First of all, this gift of writing that sometimes feels more like a miracle at the end of the day came from God alone and to Him I give the glory. He has had a plan since the beginning and I am so blessed to be invited along on this wild ride.
Thanks to my loving family, who have put up with my sleepless nights, and all of my “Not right nows…” and “In a little bits….” You’ve put up with a dirty house, dirty laundry and let’s face it a dirty mommy, but you have supported me through it all and I thank you for that.
Thanks to my parents, who promised me from childhood I could do and be anything that I wanted. To my dad, who although might be disappointed I’m not a missionary in the jungles of Africa, would be proud to know I followed my dream. And to my mom who has spent endless hours babysitting, encouraging me, spreading the word about my books and even done my dishes and laundry a few times! Thank you for your support.
Thanks to Kylee who sat by me for hours and hours while I bounced ideas and thoughts off her. To Pat who let us exchange yard work for cover art. And to Carolynn for going through the first, very, very rough versions and donating her editing eye.
Thanks to Jenn Nunez who took me under her wing and walked me through this whole crazy process step by step, holding my hand and answering all of my millions and millions of questions!!
Finally, thanks to my amazing husband, Zach. Without him, I would never have taken the plunge and published, or continued to publish, or maybe even continued to write. He has been a constant source of encouragement, always helping me be better and pushing me to do more. Love you Zachary.
I followed Lilly through the other side of the barn and around the large white farmhouse. A small group of other Immortals walked silently with us. All of them were the older generation except Avalon, whom I noticed was allowed more of a leadership role than anyone else our age, including me.
Angelica led our small group behind the farmhouse and down into a storm cellar. Lilly and I followed Conrad, Terrance, Amory and Avalon down a set of worn stone steps. The men all carried fiery torches and as we walked through a surprisingly long tunnel, they stopped and lit suspended torches along the wall.
What I expected to be a typical Nebraska tornado shelter, meant to protect from seasonal storms, had turned into a long, but wide tunnel, leading further and further into the earth. The already cold November night continued to stiffen the frigid air the farther into the passageway we walked.
Lilly’s hand in mine, I could feel her tremble with anxiety. The look on her face was sheer determination, etched with near panicked hysteria. Her already pale skin had turned translucent by fear and her vibrant red curls framed her face in a haze of frizz. I squeezed her hand, hoping to comfort, except I couldn’t help but empathize her same fears.
Eventually we came to a thick stone door. The small group ahead of us mounted their torches into frames already nailed to the walls. Through the dim firelight I could see small markings bordering the outline of the door and then another large symbol set exactly in the middle at eye leveclass="underline" a snake, wrapped in a circle, swallowing its’ own tail.
Angelica was the first one through the door. She put her finger, just below her ear, where her jawbone met her neck and I watched the faint flare of light. I realized she was illuminating the same symbol of the snake eating its own tail, the same symbol Lilly was on her way to receive. Angelica carried the magic in her finger, from her neck to the symbol in the door. She placed her index finger ever so softly on the serpent and I watch with quiet awe as the door glowed in the same color as Angelica’s magic before opening into a circular room.
The door closed behind Angelica and Conrad was next in line. He repeated the same procedure as Angelica, only this time the door illuminated in army green, to resemble the brand of magic he carried. I realized at that moment that I may not be able to keep my promise to Lilly, since it seemed to enter the secret room of the Resistance, one must already be a member or on their way to become one.
I squeezed Lilly’s hand tighter as I watched Terrance and then Avalon both enter the room in turn. Amory turned towards us, his expression pure excitement. He held out his hand to Lilly and she accepted the offer silently.
“I’m afraid you won’t be able to join us, Eden dear. Unless you are also willing to join our humble cause tonight,” I saw the hope in his black eyes and felt ashamed when I shook my head no.
“Then you had better wait out here,” his smile softened into a sadder version of happiness and I was struck with guilt. Some small part of me understood that I could not waver in the middle much longer. Sooner or later I would have to make a choice; I would have to join a cause that would eventually lead to the death of the person I loved with all of my soul, or I would have to turn my back on this cause and alienate myself entirely from the only family I would ever have.
I squeezed Lilly’s hand one more time before letting go and gave her an encouraging smile. She returned my smile with renewed confidence and I suddenly felt envious. Her brilliant emerald eyes shone with sheer determination and something more, something much like victory. Then, Amory was lighting the door and I watched them disappear behind the thick wall of stone.
Can I watch? I spoke to my twin brother telepathically, hoping he would understand my need to be involved. Although I could have easily opened our twin sense and made the decision for myself, I felt obligated to ask Avalon for his permission. I had a hard time invading his privacy unannounced. He, on the other hand, had absolutely no problem spying on me.
As long as you don’t interrupt. Avalon replied, slightly exasperated. I loved my brother dearly, but when he was in super commando leader mode, I couldn’t help but find him more than a little irritating.
I leaned against the cool stone wall in the wide passageway. On this side of the door the torches flickered, casting long shadows on the rough floor. I closed my eyes and melted my mind with Avalon’s, opening my senses with our similar magic. I saw through his eyes, heard through his ears and felt through his senses.
Although my vision was limited to what Avalon was looking at, I could still take in the room. The space behind the thick stone door was smaller than I had imagined it to be. A large, dark wooden chair sat in a circular area, illuminated only by candle light. Hundreds of tiered candles sat on long, low tables circling the rooms. They took up most of the wall space, except where a door was located.
There were four other doors besides the stone one blocking my path. They were wooden, and not made from stone; however, the same symbolic snake crested them as well. A deep pot of sorts sat not far from the lone chair that Lilly had now taken. The large cauldron was full of some type of iridescent liquid and although I couldn’t see any fire beneath the pot, it seemed to be bubbling as if boiling.
Avalon stared at Lilly intently. I could see the tension in her eyes and she gripped the armrests of the chair tightly with both hands. Amory was asking her a series of questions and she nodded confidently despite the terror I could tell she was feeling.
Avalon was also tense; I could feel that he was afraid she would back out. I could feel him admire her beauty, which felt a little bizarre coming from Avalon, and that he would desperately like her to join the cause. In part, but not entirely, he felt that way because he thought Lilly would have influence over me. I smiled on the outside of the door, wondering if he was right.
“Lilly Elizabetta Mason, you are about to join a cause that stands directly opposed to the Monarchy and King and if you are found out the price is your life. Are you sure you want to give up your rights as an Immortal, your eternal life as an Immortal and your fate as an Immortal, surrendering them all under the cause of the Resistance?” Amory asked Lilly gravely.