Forsaken Secrets: A slow-burn new adult fantasy romance (Isle of the Forsaken Book 1) Read online

  Forsaken Secrets

  Isle of the Forsaken: Book One

  Olivia K. Moto

  Forsaken Secrets

  Copyright © 2021 by Olivia K. Moto

  All Rights Reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales, is entirely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, or used in any matter whatsoever, without the express written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design by Deranged Doctor Designs

  Contact Olivia:

  E-Mail: [email protected]

  Website: oliviakmoto.com

  Facebook: facebook.com/oliviakmoto

  Instagram: instagram.com/oliviakmoto

  Goodreads: bit.ly/oliviagoodreads

  PO Box 200996, Anchorage, AK 99520

  Contents

  Glossary

  1. Kaiya

  2. Kaiya

  3. Kaiya

  4. Kaiya

  5. Kaiya

  6. Eli

  7. Kaiya

  8. Kaiya

  9. Kaiya

  10. Eli

  11. Eli

  12. Eli

  13. Kaiya

  14. Lynk

  15. Kaiya

  16. Kaiya

  17. Kaiya

  18. Kaiya

  19. Kaiya

  20. Kaiya

  21. Kaiya

  22. Kaiya

  23. Kaiya

  24. Kaiya

  25. Kaiya

  26. Kaiya

  27. Kaiya

  28. Eli

  29. Kaiya

  30. Kaiya

  31. Kaiya

  32. Eli

  33. Kaiya

  34. Lynk

  35. Kaiya

  36. Kaiya

  37. Kaiya

  38. Kaiya

  39. Kaiya

  40. Kaiya

  41. Kaiya

  42. Kaiya

  43. Kaiya

  44. Kaiya

  45. Eli

  46. Kaiya

  47. Kaiya

  48. Eli

  49. Kaiya

  50. Eli

  51. Jaiel

  52. Kaiya

  53. Kaiya

  54. Kaiya

  55. Eli

  56. Kaiya

  57. Jaiel

  58. Lord Ellingsworth

  59. Jaiel

  60. Kaiya

  61. Jaiel

  62. Kaiya

  63. Some Time Later

  A message from Olivia

  Acknowledgments

  For all those who crave a little more adventure in their life … and an extra serving of sexy men to spice it up. ;)

  Glossary

  Magic

  Essence: The three forces that make up life: Body Essence, Mind Essence, and Spirit Essence.

  Bonds: A fourth force that ties living things together. Bonds are only as strong as the relationship that ties them.

  Korra: The combination of essences and bonds that make up an individual living being.

  Affinity: When a creature/human’s essence is “strong” enough, they have an affinity for it and are able to manipulate that essence (Body, Mind, Spirit) in special ways.

  Mage: A human with an affinity who can use that magic with intention. In extremely rare cases where they have equally high affinity in all three essences, they become “Bond Mages”. These bond mages all have different abilities, but most can move through the korra realms and manipulate bonds to some degree. All mages are turned in to the Empire once their affinity expresses itself. From there, no one really knows what happens. Some are “marked” and work for the Empire, while others just disappear.

  Twisted/Warped/Corrupted: Different ways to say a korra has been warped by an unnatural connection to the Void.

  Void: Forces/powers/places that are outside of body, mind, and bond magic. These are beyond mortal understanding and dangerous. EX: Light, gravity, space, time, etc.

  Creatures

  Seekers: An imperial mage whose only power is to sense (at varying levels) the affinity of another person. They are marked by a King’s Mark (a scrolling black tattoo, usually on their face).

  Wraith: A human whose korra has been completely corrupted in at least one essence.

  Shade: A Spirit Wraith (spirit essence fully corrupted).

  Ghoul: A Body Wraith (body essence fully corrupted).

  Screamer: A Mind Wraith (mind essence fully corrupted).

  Vrytra: Serpent-like sea dragon with a crest of horns and a thick armor of scales.

  Revyn: Four-winged bird of different colors that are immune to fire damage.

  Gremlyn: Vicious, metal-eating, furry mini-bears.

  Lyphos slug (and lamp): Docile insects with a natural ability to emit an orange glow while awake. These creatures are used in Lyphos lamps, providing a clean source of indoor lighting.

  Fleiral: A feathered alicorn.

  Relics: Plants and animals with a strong affinity are used by humans. A “tempered relic” has been bonded/trained/tamed/altered/etc. to transform the natural plant or animal into something more easily wielded. Ex: A flame sprite coaxed into an obsidian box and trained to come out on command would be a simple, tempered relic. Some relics are lost and not cared for. These may die or may revert back into a “wild relic”. Lastly, relics used by a corrupted mage, or relics that get corrupted in some other way, can become a “twisted relic”. These relics live unnaturally long and will slowly twist/corrupt anyone who uses them.

  Culture/History

  Reaper Guild: Run by the Empire, this organization is in charge of collecting all relics. They host annual entrance exams for potential Reapers to show their skills and attempt to earn a license. Few pass. Licensed Reapers can purchase permits to hunt relics in ruins and other restricted locales. A relic’s bounty varies depending on its strength/value.

  The Season: Every fall eligible lords and ladies gather in city centers and spend six weeks courting each other. These weeks are full of Balls, Galas, Picnics, and Musical Soirees. Many are married off by the end of the Season. Ladies are eligible to attend the year they turn 18.

  The Fall: For hundreds of years, the continent was ruled by mages. These mages had freed humanity from Fae rule and had ushered in an age of peace and prosperity. However, around 900 years ago, mages mysteriously began turning into wraiths along with anyone bonded to them. Humans and non-wraith mages fought and eliminated this flood of wraiths. Out of the chaos, the Aedion Empire was formed. With it, all magic was outlawed unless under strict control by the Empire. All remaining free mages were killed or trapped on the Isle of the Forsaken.

  The Kings and the Aedion Empire: The Aedion Empire was established 751 years ago, around 100 years after the Fall. The towns and railroads span the entire continent, and only the Fae nations across the ocean offer any semblance of a threat to the Empire. It is run by three kings who rule from the Capital City.

  Rogues: A rebel group of mages, always on the run from the Empire. They believe the Kings are lying tyrants and that using relics is wrong and dangerous.

  1

  Kaiya

  I slipped the coil of rope into my pack with the rest of my climbing gear and glared at the corset Sylvie had laid out for me the night before. I was already wearing full skirts. There was no way I was wearing that monst
rosity as well.

  Did she want me to suffocate while climbing through the ruins?

  I glanced up at the window. The sky was still the dark blue of early morning. If I hurried, I'd be right on time.

  I slipped the pack over my shoulder and crept out of my door and down the staircase, careful to avoid the creaky steps. The wood was cool beneath my feet, and I could smell the eggs and oats Sylvie was making for breakfast. My mouth watered. Maybe I could stop by the kitchen …

  A throat cleared behind me, and my heart dropped. "Kaiya Maderoth, where do you think you're going?"

  Damn. "Aunt Grace!" I turned to face her. “I'm sorry. I tried not to wake you."

  Her brow lifted as her brown eyes swept over my ragged clothes and tangled blonde hair. It was a stark contrast to her neatly pinned grey curls and perfectly tailored maroon walking gown. My cheeks heated. Of course she'd already been awake.

  "Are you going to those damn Druid ruins again? Sylvie saw your notes …" her silvery voice trailed off.

  I winced. "I'm sorry for not telling you, but I have to at least try. If it works out, we can get the supplies to make all the dress orders for the Season AND pay off the debt."

  She pursed her lips and glanced over at the large picture of Uncle Calix hanging in the hall.

  My heart twisted, but I pushed away the feeling.

  If I was going to find the Druid's relic, it would have to be there. I'd looked everywhere else.

  Besides, this time I had plans, back-up plans, and back-up plans for my back-up plans. "You know he'd want me to try," I said, voice quiet.

  She turned back and stared at me for a moment, then sighed. "Fine. Be careful, though. I'd better not get a visit from the constable saying you're at the hospital, again!"

  I grinned, then bent and pressed a kiss atop her curly grey hair.

  Her thin arms wrapped around me tightly and squeezed.

  Today would be a turning point for us. I was sure of it.

  The sun was just peeking over the horizon when I reached the edge of the fort. I stared at the long wall and flexed my fingers. At the opposite edge loomed a dense forest, and beyond that, the cove. If I could make it across the stone wall, I'd be clear.

  I tied up my skirts around my waist, then pulled myself up against the stone.

  Weeks of watching the guards do their patrols meant I knew their patterns like the back of my hand, and if my timing was right, they should be checking the other side of the fort right now.

  But of course, I'd only made it a few feet when shuffling footsteps sounded on the other side of the wall.

  Gods be damned!

  "-- you hear the monster hunter is back in town?" a woman asked from the other side of the wall.

  I froze, heart racing. If I didn't move, maybe they wouldn't notice me.

  "Lynk? I heard he's hunting the vrytra. Them serpents finally got a contract out for their heads," replied a man.

  I winced. The vrytra might be the monsters of nightmares — as large as a carriage with scaled bodies, sharp horns, and teeth designed to slash and tear — but the sea serpents were mostly peaceful.

  So long as you didn't attack them, they'd keep their distance.

  No one cared about that, though. They were scary, so they deserved to die. I rolled my eyes.

  Footsteps approached, and my throat tightened. I needed to get away before they looked down.

  Only a few more feet and I'd be safe.

  "Well, Lynk can hunt my monster anytime he'd like, if you get my drift," said the woman, cackling.

  Gods. That was a terrible joke. I shook my head and crept along the wall as silently as I could, ignoring the rest of their conversation.

  Why the women were so obsessed with that monster hunter, I'd never been able to understand. Granted, I'd never actually seen him … but he couldn't be that attractive.

  I leaped to solid ground and dashed behind the cover of some leafy trees, then sent one last look at the fort seated precariously atop the crumbling bluff.

  Nothing. They'd been too distracted with their conversation to notice me sneaking beneath their noses.

  I let out a deep breath, then rolled my shoulders and forced myself to relax. I'd made it. It was all going to be okay.

  Tightening my pack, I set off through the forest for the cove.

  The sky was finishing its shift to the bright blue of early morning when I broke onto the bluff above the cove. Sunlight glinted off of the water below. About twenty paces from the edge of the bluff, a worn statue of a drake protruded from the murky water, its shadow casting shade on the small, rocky beach beyond.

  The very empty beach. The pile of poppy-coated metal I left there yesterday was gone!

  Had my plan actually worked for once?

  I dropped to my belly and crawled to the edge of the cliff. There was still no movement below.

  I picked up a large stone and tossed it down into the water.

  Within moments, two little gremlyns stumbled out of the cave; their tufted ears shifting towards the source of the sound. One step. Two steps. One wobbled, and then the other.

  Both fell flat on their pointed noses.

  I winced, but shook it off.

  Those creatures might look sweet and cuddly, but they could be vicious! Especially if you came between them and their food.

  I traced the little scar above my eyebrow and shuddered.

  Never again.

  It had taken a month of experimenting with different metal combinations, but it seemed the newest mix was delicious enough for them to eat despite the sour poppy root coating.

  Excitement twisting in my stomach, I slipped all my supplies out, traded my skirts for trousers, and prepared the climbing gear.

  If those snobbish Ridge ladies saw me now, their rich noses would lift so high …

  No. I wouldn't even think about it. Aunt Grace and I were disgraced by our "merchant endeavors" anyway, so what did it matter?

  I double-checked my gear, then took a deep breath and looked over the cliff, lowering a small bag of ripe fish until it hung just above the ground.

  It was a long shot of a back-up plan, but hopefully it would be enough in a pinch.

  Slipping the rope around my waist, I crawled over the edge and rappelled as quickly as I could to the sand below. I probably should have just free-climbed it, but this would make leaving faster — and safer.

  I smiled at the sight of the two little gremlyns sound asleep in the sand. Ahh — lovely poppy root. Who knew it could be so useful?

  Hopefully it knocked out the rest of the pack, too. I'd counted at least two dozen going in and out of those tunnels yesterday, and I didn't want to deal with any of them.

  Now. To get inside …

  The main cavern would be full of sleeping gremlyns and far too dangerous, but there was a tunnel to the right that should lead to the ruins — if my memory was correct. Things from that day were hazy, though.

  Carefully, I moved my pack to my front, then dropped to my knees and crawled into the small tunnel. Everything was dark and wet, and I didn't even want to think about what the sticky substance between my fingers was.

  This wasn't that bad. No worse than the other ruins I'd explored, at least.

  Long legs skittered over my fingers, and I bit my tongue to keep myself from yelping.

  Well, perhaps a bit worse … but doable. And worth it.

  Yes. If I found that relic, it would absolutely be worth it.

  My eyes adjusted to the darkness as I crawled, and I froze at the sight of a large mound ahead of me, stomach sinking.

  A cave-in. The tunnel had collapsed!

  Frustration gripping me, I moved faster, clearing the rubble as quickly and quietly as I could. Hopefully, it didn't extend too far. I could practically feel the gremlyns stirring as the minutes ticked by.

  Finally, I broke through. On the other side seemed to be a large chamber.

  Hmm. The cave-in must have dropped part of the roof, too. At least enough
to allow a few thin beams of light to shine across the room.

  My heart skipped.

  There! The shrine was just as I remembered it. Several tall stones leaned haphazardly around a central altar that was broken in two. A spindly tree grew from the break in the altar, reaching up towards the light spilling through one of those cracks in the ceiling. It had grown since my last visit.

  Those lumps on the ground, though … they hadn't been there last time.

  Had the gremlyns expanded to this room, too? It was closed off from the main entrance, so I'd naively hoped they'd left it alone.

  Damn!

  I couldn't see well enough to see how many there were, and after last time, I couldn't risk entering without being sure of the relic.

  Closing my eyes, I pushed through that veil in my mind. It felt a bit like swimming through mud, but there were the small korras of the little gremlyns — dozens of pulsing swirls of blue and green essences, and there — at the center — there was something …

  It was too hazy to make out specifics, but the strength of the essences seemed far stronger than anything capable of roaming these ruins. It was stronger than any relics I'd seen in town, too!