Denial

C.R. Rice

Description

Greed and betrayal divided the Realms, leaving the power to restore them inside a young child that is sent away for protection.
As she grows up her world is normal, safe, that is until she turns eighteen and Silas, a mysterious stranger, arrives claiming to be from another world and demanding she return with him to save both of their worlds.
The more she learns about him and herself the more truth she finds in his stories as a power sparks to life inside her. Struggling between maintaining her normal life and coming to terms with her newfound destiny, Averie fights to stay in control of herself and her new abilities.
With the help of Silas and her adopted brother Thane, Averie strives to gain control of her abilities to take back the Realms from the Betrayer Marcus and another unexpected enemy. With great power, comes great responsibility, and loss.

Sujets

• Univers ado
• Fiction ado
• Fiction Ado
• Imaginaire
• Science-fiction
• Fantasy
• Contemporary
• Magic realism
• Metaphysical
• Visionary
• Contemporary history
• Fantasy (canción de Mariah Carey)
• Coming of Age
• Young Adult Fiction
• Science Fiction
• Young Adult
• Magical Realism

Informations

• Publié par: 4 Horsemen Publications, Inc.
• Date de parution: 26 octobre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781644501115
• Langue: English

Extrait

Table o f Contents
Dedication
Prologue
C hapter One
C hapter Two
Cha pter Three
Ch apter Four
Ch apter Five
C hapter Six
Cha pter Seven
Cha pter Eight
Ch apter Nine
C hapter Ten
Chap ter Eleven
Chap ter Twelve
Chapte r Thirteen
Chapte r Fourteen
Chapt er Fifteen
Chapt er Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapte r Eighteen
Chapte r Nineteen
Chap ter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Tw enty-Three
Chapter T wenty-Four
Chapter T wenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Tw enty-Seven
Chapter Tw enty-Eight
Chapter T wenty-Nine
Chap ter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Th irty-Three
Chapter T hirty-Four
Chapter T hirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Th irty-Seven
Chapter Th irty-Eight
Chapter T hirty-Nine
Cha pter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Mo re to Come
The Re alm Series
About the Author
C.R. Rice










Denial
Copyright © 2020 C.R. Rice. All rights r eserved.


4 Horsemen Publicatio ns, Inc.
1497 Main St. S uite 169
Dunedin, FL 34698
4horsemenpublicat ions.com
info@4horsemenpublicat ions.com
Cover & Typesetting by Battle Goddess Pro ductions
Editor Vanessa Valiente
All rights to the work within are reserved to the author and publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 International Copyright Act, without prior written permission except in brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Please contact either the Publisher or Author to gain per mission.
This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used ficti tiously.
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-644 50-111-5
Print ISBN: 978-1-644 50-112-2


Dedication

To Correy, for believing in me and your loving, yet forceful shove into the abyss of th e unknown.
Thank you.


Prologue

A hooded figure appeared on a moonless night, in a small sleepy town. Its citizens slumbered peacefully, oblivious to the heavy foreboding that billowed in like fog. The soft wind rustled the autumn leaves, across the stranger’s path, as it ambled down the streets in a heav y silence.
Step after silent step, the figure wandered the town, stopping on occasion to peer into a darkened shop window before it p ress ed on .
The streets were lined with carefully painted and restored buildings, remnants of a town gasping its last breath, but fighting for its survival. An old ice cream shop, adorned with pink and white striped awnings, placed purposefully after a quaint cafe. A hint of fresh rose permeated from the blooming flower shop, nestled beside it. Logos were elegantly scrawled against the wide storefront windows with splashes of vibrant colors in hopes of bringing wander ers close.
The figure was seemingly indifferent to these attempted drawls, passed by unabated.
A small light at the edge of town drew the figure closer. Something about the warm glow, intrigued it enough to cause pause in its mission. The old red brick building’s small circular window flickered by candlelight, illuminating a bartender, dutifully wiping down the worn, chipped counters, while a waitress flitted around the room, collecting empty bottles and glasses that had been left from a devout crowd who has long since called it a night. A lone patron sat at the end of the bar, nursing the darkened liquid sitting b efore him.
For a few moments, the dark figure watched in thoughtful silence before continuing on its path.
As is the standard in most small towns, the end of the main road signaled the end of the town itself. The hooded one gently stepped off the edge of the sidewalk and onto a small gravel path that wound into a dimly lit park. Though it made no sound that humans could hear, the energy pouring off the figure was not so kind to the animals within the par k. A rabbit family, once happily asleep, crept from its burrow for a closer look. Birds peaked from their nests, the ruffling of their feathers echoing into the night. Predators and prey alike momentarily set aside their differences, in the spirit of neighborhood protection. An owl hooted into the night, eyeing the gracefully silent being with s kepticism.
It was a strange figure, neither resembling man nor woman, human nor animal. There were no limbs or unusual movements revealed, no flash of hair or hint of face to give the possible distinction between one or the other. If someone had seen it pass, which no one had, they would only remember the distinct blood red cloak that seemed abnormally immune to the darkness of night.
Reaching the end of the manicured cul-de-sac, the figure slowed, tilting it’s hooded head to admire the two-story colonial home. The pristine white coloring shined, even on this moonless night, leading one to believe it had been painted recently. It’s windows were framed with hunter green shutters, while a large covered porch held three different colored chairs and a dainty, white and glass wicker table. Flowers hung between the wooden beams, pushing their fresh fragrance into the cool night, while vibrant green ivy grew lazily over the railings.
The figure righted itself, drifting forward to follow the siding around the silent house, before coming to a stop and peering up to a curved window. The figure looked around, once, then twice somewhat cautiously, leap t into the nearby tree and evaporated into a fine red mist. Slipping through the cracked window , t he mist pooled onto the floor and began slinking across the thick, soft, brown carpeting, before finally rematerializing into the cloaked figure once more.
The room was painted a simple white, holding a long distressed white dresser, mirror, and matching nightstands on each side of the queen bed. One of which held a small clock with glowing red numbers and a book, while the other held a collection of picture frames. The walls were covered in a collage of a combination of photos and posters while a closet sat partially open beside the bathroom door. The bed sat in the middle of the room, holding a multitude of pillows, the center of which held a disheveled and sleepi ng figure.
Soft snores filled the room as the hood drifted to the edge of the bed. For a long time, the being just looked down at the sleeping woman, watching her sleep with her lips slightly parted and her chest rising and falling with deep even breaths. One of her smooth hands lay carelessly against her chest while the other was tucked deep into the pillows behind her head. It continued to watch until the lightning flickered across her red tinted hair, giving birth to fire within the darkness of the night. Her skin held a slight tan from the time she spent in the fresh air and sunshine. She was close enough to reach out and touch and yet still so far. She knew nothing of the true world, of the people that desperately needed her. Or the ones that were waiting for he r to fail.
It was time to speed things up. The limbo this world had found itself currently trapped in, had gone on for far too long. The people of this world were ignoring that they were dying at a higher rate than ever before. In this plane and in the next. Suffering had taken its hold in ways the worlds had never before seen. It was time for it to end.
Filled with a new resolve, the hooded one leaned down, a hand appearing from beneath the wispy material, clasped gently as it clutched a silver like powder. Moving ever closer to the sleeping woman until it was mere inches away. A slight inhale of breath and the figure blew across its hand until the powder was pushed forward, covering the woman’s face in a fine mist. The figure watched as the powder took on a shimmering light before finally sinking into the woman’s flesh. Her response was instant as she scrunched her face, the hand from her chest coming to rub her nose before she turned on her side and settled in once more.
Satisfied, the figure righted itself, taking one last look at the sleeping woman and the room she dwelled in before it dissolv ed once more, settling lightly against the floor, it fluttered to the window before exiting and dropping neatly onto the gro und below.
Without sparing a glance, the figure quickly crossed the expanse of the grass covered backyard. It’s steps silent once more as it slid through the gate navigating the trees beyond with practiced ease. Squirrels peaked out from their homes within the trees as the intruder slid passed them. As curiosity got the best of the small creatures, they quickly crawled from the comfort of their home and bounced from tree to tree in pursuit. The sun was beginning to break the darkness with its splashes of pink and yellow when the hooded figure came to a stop before a s mall cave.
“You shouldn’t have done that, Red.” The words came on the sickly warm wind to whisper into the figure’s ear as it stopped before the small opening. The curious little squirrels halted before darting away at the sh arp voice.
Bowing its head, the figure stepped forward, disappearing into the depths. “You st arted it.”


C hapter One

A verie Hale lay upon the fresh spring grass, a peaceful smile decorating her face as she soaked in the afternoon sun. Stretching her arms high above her head, she lifted her face further into the warm sun, her smile widening as a soft wind tickled her nose wi