The Connected Series.

EXILED.

RaSh.e.l.le Workman.

DEDICATION.

To James, my awesome husband, for his tireless patience and love. And, to E, K & J, my three amazing children, and biggest fans.

. . . Is love so light, sweet boy, and may it be That thou should think it heavy unto thee . . .

Venus and Adonis.

by: William Shakespeare.

1. End Of The Innocence.

Venus escaped her party. It'd been hailed, *The Celebration of the Century.' Had they asked her opinion, she would've called it, *The Motley, Molten Party of the Month.'

No one did.

Still, there'd been cake.

A decadent piece balanced on a plate in one hand as she hurried down the enormous, column-filled hall toward her bedroom. Her faint footsteps bounced and echoed around her, the only sound.

At the entrance, she waved a hand over the Carania family crest. The door shimmered and vanished. She paused and peered inside. Everything looked in order.

There's nothing dead in there.

It was the unknown she didn't like. Doors kept out help and could hide secrets. They allowed evil.

"When I'm queen, I'll banish all doorways," she whispered fiercely. Holding her breath (for she believed that by doing so, the bad stuff, whatever that might be, would disappear before she saw it), she rushed through, moving past her bed to her vanity, where she placed the cake on top, and fell onto her overstuffed green chair.

"Happy birthday to me."

There'd been presents at her party, too. One in particular she'd been most excited about.

The Kelvieri's Boots.

To receive her own pair meant she'd reached the age where age no longer mattered.

They were black as a starless night, soft as feathers, yet stronger than any metal ever discovered.

Thrantum. That's what the G.o.ds called the material. None of her people knew where the boots came from. The shaman would pray and they'd appear for the kelphi child. The word meant permanent, which fit perfectly. The boots would last as long as she would, after her transformation-forever.

Inside the clear wedged heels were symbols of her imperfections. The symbols were unique only to her and would be a guide as she crossed into immortality.

Of more significance, at least to Venus, the boots represented change. She could hardly wait. Venus was sick of looking like every other kelarian under the age of sixteen. White hair, silver eyes and metallic white skin. When she completed her metamorphosis into a kelvieri, her physical features would transform as well. No more same, same, same.

"Hey doof! You weren't supposed to leave. What will the guests think of their perfect princess? So un-queenly of you." Amberlee had entered Venus's bedroom without permission. The brat!

"Yeah, well I'm not the queen yet. What do you want?" Venus studied her little sister, annoyed at how much they looked alike.

Today, Amberlee had spiked her short hair. Around her white lashes, she wore thick, black eyeliner, which made her skin pasty. On her right cheek a star had been drawn and she'd chosen a short, black coverlette. She reminded Venus of a beautiful but bad-mannered banshee.

"I brought you a present."

"You did?" Venus worked hard to hide the surprise from showing on her face. Normally, the only things Bratterlee gave her were bruises and scratches.

Amberlee reached into her pocket and held up a necklace. Silver in color, its chain hung fine and thin. From the center dangled a gleaming black irrihunter charm.

"It's beautiful." Venus bent forward to get a closer look. Worry twisted within her, like a tornado. What's wrong with it? Immediately after that thought, came another. She's trying to be nice. Still, Venus wasn't sure. With a careful hand, she touched it. The charm radiated warmth.

"It won't bite. Cret, sis! Don't be so dramatic. It's no secret you have a thing for the animals. You fly one every day. Besides, you only turn sixteen once. Here, take it." Amberlee flung it into her outstretched hand. She'd sounded harsh, but a touch of rosy orange spread over her sister's cheeks.

Without thinking, Venus hugged her. "Thank you."

Amberlee pushed Venus away. "Back the helker up. Now's not the time to start getting mushy."

She sat back, the words like a slap in the face.

It wasn't that Venus couldn't show emotion. She could, if she tried, but feelings weren't necessary. Encouraged? Sure. She found the whole concept to be a waste of time. As the one day queen, those around her had groomed her to be concerned for the majority. If she let sentiment rule, she wouldn't be able to make the big decisions for the good of the kingdom. She had to care for everyone, not anyone. Amberlee hadn't been taught to understand. She didn't need to.

"Will you put it on?" Venus asked, holding the necklace out.

"Okaaaay." Amberlee took it from her hands.

Venus stood and turned, pulling her long hair out of the way. When Amberlee swung the chain around her neck her sleeve tugged up. About halfway up Amberlee's inner forearm was a black tattoo. The skin looked irritated, as though she'd recently had it done.

Resisting the urge to comment, Venus studied it, the circular shapes, like a sun and a half-moon. Or an eye . . . the pupil contained a strange symbol. Venus knew some of the younger kels inked up their skin before becoming kelvieri, as a way of expressing themselves. After the change, the art would disappear anyway. But she hadn't expected to see one on her sister.

"What does your ink mean?" she finally asked when Amberlee stepped away.

A look of horror crossed her face. "Oh! None of your business. Some friends and I got it done together." She yanked her sleeve over the symbol and cleared her throat. With a trembling smile, she pleaded, "You won't tell Mom?"

"No. Of course not." She touched the charm that rested below her collarbones. A jolt shot through her fingers. "Ouch!"

Unease crossed Amberlee's face. "What's your problem?"

Venus let out a laugh. The pain had vanished as quickly as it'd come. "N-Nothing." She glanced at her fingers. There wasn't a mark.

"Swear you won't tell?"

Irritated, she fought back the urge to smack her sister. "I swear, Amberlee. Cret! Hey, I'll tell you a secret. That'll make us even. K?" She sat back down and turned toward her vanity. Venus kept an eye on her sister in the mirror as she picked up her gold-toothed comb and ran it through her hair.

Amberlee crossed her arms and popped a hip. "Really? You have a secret?"

"You have to promise not to tell anyone." Venus set the comb back in its exact spot and turned. "Promise?" she asked, mocking.

"Yeah, Princess. Now what is it?" Amberlee smirked, picked up the small, perfectly squared piece of cake and shoved the whole thing in her mouth. Cheeks full of cake, she glared and had the audacity to laugh. "Come on, tell me," she said around all the cake.

Already regretting that she'd agreed to tell, Venus let out a huff. "Sadraden is pregnant, due in about ten days. Her baby will be the first irrihunter born in years."

"Those animals scare the helker out of me. And now there'll be a baby? Yeah, that's just what the kingdom needs."

"Hey, don't be mean. What've irrihunters ever done to you? They're the most incredible creatures. And to ride one is . . . well, it's perfection."

Amberlee pressed her lips together, her stormy eyes squinted. She swallowed. "Uh-huh. If you say so. But, what about your journey? Are you still planning to ride her?"

"Absolutely. She'd be devastated if I didn't." Venus stood, an urgent need to get started overwhelming her. "I'd better finish packing since I'm leaving tonight instead of in the morning."

Amberlee nodded. "Thanks, Venus. It means a lot you . . ." she trailed off and her eyes glazed over, like her mind had gone elsewhere. A second later, she finished, ". . . told me." She walked to the door and waved a ring-covered hand over the family crest. The golden door twinkled and disappeared. Before moving over the threshold, she asked, "Did you see Zaren at your birthday party?"

"Sure. Why?" As her personal Formytian, he kept close, sometimes annoyingly so. She'd been seeing him every day since age two, probably longer.

"I noticed him watching you, a lot. He's quite handsome. Black hair. Green eyes. Tall. Rippling muscles. Immortality looks good on him, don't you think?" She nodded encouragingly, as she scrunched a chuck of her hair with a hand.

Venus huffed. "Yes, Amberlee. When I get back, do you want me to put in a word for you?"

"By the G.o.ds, no! I meant for you. Forever, Venus. Do you really want to live eternally without love?"

Pressing her hands together, Venus dug her nails into her palms. Her sister knew a union based on attraction or . . . or love, wasn't in her future. "Palmo and I are promised to each other. Our kingdoms need us united. Life is about more than love." Venus walked to the large bay window next to her dresser. The suns were setting, the bigger one slightly higher than the smaller. Various shades of scarlet and gold shot through the clouds like long, glowing swords.

She turned in time to watch Amberlee's silver face grow hard and pale as their first moon.

"Love is everything," she said, her eyes fierce. Without waiting for Venus to respond, she stalked from the room.

Yet another reason why I was born first.

She carefully removed the mid-thigh length coverlette. It was certainly beautiful. Her mother had given it to her that morning. "A special dress for a very special girl." That's what the Queen had said.

It was gauzy and light. Thread the color of sunshine glowed at her wrists, neckline and hem. The long sash shone in the same color. As though the designer had somehow captured a piece of a sun and fashioned it into the sash. She placed the dress on the back of her chair and picked up her pack.

A few more necessities needed to be added before she left, like her cleaning tablets and some food patches, which she hated. But they were tiny and easy to carry and would sustain her for the few days it took to journey to the home of the G.o.ds and back.

At her closet, she ran a hand over the Carania family crest. The doors shimmered. She opened the console next to the closet door and pressed b.u.t.tons to bring up the coverlettes section. Different holographic choices appeared on the screen. Venus selected one in dark blue. Its soft material spun from the magical cairna spiders. It sparkled with what looked like clear dew drops. The thick ribbing along the front as well as the sash glistened with red rosithia flowers.

The closet spun through her clothes on an invisible belt until the coverlette she wanted arrived in front of her. She held her breath and reached in. After pulling her arm back, she exhaled, and as she put on the coverlette, went to the mirror. Her reflection appeared normal, but a sudden and complete fatigue engulfed her. Like giant hands, the unseeing force crushed her with its heaviness.

Through weighty eyelids, she peered at herself in the gla.s.s and noticed a line of thick, blue liquid streaming from beneath the charm around her neck. She reached up and touched the substance.

"It's blood," she whispered. "How?" Her mind went decidedly numb and no answer would come. Darkness fell over her eyes. Her limbs turned weak. It took all her effort to keep herself upright.

"What's wrong with me?"

On rubbery legs, she staggered to the bed, arms stretched out in front of her. Venus used the wall, her dresser and a chair as her crutches to help her get to the bed. She knew once the Body Sensors attached to the bed scanned her, they'd contact help. When she sat, sure enough the Sensors screeched a blazing warning.

"Your life organs are unwell. A re-" a monotone female voice began and then abruptly stopped, as though turned off.

Venus wanted to be angry or afraid, but one physical need overrode everything else. Sleep. She laid her head against the silky pillow.

I'll begin my journey tomorrow, she promised herself.

2. Alone.

Michael tossed a rock into Crystal Lake. It skipped three times before disappearing beneath the murky depths. He went to pick up another, but stopped at the sound of a noise. He rose to his full six feet and searched for the culprit.

Around the water, tall bare trees stood, their branches reaching toward the sky like skeleton fingers. Interspersed between the naked branches of the elm and aspen were the fir, their needles a soft silvery-green and the p.r.i.c.kly forest green needles of pine.

The small lake rippled, a slight wind pushing the water to and fro against the muddy sh.o.r.e. He turned, zipped his letterman's jacket, and grabbed a blanket from the hood of his car. A little ways off stood a thicket of long yellow weeds, the strands bending in the breeze like bullied children. At the base of a gigantic tree, he shook out the large blanket over a patch of dried gra.s.s. The ground was firm, though it hadn't frozen. That would change soon. Mid October meant freezing weather in Wyoming. At the moment, it was a beautiful afternoon and the spot would serve as the perfect table for the picnic he'd prepared his girlfriend, Cheverly.

With all the c.r.a.p that went on in his not-so-happy family, he'd been surprised-still was-that he and Chev had been in a relationship. Somehow they'd managed and today marked their six month anniversary. As a surprise, he'd made a meal, put it in a basket and asked Cheverly's best friend, Lori, to help him plan their date. On top of that, here next to Crystal Lake and their favorite elm, Michael planned to tell Chev he loved her.

In the past, they'd argued about it, the fact that he never said the words. It wasn't that he didn't have affectionate feelings toward her. He did. He even believed the feelings might be love. Most of his life had been spent keeping emotions at bay. At the ripe old age of seven, he'd come to recognize that expressing fear, anger, pain, or for that matter, happiness, joy and, heaven forbid love, only caused his father and then later his mother's abuse to be more severe.

Michael had scars on his back, feet and a long, thin scar on his cheek to prove it. Showing no emotion kept the violence to a minimum. As for real love, if it existed, he figured that might be what he felt for Cheverly. He had no idea, but to keep the peace between them, he'd decided to tell her. Say the words.

Lori should've dropped Cheverly off already. He knew getting Chev to do something without knowing all the details demanded skill. Michael'd been cryptic today, during school, and that'd caused Chev to give him dirty looks. Probably upset and a little hurt, too. A surprise around her required stealth and he'd wanted the moment to be special. So when his cell rang, Michael felt relieved.

"Hey, Lori. Where you at?" He'd begun to pace.

"I'm sorry dude, but I can't find her. I've called. Left messages. Texted the girl like ten times. She isn't answering me."

He allowed his mind to run through the various places she could've been. Work. Cheerleading practice. At the mall. "I guess I'd better call her. Hope she isn't too mad." With his old, orange converse, he kicked a hole in the ground.

"Yeah, you know how Cheverly feels about surprises, though."

"Thanks, Lori." Michael hung up and dialed Chev's number. It went straight to voice mail. He left her a message. Then he texted her.

"Happy Anni, Chev. Wanted 2surprise U. @the lake nxt 2r tree. Com hang w/me." He debated about whether or not he should add the words, those three words she'd wanted him to say for so long. "Might as well." He spelled them out completely. "I love you." And hit send.

He sat on the blanket and leaned against the old tree. A large bird flew overhead, calling out. An eagle. He watched it circle the lake, drop its claws into the water and pull out a fish.