Death's Awakening (Eternal Sorrows, #1) Read online

  Death's Awakening

  By Sarra Cannon

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2013 by Sarra Cannon

  eISBN: 978-1-62421-010-5

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  Stock photo 'Secret 7' by Jessica Truscott at faestock.deviantart.com

  Cover art by Renu Sharma (www.thedarkrayne.com)

  Find Sarra Cannon on the web!

  http://www.sarracannon.com

  To Douglas

  The only person whose calls I

  look forward to in the middle of the night.

  My brother.

  My kindred spirit.

  I love you.

  Prologue

  The young witch hesitated at the edge of the forest. She’d followed the old man through the city many times, but had never followed him into the woodland.

  She stepped into the shadows and watched as Tobias Prague disappeared through the seal. Her heart raced. The Council had given her explicit orders never to go beyond the borders of the town’s magical seal. They’d said it was too dangerous and that a young witch of only sixty years would never be able to handle herself beyond the city’s gate.

  But Tobias was up to something. She could feel it deep in her bones. She couldn’t lose him now.

  The witch wrapped her fingers around the edge of the stone building and peered nervously toward the gate. She should stay behind like she always did. She should do as she’d been told.

  But she was so tired of following the rules. She’d been following their rules her whole life and where had it gotten her?

  Nowhere. After everything she’d done for them, the elders still treated her like a child.

  A useless child.

  She was sick of being underestimated. Deep in her heart, she knew she was meant for big things. Important things.

  She bit her lip and held her breath. She was running out of time. If she didn’t hurry, Tobias would be so far ahead, she’d never catch up to him.

  The witch glanced back toward the brightly lit streets of the capital city, and when she was sure she would not be seen, she pulled the dark silk hood over her head and she stepped off the stone path and into the forest.

  The seal shimmered briefly as she passed through. A sweet heat ignited deep within her, spreading from head to toe as her magical powers were set free. She had forgotten how delicious those powers could be outside the magic-free zones of the bigger cities. It had been years since she’d been allowed to feel her full power coursing through her body, and even then, it had been under careful supervision.

  For a moment, she was breathless. Giddy. Then the sound of footsteps ahead reminded her of her purpose. She needed to find the old man and figure out just what he was really up to out here.

  She was tempted to use her fire to light her way, but she was afraid Tobias might see her. She resigned herself to darkness and continued her pursuit.

  The forest floor was mossy and green, wet from the recent rain. There were two moons tonight, and she could see her way easily enough once her eyes adjusted. In the distance, she could hear a winterbird singing.

  It took her a while to find the old man’s trail. He must have been very diligent about covering his tracks, but his caution only pushed her to search harder. If he was simply out for a stroll, he wouldn’t have bothered. Besides, now that she’d passed through the seal, her absence would be known. Everyone who passed in and out was tagged and recorded. When she returned, she’d have to answer to the elders.

  They would be angry with her, but maybe if she had something valuable to report to them, they would forgive her for disobeying them.

  At first, she saw no sign of Tobias. She was worried she’d lost him completely. Then, a strange stirring in her heart told her to go east, toward the river. Whenever she felt lost, she stopped again and listened to that strange tugging deep within.

  Then, after several minutes, a noise up ahead caught her ear.

  The witch crept forward as silent as a fox and hid behind a large tree covered with dark red thorns.

  Tobias Prague was on his hands and knees in a small clearing, searching through a pile of rocks. He mumbled to himself as he dug into the ground, but she couldn’t make out his words. He was definitely up to something. He kept looking over his shoulder to make sure he hadn’t been followed.

  Had he hidden something here?

  The witch was glad of her dark features and black cloak. She blended in to the shadows.

  Tobias paused, then held something up in the air, studying it in the moonlight. A rough stone was pressed between his thumb and forefinger. When the light hit it just right, she could see its dark purple color. Her heart fluttered like the tiny wings of a hummingbird.

  She brought a trembling hand to her mouth. Could it be?

  The Fatalis stone.

  It was real.

  The witch stepped closer, excitement buzzing across her skin. A twig snapped under the heel of her boot and she froze. Tobias closed his fist around the stone and jerked his head in her direction. He stood and peered into the darkness.

  She didn’t dare move a muscle. If she were discovered now, he would be very angry with her. Tobias Prague was a great wizard. Very old and very wise. He could kill her with a flick of his wrist. Especially after what she had seen out here tonight.

  Without the city seal to protect her, he could end her life and no one would ever discover the body.

  “Who’s there?” he said, his voice gruff and tense. “Show yourself.”

  He waited a long moment, then dropped the Fatalis stone into his pocket. He held his palm high into the air. A blue flame formed in his hand. All around, the trees became covered with an icy frost that seemed to glow from within. The witch carefully slipped back into the shadows, shivering as the cold flame cooled the area. She covered her mouth tightly to keep her breath from being seen.

  After a few moments, Tobias dropped his hand and turned, pushing deeper into the woods. His feet moved with swift purpose. When she felt he was a safe distance ahead, the young witch followed him, darting silently between the shadows.

  Soon, they reached a large circular clearing. A place with great power. She had never seen this place before, but could feel the hum of the earth beneath her feet.

  The young witch kept hidden on the edge of the trees, watching.

  Tobias stood in the center of the clearing, his eyes closed as if in prayer. He placed his palms together and began to chant. She couldn’t understand the ancient language, but she could feel the power of his words. The ground began to rumble. She gripped the nearest tree for balance.

  A brilliant light formed between the old man’s palms. It was different from the flame he’d produced earlier. This light was glimmering, similar to the way the magical seal had looked as she’d stepped through it.

  As his chants grew louder, Tobias pulled his palms apart, then began moving them in a circular pattern. The light expanded into a large circle, growing until it was big enough for a person to walk through.

  The witch gasped as she looked deep into the light. Inside the circle, the forest beyond had disappeared. Instead, she could see a green field lit up by a warm sun. A foreign world.

  A portal.

  She couldn’t breathe. She pressed her body against the tree, unsure of the strength of her legs. Her eyes widened as she stared through to the other world.

  The elders
had been right all along. The legend of the Fatalis stone was true. Portal magic was real.

  All this could only mean one thing.

  The Dark One is real. She’s still alive.

  The young witch felt faint. It was too much to take in. It was all true and the portal was here, almost within her reach. She wished now with all her heart she had taken the time to go back to the Council and report Tobias’ strange behavior. This was too much. Too important for a young witch like her to handle. She’d been stupid to come out here alone, but there was no turning back now.

  When the portal was fully formed, Tobias took one last look around the area, then stepped through.

  The bright light shimmered and weakened, the image on the other side growing faint. Fear rushed through the witch like a mighty wind. What should she do? If she let him go, would anyone believe her? Would they ever get another chance to answer the questions witches and wizards had been asking for centuries?

  But if she followed him, how would she get back home?

  Her heart pounded against her ribcage.

  She had no time. She had to make her choice.

  The young witch ran forward and thrust herself through just as the light disappeared. She fell on her side, rolling onto the grass. Heat warmed her face as she lay there, disoriented.

  “What are you doing here?” Tobias Prague stared down at her, his voice drenched in anger.

  The witch shielded her eyes against the bright sunshine. “I could ask you the same thing, old man.”

  She heard the clank of metal as he unsheathed his sword and pushed its pointed tip into her chest. It wasn’t enough to break the skin, but she knew he would kill her if it came to that.

  Tobias lifted the tip of his sword to her forehead and with a swift motion, pushed the hood of her cloak back so he could get a better look at her face.

  She swallowed, then raised her wide eyes up to his.

  “I recognize you, child," he said. “You’re the orphan girl. The one the Council of Fire found all those years ago wandering in the forest.”

  She nodded.

  “You have no idea what you’ve stumbled upon,” he said. “I should kill you for following me here to this place, but you’re just a child.”

  The young witch clenched her jaw tight, her nostrils flaring. She was not a child.

  And she was sure she did know some things about what she’d discovered here.

  She didn’t recognize the world, but she knew exactly where she was. The Dark One was here. She could feel the necromancer’s dark power flowing like an slow current through the ground. The Council had been looking for this place for centuries.

  And she had found it.

  No, she was not a child.

  She tried to gather her fire in her hands, but the power wouldn’t come to her. It had been there in the forest beyond the seal, but now, here in this strange world, her power was once again quieted. Sealed. She shook her head, not understanding.

  Tobias ran a shaking hand across his bearded chin. “You cannot cast here,” he said. “Magic is forbidden in this world. Only those with the key can cast. Come, now, I will take you home. You don’t belong here.”

  He stretched a wrinkled hand toward her, but she refused to take it. He was just like the elders. Always underestimating her and treating her as if she had no value, posed no threat. He meant to just take her home and continue on about his business. He wasn’t even angry or surprised at her presence. She was just a child to him. A nothing.

  Anger burned within her, deeper and stronger than any anger she’d ever felt. It surged up from the humming ground and into her veins where it burned hotter than the purest flame. It consumed her with a sudden and raw power.

  She would teach him to treat her with respect.

  With a smile, the young witch reached for the dagger hidden in her boot.

  She grabbed his hand and used his own strength against him as she pulled herself up and buried the tip of the blade deep in his belly.

  Tobias’ eyes became round and large, surprise and desperation flashing deep inside. His hands rose to the dagger, closing around her warm hands as his blood poured from the wound. “No,” he said, pain and regret saturating the word. “You have no idea what you’ve done.”

  He stumbled backward. The witch pulled away, her hands slipping free of the dagger as Tobias fell to the ground. His blood ran blue as a cobalt ocean across his hands and down his side. He choked and coughed, blood pouring from his mouth as he tried to speak.

  The young witch fell back in horror. What had she done?

  She’d never meant to hurt him, but something had come over her. Something dark and undeniable.

  And now he was dying. Her dagger was small but laced with poison. She’d carried it for years, but never actually dreamed of using it until today.

  “You’ve broken the seal.” Tobias reached toward her, his hand trembling and his fingers splayed out like a fan.

  The first drop of his blood fell onto the earth and the witch stared in awe as the blue pooled into a small puddle and then was sucked into the ground.

  As his blood mingled with the dirt, the witch felt a stirring of warmth deep in her belly. Her powers had returned, but only in part.

  Tobias closed his eyes, tears streaming across his cheeks.

  “Do not let her rule you,” he sputtered. He cringed with every word, but did not stop. His hands reached for her. “Find the five guardians. Warn them. Please.”

  His face tensed and his body curled up, then released and fell back against the ground with a terrible thud. The witch watched as his blood flowed in a steady stream from his body and into the earth. Slowly, as his veins emptied, his skin withered and shrank until finally, he turned to dust and was no more.

  The young witch fell to her knees, her breath hitching in her chest. She touched the ground where Tobias had fallen. The dirt nearly burned her hand, but when she tried to pull away, she was powerless to move, stuck to the spot by some invisible force deep inside the earth.

  Panic filled her. She imagined her own body crumbling to dust and pulled even harder. But it was no use. Something here had its hold on her and wasn’t letting go.

  The power of it sucked her under and in moments, the young witch lay motionless in the grass, dust blowing all around her as she lost consciousness.

  Part I: The Virus

  Blood-red petals pierced the frozen earth, rose up like a snake, then opened to soak in the warm sunlight. A young girl watched with unrestrained curiosity. She had never seen such a strange flower. In fact, flowers hardly ever grew here in the cold mountain snow.

  The girl leaned down and gripped the sturdy green stem. With a tug, she snapped it off at its root. She giggled, then lifted the strange red flower to her nose and inhaled. She’d expected it to smell sweet like the roses her father sometimes brought home from the market, but this flower smelled nothing like a rose. It smelled of smoke. Ash.

  For a moment, she felt the urge to drop the flower back to the ground where she’d found it. To leave it there in the snow where it would wilt and die.

  But it would be a shame to waste such a pretty thing. She considered it for a moment, then skipped home, the red flower clutched in her gloved hand. By nightfall, fever had taken hold of her small body and deep inside the earth, the Dark One smiled.

  Parrish

  They were at it again.

  Parrish Sorrows slammed her locker shut and leaned her forehead against the cool metal. She shouldn’t get involved. It was none of her business.

  Still, she couldn’t help that her locker was right next to the door leading out to the dumpsters. The custodians kept it propped open on nice summer days like today so they could sneak out there and smoke in secret.

  But it wasn’t the custodians out there now.

  It was those stupid bullies. Those guys thought just because their fathers were all big shot CEO’s and they lived in the ritziest neighborhood around with the biggest houses and fastest
cars that it made them gods here at Lawson Prep. They thought being rich gave them the right to pick on kids who were smaller, younger, and poorer than they were. Which was pretty much everyone, if she was being honest.

  This was the third afternoon in a week that Parrish had heard them out there with the wiry freshman transfer. His name was Peter or something. He’d transferred in about a month ago from some school up north on a science scholarship. The bullies wouldn’t let up. She could hear them out there pushing him around, taunting him and calling him names like they were in Kindergarten instead of their Senior year in in high school.

  Anyway, it was none of her business.

  She was already on her second strike for fighting, plus three warnings for dress code violations. Starting something up with the son of the dean was a bad idea, but that ass had it coming.

  She tightened her hand into a fist, then relaxed. She lifted her backpack and threw it across her shoulder. She would walk away, just as she had every other day this week. Her parents were already supremely pissed at her. With Zoe taking off on her world tour in just a few days, now was not the time to make waves.

  But then the kid starting crying.

  A sob echoed through the empty hallway and Parrish closed her eyes and shook her head. How could she walk away from that? They made him cry. Dammit.

  She threw her bag to the ground at the feet of her locker and sighed. They’d given her no choice.

  Parrish stepped around the corner and leaned against the door frame.

  There were four of the bigger guys. All seniors. All sons of important men. All about to get their asses kicked.

  They stood in a circle around the kid. One guy, Jason, was going through the kid’s bag, pulling his papers and books, ripping up his homework before crumbling it into a little ball and throwing it on the nasty floor next to the trash can.

  Peter, the kid, was hunched over in the middle of the group, his shoulders up near his ears and his hands wrapped around his elbows. He was sniffling, snot running from his nose.