Five

by Christie Rich

Jett smiled. “Nevertheless, you are an Elemental, and I am a fae lord. You were created for me. How can you deny the connection we have? My brothers claim that they feel you as well, but I do not believe them.” He came closer, his nearness halting my retreat. He knelt before me. His hand traveled to my right thigh. A rough finger traced over my hip bone.

  A jolt of power surged through my body. Try as I might, I couldn’t stifle my gasp. I wanted to step back, but my legs were locked where they were.

  He pulled the towel to the floor. His dark hand hovered above my skin. He lifted my suit, exposing my hip. “Where is it?” His words were harsh. His dark, fathomless gaze met mine. He tilted his head, surveying me again. “You feel different than any other Elemental I have encountered. Have you found magic to conceal your mark?”

  Was there such a thing? “I d-don’t have one.” It was all I could do to get the words out. “I w-want you to leave me alone.”

  He brushed his calloused thumb across my flesh again. “I cannot give you what you ask. You feel me at the base of where you live, Rayla.”

  My body waited for his command. I tried to scream, but nothing came out. I needed a new name.

  He wrapped his arms around me. Every cell in me vibrated at his nearness. With gentle fingers, he placed a hand at my nape. I was helpless as his lips came nearer. My body was not my own. My mouth parted with a sigh.

  With all the will I owned, I rolled away from him. I leapt to my feet and ran for the locker room. His big body blocked the doorway moments before I reached it. Trying not to slip, I ran toward the other door.

  I looked back, expecting to see him chasing me. When I turned around, his arms clamped around me as I crashed into him. The force should have thrown us both to the cold cement, but my body reverberated from the impact of our collision.

  I fought him, kicking at his shins, dragging my nails across his skin, wriggling myself in every direction I could. His grip never wavered.

  After a few moments, I finally got up enough courage to look at him. He seemed neither angry nor affected in any way by my actions. How was I supposed to get out of this one? I sent a silent plea heavenward.

  He was eying me suspiciously. “How did you do that?” The sound of his voice made my knees week.

  I tried not to lean into him for support, but it was hard. “What?”

  “You ran,” he said, matter-of-factly.

  I frowned. “So?”

  He raised a brow. “You should not have been able to.”

  Could these guys get any cockier? “Why not?”

  He laughed, deep and rich. A shiver sped up my spine. Something about his voice affected me deeply. I didn’t want it to.

  “I think I will reserve that explanation for later. I may have underestimated the claim my brother’s have on you.”

  “I don’t have a mark! None of you has a right to me.”

  His thoughtful appraisal of my body was anything but comforting. “I will thoroughly enjoy searching for the truth behind that statement. But first, we need to find a more suitable location.”

  “Ahem,” a crisp sounding voice rang out behind me.

  Jett looked up. “This does not concern you, old woman. I suggest you leave.” He used the same inflection with the woman as he had when he said my name.

  The sound of solid heels clanking on concrete grated on my senses. I opened my mouth to call for help, but nothing came out. My muscles would not follow my command. My eyelids fell as though I had been given a sedative. I was completely coherent, but my body had a new owner. If only I could get control again. How had I done it before?

  “Young man, everything that happens in this institution is my concern. What is wrong with this young lady?” Her tone was more authoritative than Aunt Grace had ever managed. I didn’t think that was possible.

  His irritation bounced off the walls. “I meant no disrespect, Sister.”

  She huffed. “What exactly did you think calling me an old woman was going to engender? Appreciation of your astuteness? I am quite aware of my age, and I say to you again. What has happened to her?”

  I felt his shrug. “She fainted. She hasn’t been taking very good care of herself lately.” He perfectly projected concern. “We were supposed to go get lunch together. I was worried when she didn’t show up…”

  He sounded like a caring boyfriend. I would have believed him.

  The tension in the room crackled as the woman bent toward me. The most I could get to happen was a twitch of my eyelids. I was screaming inside as though her soul could hear mine. “Don’t leave me here with him. Insist I go to the medical unit. Tell him to leave. He shouldn’t be in here!”

  Cold but soft fingers pushed my chin to the side. Moments later they were on my pounding pulse.

  Her tone reflected a hint of anger as she commanded, “You should go, now.”

  Jett sounded like a kid balking at being grounded for two weeks. “But—”

  Her words were solid, unbendable. “I will make sure she gets the care she needs.”

  His body stiffened around me. He wouldn’t hurt her, would he? I didn’t want to be the cause of someone else’s pain.

  He sighed, but his muscles didn’t relax. “Tell Rayla I will check on her later. I am sure she is only weary.”

  “I’ll give her your regards. What did you say your name was?”

  He hesitated. “Jett.”

  “Before you go, would you be a dear and move her to the lobby?”

  A new hope was clear in his words. “I will take her wherever you desire, Sister. I would be happy to carry her to the medical ward—”

  She laughed lightly. “That will not be necessary. I’m sure you have other pressing matters to attend.”

  Why would she think that? Jett lifted me against his body. My head lolled backward uncomfortably, but I couldn’t do anything about it. His movements were quick and jerky. If he didn’t stop soon, I would need a neck brace. I wanted more than anything for him to set me down. My entire frame rattled with every step.

  He kissed my cheek gently before he lowered me to the couch. A harsh whisper blasted into my ear. “I will come for you later. Do not think you have escaped me.”

  After a few moments, the clop of the sister’s shoes receded slightly. Wind rushed into the room, blowing my damp hair around my face. Wouldn’t you know it? My nose itched.

  He was gone. Why wasn’t I recovering? I was still stuck with no control over my own body.

  Bristly fabric brushed then settled against my thigh. I could never understand why people liked wearing wool. A gentle touch rested on my brow as though she was testing my temperature. She swept the hair from my face. I could feel her gaze upon me.

  “The effects should diminish in a few minutes,” she said in a high pitched tone. “You were really lucky, Rayla. You should know better than to ever be alone. Didn’t Grace teach you anything?”

  It would have been nice if she had. Who was this woman? Was she the one Aunt Grace sent to look after me? Why hadn’t she contacted me before now?

  Jett had called her ‘Sister.’ Was she really a nun or just pretending?

  I tried my hand again. It didn’t work. I was completely useless.

  I kept attempting to move. I tried my fingers, my toes, my mouth, and my eyes repeatedly hoping to speed up the process.

  “You are probably curious about me and how I know these things,” the woman said with a slight smile in her voice. “I will explain what I can while we wait for the effects to wear off.

  “In another life, I was an Elemental. I presume by your current predicament that you did not intend to go with that lord willingly. That is smart. I would not wish that life on anyone who had a choice.

  “I was even Queen of the house of Uldran if you can believe that. I have spent many years trying to convince myself that it was all a dream. I joined the Sisterhood to escape the constant reminders. It seems as though no matter where I go, I will always be brought to this place: facing my past.”

/>   Weren’t Elementals sold off when they came back? How had she gotten out of it?

  “My name is Mary Margaret. I will help you to the full extent in my power, but you will have to be more careful. He looked as though he was moments from taking you. I do not understand why he was alone. The accords must be in worse shape than any of us realized.”

  I tried my fingers again. There was a twitch, a small insignificant movement that no one other than me would notice. But I felt as though I had just taken first place in a marathon.

  She touched my pulse again. “Just as I thought. It won’t be long now. You should be thinking about where you can rest that will be public enough to be safe. You will be weak for at least twenty-four hours. Do not stay in your room alone. Enlist friends to go wherever you do. You have to realize that for the next few years, your life will not be your own. It will not always be that way. Think of the day when you will no longer have to worry about them.”

  She sighed heavily. “That was a false statement. You will never be rid of them. Even if you escape the bonding, you will have to worry about your daughters, and the granddaughters you will never see. That is why I have taken my vows. I could not bear to pass on this curse.”

  I lifted my eyes gradually. The glare of the fluorescent lights made it impossible to keep them open long.

  “You are a quick study. Don’t fight so hard now. Let go, and your mind will take over.”

  That was more difficult than it sounded. My vision slowly focused on her angelic face. The many years she had spent on the planet were evident in the pattern of fine lines that looked more like the myriad gossamer webs of aged porcelain than actual wrinkles.

  Her bright, white hair was pulled back into a loose bun. Her kind, brown eyes surveyed me without judgment. She gave me a small, measured smile. “Welcome to your new life. Your chances of success are minimal, but it can be done. Come. I will tell you all you need to know.”

  I sat up too fast, and the room spun as though I had stumbled from the tea-cup ride at the county fair. To my surprise, she didn’t try to keep me steady. I flung my arm onto the chair for balance. I hated the effects the lords had on me. “Give me a minute.” I held still, waiting for my equilibrium to catch up.

  “Take my arm,” she said softly.

  Had she experienced this? Did she know the kind of pain stabbing at my skull? Did she know what it was like to shrink from the terror of ineptitude?

  She exuded a regal quality I couldn’t quite define. Her hands were surprisingly supple and soft. Just touching her gave me more strength.

  She waited patiently by my side while I changed. For once, I didn’t mind so much. When I was finished, she took me back to my dorm, but she led me to an office on the first floor instead of my room. Despite the chill in the air, the starkly appointed space was stuffy. I looked longingly at the window. A fresh breeze would have worked wonders in the stifling space.

  She gestured for me to sit. At first, I thought she had read my mind as she walked toward the window. I sighed in anticipation, but all she did was gaze through the glass. Her carriage was that of royalty. Had it come from countless years governing in the fae court?

  “I haven’t seen one of you here in a very long time.” She turned and looked at me. “Two in the same year is quite unusual. I try to keep track of every student that entrusts their safety to this institution, and you are no different. You look so like your mother. I tried to contact Grace, but I have not been able to reach her. I couldn’t be sure you were an Elemental until now. Things have not happened in the correct order.”

  There was one question I wanted her to answer before all the others swirling in my mind. “Two?”

  She smiled. “Didn’t you know? Jessica lives down the hall from you. I thought you were friends.”

  Of course the one person in this place that had the ability to get me crazy mad was the only person who might know what I was going through. “She didn’t mention it.”

  Her eyes filled with humor even though her lips were stern. “It’s not something you advertise, my dear girl.” She looked out the window again as though some unseen force was calling to her.

  I cleared my throat, picking at the tubing on the cushion. “How are things supposed to happen?”

  “It’s sad, really. Most Elementals that come here want to be taken. I’ve tried to talk several of them out of it, but…”

  What Jett said had me thinking. “Am I different than other Elementals you have met?”

  She looked at me, her gaze piercing. I didn’t mind the scrutiny if it would get me closer to understanding myself.

  “It’s not much. In fact, you remind me of a girl I once met. My lifetime in Faeresia gave me a sixth sense, if you will. Even though I no longer possess power, I feel it in others. Yours is discernible sometimes, but not others. It is as though you have an inner shield. We could work on developing that gift if it is there. I have often thought that eventually natural evolution would catch up with what is needed within the Elemental community. Perhaps you have such a mutation.”

  Great: another person telling me I was a mutant. “Sister.” My tone came out pitchy and frantic. “I have no idea what to do. How can I get rid of them?”

  She turned away from me calmly. When she looked at me again, concern lined her eyes. She settled onto the chair at the desk. “As I tried to explain earlier, you will never be rid of them. If you are one of the lucky ones that can escape the bonding, you will most assuredly have to deal with the human monsters that collaborate with the fae.”

  I jumped to my feet. “Are you saying there isn’t anything that can be done? I am stuck with this life no matter what I do?”

  She was next to me momentarily. “Child, I would gladly tell you if I knew of such a thing.” She searched my face, her features ripe with compassion. “Life within the resistance is not something I would suggest to someone so young.”

  I needed help, not pity. I stiffened my spine. “There has to be a way.”

  She touched my arm. “False hope does no good.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What do you suggest then? You said you would help me.”

  She took my hands. Her skin was cool and smooth. I hoped I looked as good as she did when I reached her age. That was if I reached her age.

  “You will need plenty of rest before we can test your abilities. I have summoned Jessica to escort you to your room.” She placed steady hands at her side. Her gaze was that of a knowing mother. “We despise in others what we least like in ourselves.”

  I crinkled my face in disgust.

  The Sister smiled reassuringly. “She is well versed in the troubles that plague you, and she is part of the resistance.”

  “What is that exactly?”

  She clucked her tongue. “Oh, dear, you really don’t know much, do you?” Pity shone from her eyes. “The resistance has been trying to fight the Order for centuries now. They have made some progress, but I am afraid most Elementals freshly returned to our realm are still taken by them, not to mention those who find their way to the Order without having gone to the fae realm. A select few are lucky enough to escape to the underground before the Order can find them. I do not condone their practices, but I have no right to judge what the resistance does.”

  Dizziness fogged my head. I swayed on my feet, so I sat down. “I would like to say I understand what you just said, but I could use a little more information. What exactly does the resistance do with the Elementals?”

  “They are sterilized before they are placed back into society.”

  I gasped. That didn’t seem like a very good solution to me. Tubal ligation wasn’t completely reliable, not to mention it was reversible. Aunt Grace had it done, and she still had gotten pregnant with Sarah. “How can they be sure that will work?”

  She frowned. “When I say sterilized, what I mean is the reproductive organs are removed. It is an extreme choice, but some don’t have the heart for the convent. They don’t want to pass the genetics on, s
o they do what is in their power.”

  “How does joining a convent keep the fae away?”

  “They are not allowed to interfere with the endeavors of God, but the Order is what you should really be concerned about.”

  “But…”

  A knock sounded at the door. Jessica’s pointy chin preceded the rest of her face through the door. She smiled at the nun but didn’t even look at me. “I’ve checked the area. It should be safe to move her. I hope you’re right. I don’t want to lose all I have gained because she’s too stupid to hide from them.”

  “Jessica!” the Sister reprimanded.

  Jessica smiled. “It’s a sin to lie, Sister. I try my best not to break the commandments.”

  Sister Mary Margaret shook her head in a clear scold. “Be that as it may, child. Rayla has not had the advantages of your upbringing. Until recently, she did not even know that she was an Elemental.”

  Jessica’s cold gaze landed on me. She took her time in appraising me before she shrugged. “I will attempt to be nice, but she has to do the same. I wasn’t the one that started this war.”

  I had no idea that we were at real odds. I thought we just had a mutual dislike of each other. I also had no clue what she meant. To my knowledge I had never done anything to her other than be a bit nasty, but I was curious now.

  The Sister opened a drawer and held a small box out for me. “Take this. Put it on and don’t take it off no matter what you do. It won’t shield you completely. Nothing that we know of can do that, but it will diminish your signal. The only way you will be detected is if they are in close proximity.”

  I opened the lid, excitement ramping me up. Inside rested a stunning ruby ring. The marquee was inset into the most delicate gold setting, yet the stone was large. Intricate floral filigree wove up the band and around the stone. I held it out toward her. “I couldn’t take this. It has to be worth a fortune.”

  She frowned thoughtfully. “I suppose you could sell it, but the power that ring holds cannot be purchased. If I were you, I would keep it close at all times.”

  I reverently slid the ring onto my finger and waited. I didn’t feel any different. “Are you sure this one works?”

  Jessica yanked my hand. “There’s only one way to find out. I’m going to be late for class if you don’t get moving.”

  Sister Mary Margaret dismissed us and told me to come see her in a few days. I had no idea if I had that much time. Jett would not give up, and I was sure he wasn’t going to wait long before he came for me, with or without other people around.

  Jessica and I walked in silence to my room. How could she be an Elemental? I didn’t see anything special about her. In fact she seemed rather plain, although, I had to admit. She did have good bones. Her hair was what made her look less than ordinary. It didn’t have a style. It just lay there limp as if dirty brown spaghetti was plastered to her scalp.

  She scowled at me. “I don’t like this any more than you do.”

  Yeah, I was the one that started this. “You can leave if you want to.”

  She sighed. “I hoped Cassie was the Elemental. I was so excited to have someone to talk to…” She hesitated a little too long.

  I laughed. I knew exactly where she was going with this. “Until you found out it was me.”

  She smiled. It brightened her features and made her momentarily pretty. I hadn’t seen her smile very much. Was that part of the disguise?

  “So what did I do to piss you off so badly?” I asked.

  She seemed shocked by my question. As though I should have known how I had ruined her universe. “You took my job.”

  I grunted. “How was I supposed to know you applied for the position?” Cassie had told me that Jessica came from wealth. “Why would you want to work anyway?”

  “It’s why I’m here. I was trying to infiltrate the Order. I haven’t been able to get anywhere near the recruiters, and it sucks.”

  “I’d gladly give it to you. In fact, take my shift tomorrow night.”

  As if she read my mind, she asked, “What do you know about the Wayne brothers? Cassie told me that you went to the mansion. Do you think you could get me in there?”

  Alex was difficult to gauge. She hardly seemed like Roger’s type. Besides, he seemed really into Cassie. Jessica was tall and lanky with not much in the way of curves. Her hair was absurdly dull as though she washed it daily in mud. In this light the shadows under her eyes looked fake. The color of her eyes seemed off at this distance, too. Did she wear tinted contacts? I had never spent so much time studying a girl before. She looked artificial and not in a good way. “You might stand a better chance if you worked on your appearance.”

  She laughed as though what I had just said was the most absurd thing she had ever heard. “It takes me hours to get ready as it is.”

  I knew it. “It is a disguise.” I walked over to her. “What do you really look like?” I yanked on her hair, but it didn’t come off like I expected.

  “Ow. You twit. What are you doing?”

  I backed up a few paces. “I thought it was a wig. How do you get it to be so ugly?”

  She glowered at me. “What if this was my real hair?”

  I raised a lock from her shoulder. “No one has hair this bad.”

  “I may have overdone it a little this time. Notre Dame is a hot spot, and I didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks.”

  I sat on the couch and pulled a pillow onto my lap, crossing my legs. “Jessica, how do I get rid of lords?”

  She sighed and plopped next to me. “That’s the golden question Elementals have been asking for centuries, but to my knowledge, no one has found the answer. I am sorry for you. I wish there was something we could do to hide you. We are pretty much useless to you until you are beyond the age of power.”

  “What about the sanctuaries?”

  She shook her head. “You came from the only one we have. Grace asked me to look out for you. I’ve been trying, but you haven’t exactly made it easy.”

  So much for plan A. Grace knew Jessica? So who was Sister Mary Margaret?

  I was sick of asking for explanations, but I needed all that I could get. At some point I wasn’t going to be clueless. I longed for that day to come. I had to remind myself that she grew up learning about this. “How does the age of power work exactly?” I ignored the ‘you poor thing’ look she gave me and waited for enlightenment.

  “It is the only time your powers can be harnessed. When a fae bonds with one of us, they get to share our control over the elements. Once bonded, the fae has heightened power. That’s why they search for us, and it’s why a lot of us run from them. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to cause a tornado or some other disaster that kills people.”

  I hadn’t thought about that. I had only been worried about what would happen to my family if I was taken. Was Jessica’s element air? “So you’re saying that no Elemental in history has ever really escaped this fate?”

  Her gaze lingered on the floor, distant and vacant. “There is one way out.”

  Hallelujah. Just the thing I was looking for. I waited, if impatiently, for her to continue.

  Her words were a harsh whisper. “You have to let them into your soul for the bonding to take place.” She leveled her gaze to mine. “If you don’t, you die.”