Anger: The Realm Series, #2

By C.R. Rice

Step foot into new worlds and prepare for war...

 

As they make their way into the Realm, Averie and Silas find themselves in a race against time as they strive to remain undetected in their rush to meet up with the Rebellion. Along the way, they meet a surprising new ally with alluring secrets and deadly motives of his own and come face to face with the ultimate enemy.

 

As Averie struggles to find her place and adapt to the world around her, training takes on a whole new meaning when Callen takes over as her trainer. Using unconventional methods, he forces her to deal with the past and accept what she cannot change.

 

While Silas fights to keep his past from colliding with his present, his lies draw the unwanted attention of an old friend. When everyone Averie cares about is threatened, she is forced to the frontlines, whether she is ready for it or not.

• Language: English
• Publisher: 4 Horsemen Publications
• Release date: Feb 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781644501177

Book preview

Dedication

To Correy, for believing in me and your loving, yet forceful shove into the abyss of the unknown.

Thank you.

Prologue

The silvery moon hung high in the inky black sky when the silent veil tore. A tall figure stepped from its depths, a dark, grey hood clinging to its ethereal form. Though the air tingled with a fall, night, chill, no breath puffed from the figure, no breeze teased its cloak. As it stepped along, no sound echoed from its footsteps. Branches refused to crunch under its weight while rocks flung themselves aside, to avoid the determined force quickly making its way through the den se forest.

A family of cats stood frozen, wide-eyed as the figure passed, ignoring their existence. A few curious owls flew in lazy, but ever widening circles, their curiosity getting the better of them. A rather fearless squirrel nudged its friend from the hole they had nestled themselves into and began to follow the shadowed one. Darting from tree to tree, they stumbled and jumped, leaping from branch to branch as they raced themselves forward, playing a game of one-sided tag with the form. Suddenly the pair was pushed back by a strange unseen force, creating a translucent wall between them and their target. They lifted their lithe bodies against the strange wall. Bored with their adventures, and concerned about the change of the game’s rules, the squirrels turned back for the night, deciding to pursue safer activities.

Satisfied that the curious tails were subdued, the dark figure pushed on, deeper into the thick, shadowed forest. Tonight was marked with great importance, and it couldn’t be impeded by a curious squirrel or stumbled upon by a wandering, clueless camper. The hooded one stalked across the ground, twisting and turning, to avoid fallen branches and crumbling rocks, relentless in its pursuit of its final destination.

Finally, it came to an abrupt stop, its flowing cloak suddenly billowing, as if the wind had decided to comply. The figure scanned the small valley below. A quaint town laid sleepily below it, bathed in complete darkness. Events transpired in this place that were so dark, not even the moon’s silvery light could pierce its curse. There were no singing birds or scurrying squirrels, no rabbits, or any living thing for that matter, dared step from the thick forest surrounding it. Smoke billowed from still burning embers in the distance. The dense air had an acrid smell of ravaged dreams and lost hope. Decimated buildings crumbled and crashed in the distance, littering the once beautiful landscape. Like the final act to the apocalypse, hope had long since vanished, leaving only a portrait of despair.

The figure stepped into the depths of a nearby shadow. Travel was easier when you weren’t constricted to the rules of this world. Peeling from the shadows within the vacant town a moment later, it toured the forsaken streets. The figure skillfully strode, never daring to let its cloak graze the sullen ground, as the rising sun’s first rays absorbed into the murky greyness of its cloth. Though the figure moved with grace and pride, any passerby would be blind to its distorted image. Not that anyone would as this cursed place had long been empty, happily forgotten. Like a terrible act erased from history, its survivors were happy to live on without its mention or memories.

As it moved, the figure’s assumed head shifted, side to side, taking in the cracked roads, the smoldering buildings, shattered windows, buckled roofs and torn awnings. If anyone dared to walk upon the tattered earth, glass would crunch underfoot, and long discarded bottles would be kicked from the path. Yet the figure continued on, as if this littered landscape were normal.

Smoke swirled purposefully into the morning air, blocking the rising sun from a promising new day. Not that the figure minded the gloom, it had a mission and the brightness, or lack thereof, wouldn’t make an impact. Time was too valuable to spend worrying about such nonsense, even if someone or something, as the figure, had cared about things such as day and night or sunlight and warmth, which it most assuredly did not. Its movements continued, unyielding until a crumbled pile of mason laid before it.

The grey-and-black-stained stones that had once been hewn by a proud, aspiring architect, now lay in a meaningless heap, in a decrepit town, on this forgotten night. How far the building had fallen, how wonderfully this city had atrophied. The figure’s cloaked head shook slowly, as if bewildered by the beauty of the smoking rumble.

What are you doing, Grey? the wind whispered.

The hooded figure ignored the voice, traversing the rubble instead. A long, cloaked arm protruded, flicking back and forth as broken masonry tossed aside without a touch. The figure stood in silence, searching the wreckage.

You’re not supposed to be there, the wind snapped, its intensity growing as more pieces were tossed haphazardly about. There are rules! The air crackled as a frigid wind littered the stone ground with small icy crystals. Not that the figure minded, beings such as this couldn’t comprehend the exhilaration or misery of trivial things like human temperature.

The figure ignored its surroundings as its pursuit escalated to a frantic note. By most standards, when doing something forbidden, one must approach with caution and silence. However, this wasn’t one of those times. The cloaked figure did not care about standard protocol. It did not care if it was caught, nor about immaterial things like caution and silence.

You’re not supposed to be here, a calm, relaxed voice said.

The figure barely spared a glance as a man appeared behind it.

I am not here to stop you if that is your concern, he continued, the crunch of his approaching steps, stuttering the cloaked one’s movements. Only to referee a game I wish to have no part in.

Nothing to say? he asked.

His only answer was another loud crash of a strown boulder.

A dim light illuminated from the growing depths, revealing a deep red hue in the man’s gaze. I see you’ve found what you came for.

An uptick of the figure’s arm pulled the dim light from its grave, gracing the desolate area with its impossible, radiating glow. The figure snapped with impossible speed, swiping the object from the air and concealing in the inky depths of its cloak.

The man nodded to the figure. You have what you sought, he said. Now leave this place.

That is not yours to toy with, Grey, the wind whispered.

But now the games can really begin, the figure’s voice grated through the hollowed city, long after it had disappeared into the gloomy shadows.

The man stood, stoic and bored. Things were definitely not going as planned.

Chapter 1

Y ou need to hide yourself better, Averie! Silas admonished. I can see every move you plan to make, every move you are thinking of making. If I can, so wil l Marcus!

Averie was panting, her body nearing a complete shutdown. Exhaustion clung to her like a second skin these days. He never gave her a chance to recover, to truly rest. A part of Averie appreciated the long, tortuous hours driving the painful memory of Silas’s knowledge of her mother’s death away. It also, in some small and insignificant way, helped fill the void of Thane’s absence, or at least distracted her enough from realizing how deep the longing resonated.

The sun bore down, refusing to relent mercy, not a single cloud daring to muddy the glowing, blue sky. I don’t know what you’re expecting of me! she fired back, her hands on her hips as she fought to catch her breath. Sweat trailed the sides of her warm face, mingling with the furious beat of her heart.

Fight like your life depends on it. Because it will, Averie Everyone’s life is on the line. Be erratic yet precise. Keep your mind focused but shut down, Silas said sternly. And you must get into better shape. You look like you’re going to pass out and I am barely winded.

YOU need to get in better shape! None of that other stuff makes sense! she shot back, her voice cracking in erupting rage.

A quick flash of light and Silas stood toe to toe with her, his sword raised above his head and an empty look in his gaze. Eyes wide, Averie’s body stilled. Would he do it? Would he really hurt her? How did he do that? Against her will, she closed her eyes, throwing her arms up in defense.

Open your eyes, Averie! You never close your eyes in—

A pulse rushed through her body, resonating from her before Silas’s words escaped his lips. A gasp forced its way from her mouth as they were thrust apart, her body thrown from her feet. The feeling of falling into a void of nothingness was quickly eliminated by the scraping of dirt and rock against the exposed flesh on her back. Averie lay silently, her heart thundering in her ears as she slowly took stock of her body. Nothing felt broken, but the burning throb in her back and hands means she will be sore later. Forcing herself into a sitting position, Averie took in the still smoldering scorch mark in place of where she and Silas had stood moments ago. Her gaze scanned the area until they locked on Silas’s motionless body, a good fifty feet away. Her residual rage toward him melted away, as she leapt to her feet and raced toward him.

Anger was, and has always been, a powerful force. Though she never knew exactly how much. She had never realized the raw emotional power contained in a single moment of unhinged anger. It had been two weeks since that fateful day, but anger haunted her like a spirit unwilling to crossover. Every time she walked into her now empty house, it was there by her side caressing her. Every time she let her mind rest and wander, it was there just under the surface, waiting to find its way out.

She thought about moments. The small moments that made such a big impact and caused so much anger within each of them. It was a single moment when she had lost her mother. In another, when her ex-boyfriend Lucas had returned from his assumed death, only to shatter her world with exposing Silas’s knowledge of her mother’s impending demise. Finally, in only a moment, Thane had left her to join Callen in the Realm. Each moment melded into a single instant. The instant she realized she was alone.

Truly alone, trapped a space filled with only anger and sorrow.

Averie’s feet barely brushed the ground as she raced across the well-beaten training circle, sliding along the patched grass to stop beside Silas’s body. She swallowed the growing lump in her throat, lifting a shaking hand to his chest. The slight rising and falling motion forced a relieved breath from her. She stared down at him in a blank expression. His hair caked to his forehead from a mixture of sweat and dirt, blending into his darker complexion, drawn from their days spent outside. A slow trickle of blood leaked from his cut eyebrow and mixed with the bloody gash across his cheek. Averie’s eyes tracked lower to the tattered shirt clinging to his body. A hand-shaped bruise began to form on his shaven chest, hues of deep purple and black swirling into each other like ink. Averie could feel heat radiating from it on her face.

Averie tried to feel something—anything, at the sight of his obvious pain, but was only met with the cold numbness. The anger had burned out any kind of sentiment she used to feel, leaving only the cold shell. Lifting a now steady hand, she slapped it against his cheek. Come on Silas, get up.

Silas released a deep groan, flinching in pain as he blinked back into consciousness. His unusual teal gaze rose to the piercing blue sky and he groaned again. What happened?

I defended myself, Averie stated simply.

Silas forced a laugh. No, you panicked, and the Heart defended you.

What’s the difference?

Silas’s chuckle broke into a hiss, as he shifted into a sitting position. Stars, Averie. What the hell did you do?

Averie shrugged as Silas gripped his battered side. Apparently I panicked, and the Heart defended me.

Silas sighed, meeting Averie’s steely stare. He fixed his gaze as the gold in her eyes began to pulse, like the ocean’s waves, the gold spread wide, consuming everything in its path, before receding once more. The intense silence, plagued with unspoken words and regrets, hung between them like a mist.

Averie— Silas started softly. As he spoke, Averie’s phone blared an ear-piercing chime, cracking the silence like shattered glass.

Averie pulled the screaming device from her legging pocket. She gave a quick scan of the phone, sent a silent prayer of thanks to the cell Gods from sparing her another broken screen, then continued scanning the message. Gotta go, she said, climbing to her feet.

Silas staggered to his feet. Wait! he called to her retreating form. He limped after her, pain searing his ribs. Thankfully, there was a small hill slowing her gate, allowing him to close the gap and grasp her hand within his own. Where are you going?

Averie turned, her glare snapping from his eyes to their joined hands, then back again. Silas swallowed thickly, releasing her hand. I promised Sera we’d have a girls’ night.

We are in the middle of training, Silas countered.

Averie tilted her head to the side, taking him in. Seeping cuts trickled blood down across deep purple and black bruises. He stood awkwardly, clearly shifting his weight from his left foot, while at the same time trying to hold his left ribs. This made him look like a bent willow tree, easily felled by a strong breeze in the right conditions. To me, it looks like you are in the middle of dying. How about you go get some rest. We can pick this up tomorrow. Averie decided.

Averie, please. Talk to me, Silas pleaded, his voice breaking with desperation.

Averie’s eyes flashed pure anger. About what? she hissed.

I didn’t know, Averie. You must believe me. I didn’t know. I would never have put Karen—

"Stop! Don’t you dare say her name. You knew, Silas. Whether you admit it or not, you knew there was a threat, and you chose not to tell me," Averie seethed. Her body quaked with intensity at her words as the familiar static raised the hair on her arms and filled the air with light snaps and pops.

"The Shadow was a legend, Averie, no one has ever seen it before. No one even knew if it was real."

"But you knew. You knew there would be danger when you came to find me. You knew that everyone I loved, including my mother, were a target, and still you said nothing. Not. One. Word."

Silas closed his eyes on a mournful breath. Yes, but—

Another time, Silas, Averie stated with a finality Silas knew he could never sway. So he watched as she turned on her heel, leaving him in complete silence.

Silas stood lost in a wistful stare as she disappeared down the well-worn trail. He watched and wished for her to turn around until the shadows of the forest closed in around her. His chest ached with the familiar emptiness that tore at him the further away she was. He mindlessly rubbed at the pain as he started longingly into the dark. After several long moments, he gave a deep sigh, turned and started limping the long path home.

Chapter 2

Sera popped the top of her sparkling water, then looked to Averie. So, is this going to be the rest of the night? she asked.

Averie tore her eyes away and shrugged. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Sera.

Sera gave a sad smile, clasping Averie’s hand into her own. You are grieving. You lost your mother, then Thane leaves you. It’s natural to feel lost, Avi.

Averie shook her head. I don’t feel lost, Sera. I feel cold, like I’ll never be warm again. I feel an emptiness that nothing can fill, and I feel angry. God, I’m so angry! It’s burning through me. I’ve never felt like this before.

Sera watched her friend, concern etching her smooth features as she took in Averie’s trembling hands and clenched jaw. What do you mean?

My heart is constantly racing. My hands feel like they are on fire, and the more I try to shut it out, the worse it gets. If Silas would have just told—

Silas? What does he must do with it? Sera asked, confused.

Averie rested her head against the back of the couch, pinching her eyes shut as she grabbed the pendant about her neck—a nervous habit she’d quickly developed since Thane left. Her heart thumped in her chest, like a caged bird fighting to escape its gilded prison. She sat in silence, neglecting Sera’s question in favor of smothering her rising anger once more, an inferno that needed to be carefully monitored otherwise it could consume everything, including her.

Have you talked to anyone? Sera whispered.

Averie gave a humorless chuckle, glancing at her friend. Who could possibly understand what I’m going through?

Sera frowned. Avi, lots of people have lost family members. I know it is hard and though I don’t understand what it feels like to lose a parent, I’m here for you.

Averie turned to her friend with a genuine smile. I know, Sera, and I love you for it.

I’ve got an idea! Why don’t we attend the end of the year party? Sera asked, nearly jumping in her seat at her brilliant idea.

Averie groaned, throwing her arms over her eyes in response. The idea of free booze, music, and dancing should’ve appealed to an eighteen-year-old senior. Instead, the thought of attending a party full of people in all states of inebriation, with music that was too loud and having to force a smile, sounded like a special room in hell. The imagery alone was enough to make Averie shutter in her seat.

Come on, Avi, please? Sera begged. Graduation is next week, and we’ve waited four years for this!

Averie rolled her eyes. We went last year, Sera. And if I remember correctly, the year before that as well.

"That was different, Avi. This year we’re the seniors. Besides, this might be our last party together," Sera finished in a dramatic pout.

"Oh, come on, don’t do the face. I am not looking until you stop with the face."

Sera reached over and forced Averie’s arms down. Her signature pink lips pushed into a pout, while her bright blue eyes were wide and watering. Please, Averie.

Ugh, fine. But I’m not changing! Averie conceded, as a small smile began to curve her lips.

Sera lunged forward, capturing her friend in a tight hug. You are the best, Avi! And you will have a great time, just wait!

It turned out, like so many times before, that Averie’s prediction was right and the party was indeed, would be absolute torture. Music burst its way through the woods at deafening levels assaulting their ears as they drew closer. The pounding of bass threaded through their chests, the vibration shaking their bones. Each step she took toward the pollution to her ears, only further cemented the sheer unadulterated hell Sera was dragging her into. Even if she ignored the fact that Sera had taken over an hour to choose a tight, black mini skirt, paired with a glittering, pink top, she still found herself regretting the decision to come. If she was to refuse to consider the additional twenty minutes she had spent pulling her long, light blonde locks into a high and tight ponytail, and if she completely disregarded the thirty minutes it took her to layer her black mascara and coal liner to her eyes before applying her signature pink gloss, she would still find this very moment to be torment.

This will be amazing! You definitely should have changed! Sera screamed into Averie’s ear.

Averie flinched; she wasn’t quite sure if it was because of the booming music, screaming friend or the insane idea that this party might be amazing. After a brief moment of reaction, she forced a small, only slightly jaded, smile and gave an overexaggerated double thumbs up. As they continued their trek through the woods, Averie couldn’t help but disagree heavily with Sera on her fashion advice. Dressed in her favorite black jacket, rocker tee, and torn skinny jeans, she not only felt comfortable but knew she looked good as well. Even if her jeans weren’t bought fashionably torn rather than an impromptu battle simulation with Silas, no one could tell the difference when finished the look with her trusty black Converse.

As they followed the never-ending stream of people before them, Averie struggled to shake the feeling of something wicked. It crawled across her skin, causing the hair to stand up on her arms. She tried to shrug it off, as being in the woods in the dead of night, but her nagging insight and sharpened senses peaked. Over the last few months, she learned not only was the impossible very possible, but to lean into herself and her instincts.

Averie continued to swivel her head, pretending to love this dreadful music. She scanned around, looking for something, anything to explain the cold flooding her body, filling her like ice water. They broke through the trees and stepped into the clearing, the night opening up wide before them. Three crackling bonfires burned in a semi-circle around a hastily built stage. Their light flickered off the trees as their embers danced down around the DJ. In typical DJ fashion, he wore messy spiked hair, a dingy shirt and torn jeans. He held a single headphone over one ear while pumping his free fist into the air.

Averie shook her head at the cliche.

A mass of nearly a hundred bodies pressed tightly around the stage, jumping and dancing to the noise masquerading as decent music. Dozens of hands were lifted into the air, filled with plastic red and blue cups. Averie shook her head at the sight before her. The alleged music was so loud it was impossible to understand what was even playing, let alone finding a rhythm to dance.

I need another drink, do you want one? Sera screamed.

Averie nodded, pointing to the far, nearly empty part of the clearing. Sera rolled her eyes and wondered toward the line of kegs and bottles. Averie took a deep breath, as if preparing for war, and started toward the wreathing group. Ducking under swaying limbs, she slipped behind gyrating