Exordium (Emberhold Academy #1)

Prologue

Adelaide- Nineteen Years Ago

I fell to my knees at the intense pain in my chest and screamed. What the hell was happening? I’d been standing between Jesse and John, making sure the last of the Aurathions had made it to the portal, when suddenly, my chest felt like it had opened, and my heart was being ripped out.

John fell to his knees beside me, “Adelaide, what’s wrong?”

Jesse was standing in front of us both, on guard in the form of a Fellat, his teeth bared in a bloodthirsty snarl. I tried to answer but I couldn’t draw in enough air to speak.

“Baby, please? I don’t know what to do.” John clutched me to his chest in desperation.

Leaning my head back I looked into his beautiful eyes, raising a trembling hand I cupped his cheek, and whispered, “I think we lost Rue, and Sly. I can’t feel them anymore.” I planted my face on his chest and sobbed hysterically.

At my words, Jesse transformed back into his human form and crouched beside us. Both their faces wore identical expressions of agony in response to my words. I could feel the silent communication between the two brothers, but I was too devastated to try to decipher it.

John pulled me to my feet, “Come my love, we must get out of here. We’ve helped as many Aurathions get through the portal as we could. We have to go.”

Jesse’s head was on a swivel making sure we were still safe from the enemy. I knew my inability to stand on my own was freaking him out. I knew this but right now the pain and grief were so intense I couldn’t do anything about it.

The civil war in Aurathia had been bloody and hard fought but despite the powerful abilities my Faction brought to the table we had been defeated. My men and I had fought side by side until we knew the only choice left to us was getting as many Aurathions as we could through the portal to Earth.

Our world was a mix of technology and tradition. We were born as Passives and couldn’t access our abilities until we met and bonded with the people destined to be a part of our Faction. It was a beautiful thing when it was meant to be. When it was forced, it wasn’t quite as beautiful.

A Faction was centered around a Nexus. Without a Nexus a Faction couldn’t be formed. A Nexus had the ability to bond Passive’s through a ritual that had been performed for hundreds of years. Once the Faction had been formed our abilities were revealed and we lived happily ever after, at least that’s how it should’ve been.

Unfortunately, some Aurathions never found their Nexus and had to remain Passives for the rest of their lives, never getting to access any abilities. There didn’t seem to be as many Nexus in the years past so the number of Passives living without abilities was multiplying.

The war was fought for just this reason. Upper class families that didn’t want the stigma of having Passives in their line. Families that were greedy for more power and didn’t care how they got it. Abilities that became perverted when gained synthetically and not naturally.

“We can’t leave them! What if I’m wrong? We have to find them!” Just then my precious Mira appeared beside me. She was the Fellat I’d bonded with, confirming my Nexus status. A proud, fierce animal that had picked me the first year I was at Emberhold Academy.

The Fellat were found deep in the forests around Aurathia. They were drawn to a Nexus and bonded on instinct. Not every Nexus was lucky enough to bond a Fellat. They were notoriously picky and couldn’t be forced. Some chose to stay in the wild, never revealing themselves.

“Nexus be strong. I will find your men and bring them to you. I can feel them faintly through my bond with you.” She nuzzled the top of my head.

I was lucky enough that the ability to speak to animals had formed after I bonded with John. The ability had been passed to him from his four-time great grandmother. In turn everyone in our Faction had gotten this ability. That was rare because most Factions didn’t share abilities throughout. The Nexus was usually the only one with that privilege.

John and Jesse urged me toward the portal, but I resisted. Mira bent her head nudging me to go with them, “Go Nexus, I will find your men if they are still alive and bring them to you.” She sniffed my stomach, “You have to protect the future of our world.”

“What do you mean?” I cried as John and Jesse brought me closer to the portal.

“Take her!” She commanded my Faction. “I will come to you as soon as I’m able.” Mira turned and blended back into the shadows.

As we passed through the portal, I prayed to every ancestor I had that Mira and my precious Rue and Sly would be returned to me. Something in my gut told me that wouldn’t be the case.