The Immortal Gardens - Emergent (book 1) (Wattys 2013)

Sneak peak into book 2 (A shady past)

A few more miles, He thought as he scanned the fields, clutching the binded leather book he never once released.

He thought he owed her his gratitude for freeing him from his curse, even if she never knew what he had planned. His plan was flawless, never once did she ever doubt him (not that he gave her any reason to) and he hit her where it hurt. After he had crawled out of the hole he was cast into he re-read his father's journal, finding many flaws in his capture plan.

Why gain permission when you can take it?

He smiled as he noticed the shadow siblings cottage appearing in the distance. The garden wasn't far off from here, but he still didnt know if he could really complete his plans. In the midst of the fog, that usually surrounded the fields by late afternoon, there was a light. It began small and flickered between the dense mist. He had thought it was a lantern, then backed his sword that he had stolen from the underworld where he had escaped.

He wasnt in the right condition for a fight, with his bruised skin and slightly dislocated shoulder, that gave him hell as he walked for 2 days straight from the city. The owner of the lantern refused to move.

Perhaps I have frightened him, He thought as he smiled in satisfaction.

Pressing onwards he realised the fire only grew bigger, the light gaining colours of red and pink. Establishing that the light wasnt a lantern he put the sword in his belt and proceeded to approach it. The flame flickered in his cobalt blue eyes, Illuminating them the way that used to drive Rosabella insane. There was no denying he was gorgeous, dangerously gorgeous, and he knew it too.

As he came closer to the fire, it dimmed until it eventually outed. A hole, in the same spot where He had battled the huntress. The edge of the hole was lined with loose gravel and grass, falling down into what seemed like an endless pit, like the one he had been flung into. As he rembered he spat on the grass. The thought of his defeat was distasteful in the mouth of an arrogant and usually victorious 'king' as he had called himself.

"There isn't a damn thing in this hole.." He mumbled, running his hands through his dark hair and tensing his jaw.

A burst of fire shot up from inside the hole, the force causing him to stumble backwards. Which was unlike him because he had always moved with such infalliable grace and charm. Screams of agony, wails like banshees and snarls like demons chorused from inside the hole. It was an nearthly noise that caused pain to those who stood too close, which in this case was him. In the midst of the fire fingerlike things appeared at the circumference of the hole, gripping at loose rocks and grass with damp roots. The fingers turned into hands, covred by pitch black soot, clawing at the grass further up.