. He moved his horse closer, slapping his father affectionately on the back. “There’s a whole army coming this way,” he said, as if his father didn’t know. “You really are getting old, you old coot.” His signature easy smile spread across his face as he looked at his father. Hawk cast a cold look at his son. Aiden braced himself for a rebuff, but instead the Chief started to laugh.

  “My son, one day you will make a great leader,” he replied, placing his hand over the one still resting on his back. “It is a fine man who can make ease in times like this.” Aiden watched as other men around them saw their leader laugh. Everyone had been on edge because they sensed Hawk’s unease. Now that they saw he was laughing again they felt better. Aiden looked over at Moose and saw the other boy wink at him. Hawk was right, he would be a good leader. He knew just what to do to make everyone feel confident.

  The next hour went by quickly. Before they saw the northern army they felt them; the earth shuddered under the weight of man and beast. The last battle flooded Aiden’s mind. The scouts informed them that this army was made strictly of men and some horses, but Aiden couldn’t help but think back to images of terrible creatures. He prayed the scout was right. Fighting humans was far less intimidating than large beasts with dripping fangs ready to rip your throat out. Or at least he thought.

  When the men from the north stood atop the ridge, Aiden was amazed by their presence. Each man there was twice his size. He wondered what they were feeding the boys in the north. He gulped, moving his horse closer to Moose. They were just inside the border on the south side of the city. Hawk had chosen to guard the north side, leaving the two of them to defend the rear of Avalon.

  He held his breath as the other army made their way down the ridge and into the flat fields. The mass of bodies moved slowly and methodically. Were they expecting to find the infamous Riders here? Just how well did the magic work? He had expected some sort of cry of confusion or anger. Instead, they walked unhurriedly down, the men seemingly unaware of the Riders watching their every step. Aiden almost wanted to laugh. He could see Brutus. His red hair and beard shone in the sun. It was a familiar and memorable sight to see him there. Aiden could remember seeing him at the last battle and thinking how terrifyingly big he was.

  This was how it went until the army came to stop in the field. Moose had made a mental count of the men – it looked like Brutus had brought only half his men. This confused Aiden, but he remained observant and quiet. There was a stillness in the air that raised the hair along his arm. The army stood so close that he could smell sweat and leather in the air.

  Then it all went terribly wrong.

  Brutus, his massive body commanding everyone’s attention, turned towards the west, his eyes resting on Hawk. Aiden thought he was imagining it, or that it was simply a coincidence. Then the red bearded man smiled a thin wolf-like smile.

  “Found you,” he growled. The Riders watched as the men of the northern army all turned to them. A cry was sent up into the air as they charged forward, taking the Riders by surprise. Brutus the Red galloped towards Hawk, taking down Riders as he went. Most of them, still confused by the absence of their shield, barely reacted at all. Aiden felt sick as he watched it unfold.

  * * * * *

  The fighting continued for what seemed like hours. His muscles ached and his lungs screamed. Sweat dripped from his hair and down his back. It didn’t stop him. No matter how exhausted he felt, the adrenaline flowing through his veins kept him going. Moving through the mass of people, he felt his blade rise and fall through flesh. The men that fell beneath his axe were nothing like the bloody, hungry beats he had slayed last time. They screamed in pain. They had families back home that would be waiting for their return. It was almost too much for him to handle.

  The ease in which he killed was also disconcerting. The skills had come back to him effortlessly. His axe felt like a natural extension of his arm. Moose yelled at him to move further. The two of them quickly pushed through the group at the base of the ridge, and then began climbing quickly towards the top. The horses knew the land better than they did, so they had no difficulties manoeuvring over the terrain.

  Aiden and Moose reached the summet where a small group of men were fighting, Hawk and Brutus among them. The two leaders were inching their way towards each other, faces streaked with blood and dirt. Time seemed to pause as the two men met for the first time since the fight had begun. Aiden watched in strained silence, their voices carrying to where he sat.

  “The infamous Hawk,” Brutus laughed. “How distressing it must be for you now that your precious Avalon is unhidden. Look how your men struggle to protect their land. It is easy to claim you are fighters when no one can actually find you.” There was mockery in the man’s voice.

  “My men will beat yours back, Brutus, just as I will do to you. I don’t know how this happened, but we do not need magic to protect our lands.” Hawk’s voice rang out high and clear, giving the men a new sense of encouragement. He was right, they could do this even though they had been caught off-guard. The other man just laughed before he lunged hard and fast towards the leader of the west.

  Aiden could no longer watch to see what happened. Two men from the north came up on either side of him, their large blades ready. Something filled him suddenly. A sense of pride, of belief, that the Riders would finish this on their terms. Avalon might not be his home, but there was no way he would let it be destroyed.

  A smile slowly spread across his face as he looked down at the two men. “Do you know who you are up against?” he said cryptically. Both men looked at each other, confusion and a sense of doubt in their faces. “I am the soldier from the other world,” he said, letting his smile widen. “Your blades cannot harm me.” Recognition hit them and they both took a hesitant step back.

  “He’s always bragging,” a voice came from behind them now. Aiden looked up to see Moose. “You really shouldn’t let him distract you like that.” Without further warning, they both moved at the same time, each one taking down one of the enemy soldiers.

  Aiden looked over and smiled. “Thanks.”

  Moose shook his head with a smile. “You’re a cocky little thing aren’t you?”

  Aiden shrugged, still smiling broadly. “I was just distracting them until you got here.”

  “Sure,” he laughed. “C’mon, let’s go.” They kicked off towards the others, leaving their laughter behind them.

  * * * * *

  The heat of the sun was blistering; she could only imagine how the men fighting below felt. Lily sat high in a tree, hidden from view. She was quite a distance away from where the fighting was taking place, but she wanted to be extra careful. Her people did not know these men from the north. She could only imagine what they would do with her kind if they were ever found.

  None of this had been expected. Even Lily had been speechless. There was old magic, great magic, which kept their neighbours hidden from sight, and yet these men saw past it. What kind of powers did they have that they could do such a thing? Many of the forest people ran away immediately, afraid of these large, magical humans. Lily didn’t think it was their magic. Something had happened. She could feel it in the air.

  What needed to happen was for her to get closer to the village. This, however, turned out to be impossible as the fighting became worse. Both sides had been evenly matched for a long time. From her perch in the tree, she could see Ai
den perfectly, his movements like a dance on the field. Despite the gore, there was beauty in what he was doing.

  Finally both sides moved closer to the northern ridge. Lily took this as her opportunity. She moved lithely from branch to branch until her tiny feet hit the ground. A sound to her left caught her attention. Stepping out of the shadows, she was surprised to see she had company.

  “Zachary,” she greeted, trying to keep the confusion from her voice. His pale blonde hair was pulled back from his face, exposing his bright green eyes under dark brows.

  He nodded his head in greeting. “Are you going, then?” he asked. He smirked as he glanced at her. “I’m well aware of what you’ve been doing with your time, Lily. You watch that boy incessantly.”

  Lily suddenly felt uncomfortable. Zachary was one of their best soldiers, and believed in staying out of human conflicts like the others did. What must he think of her, she wondered. “The Goddess told me to keep him safe,” she explained. “I intend to do so.”

  He nodded, as if he already knew this. “Just make sure you do not put yourself at risk.” His cold tone sent a chill down her spine. Her people did not care for others. When she looked back at the fighting, she knew that there would be no risk too great to keep Aiden safe. If her mother thought it was important, then so did she. “He does not move like a normal human, does he?” Lily looked back at Zachary in surprise.

  “He is different,” she confirmed.

  “Yes, but how much? I don’t think he is what you think he is,” he said cryptically. “There is such a strange essence. Do you sense it?”

  “Yes,” Lily answered. “I’ve felt it since he arrived.”