WAKENED (The Silvervane Chronicles Book 1)

by Rachel Berlynn

  “Of course. We’ll talk more in the morning.”

  Ryder nodded and stood to his feet, bidding them all goodnight as he slowly climbed the staircases to his bedroom on the third floor of the west wing. He couldn’t stop his mind from racing from one thing to the next. If the journal was a hoax and Edryd wasn’t the murderer and villain it made him out to be, then perhaps it wasn’t the Order he should be fearing. Perhaps his family was murdered by Silver Veins who had managed to hide in plain sight, unthreatened because of his father’s mislead loyalties.

  He remembered Mrs. Bryant’s wrist. He had never seen the mark of a Silver Vein in real life before today. That part of the legends was true, it would seem. But did that really mean Silver Veins were the innocent ones, while Edryd’s Order was corrupt? Could it be the other way around? If it was, did the Bryant’s have any connection with the people who had murdered his family? He was pretty sure they were innocent, but what about their friends?

  Their people? Their bloodline?

  CHAPTER TWENTY- SIX

  A ylie slept fitfully, tossing and turning as dream after dream flitted through her sleeping subconscious. Ruah stood beside her in a vast, desolate field. Storm clouds rolled across the angry sky overhead. Flashes of lightening and torrents of thunder shook the ground beneath their feet. The setting sun was an alarming shade of red as it disappeared behind a thick haze of black smoke.

  Are you ready? The lion asked her solemnly, his electric blue eyes piercing her from the inside out.

  The question struck her with invisible force, drowning out the sound of the thunder. She couldn’t speak to reply. She looked over her shoulder, knowing that Ryder was waiting for

  her answer. He wore a somber black hooded cloak and his arm was outstretched toward her, beckoning for her to join him. Blood dripped from the palms of his hands, his eyes darker than coal. She stood transfixed, looking from Ruah to Ryder and back again. How could she choose between them?

  A sudden thudding noise awoke Aylie from her nightmare, sending her heart into wild palpitations. She gasped, trying to catch her breath, as she opened her eyes and searched the room for the source of the sound. A shadowy figure emerged from the far left corner. “What are you doing here?” She whispered, forcing herself up into a sitting position.

  Ryder glided over to her bed without a sound, sitting down on the mattress beside her. “I had to see you.” He took one of her small hands in one of his larger ones.

  “You’re transporting now?” She asked, a little confused.

  He nodded, a sly grin spreading across his face.

  “Where have you been?” She frowned slightly. “I haven’t heard from you in almost a week. I was getting worried.” She looked down at his palm, tracing it with her fingertips.

  He touched the side of her face with his free hand. “I’m sorry. My uncle’s been keeping me busy,” he replied, offering an apologetic smile. “It’s been so long…we’ve had a lot to discuss.”

  She leaned into his hand, relishing the feel of his fingertips on her cheek. “Is everything okay?”

  He smiled. “It’s better than okay. It’s been great having him and my cousins here.”

  Aylie felt a little disappointed. She had missed him every day, but it seemed like he hadn’t missed her at all. Perhaps he no longer needed her now that he had family around. She stared down at their hands, feeling a little sorry for herself.

  This doesn’t change how I feel about you one bit, he answered her unspoken thoughts. He leaned forward, kissing her tenderly.

  The fear and uncertainty she’d been wrestling with was dissolving as she lost herself in this passionate embrace. Ruah’s words haunted her, echoing over and over in the back of her mind, but she ignored them. Ryder’s kiss was long and hard and she felt completely intoxicated. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked down at her, pulling back to look at her face. With what appeared to be great effort, he leaned away slightly, forcing himself to slow down. He gazed at her longingly like he wanted to consume her and Aylie’s breath hitched in her throat.

  “There’s something I want to talk to you about,” he whispered, tracing the outline of her lips with his index finger.

  Aylie listened, closing her eyes to savor the sensation of his finger as it traced along the skin of her bottom lip.

  “My uncle explained to me why he and my father parted ways four years ago,” he began.

  Aylie nodded silently, opening her eyes to study his face as he spoke. She was instantly overcome by the depth of his dark eyes and the gorgeous contours of his lips, cheekbones, and chin. The overwhelming attraction she felt for him was unlike anything she had ever experienced before and she was finding it hard to keep herself in check. It took great effort to focus on what he was saying, but she sensed that it was important and fought her unruly emotions.

  “Alexander thinks my father might have suffered from some kind of mental disturbance.” He said somberly.

  Aylie’s forehead creased. “Really?”

  Ryder nodded. “He says the manuscript was nothing more than a journal my great-grandfather kept and not an accurate description of my family history at all.”

  Aylie touched his lips with her fingertips. “Do you believe him?”

  “I didn’t want to believe it at first, but the more I think about it, the more I can see how it could have happened,” he said, looking troubled. “My dad was destroyed when my mom was murdered. He would’ve believed anything at that point.”

  “But I thought those legends had been passed down for generations before your grandfather got ahold of them?”

  “That’s what my dad believed,” Ryder said sadly. “But I think my uncle might be right about his mental state.”

  Aylie stared into his troubled eyes, sensing every emotion he was feeling. She wanted to cry and lose herself in kissing him all at the same time. She touched the side of face gently. “How do you feel about that?”

  He tried to shrug it off. “I feel a little foolish for starting to believe the things in that journal,” he murmured, running his fingers slowly down the side of her neck. “It changes things.”

  Aylie shivered, feeling on fire everywhere he touched her. “Like what?” She asked, fighting the temptation to pull him in for another long kiss.

  He looked like he was struggling with himself, trying to decide whether or not to answer her question.

  “Tell me,” she coaxed, running her hand down his strong, muscular chest. She felt him tense under her touch and knew his body wanted to respond.

  “My uncle and cousins have been explaining my heritage to me—the truth about my bloodline.”

  Aylie traced the lines of his abs through his white t-shirt, hearing him only a little through the haze of her own, raging emotions.

  “They belong to Edryd’s Order.”

  Aylie’s fingertips froze on his chest. “What?”

  “They’re loyal to The Order.”

  Aylie’s body tensed. She dropped her hand from his chest, pushing herself up to her elbows. She was nose to nose with him now, her eyes wide and fixated on his face. “What are you saying?”

  Ryder cleared his throat. “I might have been wrong about Edryd…about who he was and what he did. That whole journal might have been a total fabrication.”

  “Why would someone want you to believe such awful, slanderous things about your own family?”

  “Maybe they wanted us to be afraid so that we’d cut ourselves off from the rest of the family,” he hedged, worrying his bottom lip. “We’ve been pretty easy targets out here all alone in this gloomy mansion without the protection of family and friends.”

  “But Ryder….”

  “Think about it, Aylie. My uncle and cousins are still alive and well. No one has ever tried to murder them or harm them in any way. What if that manuscript was an elaborate web of lies to get my family out here alone, to isolate us so that the real enemy could get to us more easily?”

  “If Edryd’s not the real enemy,
then who is?”

  Ryder’s expression turned dark. “If Edryd is actually the innocent one, Rhydian’s descendants are the real enemies—the Silver Veins.” He paused to let the revelation sink in.

  Aylie swallowed. “Are you sure you should believe what your uncle says? He’s accusing your dad of being mentally unstable….”

  “I’ve been thinking about this all week,” Ryder said solemnly, pulling himself up into a sitting position. “It’s really hard to accept, I know, but it’s the most logical conclusion. Nothing made sense before—all the stories about an immortal prince who could restore humanity…there’s no proof the prince even exists! No one has ever even seen him.”

  Aylie swallowed hard. She sat up slowly, pulling the covers up around her arms. The room suddenly felt extremely cold. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her brain couldn’t comprehend the words that were coming out of Ryder’s mouth. Did he really believe what he was saying? Could he be so easily swayed by an uncle he hardly knew?

  “I can guess what you’re worried about,” Ryder murmured, resting his hand on one of hers. “But I promise your family is safe. I know they didn’t have anything to do with my father’s death.”

  “What?” Aylie stared at him in confusion, her stomach doing frightened little flips.

  “Your mom’s wrist, Aylie—we both saw it. I know she’s a Silver Vein.”

  Aylie felt her blood go cold. “What are you saying, Ryder? That we’re your enemies now? Are you going to become one of them?”

  Ryder looked her in the eyes. “Aylie, I already am one of them. I was born into this—it’s my destiny. ”

  Her eyes widened in horror. “No, it’s not.” She shook her head.

  “It’s going to be okay, Aylie. It’s not what we thought it was at all. It’s political more than anything—nothing to do with druids or sorcerers or anything like that.”

  She couldn’t speak or form a coherent thought. She was in total shock and didn’t know how to process any of this. Ruah had been right. Ryder was going to join the Order. He was going to become their next high priest and there was nothing she could do to stop him. Telling him what she knew would expose her family and the rest of the Silver Veins—which included Ren and Derek, among many others.

  “Have you already joined them?” She asked, trying to keep the tears from her eyes.

  Ryder shook his head. “Not officially. I told my uncle I had to talk to you first.”

  Aylie swallowed. “When?”

  “Tomorrow night.”

  Aylie felt her eyes sting and she looked away, staring out the window beside her bed. She had never felt so helpless. Her heart ached for the boy sitting beside her…for his future…for his soul. She wanted to save him, but she didn’t know how. Ruah hadn’t told her what to do next.

  “Come with me,” Ryder murmured, breaking in on her thoughts.

  “What?” Aylie jerked her head in his direction.

  “Come with me. Join me.”

  “Become part of the Order?” Ruah’s words rang in her ears.

  “Why not? What do you have to lose?”

  “You said it yourself—my mom is a Silver Vein, which means my dad probably is, too. Which means I’m meant to be a Silver Vein.”

  Ryder gently grasped her right hand, turning her wrist over to expose the veins. “See? There’s only blue blood running through these veins—no silver.” He lowered his lips to her wrist, lightly brushing them over the delicate skin covering her veins. “That means you haven’t declared your allegiance yet.”

  “Joining you would make me an enemy to everyone else I care about,” she said, shaking her head at the unbearable thought.

  Ryder looked at her sadly. “If you become a Silver Vein you’ll be my enemy.”

  A solitary tear trickled down her cheek. “So I have to choose between you and my family.” It wasn’t a question. She already knew the choice that lay before her. She had known since the day she’d been tricked into attending Rhydian’s council meeting, but she’d been hoping to find a way to change her destiny before the time came.

  I want you in my life, Aylie. He leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead. I don’t want to do

  this without you.

  Another tear slid down her cheek. I don’t want to live without you, either.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  A ylie awoke early the next morning, feeling as if she hadn’t slept at all. She’d lain awake all night thinking after Ryder had left. No matter what decision she made, everything was going to change after tonight. She dressed hurriedly and forced herself to choke down a bowl of cereal for breakfast. She rinsed the dish under warm water and set it in the sink.

  Her mom entered the kitchen and squeezed her shoulders warmly. “Are you ready for today?” Mrs. Bryant asked.

  Aylie raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

  “This is the first day of your very last semester of high school.” Her mom said with a smile, pride shining in her clear blue eyes. “Soon you’ll be moving away to college.” Her eyes misted as she turned away to make a breakfast smoothie for

  Sam.

  Aylie’s heart skipped a beat. For a moment she’d feared that somehow her mom had figured out what she was about to do. Her parents hadn’t brought up the council meeting she’d crashed a week ago or the implications of her relationship with Ryder, and she wasn’t about to fill them in on it now. Ren hadn’t badgered her about it either, and Lacey was totally in the dark about all of it, which was a small relief. She didn’t want her parents or anyone else to try and change her mind.

  She followed her dad and Sam out to the truck and climbed into the passenger seat, holding her book bag on her lap. She smoothed the folds of her pleated, uniform skirt beneath it and crossed her knee-high covered ankles. Sam hoisted himself into the backseat, his backpack carelessly strewn over one shoulder. His shoelaces were untied as usual, which made Aylie smile. Her dad walked around to the driver’s side and slid into his seat, revving the engine to life.

  Aylie stared out the window in silence as they drove. They stopped at Silvervane Elementary first to drop Sam off. He scrambled out of the truck and headed for the gymnasium, but he paused to look over his shoulder at her with a buoyant wave before skipping off to check in with his friends. She waved back, smiling sadly. Her dad attempted to make small talk as he drove her to Silvervane Prep, and she did her best to answer his questions without getting annoyed like she so often did. She smiled at him, squeezing his hand as she got out of the truck. Even though she wasn’t leaving home, she knew everything was going to be different now. She had no idea what to expect when she and Ryder were initiated into Edryd’s Order, but she was sure it involved oaths of some kind. Ryder had assured her that her family would be safe, but somehow knowing that things were about to change made every moment seem a little more precious.

  She took a deep breath and pushed her way through the halls of Silvervane Prep, trying to get to her locker before the bell rang. She greeted Lacey and Marcus hesitantly, but her best friend smiled at her brightly, apparently having decided to forgive her for dating Ryder behind her back. She started gushing about how great Marcus’s New Year’s Eve party had been the moment they reached their lockers. Aylie smiled, feeling detached from the conversation but giving it her best effort. Ren sidled up next to her, shooting her an apologetic glance. Aylie nodded, trying to avoid a conversation with her at all costs—Ren would never understand what she was about to do.

  At lunch everyone seemed excited to be back for their final semester at Silvervane Prep. Even the hockey players appeared to be more optimistic about their academic future. Many of them had already received scholarships to play for top universities and they were soaking in the glory of their last days as gods of the High School scene.

  Aylie couldn’t seem to connect with their energy, so she kept to herself, only speaking when she was asked a direct question. She noticed Kyle and Addison staring at her from across the table, but s
he didn’t care enough to ask them why. Undoubtedly Kyle was still sore about having to pick Ryder up from the county jail, and now everyone knew she was dating him. Chance sat down beside her, smiling kindly to offer his emotional support, which she appreciated. Ryder hadn’t shown up for homeroom this morning, and she wasn’t sure if he’d be here at all. She knew how important this day was for him and school probably wasn’t his top priority.

  Suddenly the lively chatter in the dining hall died down, as everyone turned to stare at the door. Gasps and muted whispers broke out all over the room. Aylie was slow to realize what was going on and finally glanced to see what everyone was gaping at. Her mouth nearly fell open at the sight of Ryder and the two equally attractive boys who were flanking him, one on the right and one on the left. He locked eyes with her from across the room and sauntered toward her, the unfamiliar boys following his lead.

  “Do you mind if we join you?” He asked, gazing only at her.

  Lacey shot her a mildly frightened glance, but Ren smiled welcomingly. To Aylie’s surprise, it was Kyle Kavanagh who moved over to make room from Ryder and his cousins to sit down across from her. He acted almost nervous, glancing sideways at Ryder with a look somewhere between fear and awe. Addison batted her eyelashes at him, as the three boys sat down together. Some of the other hockey players looked confused, but no one objected to their presence.

  Ryder nudged Aylie’s foot under the table, smiling roguishly to set her at ease. It worked. She flashed a smile back at him, taking another bite of her chicken salad.

  “These are my cousins—Roman and Blake,” he said, introducing them to the table as if they’d all been friends for years. Everyone responded politely, welcoming him and his cousins without reservation. In fact, it was as if nothing could be more normal.

  “My cousins will be finishing out the semester here at Silvervane Prep,” Ryder explained.

  Lacey stole a sideways glance at Aylie, but said nothing. It was clear that she felt uncomfortable around them, but Marcus seemed to be okay with it, talking to Ryder’s cousins for the rest of the lunch break. Kyle and Addison were practically groupies, enamored by every word that came out of their mouths.