Read The Fire Sisters (Brilliant Darkness 3) Online
Authors: A. G. Henley
Tags: #Young Adult, #Romance, #Science Fiction, #Fantasy, #Dystopian, #Teen, #Terror, #Deception, #Dangerous Adventure, #Action, #Blindness, #Disability, #Forrest Community, #Relationship, #Lofty Protector, #Brutality, #Cruel Governance, #Barbaric World, #Zombies, #Partnering Ceremony, #Stolen Children, #Treasured Guru, #Sacrifices, #True Leader, #Trust, #Horror
The Fire Sisters (Brilliant Darkness 3) (32 page)
“
Fennel
,” Nerang says, “is this bond what you desire?”
I can tell from his emphasis on my name and the laughter in his words that I missed something. I quickly say yes.
“It’s what I desire, too, in case you missed it,” Peree mildly informs me.
“Is there anything you would like to exchange?” Nerang asks.
I pull out the leather bonding bands that a craftswoman from Koolkuna created. Before the Fire Sisters came to Gather the children, I’d showed her my bird pendent and asked her to design a bird soaring over water on the bands. I thought it represented Peree and me well. From what I can tell by touch, she did an expert job.
I hand Peree the thinner of the two bands. He ties it on my upper arm, and after Kora takes back the bouquet, I do the same with his. He brushes my cheek, and we hold hands again.
“In the tradition of the
anuna
,” Nerang says, “you should now tell your story, the story of how the paths of two people became one.”
Peree settles into the rhythmic voice I love and tells the story I know but never tire of hearing, beginning with how he saved me from a charging boar when we were both children; how he watched over me from above as we grew older, hoping to meet me; how he worked day after day to improve his archery so he would be chosen as my Keeper; and he described that moment when we met at the Summer Solstice celebration, the night I asked him to dance.
He tells of our first, terrifying days together as Water Bearer and Keeper, our harrowing journey through the caves, and he makes the
anuna
laugh, describing his dubious first impressions of Nerang and Koolkuna
.
He speaks of the Reckoning, the Confluence, and the difficult days when we realized most of our people would not come with us to Koolkuna. He tells of the Cloister, the Fire Sisters, and our return home with the children.
“And now,” he says, squeezing my hands, “I stand here in awe that you, a woman with the fierce courage of a tiger, the beauty of a cassowary woman, the loyalty of the first fish… and a slight similarity to lizards and weasels… has agreed to partner with me.” He presses my palm to his chest where his heart beats, strong and sure. “Fennel. My heart, body, and soul are yours. Protect and cherish them for me, as I will always protect and cherish you.”
I’m not sure I can speak, so I throw my arms around him and kiss him instead. I get lost in his lips and his touch on my skin and I forget where we are, what we’re supposed to be doing. I practically forget who I am.
Nerang clears his throat loudly as our friends laugh.
“Your turn,” Peree whispers.
I feel woozy from our kiss and woefully ill equipped to follow Peree in any kind of storytelling, but I won’t miss this chance to tell him how I feel about him.
“Peree… on that first day we met at the Summer Solstice, you didn’t fit any of the things I’d expected of my Keeper or thought to be true of Lofties. I was reluctant to get to know you, amazed to begin to trust you, and stunned when I fell in love with you. But as those first days slipped into weeks and then months, I came to understand the magic of the person you are. You moved from the periphery of my life, someone on the blurry outside edges, to the center of my world.” I gather up every bit of sincerity in my heart, hoping it will shine through my words. “I love you—and I
will
love you—for all of my life.”
“Mirii and Myall,” Nerang says, “I bless you with nettle, chamomile, aloe, and sage to impart health, strength, wisdom, and long life as you begin your journey together. You are bound now. Let nothing—and no one—come between you.”
Something trails lightly over my nose and cheeks, smelling of fresh, finely ground herbs. The fire burns hot and white for a moment, as if Nerang threw more herbs there, too.
Peree and I share one more perfect kiss.
The past brims with memories I’d as soon forget. The future will always be uncertain. But the present is here and now, brilliant with hope. It’s warm and gentle, and it holds a promise of comfort and security that I cling to. Love, like fire, can destroy, but it can also save your life.
Peree and I have weathered many a storm. Whatever comes next, we’ll weather it, too.
Together.
Thank you very much for reading
The Fire Sisters
, Book 3 of the Brilliant Darkness series!
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Thanks again!
Read the rest of the
Brilliant Darkness
series:
I owe many thanks to Caryn Wiseman, my agent and the developmental editor for
The Fire Sisters
. Your unflinching, critical eye made this book so much better. Thank you for always telling me like it is.
I'd also like to thank Cynthia Shepp for her excellent copyediting and proofreading work, Robin Ludwig for her beautiful covers from
The Defiance
on through to
The Fire Sisters,
and Steve Lamar—the Renaissance Man who has been with me from the beginning—for setting up my website and always being willing to fix stuff I screw up.
I’ve met some wonderful authors, editors, and publishing folks o
ver the last three years
. One author in particular, the talented S.K. Falls, was instrumental in helping me craft better books and navigate the deep, dark publishing seas. I’m so lucky to know you, SFAM.
Kristi Helvig, an amazing young adult author, psychologist, and Denverite, has often stepped in to read various drafts of my work and help me shape them. I owe you a gluten-free drink of your choice.
My fellow Infinite Ink authors and friends—Katie French, Nicole Ciacchella, Shelbi Wescott, Megan Thomason, A.J. Krafton, Zoe Cannon, Kea Alwang, and S.K. Falls—have been there to promote my work, answer my questions, throw ideas around, and commiserate. I hope we can all gather in Megan’s tropical paradise of a backyard very soon.
Finally, many book bloggers have helped me along the way by reviewing and recommending my books. For little to no recognition or financial reward, you connect me with readers. You guys are awesome.
My family. Mom, Dad, and Ginger—don’t miss the dedication, it’s for you. Thank you for many years of putting up with me.
ASH, thank you for your enthusiastic support and for always being my first reader. I implicitly trust your judgment. WRH, you remind me to trade out my author hat for my Mom one every afternoon. I promise to write a book with less kissing next time. And Ryan, you’ve suffered through many a monologue about writing and publishing. You’ve shared and supported my dreams. I couldn’t have done this—
any
of this—without you. I love you very much.
And finally, my readers. The Brilliant Darkness series sprang to life in November 2010, when I sat down to hash out the particulars of Fennel’s world. Only a few months have passed for Fenn; five years have passed for me. So much has changed for both of us.
I published
The Scourge
in January 2012, only hoping to sell enough copies to pay the cost of the hundred-buck cover that a friend, Jen Allen, kindly created for me. Writing a novel was a crazy experiment, a check mark on the bucket list. But I discovered along the way that I loved to write, loved to create characters and stories readers connected with, loved connecting with those same readers.
I am so grateful to everyone who has read the Brilliant Darkness series and supported it through the years. Thank you, readers, for coming on this journey with Fenn and me. I’ll be leaving her here, safe in Koolkuna, but I hope you’ll follow me and a new heroine soon. I’ll be very glad to have you with me.
Aimee (A.G.) Henley
September 2015
A.G. Henley is the author of the Brilliant Darkness series. The first book in the series,
The Scourge
, was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award.
A.G. is also a clinical psychologist, which means people either tell her their life stories on airplanes, or avoid her at parties when they've had too much to drink. Neither of which she minds. When she's not writing fiction or shrinking heads, she can be found herding her children and their scruffy dog, Guapo, to various activities, while trying to remember whatever she's inevitably forgotten to tell her husband. She lives in Denver, Colorado. Learn more at
aghenley.com