The Eden Series: The Complete Collection

by Stalder, Janelle

  “Well, no one ever said you were stupid.”

  Aziz chuckled. “You think you can beat me, son? Just try.”

  Callum followed behind Jameson as the army made its way up the mountain. The fire had destroyed most of the trees, leaving charred foliage and trunks in its wake. The smell filled his nostrils. They had been following what they hoped was Aiden’s path all morning with no results.

  “Are we sure we’ll be able to find the entrance?” Turk asked lightly.

  Jameson’s face was determined as he pushed forward. “Are we ever sure about anything?” he replied. Turk grunted but didn’t respond. Callum kept his focus on the area around them, alert for any surprise attacks. He had no doubt that by now Aziz was well aware of their presence on his doorstep. In all the years they had been allies Callum had never really understood or gotten to know the eastern man. But one thing he had come to understand clearly about him was that he wasn’t one to hide in the face of war. Aziz might have been absent for the other battles, letting Callum and Brutus take the risks on their own, which Callum was certain now had been on purpose, but he couldn’t see him missing this one. After all, was this not what he wanted? A chance to cut them all down in one fatal blow?

  Callum’s head shot forward at the sight of Hawk’s youngest son and the dark haired boy always with him as they came running back from scouting up ahead.

  “Looks like we’ve reached the end of the road,” Hawk’s boy said with a grin. He reminded Callum so much of Jameson at that age it was almost comical.

  “Why do you say that?” Jameson asked.

  “Because just over that ridge is a lovely welcoming party just waiting for us,” he answered.

  “They even brought out their little pets with their committee,” the other boy added.

  They had all stopped, the rest of the army following suit. Callum looked to Hawk and his brother. “What is the plan?” he asked.

  “We show them how much the King’s army appreciates their hospitality,” his brother replied calmly.

  “Let’s finish this,” Turk said gruffly.

  “Let the others know to have their weapons ready,” Jameson ordered. “I don’t think they’re going to give us time to position ourselves before attacking.”

  Callum pulled out his sword, balancing the familiar metal in his right hand, his grip firm but not too tight, just as Brutus had taught him. He gave the sky a quick look, praying his old friend was watching out for him. Then he thought of Rose. His chest always constricted with he thought of her. Just let me make it out of this alive so I may return to her, he sent up to the Gods.

  “Ready?”

  Callum looked up to meet his brother’s stare. This would be the first time they had actually fought side by side. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that, to be honest. He had spent so many years considering this man his enemy rather than blood. It felt right, if not unfamiliar at the same time. Callum gave him a slight nod. “Let’s make father proud.” Jameson’s face lit up in a smile, clasping him firmly on the shoulder.

  “He already is, brother.” He gave Callum a quick squeeze before dropping his hand again.

  They moved on cresting the ridge to look down on what awaited them. Goose bumps rose along Callum’s arms as the opposing army came into view. Soldiers dressed in black waited, their long, curved swords at ready. Swordsmen from the east, he noted. Those who were still loyal to Aziz even after he lost Ramel to Hakim. Callum was actually surprised at this revelation, not that he should be considering what he knew now of Aziz. Not once had he mentioned he still had his guards under his rule.

  An image of Brutus, dying amongst the green fields of the west rose in Callum’s mind. It was fabricated of course, considering Callum hadn’t been there to witness it for himself, but a clear image was always there when he thought of it. And here he stood with the man who had dealt that killing blow, fighting alongside him under one banner. As he looked down at the men, he couldn’t help but wonder if Aziz had lent his men to their aid, would Brutus still be alive? Would that extra bit of muscle have been enough to keep him from losing that fateful battle?

  Instead of feeling anger toward Hawk, it raged against Aziz and all his deceitful secrets. They had been doomed to fail from the beginning. If only Brutus had known, Callum thought inwardly. If only they had seen Aziz for what he truly was sooner. Standing amongst the men were the same beasts Aziz had sent them during the first battle. The eerie, yellow eyed, matted beasts on four legs. Their teeth gleaming in the morning sun, slobber spilling to the ground as if they were waiting for their meal to arrive, salivating at the thought. And the tall beasts, their massive horns rising up higher than any man’s height with dark, blank eyes peering out from grotesque faces. They stood on two legs, weapons in hand.

  “The Gods will surely punish him greatly for his insolence,” the forest person, Zachary, commented from beside Callum. Callum looked over in surprise, having not heard the man approach. All the forest people moved that way, it unnerved him. “That he should play God to create his own beings,” he continued, shaking his head. “No human has made such an insult.”

  “Then let’s get Aziz to them sooner, so that the Gods may deliver their punishment,” Callum replied. The man looked at him, the same expressionless face as always, and simply nodded. He had yet to see any of them really smile or laugh.

  Angry growls from below let him know they had been seen. He looked over at his brother, waiting for the cue.

  Jameson raised his sword in the air, his voice echoing across the space, “For Eden!” The answering cries from the army fuelled Callum and he joined in, his sword raised as well. They ran forward, their voices still loud in his ear. The two armies crashed into each other, new cries of the injured now rising above all else. Snarls of the unnatural mixed with the grunts and calls of men. Callum’s sword rose and fell in a dance of war, cutting his way through the dense ranks of the opposing army. Men, beast, it didn’t matter. All who came before him fell.

  There were too many for him to keep track of his comrades, but he made sure to stay close to his brother. If anything, he would make sure Jameson made it out of this alive. Diana had approached him just before they had left and asked him to watch over the King. Callum would have done so anyway, but he made the promise to her regardless, and intended to keep it.

  The land beneath their feet soon became slippery with the blood of the dead and wounded. Callum fought to keep his footing. Jameson fought just in front of him, his attacks swift and sure. Callum could sense another just beside him, assuming it was the Captain for he knew the two were never too far apart.

  Blood pounded in his ears, muffling the sounds around him as he pushed forward. It felt like the other army just kept coming, an unending supply of foul creatures. One bit sharply into his calf. He cried out in pain, turning to deliver a killing blow but was beaten to it as another sword sank into the neck of the creature. Callum looked up into the sweaty, blood splattered face of Hawk.

  “Thanks,” he breathed.

  “No problem,” Hawk nodded. They faced forward again, continuing their struggle. Callum reached Jameson again just as his brother ripped his sword free of the chest of a man. He looked over, his hair sticking to his face with perspiration.

  “Aziz is not here,” he said, his voice rough with exertion. “We need to find that entrance.”

  Callum nodded in agreement just as he turned to slice his blade across the throat of one of the larger beasts. “A bit hard to look around when we’re being attacked,” he commented back.

  “Always the reasonable one,” Jameson retorted sarcastically. They fought back to back now, the enemy continuing to push in their assault. Callum could feel the muscles in his arms begin to ache from the repetitive motions. He tried his best to look around and see if he saw anything that looked like an entrance to the fortress, but he could discern nothing. His anger was renewed at the thought of Aziz sitting this fight out as well. He wanted the sorcerer to show his traitorous
face so that he might revenge the loss of his friend.

  A loud crash behind him caught his attention. He looked over his shoulder and past Jameson to see the winged man come crashing through a spot in the rock face, where now a passage way could be seen. A small girl came running out after him and he heard Hawk call out, his voice rising above the chaos around them.

  “Rain!”

  Everything seemed to freeze as a pair of blue eyes looked over and met those of the Chief’s. They widened, her feet halting. The winged man looked over, his face hard.

  “We need to move, NOW,” Jameson said urgently. Callum didn’t waste time responding. He followed his brother who was now hot on the tail of Hawk. They moved through the line of enemies, death lying in their wake. Finally they reached the small area where the two still stood. Hawk was just in front of them now, his chest heaving.

  “Rain,” he said again, and Callum could hear the ache in it. They simply stood looking at each other, a million things passing between them but not being said. Another body came barrelling through, past Hawk and into the girl. Callum watched as Hawk’s youngest son wrapped the girl in a tight embrace, lifting her easily off the ground. The eldest son stood back, his face a hard mask.

  Callum turned back to the other two, watching the shock on the girl’s face intensify as her arms came up hesitantly to wrap around the neck of her brother. Tears spilled from her eyes as she gripped him back. Callum didn’t understand what had happened, but it didn’t take much for him to figure out who the girl was. He remembered hearing something of her, but never got the details from Jameson.

  “Rain,” the youngest said, pulling back to look down at her as he placed her back on her feet. “You’re okay.” His eyes looked over her, noticing for the first time the winged man standing just behind her. “You,” he growled, reaching for the sword strapped to his back.

  “Wolf, no!” Rain cried, placing herself between the two. Callum braced himself to intervene if need be. He glanced over to the Chief of the Riders, noticing he had yet to make another move. There was such anguish on his face it was hard for Callum to look at him.

  “Rain, get behind me,” Wolf ordered. “Where is Lily?” he directed to the man.

  “You cannot kill me, Rider,” the winged man sneered.

  “The Gods I can’t!”

  “Wolf!” Callum turned at the new voice, seeing Elisa step forward, her bow already in hand. “He’s right, you can’t kill him. If one dies, so does the other.”

  Callum felt the truth hit him in the chest. Of course, he thought, turning back to the winged man. This was Aiden’s brother, the dark to his light. A smug smile appeared on the man’s face as he kept his gaze trained on Hawk’s boy.

  “Your friend is inside,” he said, “as is Aziz. Go through that passage there, turn left at your first turn, and your next right then follow it until the end. You will find them both, as well as the forest girl. They’re all there.”

  “Wolf,” Hawk’s voice came out hoarse. “Lower your weapon and step back.”

  Wolf hesitated for a moment, battling the anger Callum could see coursing through him. He noticed the boy’s hands shook slightly as his sword finally dropped to his side. Wolf’s eyes went to his sister’s, pleading. “You would betray your family?”

  “I don’t expect you to understand,” Callum heard her say.

  “Good, because I don’t,” Wolf replied.

  “He is telling you the truth. You will find Aziz and Aiden where he has instructed.” She opened her mouth to say something else, but shut it again, her face unsure. She looked past Wolf to her father, and then over at the older boy who looked away when she did. Callum saw hurt flash in her eyes, before she lifted her chin and straightened her spine. “Good luck,” was all she said before turning to the embrace of Aziz’s creature, Aiden’s brother.

  The winged man pushed off and rose into the sky, Rain with him. They all watched as the two flew out of sight. When there was nothing more to see, Jameson broke the tense silence. “Wolf, you, Elisa and Moose stay out here and guard this entrance. No one enters behind us, do you understand?”

  “Yes,” Wolf answered, his voice strong. Moose stepped forward as well, any remnants of what had just happened completely washed away from his demeanour.

  “Hawk?” Jameson looked to the Chief questioningly. Callum ached for the man. He couldn’t imagine the pain of watching your own child turn her back on her family.

  “I will stay out here with them,” Hawk answered, firmer than Callum had expected.

  “Let’s go then,” Turk said. “I’ve been fighting off people the entire time you’ve all been having a bloody family reunion over here,” he complained. “Can we end this now?”

  “He’s getting grumpier in his old age,” Hawk commented.

  “I know,” Jameson sighed. “I don’t know what to do with him.” Callum smirked as Turk rolled his eyes. He moved forward, following his brother and the Captain into the dark passageway.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  “Stop calling me that,” Aiden replied stonily. Every time Aziz called him son it made Aiden’s skin crawl. He didn’t want to acknowledge any connection to the man in front of him. He could see Lily lying in Melissa’s arm out of the corner of his eye. Her body was still now. Aiden wasn’t sure if he should be more worried or relieved the convulsions had stopped. All he wanted to do was go to her, but he had to take care of Aziz first.

  “I am offering you a life no one else can offer you, Aiden,” he said. “This land can be ours.”

  “We both know I’m not accepting what you’re offering,” Aiden replied. “I came here to do two things; get my friends, and kill you.”

  Aziz’s mouth hardened, his eyes narrowed. “You would kill the man who gave you life?”

  Aiden flinched. Every reminder was like a slap in his face. All this talk was only doing one thing, wasting time. He didn’t know what was happening with the rest of the army and it was killing him. They needed him out there, not in here having a verbal sparring match with an egomaniac.

  “I’ll tell you who I would kill,” Aiden answered slowly. “I’d kill a man who kills the innocent; a man who brings war to a land for his own gain. I’d kill a man who sent his beasts to terrorize my friends, and who killed one right before me. I’d kill a man in vengeance for all those who have lost their life, lost a loved one, lost a home. I’ll kill anyone and anything who threatens those I care about, and I don’t give a damn who he is or what he’s done for me! This is not your land, and it never will be. Not while I’ll still have air to breathe and the ability to do something about it.”

  The echoing sound of footfalls came from the other doorway across from Aiden. He looked to it just as Aziz turned to do the same. A second later Callum, Jameson and Turk entered, dirtied and bloodied, their weapons ready.

  “Ah!” Aziz said happily, “more company! Pity, you missed the quite inspiring speech Aiden just bestowed upon us.”

  “It’s over, Aziz,” Jameson said evenly.

  Aziz laughed unaffectedly. “Elrond’s sons are always so dramatic, aren’t they?” he commented.

  “Don’t you dare utter my father’s name!” Callum yelled. Aziz’s glance went to the younger prince, his eyes now void of amusement.

  “Funny coming from someone so willing to betray his own for so long,” he said. “I should have never brought you into this. You’re weak, just like the rest of your family. And I have no use for you.” He raised a hand toward Callum and then a shot that looked like lightening flew through the air toward him. Aiden sucked in a breath, seeing the scene before him play out in slow motion. The shot was headed straight for Callum’s chest, so fast it was almost impossible to see. Aiden heard Jameson call out a warning, but Callum seemed rooted to floor. And then Jameson was there, pushing Callum out of the way with one swift shove.

  “No,” Aiden whispered to himself as he saw Jameson’s body flung backward, slamming into the stone wall. A black, singed spot appeared
over his heart. The smell of burnt flesh filled the large room. The King’s body slid to the ground, his eyes wide in shock. Callum crawled to him, calling out Jameson’s name over and over again. Aiden couldn’t look away from the two brothers as Callum placed Jameson’s head in his lap, his hands fitfully running over his brother’s face and chest.

  “Turk!” Callum cried out. “What do we do? Help me!” Aiden looked at the Captain who hadn’t moved, his face paler than Aiden had ever seen it. His eyes were glued to his best friend and King. “Gods, Jameson,” Callum’s voice cracked. Tears openly streamed down his face as he looked at his brother.

  The King’s hand came up weakly, covering Callum’s on his face. “Take care of her,” Aiden heard him say brokenly. “Be the King I know you are.”

  “No!” Callum cried. “No!”

  Aiden saw the King’s eyes close, and a moment later his chest no longer rose and fell with life. Everything in the room had just stopped; the only sounds those of Callum’s agony.

  “No,” he said again, softer now. “Please, Jameson. Please.”

  Aiden looked at Aziz who watched the scene indifferently. Rage burned through him. The air became thicker, smells and sounds stronger. Energy crackled around him. He could hear the fighting outside now, the wind through the trees, drops of water somewhere in the stone walls of the mountain. Everything became clearer, more defined. A pulse ran up his arms and legs, his palms tingling with it. Aziz sensed it, looking to Aiden. He took an involuntary step backward, fear flashing across his eyes briefly.

  “That was the last person you will ever take from me,” Aiden said, his voice sounding hollow, as if someone else were speaking entirely. He lifted his hand letting the energy he could feel in his fingertips fly. It felt natural for him, as if he had done this a million times.

  Aziz moved quickly, faster than Aiden expected. Gripping his axe, he ran forward with it raised to strike. Aziz shot out another bolt. Aiden rolled to the ground, out of the way. He popped back up just as Aziz swept him up in a gust of wind, crushing him into the rock face. Aiden struggled to move against the invisible hands holding him there. Aziz smiled.