The Eden Series: The Complete Collection (140 page)

Now that he was looking carefully, he noticed Melissa was unusually flushed, which meant she was excited. She was barely keeping herself still on the bench. Ethan looked abnormally happy as well. “What have you done?”

Melissa laughed. “Oh Aiden,” she giggled. “We haven’t done anything. Why would you even ask that?”

“Cause you both look way too pleased with yourselves, and I mean to find out why.”

Ethan shook his head, grinning. “You’re paranoid.”

“Uh, no,” Aiden corrected. “What I am is smart, and not to mention I’ve been your best friend now for longer than I’d like, so I know when you’re up to something.”

Ethan sat up, insulted. “I take offense to that,” he declared.

“I’m sure you do,” Aiden sighed, taking another bite of his sandwich.

“Jocks ‘R Us at two o’clock,” Ethan murmured. Aiden looked over to see Wes approaching from the other side of the cafeteria.

“Hey Wes, what’s up?” Aiden greeted.

He sat down beside him, shaking the whole table. Ethan rolled his eyes. Aiden had hoped he might come around to liking some of the guys from the team, but no such luck.

“Have you seen the new girl?” he asked, excitedly.

“No,” Aiden shook his head. “What new girl?”

“Duuudddeee!” he stretched out. “There’s a hot new chick in our grade. You have to see her.”

Aiden looked over and froze at the glee written on his friend’s faces
. Oh great
, he thought. This was what they were up to. Probably trying to set him up with some new girl in the hope of distracting him from his woes. Wasn’t going to happen.

“Well, I’ll have to keep an eye open for her,” he said without interest.

“She’s a bit weird though,” Wes added. “I’m not even kidding when I tell you that I just saw her talking to a squirrel outside on the front grass. It was weird, but I think I can overlook it since she’s so hot.”

His heart stopped. Slowly, he turned to look at Wes, hope springing in his chest despite his better sense telling it not to. “Talking to squirrels?”

Wes nodded like they were both agreeing on the strangeness of her.

Aiden licked his dry lips. “What does she look like?”

“Long, really blonde hair,” Wes described. “Short and skinny. Big, pretty eyes. I don’t know, like a girl.”

His head snapped to his friends, and as soon as he saw the tears streaming down Melissa’s face, he knew. He stood up quickly, almost tripping on his way out from beneath the table. Running through the densely packed lunchroom, his mind was racing with the possibility of this being true. How could it be? Was he fooling himself into thinking it really was who he thought it was?

He burst through the front doors of the school, his eyes finding her immediately, as if they were automatically drawn to her. She stood beneath a tree wearing a pair of skin-tight jeans and a black sweater. Her hair was braided over one shoulder, while a backpack rested at her feet. A smile broke out across her face when she saw him. Aiden darted forward, ignoring the calls following him from people he knew. When he reached her he didn’t bother with words, he simply pulled her into his arms and kissed her harder than he had ever kissed her before.

Finally he pulled back to look down at her flushed face. “How?” was all he said.

“The Goddess gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” she said simply, her arms draping across his shoulders.

“And what was that?”

“That I could come here and be with you, but I’d have to become like you.”

“Explain that a little more to me, Lily.”

“I’m like you now, Aiden,” she shrugged. “Human, I guess. In the sense that I won’t live as long as before; I’ll age like you now, and I’m not as strong.”

“You gave that up for
me
?” he gasped.

She smiled sweetly up at him, as if her sacrifices were nothing. “I was miserable there. I’d rather be here and grow old with you, than stay there and be young without you. I love you, Aiden. This is where I’m meant to be.”

Aiden kissed her again. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said when he stopped. “I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re here.”

“Me too,” she giggled. “I’m officially a student here. I’ve never gone to school! It’s going to be so much fun!”

Aiden cringed, scrunching his face. “Uh yeah…maybe you should spend a few days in high school before you say that. Where are you living?”

“With Melissa,” she answered. “I’m an exchange student she convinced her parents to take in,” she laughed.

Aiden’s mouth dropped open. “How long has Melissa known?”

“I only got here last night, but we work quick.” She winked.

Aiden cupped her face, looking over every beautiful feature of it, hoping he’d never have to go another day without seeing it again. “Is this real?”

“Yes,” she said softly.

“So this is it? You’re here, and we’re going to be together? No more wars and battles?”

She chuckled. “This is it,” she confirmed. “It’s over.”

“Is it really?”

She smiled. “For now.”

THE END OF THE
EDEN SERIES

Turn the page for a bonus chapter from the highly anticipated spin-off series, Elysium!

PROLOGUE

Wings of pure white with tips of blue that spanned wider than any man. Hair black as night, and eyes that some say could see into one’s soul; white orbs ringed with blue, set beneath the fan of dark lashes and a masculine brow. Every line in his face was that of an angel. A sculptor’s dream, they said. A face designed to woo a woman’s heart at first glance.

Within his arms was a maiden, so fair and lovely that everyone who saw her stopped to admire. Raven hair that reached down her back, eyes bright and lips rouge. She was delicate looking, even more so when compared to the creature that carried her from the sky.

They had appeared out of nowhere – the angel and his innocent bride. How quickly the town’s people learned differently. For he was no angel, and she no innocent.

Prince Nolan hurried through the halls as his advisor, Christophe, kept pace beside him, rattling off words that Nolan hardly heard. The entire town of Veritas was in an uproar over the appearance of some angel. Or, at least, that was what people were saying. Nolan was wary to believe the Gods would allow such a creature to descend upon the simple people of his beloved city.

There had to be a reasonable explanation. However, even Christophe was going on about the man’s
wings
. It was definitely worrisome. Nolan had half a mind to consider that there was some sort of fever going around, effecting people’s judgement.
Perhaps something that made them hallucinate?
He wasn’t quite sure, but apparently the Captain of the Guard had brought this “man” to the throne room, and was even now waiting for him.

It was during times like these that Nolan wished his father was still alive. King Jacob had been the type of man who could cope with anything without becoming stressed. Nolan did not have that talent, which was why he still refused to officially take the throne as King. True, he technically ruled Veritas already, but being King came with more responsibilities than he wanted at the age of twenty four.

That wasn’t the only reason, of course. The other had to do with his late father’s young bride, Queen Cecelia, who carried the true, future heir within her slight body. It wasn’t easy for her, he knew. Not only had she come from her land in the mountains to marry a King she hardly knew, but then she had been left a widow only a few short months later.

Nolan doubted the woman had ever loved his father. They were practically strangers and so different in age. Nevertheless, he could only imagine how difficult it would be to face, not only being the Queen of a land unknown to you, but becoming a mother without a paternal figure to help raise the babe.

Of course, Nolan and his sister Isla would help raise their sibling as much as they could, but it would never be the same as having their father around. King Jacob might not have always been the kindest of men, but he had treated his children with love and affection in his own way.

“Are you listening to me, Prince Nolan?” Christophe said in a raised voice. Nolan looked over at the man who had only just recently been appointed advisor. The poor man still wasn’t used to the daily excitement of working for royalty. It could be seen in his wide set eyes and drawn features. His body was always so visibly wound tight, his hand constantly moving as though he were unable to keep still for even a moment. At this rate, Nolan expected he was bound to have an attack of the heart by the time he reached thirty moons.

“I was not,” Nolan admitted with a quick shake of his head. “What was it you were saying?”

The man opened his mouth to speak again, but Nolan was distracted once more as Cecelia came walking down the hall toward them. Her chestnut hair was unbound, hanging down her back to her waist. A thin, gold band wrapped around her head, the only piece of jewellery she wore. Nolan always thought that she should wear the finest jewels, and lots of them – not that she need such adornments to heighten her beauty.

Eyes the same colour as her hair caught his and the tiniest of smiles lifted the corners of her mouth. The long, yellow gown she wore stretched around her growing stomach created a glow about her that Nolan thought was unique unto her.

“Good morrow, Nolan,” she said, stopping just in front of them. Nolan heard Christophe huff at the obvious loss of attention again, but he ignored the man as all his focus went to the woman in front of him. It pleased him greatly to hear her call him simply Nolan.

“How are you this fine morning, Cecelia?” he asked.

Her hand went to her belly. “Fine,” she replied, the answer not quite reaching her eyes.

Nolan eyed her stomach. “Are you sure? Shall I get the healer?”

Cecelia shook her head. “No. Thank you. I’ve already been to see him. ‘Tis nothing to worry about.”

Footsteps sounded loudly behind him just then. He didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Only Isla, even at the age of fourteen, would run through the castle like a wild boar. Nolan was sure her best friend was at her side. One did not see the Princess without her faithful friend and personal guard, Elora. Even at fifteen, Elora was more capable than any of the men specially trained in the Guard, for Elora was one of the Elite.

Nolan turned just at the last second as his little sister came to a sliding halt beside him. She grinned up at him and he fought back his own. The freckles that dotted her nose were darker now with the summer sun. It was obvious by the slightly golden hue to her skin that she’d been outside for most of the week. A pang of guilt ran through him at the realization of how little he knew about what his sister got up to most days.

Elora stood just slightly back from his sister. Although she appeared relaxed, he could tell she was still on alert, always aware of everything and everyone around them. Her pale hair was pulled back into a braid that rested over one shoulder. Eyes that could appear cold when one was not used to them scanned the halls as they always did. They were practically all white, except for a few flecks of blue scattered through like the sky peeking through the clouds.

It had taken years for Nolan to grow accustomed to the way the Elite looked. His father had always had so many of them around that he’d had no choice but to become familiar with their strange features. Even though the Captain still kept his men trained in the Guard, the King had kept a special fleet of strictly Elite soldiers. There had always been peace between their kind because of the late King.

Nolan wondered then where Artem was. He led the Elite, and Nolan would have expected him to be there, with all these tails of an angel appearing.

“Is it true?” Isla asked excitedly.

Elora let out a loud sigh, replying before Nolan himself could. “Of course it’s not true, Isla. An angel,” she snorted, “what rubbish.”

Isla gripped the sleeves of his shirt, bouncing on the pads of her feet. “Well? Is it true?” she repeated. A lock of strawberry hair came loose from her bun with her constant movements. Nolan tucked it behind her ear, looking into pale grey eyes so similar to their father’s.

“I’m on my way to the throne room now,” he answered. “I have no idea what is going on, but I’m going to get to the bottom of it. I can assure you, this man is no angel.”