Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
After River abruptly left the room, Araiya looked back at Tal and Shavon. “Okay, so what is the next step? What do I have to do?”
“The next step is introducing you to the other Chosen and the instructors. We will begin your training in the next few days. Unfortunately for you, the others have already met the Chosen from the other provinces and have formed groupings. You have only lost one day, so I doubt it will be a big loss, but Tamara and Jack have been talking. On the bright side, we haven’t explained what it means to be Chosen, and the training has yet to start, so everyone has just been meeting and getting comfortable. Tal and I will bring you to your room so you can refresh and change into your robes.” Shavon smiled and offered her hand. “Come Araiya, your destiny awaits.”
Araiya took a breath and stood. “Let’s go, I bathed this morning, but I already feel gross.” She followed them out of the building.
“We will take the way around this way.” Shavon led the way down the same path River and Tal brought her earlier. “This way is longer, but the meeting grounds are right behind the center, and I doubt you want to cut through there until you are dressed and ready. Sadly, even though we have told everyone differently, people assume we are making them wait for you.”
Araiya groaned. “Great, just what I need.” She looked up to the darkening sky and took a deep breath. “Guess things won’t be so different after all.” Shavon quickly glanced at her and then looked away, but neither of the women looked behind them in time to see the fury written on Tal’s face. She followed Shavon to a building closest to the forest. It was set apart from the others. She looked around and turned her questioning gaze to Shavon.
Shavon opened the door to the obviously run-down-looking hut. You could tell it was cleaned in a rush. Furniture that was half broken was placed as nicely as possible, but everything just looked haphazardly thrown together. Before Araiya stepped inside, she looked around at the other nearby buildings. The homes had obviously been built within the last fifty years since huts had become outdated. Hers was the only one left. She looked back at Shavon. Shavon was wringing her hands, face down. “Shavon…” Araiya started.
“What in the ever-loving fuck Shavon. Why in goddess’s name is Araiya in this dump?” Shavon snapped her head up to look at Tal. Araiya looked back at Tal, who was livid. Face red, chest rising and falling quickly, eyes gone cold, he looked like he was about to explode. Araiya, confused by his reaction, just turned back to the room.
“Thank you, Chosen Shavon. I think I can take it from here. No need to wait for me. I will find my way back.” She stepped inside. She needed to get away from everyone before she broke down. This can’t be happening, not here.
“Araiya, I am…” Shavon raised her hand.
“Don’t.” She shook her head and took a step back to close the door. “Chosen Shavon, I thank you for your help. As I said, I am fully capable of finding my way back. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get ready.” She closed the door and quickly made her way to the bed.
She sat down as gently as possible, afraid it would collapse under her weight. The bed groaned but stayed standing as Araiya laid down and cried into her pillow. Everything smelled musty and dirty. After a bit of time, she sat up and wiped her face. She looked around her new home, bigger than her bedroom back home, but that wasn’t saying much.
The bed was pushed against the cracked walls in the corner, across from a desk with a broken drawer and a wobbly chair. In the far corner was a small dresser that was missing the top drawer with her bag sitting next to it. The closet, which had no door, had two robes in it. There was another door next to the front door that was slightly open. Araiya got up and wrestled the door open. It was a bathing chamber. The bath was like River’s, sunken into the floor. The tile was all cracked, and it looked unusable. Araiya sighed. “Guess I am not taking a bath anytime soon.” She turned away to change her clothes and heard a knock.
After River left Araiya in the main building, he took a quick walk around and saw the village. He was stopped by many of the unmated Chosen who tried to talk and flirt. They always tried to get someone’s attention, and he was already annoyed. Finally, when he had enough, he decided to look for Tal. He was walking through the homes when he heard Tal’s voice. He followed the sound to see Tal screaming at his mate.
From a distance, anyone could see Tal was pissed off at Shavon, which was surprising. Normally the fool was besotted by his mate. She was pleading with him to try and get him to listen, but he kept shaking his head, arms crossed, jaw clenched so tight you could hear his teeth crack. As River got closer to listen to what was being said, he could see Tal’s face clearer. The man was dark red with anger, and his eyes had gone cold. What in the fuck was going on? River walked closer to listen.
“Tal, please, just listen to me. Araiya wasn’t here for the assigning of rooms. She isn’t even supposed to be here. We weren’t supposed to have a third Chosen from Earth. No one was prepared, and it was a last-minute effort for her even to have a place. What was I supposed to do? Give her special treatment like you already were? We have to be fair here, and she got the last spot. I don’t even understand why you are this upset at me. I am your mate. Why are you treating me like this for another girl?”
“That’s what this is about? You’re jealous? Are you serious right now, Shavon? We have been mated for a year already. You obviously do not understand what that even means. We aren’t dating like you little folk do. We are bonded forever, until death, or the bond is broken. I will not leave you for another woman. That isn’t how this works. I was gone to save that young woman, and I brought her to River to heal. He saved her from the brink of death. Do you not understand that? You almost lost a charge. Do you know what that would have meant for you as a Chosen? I did that not only for her but for you. If you had lost a charge, everything would have been taken away. You remain bonded but are no longer Chosen. Do you not get that? Do you not understand what that would have meant for us, for you?” Tal yelled.
“I made sure she would make it, and then you go and do this. You don’t understand what that young girl has gone through, and you turned on her as soon as possible. For what, a fit of petty jealousy made up in your own damn head. Fucking pathetic. I thought you were over this utter bullshit. I thought you finally understood what being mated meant, but I was so fucking wrong. She deserves better from you, and honestly, so do I. Just leave me be until you learn what it means to be a bonded mated pair.” He stormed away and left Shavon in tears.
Shavon took a deep breath and wiped her tears. It was foolish to be jealous. She knew that in her heart, but in her head, she couldn’t help it. She saw the way Tal looked at Araiya. She knew a better place to put Araiya, but all sense went out the window. She watched him become friendly with her all the way to the campsite the first night. When they returned from getting water, he looked so protective over her. When she asked what they spoke about, Tal wouldn’t tell her, saying it wasn’t his story to tell. The jealousy bloomed then.
She and Tal were the mated pair, yet he kept Araiya’s secrets from her. When she pushed, he just kissed her and said the girl had lived a hard life. He hoped it would become easier. When Araiya was taken, he just took off on a horse, yelling at her to get the other two to safety, and he would bring her back. Instead of protecting his mate, he jumped after the beautiful young woman without a second glance. When they got here, Shavon was worried about the girl, but as days went on and no Tal, she became angry. She took it out on Araiya, which was unfair, but she regretted it. She became ashamed of herself when she discovered what had happened, but everything was already in place.
Tal was livid, and Araiya looked at her with tears. She saw the exact moment when Araiya realized Shavon did this. Shavon watched her break inside as she closed the door, and it broke her heart. The fight with Tal made her feel even worse, even though she knew her excuses were lies.
Shavon wiped her face again and turned, running into River. “Oh Lord, you scared me.” She looked up, saw the look on his face, and took a step back in fear. Where Tal’s face was angry and distant, River’s was terrifying.
“Where is Araiya?” His voice was deeper and angrier. “What have you done, young Chosen, to put your mate in such a state?” He took a step towards Shavon and grabbed her arm, squeezing.
Shavon cried out, her lower arm instantly going numb. “Lord River, you are hurting me.”
“I know. I have only held back this far because your mate is like my brother. Now tell me where the girl is, or I will not be able to contain myself for much longer. Now tell me what you have done, or my patience will run out.”
“I brought her to her room. It’s the old-style hut on the outskirts of the forest. Now let me go.”
“You put her in the closed-down hut? You fucking put her out there away from everyone else?” River squeezed, and Shavon cried out again. He felt her bones grind together before dropping her arm and stepping back. “You put her out there knowing someone is trying to steal her away. You are a pathetic woman letting your old way of life influence your judgment.” River stared down at Shavon. “You need to grow up before permanently damaging your bond with your mate.” Shavon quickly nodded, hugging her arm to her chest, and walked away from him. River went to the run-down hut and knocked on the door.
He opened the door before she could answer, and he walked in. He looked around her room, and he became enraged once again. The hut was tiny, barely enough room to walk around. The furniture was half broken, missing items, or just rotted. It was hardly clean, smelled of mold, and the roof looked like it was about to cave in. His eyes finally landed on Araiya in the doorway of what looked to be her bathing chamber. “Araiya, come with me. You are not staying here.” He reached for her hand, but she stepped away.
“No, River, I have to. This is what I have been given. I do not want any special treatment. This is the home the Chosen assigned to me, so this is where I will live.”
He took a deep breath and slowly nodded. “Fine, if this is what you want.” He looked at her standing there and swallowed what he was about to say. He could see that her eyes were red and slightly swollen like she had just finished crying. He needed to do something to keep his anger in check. This young woman had already been put through so much, and this is how she was being treated.
“Are you ready to go to the dinner?”
She looked back into the chamber and sighed. “I wanted to take a bath. First, the walk here has made me sorer than I would like to admit, but I do not think I will be bathing here.” River walked into the room and looked at the sad sight before him. The room was tiled entirely, but it was all cracked and falling down. The step-in bath was dirty, and the washing basin was cracked through. The only thing in decent repair was the latrine with water slowly flowing through it. River took it all in and nodded.
“You won’t ever be able to use the basin, but everything else looks like it can be used. Go and unpack your bag and get your things. I will send word for some things and then come back and handle this room.”
“No, it is fine. I will just get ready.” She stepped out of the room, and River reached for her.
“Araiya, I can do this for you. I want to do this for you, so please, just unpack. I will be right back, and you can bathe before we go to dinner.” With that, he let go and walked out before she could respond.