Prologue
Shane shoved his way into the group of whispering young men, eager to take part in their scandalous adventure. They were hidden by several large ravenberry bushes that grew closely to the white-barked trees surrounding them. Managing to shove an elbow out of his line of vision he stood on tiptoe to peer through the leafy branches at the river bed below. Shane stifled a gasp.
“Trieste,” he whispered her name as he realized why the older boys had been so excited. The young woman was sitting naked on the rocky beach along the riverbed, her black hair covering her back and her knees pulled tightly to her bare chest.
“She’s crying you guys, what happened?” Shane peered up at the young man next to him; Frey.
Another boy snickered. “She’s out of time-”
“You’re too young to understand,” Frey hissed back, his gaze focused hungrily on Trieste. Shane turned back to the riverbed, his gaze taking in the pale smooth skin and the small tremors that were passing through her body with each sob. He knew why the other young men were there and Shane blushed; embarrassed by them. He wanted to run to her, to comfort her and ask her why she was so distraught, to make her happy again. The feelings shocked the boy as they were aroused within him. He couldn’t understand the sudden protectiveness he felt toward the young woman whom he had hardly ever spoken to before.
“This is wrong you guys,” Shane demanded, loud enough to cause the young men to glare angrily at him.
“Shut up, Shane. Who brought this little kid along anyways? He’s just going to get us all caught,” Crest complained savagely.
“Leave, or I will tell on you!” Shane spoke even louder, causing fear to flash across the eyes of some of his peers. Two, closer to Shane’s age, turned and fled, causing Crest to roll his eyes.
“You’re such a brat, Shane. We were just having a little fun,” Frey growled before grabbing Shane’s leather tunic by the neck and shaking him angrily. “Don’t think for a second I’m letting you get away with this. I’m going to make you wish you’d never even followed us in the first place.” Frey gave Shane one last shake before motioning to the others that the show was over.
Shane sighed with relief as they disappeared into the forest. Turning, he pushed through the bushes and strode towards Trieste, some newfound impulse leading him on. She stiffened as his footfalls sounded on the shifting rocks, alerting her to his presence.
“Go away!” her voice shook, from anger or fear Shane was unsure of. He had never really paid Trieste much attention before, she was two years older than him, but he was starting to realize how beautiful she was.
“It’s ok, it’s just me,” his voice was soft as he placed his leather jerkin around the girl’s shoulders and sat beside her. Trieste gazed at the young man through vivid green eyes, and though their alluring effect was subdued by the redness from her crying, the young man was stunned.
“Shane?” Laughter carried in Trieste’s voice as she recognized him. “What in the world are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same.” Shane chuckled softly, his gaze never leaving Trieste’s. “But I came down here to see if you were alright.” He smiled warmly, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He couldn’t be falling for a girl he barely knew, could he?
“I’ll be fine,” she murmured, watching Shane’s pale brown eyes. He was young, only fifteen if she remembered correctly, and yet his face had already begun to resemble a mans. His sandy colored hair was cropped short and his bare skin was brazen from the sun, typical of the villagers. So typical that Trieste had never paid him that much attention before. But here he was sitting bare-chested beside her asking if she was okay and genuinely caring about her answer. She knew that none of the other young men would have been brave enough to approach her in the state she was now. Trieste smiled at the thought.
“Aren’t you wondering where my clothes are?” she asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she pulled the leather closer. She felt empty inside from crying, but somehow much better now that Shane was here.
Heat seared across Shane’s face as he blushed a deep crimson. “Yes but I was more worried about why you were crying than why you weren’t…err, clothed.” He looked away, reminding himself to breathe as he tried to calm his racing heart. What was happening to him?
“I was swimming, but then everything that has been going on in my life overwhelmed me and I started crying and then I was shaking so badly I couldn’t swim anymore…” she trailed off, watching the dark river water as the current carried it past.
Trieste watched Shane closely, his jagged breathing causing her to smile. He was innocent and knew nothing of her past; she knew he wouldn’t judge her. She could also tell that the feelings she had aroused within him were something new and unfamiliar. Her smile faltered as her mind returned to previous thoughts. Could Shane be the key out of her prison?
“Join me?” she whispered, this time meeting Shane’s gaze with a sudden shyness that left him breathless. He didn’t resist as Trieste unlaced the leather bands along his legs that held his shoes in place. He had never been in love with anyone before and yet he couldn’t push away the thought that the burning feeling inside him couldn’t be anything other than love.
The two were silent as Shane helped Trieste to her feet and led her into the dark water, leaving behind the small heap of leather clothing. The water was cool, but comforting from the blistering heat of the sun, as it clothed their bodies, the gentle current calming Shane’s heart.
“Thank you, Shane,” Trieste smiled, realizing for the first time that he was slightly taller than her as she grasped his arms, preventing the tug of the current from pulling them apart. He seemed to at last find his voice.
“For what?” he asked softly, amusement shining in his gaze. “I don’t know why, Trieste, but I want to make you happy. I don’t ever want to see you cry again, I don’t want you to hurt-”
A thrill coursed through Shane’s body as Trieste pulled him down into the water, her lips pressed tightly to his as they sank beneath the river’s surface. The blackness of the water engulfed the pair as the sound of his beating heart pounded in Shane’s ears. He could feel Trieste’s soft skin against his own and suddenly a part of him wanted to push her away, what was she doing to him? Had she somehow enchanted him?
Suddenly his ankle caught in a root and he realized they had drifted to the center of the river. Kicking out, he felt Trieste release him as she re-surfaced for air. But he was caught. He twisted his leg desperately, trying to untangle it as his lungs began to burn from lack of air. Shane screamed as the root tightened on his ankle, tearing into his skin. The scream sounded odd as it echoed through the water. And then a voice filled his head, so loud he thought his skull would shatter as the voice hummed and resonated through him.
Do not touch her man-child. She is mine, a child of the earth. She must remain pure for soon she shall see her last sunrise. Steal her from me, and I shall curse you beyond death.
The root loosened its grip and Shane struggled to the surface. He gasped for air as he found himself in Trieste’s arms again, realizing she didn’t understand he had almost drown. Shane relaxed in her gentle embrace, the fear slowly dissipating as he methodically kicked his legs; keeping his head above the dark surface.
As his breathing calmed, Shane could feel Trieste trying to pull him back under the water.
“I can’t, Trieste… we shouldn’t be here,” he murmured softly, starting to feel more like himself as the adrenaline from his encounter wore off. He would never admit that he was afraid of what lurked at the bottom.
“Shane,” she breathed, her arms circling his neck as she pulled him closer, “please… you don’t understand. This is my last chance to swim in the river, and I’m so glad that it could be with you. I think I love you, Shane.”
He was shocked that the feelings he had been trying to understand for the past hour were mutual.
“What do you mean your last time?” But she was kissing him again, clouding his fears as he allowed her to pull him back into the black underwater world. He couldn’t fight her any longer, this was what she wanted. For a moment he wondered if this was what she’d wanted all along, maybe she had known of her cruel spectators, maybe she had relished it.
But as the pair burst to the surface, both gasping for air, Shane stared into Trieste’s eyes and realized that he was wrong. For some reason, she had fallen in love with him as deeply as he had her. She rested her chin on his shoulder and he smiled, running a hand through her thick black hair.
Shane froze as he saw it, the faded black ink showing through the loose hair that lay across her skin. He slowly pulled her hair across her back and over her shoulder, fear returning worse than ever. Tattooed across Trieste’s bare back lay an intricate symbol; a name.
“You’re an Essence?” horror filled his voice as everything seemed to fit into place and at last he understood who Trieste was. But it was too late, far too late.
