Emerald Emergent (Emerald of Elegaia Adventures, Book 1) by James Aaron

Release date: January 31, 2016

Subgenre: Science fantasy, young adult

About Emerald Emergent: 

 

Emmie's mother never lets her forget that an obsession with ancient magic killed her father and left Emmie horribly scarred.

When her best friend Bryte offers Emmie a chance to explore an ancient city, Emmie is torn between her father's sense of adventure and her mother's common sense. She also can't deny her fascination with bookish Bryte.

Following her heart, Emmie will face her fears and discover secrets bound to change her life forever. . . once she chooses to stand up and fight.

Book 1 in the Adventures of Emerald of Elegaia, a thrilling new science fantasy series offering a world of action and romance to explore and love.

Welcome to Elegaia, where the past can kill you.

Excerpt:

The tunnel rumbles around us, remnants of the quake vibrating through stone walls and floors.

Bryte turns back to me, his eyes wide with fear. I’m not sure what he’s doing as he reaches for me and then pulls me into a clinging hug.

I barely have time to get my hands out from between us as he wraps his arms tighter, his face in my dusty hair. When my the grinding tremors finally fade from my ears, I can hear his heart pounding. He’s shaking.

Slowly, I put my arms around the small of his back. As my fingers interconnect, he squeezes me tighter. He trembles against me, and I have to set my feet against the floor so he can’t push me back into the closed door. With one foot back, I lean into Bryte, grounding him I think, and slowly his trembling grows easier. Finally he relaxes.

He sucks a deep breath, pressing his chest against my cheek. His heart beats slower and slower. A tingling sensation wells in my chest. The warmth spreads through my arms and legs. I feel light and disconnected again until it seems like it's Bryte who’s keeping me steady.

He moves his face against the top of my head, taking another deep breath, and this time he gets a mouthful of dust. He sneezes violently.

I pull away as he bends over, coughing. When he gradually catches his breath, he slaps his hands on his knees, causing another cloud of dust to rise, and looks up to find me giggling at him.

“What?” he says. “Am I bleeding?”

I relax my smile. “No. You look funny.”

He stares at me for a heartbeat. “I think you’re in shock, Emmie,” he says, completely serious.

“Maybe.” I nod. “You still look funny, though.”.

Bryte smiles. He rubs his face and examines his dirty palms, holding them up for me to see. Then he spreads his hands and turns to face the hallway before us. He lets his arms drop.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do, Emmie,” he says.

“People die in the Cracks,” I say quietly. “Sometimes the holes collapse. Sometimes what they find kills them. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow.”

He looks at me sharply. “I know. But this place seemed different. This isn’t like the other ruins.”

I shrug. “I agree. But I don’t think we can pretend it’s not dangerous anymore.”

My body is still tingling from the hug. I feel light, floating, but more anxious than I ever felt, and it’s not fear. The mix of emotions is almost overwhelming.

A tremor runs through the floor and I catch my breath. Nothing else follows. But I can’t relax this time. I look down to find my hands shaking.

“We need to run, Bryte,” I say. "Now."

Amazon

 

About James Aaron:

James Aaron lives in Oregon with a Crochet Champion, an Oboe Extraordinaire, a gregarious Corgi, a blind ninja kitty, thirteen chickens and a rooster named Carl.

 

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