Immortal Essence Box Set: Aligned, Exiled, Beguiled Read Online Free PDF Page A

you?”
    “By the Gods, 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 Gods 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 buttons 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 glass 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