Free Rylan's Heart by Serena Simpson

the start of our mental connection that will be cemented if we pass the trial and bond.”
    “Have there ever been any failures?”
    “A few I’ve heard whispers about. No one shouts out a failure when it comes to soul-bonding.
    She moved out of his arms and turned to look around. They were in one of her mental rooms. This was one of the places she tried to push deep into the dark recesses of her memory. There was a huge desk on one wall with a picture of a beautiful waterfall that spilled into a river.
    A small laugh left her as she looked at the desk and waterfall. It was so her. The Aviana she no longer showed the world. There was a wall of bookshelves lined with textbooks and a few books that were simply pleasure reads. She no longer had time for either kind of book.
    “Why did you pick this room?”
    “I didn’t, you picked it. When I asked for permission to enter, you directed where I would go.”
    “So what’s in the dark room that I was in?”
    “It’s your mind, Aviana. Go have a look for yourself.”
    She moved away from him and found the door she used to enter her study room as she was now calling it. Her stomach tightened before she placed her hand on the knob and turned.
    The room was still darker than night. The only thing she could do was slide her hand along the wall where the door opened to see if there was a light switch. Touching an object her fingers played with it to turn on the lights.
    The blackness faded some as a weak light cast the room in shadows. Her throat worked as if she wanted to talk and breathe but was unable to do either. Every fear she ever encountered, and a few that were waiting to grab her, were locked up in this room.
    One reared up at her like a deadly snake about to attack. She stumbled back and closed the door with no time to spare. The fear hit the door with a loud thud hissing it would be back.
    “Can I eject that room from my mind?”
    “No, eventually you will have to face your fears. Is this the place you would come to in your mind when you were studying?”
    “Yes, it seems so weird, but I guess it makes sense. I always heard the phrase I have to get ready to do something…like go to the store or watch the kids, etc.…I always thought of it more like getting physically ready. It makes sense to me now; in my mind I have a place to go that got me ready to study. It’s like a room for my brain. I bet I have more rooms in here.”
    “I know you do. Are you ready to see them?”
    “I am, but I think it’s only fair to tell you when I wake up, I’m going to think this was all a dream.
    “We shall see. Let’s go.” She took his hand.

Chapter Ten
     
     
    This wasn’t what she expected. The landscape was beautiful, wide meadows filled with flowers. There were rolling hills in the background. It was the perfect place for a picnic and not one bee in sight. This was someplace she could stay.
    The only thing breaking up the beauty of the scene was an ancient door that was so tall she couldn’t see the top of it. It was cast in black metal that shone in the sun.
    Shaking her head, she walked around it. It was just a door standing there in the middle of the meadow. It made no sense.
    “Why is there a door here?”
    “It must be the entrance to the trials. Calix mentioned he and Paige went through a door.”
    She guessed it made sense, or at least as much sense as anything else made.
    “How do we get in?”
    “We wait for it to open.” Rylan reached out to touch the door that turned out to be cold. “There isn’t a handle. We wait.”
    There was a loud noise breaking up the peace and quiet. It came closer.
    “Is that a motorcycle?”
    The bike stopped and one of the largest men Aviana had ever seen hit the heel of his boot against the kickstand, allowing it to rest as he climbed off the bike.
    Aviana hid behind Rylan, unpleasant memories coming back to haunt her.
    The man was close to seven feet with tattoos down both arms. His long black hair was clipped at