Forged in Light (The Forged Chronicles Book 4) Read online

  Elron shook his head. “I would not count on it, and without him protecting you, there is a good chance you would drown.”

  “Drowning is not on my to-do list. Any other ideas?”

  “We head toward Mount Majest, and maybe Monty will send you a message in your dreams.”

  “And if I don’t get a message?” Ainsley asked. “We go in there and talk to these beings?”

  “Unless we come up with another plan between then and now.”

  “Wonderful.” Ainsley kicked around some pebbles with her shoe.

  I reached out for her hand and took it in my own. “We will get through this.”

  She smiled. “Thanks.”

  “What are you thanking me for specifically?”

  “Oh.” She frowned. “Maybe it’s the kindred thing.”

  “What is?”

  “You took my hand, and I felt a surge of energy.”

  “Oh.” I smiled. “Well then, you are very welcome.”

  “Can we travel to Mount Majest by your tree transport again?” Ainsley turned to Elron while still holding my hand.

  “Tree transport?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “Sorry if my terminology insults you, but I didn’t know what else to call it.”

  “There is only one way out of this realm.”

  “What way is that?” This was news to me. I had assumed Elron was taking us back the way we came.

  “That way.” He pointed to the now choppy water.

  "Wait. You just told me I'd drown if I went back in the water." Ainsley put a hand to her chest. “Didn’t you?”

  "Yes, I did."

  "Yet you’re telling me we have to go in there to leave this realm?" Ainsley narrowed her eyes.

  "Yes. But the difference is you are going in with the intent of leaving." Elron tapped his temple.

  "What?" Ainsley blanched.

  I needed to jump in even if I was slightly confused myself. "I assume it all turns on state of mind?"

  "Yes. Exactly." Elron nodded. "You must enter the water with the intent to leave."

  "The intent to leave?" Ainsley asked.

  "Yes..." Elron dragged out the word.

  "And what happens if I don't make my mindset clear?"

  Elron looked away. "You drown."

  "You will make your mind set clear. You can do it." I glared at Elron. Seriously? “It is all about setting your mind.”

  “Setting my mind?” She asked. “It sounds like you are talking about a clock.”

  Elron took a step back. “Our minds are more like clocks than you would imagine.”

  “In what way?” Ainsley was stalling. She was afraid.

  I squeezed her hand.

  “Our mind can be tinkered with, especially when we are not careful,” Elron warned.

  “And on that wonderful note, are we ready?” I was in no mood to dive under water with the hope we would be taken out of this dreadful place, but I saw no other choice. I was no expert on the realm of the dead, but I could already tell spending significant time there was not good for your health.

  “Remember, stay focused. If you lose focus, the outcome will be devastating for all of us.” Elron reminded us.

  Ainsley sighed. “Ok. No reason to put this off any longer. And hey, I’m already wet, so why not get back in?”

  Ainsley held onto my hand as she made her way down toward the water. If we stayed together everything would be ok. I knew how to keep my mind focused.

  The water was colder than I expected, but I was used to the cold and ignored it.

  Ainsley was mumbling something I assumed was about wanting to leave.

  She didn’t need to say it out loud, but there was no reason to correct her. Whatever worked to keep her confident.

  We continued into the water, and she stopped short when the water reached our chest. “You really think this is the only way out of here?”

  I shrugged. “I wish I knew.”

  “Yet you are going along with it?”

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  “No.” She sighed. “Ok. Time to get back to work.”

  We took another few steps, and the water engulfed us.

  I want to leave. I repeated the words over and over in my head as the water carried us from the shore. It might have been a lake, but the current was moving like the ocean. I could not dwell on that detail. I want to leave. The only other thing I focused on was the feel of Ainsley’s hand in mine. I would not let go.

  The current got stronger, and I held onto Ainsley tighter. Our bodies slammed against rocks and a floating tree before the current died down. A painful ringing filled my ears.

  12

  Ainsley

  I thought the current would never stop. My body ached, and I had managed to swallow copious amounts of water. Each time I coughed some up, it was replaced by more. My throat burned, and the sensation only got worse each time.

  The water tasted bitter— not like salt water, but more like an artificial sweetener gone wrong.

  My eyes were closed tight; the darkness was more complete than normal, as if my mind had gone dark too. I momentarily forgot where I was and instead was inundated with memories I remembered in some deeper part of my mind, yet were still foreign to me. Most of them were about James—some intimate ones, some even passionate. Others were about a frozen lake, a boy with the most twisted smirk I had ever seen, and a girl with bright blue eyes. I remembered running through the woods, and I remembered why I was in the woods. I remembered the darkness James was fighting against. And strangest of all the memories, l remembered what I was about to do when the soldiers were heading toward us.

  Then just as suddenly the memories stopped, the intense blackness receded from my mind, and I remembered exactly where I was.

  I panicked. I was going to drown.

  James squeezed my hand, and my panic diminished. He had that effect on me. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before—except I had in my memories. He sent waves of comfort and strength that I clung to desperately.

  We were drifting about with nowhere to go. The water moved us as if were were in an ocean or fast moving river. We couldn’t be in the lake anymore. My eyes were closed shut so my vision couldn’t provide any clues, and the only noise I heard was what sounded like the howling of the wind. But we shouldn’t have been able to hear that: we were underwater.

  I remembered the initial moments after the water took us under. Focusing on leaving was hard to do when I wanted to talk to my father more. I had so many more questions, so many things I needed to know. Meeting him had been a tease, mean even. How could I meet him only to have him pulled away forever? My mind kept going to him instead of focusing on leaving, even when I knew I was putting myself in danger. Elron made leaving sound so easy, but it was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do. I had to fight myself to think the words, and even then I knew I wasn’t being truthful. I wanted to stay. I didn’t want to leave my father forever. But James had pulled me through, and eventually I’d fallen into the blackness.

  My body turned cold, then hot. Then cold again. The only constant was the feel of James’ hand around mine.

  I wanted to open my eyes, to be brave and discover where we were, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It wasn’t fear as much as inability. It was much like being stuck in a nightmare at that moment you realize it’s a dream, yet still can’t wake yourself up.

  Time passed. I had no idea how long, but finally I felt something solid beneath me.

  James still held my hand, but there was something warm underneath us. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times at the bright sun above us. The sky was blue. We were no longer in the world of grey.

  James still held my hand firmly in his own. I coughed up more water as we lay on the sand.

  My clothes were soaked through, but I didn’t care. We were alive, though I wasn’t sure what that meant or where we were. I glanced around without picking my head up. I didn’t see Elron.

&nbs
p; “You okay?” James sat up beside me on the warm sand. I looked out at the endless ocean and took a whiff of the salty air. We were on some sort of beach. I probably should have cared more about where exactly, but I was happy to be alive and out of the water. I also had a need so strong I wasn’t sure how I was going to deal.

  “Fine.” I struggled to sit up. “I think.”

  He put his arm under my head. “Just relax. I am here.”

  I looked around for Elron. I didn’t see him anywhere. I didn’t see anyone but James. We were all alone. I should have worried more about Elron, but my mind was focused elsewhere. It had been focused elsewhere from the moment we washed ashore. There was only one thing I wanted. James. The feeling was all encompassing, and it pulsed through me. My body needed him the way I needed oxygen.

  I put my hand over his and closed my eyes. This was insane. I wasn’t supposed to want a guy this much. Especially not in the situation I was in. I don’t need him, I said over and over again, but much like saying I wanted to leave the realm of the dead, it was easier said than done.

  “Ainsley?” His voice came from right next to my ear. It was light and sweet and made everything so much worse.

  I whimpered. “James, I need you.”

  “I’m right here.” He ran his hand through my hair.

  I kept my eyes closed shut. “No, I need, need you.” Was he really going to make me spell it out? Could things get more embarrassing?

  “Oh.”

  “What are you thinking?” I still couldn’t bear to open my eyes. ‘Oh’ was not the response I was hoping for.

  “I am thinking I want the same thing.” His voice was deeper than normal.

  “See this isn’t want though.” I finally opened my eyes. “It’s need. You get that?” I sat up.

  “Wow.” His eyes widened.

  “Wow what?” I pulled my hand from his. That wasn’t the type of physical contact I wanted.

  “Your eyes. You mean what you say.”

  “Great. I look like a sex addict.” I didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything at the moment except having him.

  “No. That is not what I meant.” He shook his head. “I just did not want to presume until I knew you were serious.”

  “I’m serious.” I usually was a ‘wait for the guy to make the move’ girl, but not this time. I stood up. I pulled my wet shirt over my head and tossed it beside me.

  His eyes widened, and he waited motionlessly. I moved on to my jeans, struggling to pull the wet denim off of my legs. Suddenly they were gone, and James was right in front of me. He had his own shirt off.

  I kicked the jeans off my ankles, grateful to have the wet, uncomfortable fabric away from me. He wrapped one hand behind my neck and pulled my head toward his. His lips crushed into mine as his arm circled my waist.

  His warm skin felt amazing against mine. I reached to undue my bra, desperate to get rid of the extra fabric, but he beat me to it, unsnapping and slipping it off.

  I untied his pants, hastily pulling them down, delighted he wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

  He moved on to my underwear next, pulling them down. I kicked them off my ankles as I’d done with my jeans.

  I ran my hand up and down his chest, and he deepened the kiss. My body ached with need, and before long I took him in my hand.

  That seemed to be the invitation he was waiting for, and he slid his hand down our bodies and between my legs.

  I closed my eyes and focused on his hand. This wasn’t the first time he’d touched me. More detailed memories flooded my mind, making my need that much worse as I remembered how good the next step would feel.

  I couldn’t wait a second more.

  I pulled him down with me onto the sand. He lay on his back, and I climbed on top of him before eagerly adjusting myself over him. His eyes were lidded as I moved up and down him slowly.

  “Ainsley,” he whispered my name, and it shot pleasure through me. He held onto my hips.

  I sped up, needing more and more of him inside of me. I kept my eyes wide open—something I usually didn’t do in sex—and looked deep into his eyes. It felt like we were sharing memories of what had come before while simultaneously experiencing it all over again. His hands tightened on my hips, and I rode him, never wanting the experience to end. I soaked it up, strength and healing flowing through me with each movement.

  I moved faster and faster, sweating and needing more and more of him. Then all in a whirl he flipped me over so I was in the sand. He didn’t break our connection, and it was his turn to thrust into me harder and deeper each time.

  His mouth moved to my breast, and he bit down on my nipple as I held onto his back, pulling his body closer to mine. His skin was warm like the sand, and it was such a change from the chill of the realm of the dead. James wasn’t dead—he was so completely full of life, and I wanted as much of him as I could get.

  “Ainsley,” he moaned my name and that did me in. He pushed me over the edge just as he reached his release.

  “James.” I closed my eyes and focused on the pulsing feeling of him inside me.

  13

  James

  The memories held nothing compared to the intensity of the real thing. The feel of her skin, her moans, the way she held onto me, and the experience of being inside her. Of being where I most belonged.

  She needed me, and I needed her. Even as I lay with her in my arms afterward I still wanted more. I wanted anything and everything I could get from her. I could have spent the rest of my life with her and wanted for nothing. I would have given her everything. I wanted nothing more than to fulfill her every need and desire. It was difficult to think of anything but Ainsley. She was the center of my everything, and while that should have frightened me, fear and worry were not my current emotions.

  I had no interest in returning to reality. I wanted to stay in our bubble of contentment, forget the rest of the worlds and our personal and shared quests, but we could not hope to continue our happiness if we forgot our journey.

  I kissed her forehead, trying to enjoy every last moment we had.

  “We just did that.” She looked up at me from where she lay in the sand. She was as completely naked as I was, her legs tangled up with mine.

  “Yes, we did.” I grinned and ran my hands over her breast and down to her stomach. “And I hope we do that over and over again.”

  She closed her eyes and moaned, making me want to have her again right then.

  Before my actions could follow my thoughts she pushed my hand off and opened her eyes. “We have to focus.”

  “I was focusing.”

  “You and me both. Maybe I should have asked this before sex—but as I couldn’t control myself I’m asking now—where’s Elron?” She stood up and started to get dressed.

  I had no interest in discussing the Elf so soon after making love to her, but she was right. We did have to find him.

  “I have no idea where he is, but my guess is he will find us soon. I am surprised we had even this much time alone.” We were lucky to have had it. What would Ainsley have done otherwise? I remembered everything now, and I understood what would happen to Ainsley if we spent too much time away from such intimacies.

  “Isn’t he controlling everything in this time travel?” She clasped her bra.

  “I am not sure that is how it works. Although to be honest, I do not really understand how any of this works.”

  I watched as she pulled her shirt over her head, and I noticed something dark on her skin. I walked over and stopped her from pulling on her shirt. I ran my hand over the mark. My mark. It was back, and I knew how dangerous that was for her.

  “Is everything ok?” She looked back at me over her shoulder.

  “Fine, yes.” I stepped back and let her finish pulling on her shirt.

  “Are you sure?” She smoothed down her shirt.

  “Yes.” I stepped into my pants. “Let me know when you are ready, and we can start looking for Elron.”

&n
bsp; “He had to have made it. Right?” A shadow fell across her face.

  “Yes,” I answered automatically. “Of course. He was the one who knew how to get us out of the realm.”

  She struggled to pull on her jeans, and I wished I had something else for her to wear. My small time spent in Charleston had taught me how uncomfortable wet jeans were.

  “But does that knowledge mean he made it?” Ainsley buttoned her jeans. “Are we positive about that?”

  “Positive is a very strong word.” I had no interest in pretending, even if I wanted to protect her from the possibility things had taken a dangerous turn.

  “James, we are talking about his life… and our only way out of here.” She looked down. “And I am a horrible person for putting both of those two things together? Of course his life is more important.”

  “Yet he time traveled to get to you so he could change the outcome of the future. Clearly he believes defeating the darkness is more important. And it is more important than any one individual. It is the fate of the worlds.” I said the words, but I did not mean them completely. Ainsley’s life was more important than anything. And I knew how dangerous that belief was. I would trade the survival of millions to ensure she lived. That is not how a Guardian thought. Something in me had changed. I was so connected to Ainsley it was impossible to think straight.

  “Ok, this isn’t worth arguing about. No matter what is more important we have to find him.” She pulled an elastic band off her wrist and pulled her hair up into a high pony tail.

  “Well, we have to figure out how to get from wherever we are now to Mount Majest.” I hated the thought of Ainsley getting near the Elders, but I knew the poison was real. We needed to do whatever it took to protect her.

  “Any clue where we are?” She glanced all around.

  “No, but I have a sinking feeling it is an island.”

  She groaned. “I was hoping you wouldn’t say that.”