Emblazed
Text Copyright Nikki Narvaez ©2013
All rights reserved
Published by
Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, LLC.
This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious
and are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual events,
or locales or persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.
Edited by CLS Editing Services
Cover design by Mae I Design and Photography
Interior Design by Angela McLaurin, Fictional Formats
https://www.facebook.com/FictionalFormats
Published by
Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, LLC.
Emblazed, The Elemental Prophecy Series: Book Two
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise,
be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s
prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it
is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed
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The power within her calls to me, begging for me to release it. She is resilient,
and I still haven’t been able to break her when weaker would have already crumbled
beneath my feet. When I murder her flame before her eyes, her collapse will be that
much more sweeter. I can almost taste it. Then her soul will be mine, along with the
power within it.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! This could not be happening! How could I let her be taken from me,
by Hades of all people?!
I stormed out of the High Council’s Court, my mind scouring ideas of how to get into
the Underworld and rescue Brielle. I needed to find a portal and hoped it wouldn’t
take more than a day’s time to get there. There had to be one around somewhere, since
the Court was so close to Mount Olympus.
The Oracle appeared in front of me, but I stepped around her and resumed my path.
She reappeared in front of me again, and I growled, “Get the fuck out of my way!”
“You will need my help if you wish to rescue your flame.”
“You already made it clear that you couldn’t help me, remember?”
“I said that I could not take you directly into the Underworld. That does not mean
that I cannot transport you to one of the portals.”
“Why didn’t you say that sooner? Take me now!” I demanded impatiently.
“You must first return home to get your companions. You need them on this journey.”
“What? Absolutely not! This doesn’t involve them. We have to leave now!” I yelled
in desperation.
“You will fail without them—they must accompany you if you wish to rescue Brielle.”
“Fine. Let’s go,” I snapped.
I didn’t need to waste time arguing with a stubborn, all-knowing oracle. I was beyond
enraged, yet I felt so empty without Brielle. Our connection was already being affected—I
couldn’t feel her emotions or hear her thoughts, which terrified me.
Gods, what if she’s lost in between realms? Why can’t I feel her?
I had been able to feel her when she blacked out during the Akasha process, so even
if she was unconscious again, I should’ve been able to sense her still. I considered
that our connection might have been screwed up because she was in the Underworld.
Hades had said we would both experience the negative effects of the bond from being
apart, but not have it feel like it’s been completely severed.
Fuck, this is driving me insane!
Not knowing whether or not she was okay made me uneasy. My hands shook from anxiety
and my heart pounded as if it were about to go into cardiac arrest. I felt incomplete
and lost without her. I needed to get to her, like ten minutes ago.
The Oracle placed her hand on my shoulder, causing my skin to prickle. The familiar
white light from earlier intruded my vision until I couldn’t see anything else. In
a split second, we were back in the dining room of my house.
Kiera, Brielle’s dad, Zane, and Kimber all sat talking in the living room. Our soundless
entrance didn’t alert them to our presence, but my scramble to get to the bathroom
down the hall did.
Lifting the toilet seat, I vomited just as I heard the pounding of multiple sets of
footsteps come down the hallway. I stood to rinse my mouth and face in the sink as
Mr. De Luca appeared in the doorway, looking exactly like I felt.
“Where’s Brielle?” he asked anxiously as he looked around for her. “Jace, where is
she?”
I looked down, feeling disgusted with myself. “Hades took her,” I whispered, on the
verge of tears.
My emotions roiled through me, causing despair, guilt, fear, and rage to strangle
my heart.
I have to get her back. I can’t let her down.
I pushed through the throng of people in the doorway and made my way to the living
room, needing air before explaining everything that had happened. Everyone rushed
out after me, asking questions and yelling all at once. I bellowed over everyone,
“Stop! All of you, shut the fuck up!”
My outburst had the desired result—everyone looked at me in silent shock. “Look, I’m
sorry, but we don’t have any time to waste. Sit down and I’ll explain everything.”
They all sat down like I requested, except the Oracle, who watched from the dining
room. I raked my hand through my hair as I blew out a breath, reluctant to tell them
what had happened.
“Hades took Brielle to the Underworld. He claimed that Zeus interfered with Fate by
helping Brielle and I during our trial. He wants us to prove that we deserve the favor
of the Gods by giving us a test.”
“What kind of test?” Kimber asked.
“I have three days to rescue Brielle from the Underworld. If I don’t reach her in
time …” I trailed off, unable to utter the words.
I won’t let Brielle die because of my incompetence.
“What about the bond? You can’t be apart for a day, let alone three,” Zane commented.
“That part of our bond is suspended for the test. We will still feel the other negative
side effects of being apart, but we won’t die unless I fail to save her before the
third day is up. Then, our souls will belong to Hades.”