Fractured Soul

by Rachel McClellan

  Praise for Fractured Soul

  “Fractured Soul is a brilliant sequel, exceeding even the remarkable first book in the series. It will haunt your every waking moment between the times you’re reading it, and it will stay with you long after you’ve finished. It’s an amazingly well-written and engrossing story that I highly recommend—after you’ve read the first one, of course.”

  —Cindy Bennett, bestselling author of Geek Girl and Rapunzel Untangled

  “Rachel McClellan delivers a stunning sequel to Fractured Light. The romance remains as passionate and pure as ever, the characters achieve even greater depth, and the action is absolutely unrelenting. McClellan’s world is frightening and beautiful, a realistic and fascinating mix of darkness and light. Do yourself a favor, and clear your schedule before you start reading—you won’t want to stop!”

  —Heather Frost, author of the Seers trilogy

  “When I read Fractured Light by Rachel McClellan, I was intrigued by the original story line and engaging writing. Fractured Soul picks up where Fractured Light left off and Llona is a strong heroine. I loved following her throughout the book as she learns more about herself and her powers. Lucent Academy was not what I expected it to be. Instead of being a safe place for Llona to train, it is filled with clueless girls and leaders that don’t want to face the truth of their existence. Full of heart-pounding action, breathless romance, and killer drama, Fractured Soul by Rachel McClellan has it all, and I can’t wait to read Fractured Truth!”

  —Christie Rich, author of the Elemental Enmity series

  “I love these books! A kick-butt heroine and a hottie love interest, with a refreshingly original concept. Be prepared—once you start, these are hard to put down.”

  —Paula Cotton, book reviewer at ReadingLark.blogspot.com

  “Rachel McClellan’s Fractured Soul is a masterfully executed sequel—it’s built upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, but instead of merely living up to expectations, it chooses to redefine them in creative and compelling ways: new characters threaten to outshine the old, tension and action are interwoven with exquisite skill, and the story line is nothing short of inspired. Fans will clamor for the next book.”

  —Thomas Winship, author of the Vaempire Revolution series

  “Fractured Soul is a mysterious, engaging follow-up to Fractured Light that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very end.”

  —Alicia K. Leppert, author of Emerald City

  © 2013 Rachel McClellan All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, names, incidents, places, and dialogue are products of the author’s imagination, and are not to be construed as real.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, whether by graphic, visual, electronic, film, microfilm, tape recording, or any other means, without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4621-1180-0

  Published by Sweetwater Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc.

  2373 W. 700 S., Springville, UT 84663

  Distributed by Cedar Fort, Inc. www.cedarfort.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  McClellan, Rachel, 1977-

  Fractured Soul / Rachel McClellan.

  pages cm

  ISBN 978-1-4621-1180-0

  I. Title.

  PS3613.C3582F737 2012

  813’.6--dc23

  2012041533

  Cover design by Rebecca J. Greenwood

  Cover design © 2013 Lyle Mortimer

  Edited and typeset by Emily S. Chambers

  Printed in the United States of America

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Sneak Peek at Fractured Truth

  Back Cover

  I will love the light

  For it shows me the way.

  Yet I will endure the darkness

  For it shows me the stars.

  —Og Mandino

  ONE

  People told me life would return to normal, but how could it after you’d killed someone? Or something. Life would never be the same again, apparently starting with my new dorm room at Lucent Academy.

  “Why does it smell like blood in here?” I dropped my duffle bag on the perfectly made bed. The pink floral bedspread wrinkled its way out of perfection.

  “What a silly thing to say,” my aunt Sophie said. “This room is practically brand new.”

  I looked under the bed. “I don’t think so.” Where was the smell coming from? “Did a butcher live in here?”

  May, my best friend, walked through the door. “What butcher?”

  “The butcher who killed a cow in my room.” I looked around. My dorm room was twice the size of my bedroom back home but not nearly as comfortable. The wild-rose-colored walls and heavy wooden chests screamed pretentious. So not my style.

  “There was a cow?” May asked.

  Sophie frowned. “Really, Llona. You have such an imagination.” She turned to May; her long and ruffled blue skirt followed. “Did you find your room satisfactory?”

  “I did. And thanks again for inviting me here.”

  Sophie placed a hand on her shoulder. “Lucent’s glad to have you. We always look forward to having new Furies.”

  “When’s dinner?” I asked. May and I had been traveling for a week since leaving Utah. Sophie thought it would be fun to let us sightsee before we started school again. At first I thought it was a great idea, but by our third museum and our tenth fast-food restaurant, all I wanted was a good meal and a place to call home.

  “In about twenty minutes,” Sophie said. She swiped her finger along the edge of the chair rail, obviously inspecting for dust. “Why don’t you get settled, and then come on down when you hear the chimes. Do you remember where to find the dining room?”

  “Um, first floor, all the way at the end,” I said. Sophie had given us a quick tour on the way up. There were so many rooms, I was surprised I’d remembered.

  Sophie smiled. “Good. I’ll see you girls down there. Oh, and by the way, Llona, even though Auras aren’t normally unkind, just remember that they’re still teenagers trying to discover who they are. Sometimes they say things that surprise even me.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She paused. “You’ve been on the outside your whole life. They may view you as different.”

  “Fantastic. So I was a freak before and now you’re saying I’m a freak here too?”

  “No, it will just take a while for the girls to get to know you. I’m
sure once they do, they will love you just like I do.”

  Uh-huh, sure. ’Cause that’s how girls are. “I wish Christian was here,” I mumbled and turned my attention to my bag so she wouldn’t see me scowling. It was amazing how easily adults forgot what it’s like to be a teenager.

  “What did you say?” Sophie said.

  I looked up, surprised she’d heard me. “Nothing,” I said.

  Sophie pursed her lips like she wanted to say more. Finally, she said, “Try not to be late, girls.” The door closed.

  May jumped onto my bed. “Can you believe this place? It’s like right out of a fairy tale. I feel like a princess!”

  I forced a smile and shoved clothes into the nearest dresser.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  I stopped moving. “Nothing, really. I’ll get over it.” I crinkled my nose. “Except for this awful smell.”

  “What smell?”

  “You really don’t smell it?” I opened the closet doors and—with just a thought—turned on the light. The walk-in closet was bare except for a thin layer of dust covering the wooden floor.

  “It might smell a little musty,” May offered. “Do you really think the other girls will be mean to us?”

  I shrugged. “Probably not to you. From what I hear, Furies are a rare find. I’m sure they’ll treat you like the diamond you are!” I grinned and sat down next to her, but I secretly wondered how things would be different if I were a Fury instead of an Aura. May’s ability to create and control fire was pretty cool. Not only that, but Furies—especially good ones—were rare. That’s why Auras were always excited to have one around. But then again, being an Aura had its perks too—if I could use my ability to control Light the way I wanted, which was to defend myself. At Lucent, Light was only to be used to edify and beautify the world around us.

  May laughed. “You sound just like your aunt.”

  I sighed. “This place is going to take some getting used to.”

  May nodded.

  “How are you doing?” I asked. She had been quiet on the drive over from New York City, but I didn’t dare ask her what was wrong in front of the man who had escorted us to Lucent.

  May looked down, and my eyes followed her gaze. Her fingers traced the floral pattern on the quilt. “For some reason, I thought I’d feel better putting all this space between us and Highland, but I almost feel worse. It’s like I’ve run away or something.” May looked at me, searching for understanding. “Does that make sense?”

  “It does. It feels like we’re betraying Tracey by being here. We get to live our lives while she’s six feet under.” Beneath the pillow on my lap, I dug my nails into my palm, remembering how Mr. Steele, a Vyken posing as my math teacher, had sliced my friend’s throat. And even worse, it was my fault. My selfishness had left Tracey dead, May injured, and many others traumatized. If only I would’ve left for Lucent sooner.

  “Are you going to call Christian tonight?” May asked, like she thought mentioning the name of the boy I loved would help me forget about what happened.

  I forced another smile. “I’ll try. I have to call my uncle Jake first to let him know I’m finally here, and if I don’t have someone standing over me, I’ll call Christian.”

  “I can’t believe they won’t let you talk to him,” May said.

  “Oh, I can talk to him, but it’s”—I made air quotes—“ ‘frowned upon.’ ” Christian wasn’t my official Guardian anymore, but it still wasn’t considered proper for us to speak informally to each other.

  May chuckled and stood up. “I better finish unpacking before we have to go downstairs. Come grab me when you’re ready.”

  After May shut the door, I opened the window to let in fresh air. I was looking forward to the cooler New York weather. I didn’t think I could’ve handled sunny and warm at this point in my life. There was nothing bright about it. Every night for the last week, I’d been having nightmares like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I kept dreaming of death; vivid pictures of people drowning, burning, being strangled. I inhaled deeply and shook my head, shaking the images from my mind.

  A window screen prevented me from seeing the full extent of Lucent. I traced its edges until I found the latch. I popped out the screen, slid it under my bed, and then returned to the window. Leaning out as far as I could, I scanned the area.

  My room was located in the right wing of Chadni Hall. I was on the third of four floors, which was for sixteen-year-olds and upperclassmen. When we had first arrived, I was in awe at the size of the school, but now looking at everything from this high in the air, Lucent seemed so much bigger.

  The sun was setting, taking the shadows of trees and buildings with it. They stretched long and thin, crossing into each other until they blurred into the forest just beyond a tall rock wall surrounding the school.

  Behind the main building were three more buildings almost as big as Chadni Hall. If I remembered correctly, the square, three-story building to my left was Denelle Hall where all the classes were held. To the right of it was a circular, red-brick building with tall, white columns. Sophie had called it Risen Auditorium. That’s where the theatre and the music rooms were. And in between these two buildings was the tallest structure of all: a gray stone clock tower. Finally, toward the rear of the school grounds, the square shape of Lambert House stood, which Sophie said were living quarters. She didn’t say for whom though.

  From Denelle Hall, a steady line of people headed toward my building. I took a deep breath. That was a lot of teenagers. Just then, one of the girls’ faces turned up in my direction. I quickly ducked back in my room and away from the window.

  Already the fresh air was making a difference on the smell. Either that or I was getting used to it. I sat down at the vanity and ran a brush through my hair. Maybe someone at Lucent could show me how to change it, I hoped. I was tired of its blonde, almost white, color. I always thought I’d look better with brown hair, like May’s, but dye never worked on my hair.

  A tinkling sound, as if someone had waved a magic wand, chimed. I assumed it was the dinner bell Sophie had talked about.

  I swept my long hair to the side of my neck and examined the two small holes where Mr. Steele had bitten me. They were still there, as if it happened yesterday. The red, swollen edges around the wounds made them look like eyes. I quickly applied concealer. I hated the way the marks stared at me, accusingly.

  I leaned back in my chair, thinking. How could I have not recognized that something was wrong with Mr. Steele? Every time he came near me, I got all dizzy-headed and confused. At the time I’d thought it was because of some weird attraction, but, looking back, I could see how stupid that was. For months Mr. Steele secretly terrorized me, forcing the Light within me to mature early just so he could steal it from me like he did when he’d killed my mother.

  The Light in an Aura’s blood was the one thing Vykens wanted most because it gave them many powers, including the ability to change their appearance. But Mr. Steele had underestimated my abilities. With the help of Christian, I learned to use my ability over Light as a weapon—a weapon that ultimately destroyed Mr. Steele.

  However, my victory came with a price.

  Mr. Steele had bit me, and ever since then I felt something growing inside me. It was dark and contentious, and its evil pressed on me from the inside out. I’d never felt dirtier, like I’d been touched by the worst kind of monster imaginable.

  I turned away from the mirror and pulled a pink beanie over my head. Enough of the past. I stood and was about to open my door to go get May when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I glanced to my left, to the corner of the room where it was the darkest. There was nothing there—only an old dresser. I waited a second, but nothing happened. Strange.

  May opened my door, startling me. “What’s with the weird chimes?” she asked.

  “I don’t know, but if I have to hear that every day, I think I’ll go crazy.”

  “I know, right?”
May turned to the mirror and adjusted her hair. She was wearing a different outfit—it looked brand new—and she had reapplied her makeup. She must be nervous, I thought. I never considered how hard this must be for her. She had guarded her secret of being a Fury for so long that to all of a sudden be surrounded by people who knew the truth might be overwhelming.

  “Everyone is going to love you, and I’m not just saying that.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go be the new kids,” I said.

  May, with her easy-going personality, would fit right in, but I wouldn’t, nor did I care to. I was here for one reason only: to learn as much as I could about my ability, then I was out of here. I didn’t want to be a part of the Auras’ strange culture that didn’t allow us to reach our full potential. I wanted more.

  We were almost to the end of the hall when a door opened and four laughing girls appeared, but when they saw us they stopped. May said, “Hi, guys!” as we passed. They said nothing—just stared like we were a new zoo exhibit. But before we turned the corner, my sensitive ears, which I’d inherited from my Guardian father, heard one of them whisper, “I can’t believe they put her in that room. I’ll bet she’s dead by the end of the month.”

  TWO

  I paused for just a moment, wondering if I’d heard correctly, but when May glanced back at me, I ignored the cold chill rooting itself in my spine and continued downstairs.

  The dining room wasn’t at all what I expected. It looked more like a grand ballroom inside a five-star hotel. Ten chandeliers hung from a white-trimmed ceiling, and in between square moldings were paintings of what I imagined heaven would look like. It should have made me feel all ethereal, but instead I felt unworthy.

  Positioned perfectly throughout the room were dozens of circular tables, each decked out like Martha Stewart had decorated them. Even the tall glass vases in the center of the tables held real flowers. I glanced down at my attire—jeans and T-shirt. “Do you think we should go back and change?” I asked May.

  “No, we’re good. Everyone else is dressed casually too.”

  I looked up, seeing the other girls for the first time. Most of them were already seated, but they were so still and quiet, it’s no wonder I had missed them. I would’ve thought they were statues if it hadn’t been for their eyes, which were darting around the room meeting the gazes of other girls as if they were silently communicating.