Ryker pulls me close, righting me so that I'm facing him. My feet can't reach the lake bottom as his do, so I wrap my legs around his waist. We lose ourselves in the other's eyes. His eyes sparkle like the stars, shining there just for me.
"Wow," he whispers as he brings his lips down to meet mine.
BONUS STORY
*Ryker’s Journey is a companion short story for the Exalted Trilogy, which includes: Exalted, Denounced and United. First published in Journeys: Bayou Writers Group Anthology Volume 1 in September 2014.
Ryker’s Journey
(An EXALTED Short Story)
By: TARA ELIZABETH
My journey into reality began with a fever. I’d never been so ill before. Beads of sweat formed on my brow and ran down all sides of my neck. My stomach rolled without relent. It was odd for an Exalted, like me, to be ill, so I was immediately sent from training to the infirmary. The medical citizens diagnosed me with food poisoning and sent me back to my dorm room to wait it out. That was a mistake on their part.
Within two days, a haze—that I didn’t even know I had been living with—began to dissipate. I felt things that I didn’t understand. What kind of crazy illness did I contract? Surely, it wasn’t food poisoning.
The sicker I became, the more the haze drifted away. On the third day, before joining the other trainees for breakfast, I stalled next to my bed in my dorm room.
“Are you coming, Ryker?” my roommate asked.
“I need to get in a few extra push-ups. Instructor says my arms are weak. I’ll be there shortly.” It was the only reasonable answer an Exalted could give. We didn’t forget things, and we didn’t have personal items to contend with. Our duty to the Republic of the Saved was our only reason for living. We had to be strong for them. That was all. I now know that that was a sad life.
After my roommate left, I sat on my bed, rubbing my clammy hands on the thighs of my black pants. My mind was different. I was able to question things I’d never thought to question before. I went over all the possibilities for the changes that were occurring within my body and mind. There wasn’t a single thing that I had been doing differently…apart from being too ill to take my daily vitamin. The purple pill that we called The Pump was issued by the Republic to all Exalted. Did that mean something was wrong with the pill? Did the Republic know? I knew I’d have to tell them. Surely they’d want to know.
My strong legs carried me out of my room and down the stairs of my building in no time at all. When the door swung open to the outside and I stepped onto the bright green grass, I developed a newfound suspicion toward the Republic that I’d never possessed before. The bright sun warmed my face and the blue sky demanded my attention. Those were things that I’d never paid attention to before…and giving into them didn’t feel bad. It felt amazing. It felt right. So why would the Republic take that from all of its citizens and soldiers? Why? No way was I warning anyone of the Pump’s effects until I knew more.
***
I didn’t take the Pump that morning or the mornings that followed. After several days, the illness went away and what was left was a boy seeing the world in a whole new way. I began to pay attention to the behavior of people around me, and I spied on the Ambassadors when no one was looking. The Ambassadors smiled and laughed, which was something the Exalted and citizens never did because they didn’t feel—anything.
But I felt something. Awful, gut-wrenching emotions began to fill my soul. Guilt and remorse plagued me. Things the Republic had made me do at such a young age were monstrous. The memories were tormenting. I was so good at what I did for the Republic that I had been one of their prize trainees. I was lethal and at the top of my class. I did whatever they asked of me—things outside of training—things the others weren’t supposed to know about. With my obedience and silence came benefits, and I knew I could use those benefits in my favor.
I was close to our leader, so after a meeting with Dr. Leon, I hid in a closet down the hall from his office. No one would miss me. My patrol duties were solo missions, unlike the duties given to other trainees my age. The time seemed to drag on while I was hidden away from sight. I felt nervous—another new emotion that I’d never felt before. I was even sweating. What was wrong with me?
Finally, I heard three sets of footsteps heading away from our leader’s office—Dr. Leon and his two guards. Once I was sure everyone was out for the night, I left the closet in a hurry. I learned a lot in that office, secrets someone like me should never have known. Next, I snuck into the Ambassador Library. Exalted and citizens weren’t allowed in places of knowledge, places meant only for the rulers with “open” minds…though I quickly came to learn their beliefs and rules were actually close-minded.
There wasn’t enough time to read everything I wanted to read in the library. There were thousands of books that held thousands of secrets, but the building was too highly patrolled for me to linger. After I read what I could, I had to sneak out of a window because of a new team of Exalted patrolling the halls. That window was on the third story of the Capital building. The fall was not pleasant. I never attempted gaining access to the library again after nearly getting caught that first time.
Control. Lies. Murder. My guilt and remorse for my actions quickly turned into anger. I hated the Republic for what they made me do, and after sneaking around, I knew more than I needed to. I knew what I had to do. I was on a mission to save as many people from the Republic of the Saved as I could. That government didn’t save anyone from anything. They kept us drugged and under their power.
But why?
***
My patrols were always lonely trips. Since I was in such high standing, they sent me outside of the city’s walls by myself. My job was to look for marauders. And then kill them. Instead, I spent that time searching for villages. The biggest group I found was near Toledo Lake. From then on, I sent smaller groups their way. I also began stealing citizens from the Republic’s farmlands and transporting them to the growing village. It was exactly what I wanted to do with my life—give people their freedom. I had to do whatever I could to make up for the atrocities I’d committed while on the Pump.
It was unfortunate that I couldn’t offer the same gift of freedom to my race, the Exalted. They were too strong, too ferocious. They would have fought me to the death had I tried to take them. Citizens were easy. I was able to take one a month without raising suspicion.
That was my life for several years. The pain eased but never left entirely.
Eventually, the time came for our Trials and the United ceremony. I didn’t want to be United—not to some mindless woman. Of course being with a woman was something I greatly looked forward to, but not that way. It was one more thing the Republic controlled, and I hated them for it even more.
I won the first two Trials with ease. No one even came close to my scores. So, I was all set to finish first in my class if I won the last Trial. I never got to compete in my Third Trial, though. Without my knowledge, Dr. Leon had been training me so I could be transferred to another Republic. I was shocked to say the least. My family and peers would be told that I had died in my Third Trial. Essentially, I no longer existed.
The new Republic was almost identical to my old one. My job was even the same. I met with my new leader every so often, I drifted in and out of the city’s walls as I pleased, and I continued to save citizens from the fields. It was good, but it wasn’t enough.
***
So, my journey may have begun in an infirmary with a fever, but my life began in a cornfield when I saw a girl with long brown hair. She was an Exalted trainee. Her parents sent me to tell her the truth about the Republic and the Pump. They thought that she’d have an easier time believing an outsider. It was only supposed to be a job.
There she was, walking the cornfields during her patrol duty. I watched her for three days until I couldn’t stand to wait any longer. It was a risk approaching her out in the open, but I didn’t have a choice. That was where she was stationed.
She tried to fight me when I tackled her to the ground. It was her duty to do as such. Once she calmed, I whispered the secret in her ear. When I pulled my face away from hers, I nearly closed the distance again, wanting to touch my lips to hers. But I knew she couldn’t feel emotions. It wouldn’t have meant anything to her. So I left her there with the new knowledge and the rows and rows of corn.
After that, I watched her, day after day. She was all I could think about. I wanted her to take my advice so badly. And day after day, she seemed like the same stone-faced soldier, until the day came when she looked at the sky. She let her fingers drag across the cornstalks. Then, there it was. She smiled.
And I was in love.
Together we’re taking on the Republic.
Together we’re on our journey.
Thank You from the Author
It's been a great journey with Mena these past four years. I have so many people to thank for getting me to the release of the final book in the Exalted Trilogy. Thank you to my family and friends for your support and encouragement. Thank you to my editors – Nanette & Amanda. Thank you to my beta readers - Daniel, Stacey, Sarah, Debbie, and Donna. And a BIG THANK YOU to my Readers!
About the author:
I’m a writer and an artist. I grew up in the Deep South surrounded by bayous, magnolia trees, crawfish and great people. My culture is a huge part of my life, and you can see some of those details in my writing.
If you enjoyed United, please leave a review on Amazon. Reviews are greatly appreciated!
Zoo, is my second YA novel. Look for it if you haven’t read it yet!
Thanks for reading!
Connect with me online:
facebook.com/author.tara.elizabeth
authortaraelizabeth.com
United (Exalted Trilogy: Book 3) Page 16
