Another flood of tears streams down my cheeks. This boy hates losing, and yet he's letting me go.
"We'll be...enemies," I whisper, my body going numb. "You'll be...killed."
"Better you're my enemy and happy than my friend and miserable. And don't worry about me, lass. They can try to kill me. They have before. I always come out okay."
I won't be happy while he's trapped in Myriad, perhaps placed in the Kennel for good. But I won't be happy in Myriad, even with this boy at my side.
Only one other option. I remain Unsigned and return to Many Ends...where I may or may not be able to save the spirits trapped inside. Without Archer, I never would have revived after the last visit.
Archer once asked me to trust him. He said we'd figure out a way into Many Ends, a way to save the spirits. And if I can get inside Many Ends, I can get inside Myriad. I can save Killian. Maybe he can go to court.
New plan, new goal.
He presses my hand against his chest, where the wound from the spear still gaps open, his beautiful Lifeblood making his skin glitter. If he doesn't leave the Shell soon, he could very well die inside it. But I know him, and I know he won't leave it--or me--until I've made my final decision.
I squeeze his hand with as much strength I can muster. "I'm coming...for you, Killian. Again."
"Ten--"
I smile at him. "I pledge my life to..." I suck in a breath, knowing deep down it's my last, and as I release it, I whisper, "Troika."
*
There are worse things than death,
as the next part of Ten's journey will prove.
Don't miss
LIFEBLOOD,
book 2 of the EVERLIFE series.
Only from Gena Showalter and Harlequin TEEN.
A CHAT WITH GENA SHOWALTER
Q & A
Q: Starting a new series sounds daunting and exhilarating. What was your inspiration for Firstlife and how do you feel about this brand-new series?
A: I love scripture, and there are numerous scriptures about a kingdom not of this earth, kingdom vs. kingdom--a war between spiritual forces--and the power of choice. Life and death. Blessing and cursing. Light and dark. Those themes combined, and the idea to write a book where life as we know it is just a dress rehearsal and real life actually began after death--where two realms are in power--was born. The idea was a fire inside of me. It burned, and it consumed. I had to tell the story of Firstlife.
Q: How hard was it to create two such different realms and make the choice between them difficult for Ten? How did you handle that?
A: As my editor can tell you, this wasn't just hard for me--this was Horrible Agonizing Rough Demanding. (HARD) I wrote many drafts of this book, adding layers to each realm, doing my best to build two vastly different societies with equal appeal.
Q: You write stories for both teens and adults. What is different about the way you approach writing for each age group, and what is the same?
A: This might come as a surprise, but I approach every book in the same manner. I don't consider my audience while writing a first draft, because I know I'll never be able to please everyone. I write for an audience of one. It is the characters that set the tone for the book. Teenagers and adults have different mind-sets, different experiences and pasts, different expectations, and they stop me from pushing when it isn't time to push.
Q: Who is your favorite character in Firstlife and why?
A: My romance reader/writer roots are about to show. I favored the guys. Archer and Killian. Why? Because I'm a cougar! Meow! (I mean, Roar!) I adore those sexy bad boys and their golden hearts. And muscled bodies. But most of all, I adored watching Killian realize he couldn't win Ten with his seductive charm. He actually had to expose his true self to interest her--and by doing so, he gained her appreciation and ultimately her love at no tangible cost. It changed him.
Q: Truth now. Which realm would you sign with and why?
A: I'm a Troika girl, through and through. I like me some light. I like the value they place on human life. I like that they will fight for someone's right to choose, even if that someone chooses their enemy. But mostly, I like the unwavering justice. There are no favorites. There are no exceptions. Truth never changes.
Q: Where did you get the idea for Ten's obsession with numbers? How much fun was it to incorporate all the number facts into the book? Will numbers remain important to the Everlife novels?
A: Ten's obsession with numbers wasn't something I planned--despite her name!--but as I wrote that first draft, the obsession grew organically from her character. I had so much fun hunting down numerical facts as well as numerical possibilities. And yes, the numbers will remain important throughout the Everlife novels...will be even more important!
Q: Without giving away spoilers, can you give us a hint as to what's next for Ten and crew?
A: Ten's welcoming to Troika, Killian's punishment for his actions, dealing with the loss of Archer, Ten being trained for every job in the realm--a Conduit without knowledge has no light to share--and the war between the realms heats up with worldwide repercussions. And that's just to kick things off!
Thank you, Gena!
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
If humanity discovered beyond doubt that there was life after death, how do you think people would react? How would or wouldn't the value of human life change?
Ten believes Firstlife matters and Killian at first does not. Who is right, and why does Killian's perspective change? Discuss elements in the book that support your answers.
Killian and Archer were friends before they became deadly enemies. What turns the tide in their relationship and motivates them to form a new relationship? Point to specific scenes in the book to inform your answer.
Killian has relied on his charm and attractiveness to convince his targets to sign with Myriad. When that doesn't work with Ten, what changes does he make in his approach and why? How well does that work with Ten?
Symbolism plays a huge part in the book--or does it? What symbolism, if any, did the author use to represent another idea via association or resemblance? What themes did the author explore?
What passages in the book struck you as the most insightful? The most profound?
Ten comes to learn a single decision boils down to only right and wrong--for her and those she loves--and the consequences of making a mistake can have eternal repercussions, and yet indecision can come at an even greater cost. Do you agree with her? Why or why not?
What do you consider Myriad's strengths? Weaknesses? What do you consider Troika's strengths? Weaknesses? Use examples from the book to support your answers.
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ISBN: 9781760374457
TITLE: FIRSTLIFE
First Australian Publication 2016
Copyright (c) 2016 Gena Showalter All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher: Harlequin Enterprises (Australia) Pty Ltd
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Gena Showalter, Firstlife
(Series: Everlife # 1)
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