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    Welcome to Orusia: Beyond This Realm, #1
    Welcome to Orusia: Beyond This Realm, #1
    Welcome to Orusia: Beyond This Realm, #1
    Ebook133 pages1 hourBeyond This Realm

    Welcome to Orusia: Beyond This Realm, #1

    By Chera Carmichael

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    About this ebook

    Auriel's dragel inheritance is causing problems of the soulmate kind. Her mother insists on multiple Healers and Auriel endures their combined attention throughout a complicated spell. She is unprepared for the healing ritual to fling her from the safety of her home realm, into the wildness of Orusia.

     

    Cold water and Fire Elementals do not mix. Oops. Auriel's in for a wild ride in the confusing chaos of Orusia.

     

    Can she find her soulmates before things get worse? Or will Orusia swallow her along with her unknown future?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherChera Carmichael
    Release dateOct 20, 2021
    ISBN9798201340292
    Welcome to Orusia: Beyond This Realm, #1
    Author

    Chera Carmichael

    Chera (aka Scioneeris) to her TBDH fans is a Writer by night and a 9-to-5 worker by day. Her dragel stories feature slow-burn RH/Poly romances featuring dragons, elemental powers and otherwordly adventures.

    Read more from Chera Carmichael

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      Book preview

      Welcome to Orusia - Chera Carmichael

      1

      Auriel - Growing Pains Of A Sort

      Everything ached. The same way it had since my twenty-fifth birthday. Eight-weeks of mind-numbing pain and twisted up magic so tightly intertwined that I couldn’t breathe. All the headaches of feeling like I was well past my first century and none of the actual usefulness that should've accompanied those kinds of aches and pains.

      On one claw, I’d grown three-and-a-half inches taller and my wings had acquired a second-plating of heavy, spell-resistant scales. On the other, I was a mess.

      Thankfully, my newly refinanced wings were still the lovely peach-silver tint indicative of my dragel Submissive rank. Still, I’d worried. 

      My inheritance was late, after all. 

      I’d expected it since my sixteenth birthday—and so had everyone else. But every year brought another wave of disappointment. I was the only late-bloomer in the family, given how the rest of my siblings had already courted and Bonded, most of them with a decade already passed. I was the only one who had nothing to compare it with. No Intendeds to court—no one caught my eye—and no Bonded, as I hadn’t somehow manifested a soulbond of some sort.

      Short of forcing the inheritance out—and I was worried, not stupid—there was no telling when it would come. So I threw myself into my boring life and wished for time to pass as quickly as it could. 

      My wish was now coming through in the wake of my birthday.

      The worst part was feeling so helpless. My father made me promise to stop sparring, since I’d blacked out three times in one week and woken with a myriad of cuts, scrapes and bruises in places that I’d never had. 

      Of course, everyone in the courtyard swore that they hadn’t touched me. That I’d fallen on my own. 

      I barely remembered any of it.

      Just waking up in a bed where everything was hot, itchy and stifling. 

      My Fire element did no favors at times like this. I wanted to burn the whole palace down, the entire Fire Royal Section, if only to get some sweet relief from the flames raging inside of me. None of the Fire Clan Healers had helped. In fact, they’d only set my fangs on edge. The last frustrating argument with my mother had ended with tears and searing flames on both of our parts, before she’d left me to rest. 

      Which was where I currently was. Half-simmering in my bedsheets, staring up at the bedroom ceiling and wishing for all sorts of different cures to make my life livable again.

      I’d wanted an inheritance so I could do the fun stuff. Courting, bonding and not being alone.

      Rory—it’s me and Healer Surajini Kalzik, are you awake? 

      Healer Kalzik? From the Earth Clans? Why would she be here? If I could’ve sat upright, I would have. Instead, I twitched in the direction of the bedroom door. The edge in my mother’s voice was more along the lines of absolute authority.

      She had it and she wielded it, when necessary.

      Somehow, I always made it necessary.

      Auriel! Her voice rang out, sternly.

      No! I snapped back. I was in no condition to receive anyone, least of all a Healer from a different Elemental Clan.  

      Right this way, Healer Kalzik, came the smooth reply, before the bedroom door clicked open.

      My mother, the esteemed Lady Nura Roswolde within the Fire Courts, entered anyway. She was scowling in the way that meant she wasn’t amused, but wasn’t particularly upset with me either. Our previous argument already forgotten, overridden by her parental concern. Trailing after her was a dragel I’d never seen before.

      Master Healer Surajini Kalzik swept into the room with the muted elegance of a woman in charge who knew what to do with her magic. She looked calm and approachable. Unlike the Fire Healers, who had been ten different times of flaming chaos bundled into too-small spaces.

      Compared to them, Surajini Kalzik was everything warm and soothing without all of the distracting flames and short tempers. 

      Auriel, she greeted. I hear you’ve had a rough night. 

      Understatement, I muttered. I glanced from her to my mother, trying to read the interaction between them. My mother was never that cautious and reserved. Especially not when it came to me. Some warning would’ve been nice, but I already had a good feeling from the gentle aura filling the room.

      Maybe it would be best to just see where this went for now. 

      Nura frowned. I’ve already informed you as to the nature of your visit. Rory is in excellent health, apart from the- 

      My name is Surajini Kalzik, she said, bowing slightly before approaching the bed. You may have heard of my Clan. We are Healers, first and foremost. 

      I glanced from her to Mother. Yeah—I mean, yes. I know about the Kalziks. Everyone knows about you. 

      Tell me about last night? Surajini settled comfortably at the foot of my bed, looking as if she belonged there. 

      My mother sputtered for a moment, before my father, Lord Chiron, cleared his throat from the doorway. Nura—leave them. Some privacy might help. 

      But Chiron-! 

      Besides, we’re supposed to be showing our faces at court today, or did you forget? 

      My mother blushed. I just wanted to be here for her- 

      You’ve done an excellent job of looking after her, Surajini said, smoothly. But she’s also old enough to look after herself. I’ll leave a message, if you’re not back by the time we’re through. 

      You’ll charge any necessary things to our account? Lord Chiron prompted. Please, spare no expense. Thank you for your assistance, Lady Kalzik. We are deeply indebted to you. 

      Thank you for requesting my services. I shall do my best, Surajini murmured. She inclined her head, shutting the door behind them with a spell from her fingers. There—they do mean well, don’t they? I get the feeling that you’ve worried them quite a bit. 

      I’m the ninth daughter, I said, dryly. I don’t think they have to worry about me as much as they think they do. My sisters have things covered. Even my brothers. I’m kind of the leftovers. 

      And I assure you that they do not see it that way. Surajini patted the fluffy covers. Now then, has anyone mentioned anything to you about your soul bonds? 

      …my what? 

      Seizures, she explained. You’re having reactions to your Intendeds being in grave danger or mortal peril—whatever you want to call it. There’s a chance we could narrow things down, if I had a little more information. Is there anything you can tell me? Any detail at all, no matter how insignificant? 

      The blackouts? I stared at her. And what do you mean, soul bonds? I don’t have anything of the sort. Well, not specifically. Mom and Dad have put out messages and announcements since the first—time. Basically, the first week after my birthday. No one’s come forward. 

      No rumors either? Anyone you have your eye on? Any suitors or favors you’ve rejected? 

      Rejected? I echoed. No? And even if I did, I’m not going to take them back. 

      Surajini shook her head. It’s not a matter of taking them back or changing your viewpoint, it’s more of whether they’re strong enough to keep from resorting to physical harm or the lure of a dangerous situation. 

      My face warmed, along with my hair—igniting with soft, flickering flames. I haven’t, I said, quietly. No one’s really caught my eye and in case you haven’t noticed—I don’t have the best control over my flames. I drew my messy braid over one shoulder, trying not to focus on the flames that leapt from my hair to my hands. 

      I’m sure there are some who admire you from afar, Surajini said, easily. What happened this time? Your mother was a bit vague and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something you didn’t want to tell her. 

      I flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the overhead canopy. My flames burned for a moment longer, before tendrils of smoke drifted around from around me. 

      I was going back to the sparring grounds—I know, I know—I’m not supposed to be out there, but it’s killing me to stay cooped up in these rooms. I’ve read everything that I want to. I’m sick of watching telecasts and dressing up to sit and smile pretty, isn’t my idea of fun. I’m just—bored. 

      I see. So you snuck out or-? 

      My guards aren’t exactly the most diligent, I huffed. It’s easy to get past them. I’m sure they knew where I went though. It’s no big secret. I was out by the courtyard when I just got so—dizzy. Everything was fuzzy. I felt like I was literally on fire, but there were no flames anywhere. I was just—you know. There. I remember falling and not being catch myself or react. Physically or magically. I hit my head—and then I heard people screaming. Mom said if I had worse luck, I’d be dead.

      Have you considered asking for a Death Seal? From your family’s ACE, of course. That is a good option and one that would suit your elemental nature. 

      I grimaced. "I could ask. It’s an option, but

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