by Holly Evans
When Ethan had finished freeing her, he tried to uncurl her fingers from the stone. Rather than relinquishing it, she swung her arm and hit him hard in the temple with it. He fell to the ground with a grunt, and the woman ran across the room to the broken window. I tackled her without thinking. I hadn't come this far to let that stone get away. She writhed beneath me and screamed in a language I didn't recognise. The next thing I knew, she was sinking her teeth into my arm and trying to gnaw a chunk out of it. Any sympathy I may have had for her quickly evaporated. I clubbed her around the head and shifted my weight to try and get to her throat.
She took advantage of my change in balance and burst out from under me. She was almost to the window again when Ethan tackled her from the side. She screeched in surprise and let go of the stone. Logan dove to catch it without thinking.
It happened in slow motion. I wasn't close enough to stop him. He wasn't wearing the breaker gloves. He caught it with a large grin on his face before realisation dawned. Everything froze, including my heart. The air felt as though it had been sucked out of the room as I watched Logan land on the floor with the stone in his bare hand. I couldn't lose him.
Ethan knelt down next to Logan and took the stone from his hand. I ran to him and tried desperately to clear the tears that streamed down my face.
"Can you save him? You have to save him!" I said to Ethan as I felt my heart breaking.
Logan had gone deathly still. His beautiful eyes were bright, but his skin was becoming pale and tight. I didn't know if a breaker was capable of halting something like this. It was goddess magic. He had to. I stroked Logan's hair and whispered rapid prayers to the moon goddess to return my Logan to me. Erin wrapped her arm around my waist and gently pulled me away.
"Let Ethan work," she said gently as she stroked my hair and pulled me close to her.
I buried my face in her shoulder and prayed to the goddess between sobs. Erin stroked my back and murmured comforting words. Time passed at an agonising pace as I put every fibre of my being into prayer. It was all I had. I wasn't a religious person, I firmly believed in people working for themselves and shaping their own lives, but he was my world. I'd be lost without him.
Erin pulled away from me and gave me a gentle smile.
"Kit, I'm ok," Logan said hoarsely.
I rushed to him and dragged him into my arms where I kissed up his neck before I kissed him hard enough to leave us both breathless.
"I love you. Don't you ever do that to me again," I told him.
He gently stroked my cheek.
"I love you too," he said softly.
Once I'd recovered somewhat, I stood and pulled Ethan into a tight hug.
"Thank you, I don't know how you did it, but thank you."
He smiled and gave me a shrug.
"I'm a breaker," was all he said.
"So... I hate to break this up, but we still only have two of the tears," Erin said.
Fuck, she was right.
38
We were all battered, bloodied, and bruised when we ran out of the house into the grassy clearing outside. The idea of following the Garou and the woman out the window had not appealed. It was a bright and beautiful day. The birds were chirping and singing their merry songs as if all were right with the world. We looked around the grassy space, trying to see a sign of those cursed Garou. One of the bastards had the third tear.
Ethan had the second tear. He'd placed it into one of the breaker bags and tied it to the belt of his jeans. Logan didn't want to be anywhere near it, and I didn't blame him. The original tear was still securely in my backpack. Wispy flew in slow circles around us, gently humming. He stopped dead and shot forwards towards the treeline, where he was greeted by an older elf.
The elf stepped out into the sunlight and bowed his head to us. We all stopped and returned the bow before we continued our approach. His deep bronze skin glowed in the warm light. The elf's pitch-black hair had been tied back in a practical braid that had been pinned to the back of his head. His clothes were form-fitting and lightweight to give him the best range of motion as he moved through the jungle. I didn't recognise him from the previous time we were here, but it had been a few years.
"You are remembered. The Garou and stone you seek are not far," he said with a soft melodic voice.
He stepped forward and ran his hand over our hands, except for Ethan.
Touch is very important to elves. They have a network, or perhaps multiple networks in the case of these jungle elves. Said network is formed between clan members and maintained through touch. The more intimate and tactile an elf is with someone, the stronger the bonds between them. The elf’s refusal to touch Ethan could have been taken as a grave insult or perhaps even a threat.
Ethan, however, took it graciously.
"I understand," Ethan said as he dipped his chin.
I had to assume that his being a breaker would harm the elf and/or his network. The elf smiled and held his hands palms toward Ethan with a smile on his face. Ethan was welcome.
With our greetings completed, we followed the elf back into the jungle. I had been quite hoping to never set foot into the dark undergrowth again.
This time, the plants and vines slowly moved away and gave us free passage. The elf ran his fingertips over the trees and bushes as we passed. We moved at an efficient pace through the broad trunks and back down the steep hill. The jungle sounded far more peaceful when we were travelling with one of its own. I could almost relax and appreciate the high trilling sound of the birds.
The Garou were curled up with their breathing ragged. A number of elves stood around them and kept spears and blades pointed at them, should they decide they were healthier than they appeared. The elf poked the small bag on the male Garou's belt with his toe.
"The stone you seek is in there. Put it somewhere safe, and then join us for the evening. You are guests," the elf said.
The group of elves around the Garou didn’t so much as look at us. Their focus was intensely on the Garou. One of them shifted his weight slightly and got a sharp poke in the ribs for it. I can’t say I felt bad for them, not after everything they’d put us through. I wonder how people would react if they heard about our experiences with the Garou. They were thought of as peaceful monks who hid away from the world and made exquisite wine.
I pulled out my breaker bags and double-checked my breaker gloves were firmly on before I slowly approached the Garou. I pulled the third tear from his bag and put it in my own. The magic within the group of elves practically crackled over my skin. Once the tear was safely placed in Erin's backpack, the original elf turned away and guided us along a small stream deeper into the jungle. We were going to be completely screwed if they decided to tell us to make our own way home. There were no landmarks, or at least nothing that stood out to me.
Like the other types of elves, the jungle elves were a nomadic people. I hadn’t asked how or why they moved, but had restrained myself for fear of seeming rude. I did have my moments where I could control my curiosity; they were few and rare, but they did exist. Logan had wrapped his arm around my waist, and I leaned my head on his upper arm while playing my fingers over his on my hip. I needed to feel his presence, to reassure myself that he was alive and well. The realisation that I’d almost lost him was starting to hit home, and my heart ached at the thought of a life without him in it.
Erin pulled Ethan closer to us when he tried to sit apart with a small frown on his face. The creases of worry lines had formed around his eyes. It must have been hard for him, as a breaker in such a magical place.
"They don't dislike you," I said as I squeezed his knee.
I didn’t add that he’d have known if they disliked him, as he wouldn’t have made it more than a step into their jungle before one of them slit his throat and made his body vanish. The elves were skilled hunters and incredibly protective over their jungle.
"And we like you," Erin said with a smile.
Ethan returned her smile and re
laxed a little. He seemed like a good guy. I made a mental note to add him to the list of people to work with in the future. Breakers were incredibly useful.
I was glad to see Erin recovering from her ordeal, or at least putting a good mask on. She’d been through so much on this trip, it could have broken a weaker person. Erin really was something else, though, and she continued to surprise me.
Wispy decided to leave his cage and slowly circled around us making a low humming noise before he settled on Erin’s shoulder. She ran her fingers over the edges of him and smiled. He was a good little wisp.
The elves emerged from the forest and gathered around the small fire, where they placed pots and meats to cook. An older woman with brilliant emerald green eyes approached us. We stood to greet her. Wispy floated over to her and bobbed up and down, causing the elf to smile.
"I doubt you remember me, but I am Taran. You were kind to me when you last visited our jungle," she said.
I grinned. She had been very good to us when we were last in the jungle. I remembered spending most of the night talking with her.
"You showed me some fantastic fight moves and talked alchemy with me late into the night," I said.
A grin spread across her face, and she pulled me into a gentle hug. Like her fellows, she had a small frame and delicate build, but it was full of strength. It would be easy to underestimate the elf clan, but it would be a mistake you'd quickly regret. They were skilled fighters and hunters, their kindness only offered to people they felt were friends of the clan and their jungle. I was honoured to be considered among those.
Wispy pressed himself to her cheek before he shot over to the basket of fruits and such near the fire.
“Don’t you dare help yourself!” I said.
Wispy sighed and returned to us. He sighed at me again and flattened himself on my shoulder.
“You are starved,” I chided.
Taran laughed.
“He’ll be fed soon,” she said.
She took one of Ethan's hands in both of hers. Ethan froze as he looked into her eyes. I wasn’t sure if it was fear over hurting her, or because of what he thought she’d do next. Of course, it could have been that her magic was painful to him, since breakers could feel all forms of magic. They’d be unable to break magic they couldn’t feel, after all.
"You do not scare us, breaker. You are a friend of our friends, and you are welcome here. We do not touch you because the more delicate in our number could be inadvertently harmed," Taran said gently.
Ethan relaxed and bowed his head once more. I squeezed his knee in reassurance and a reminder that we’d been right.
With that, she sat next to Logan and began to regale us with stories of the time we'd been away. Her voice was melodic and entrancing. Everyone watched her, entirely rapt with stories they must have heard many times before. I rested my head on Logan’s chest and took comfort in the sound of his heartbeat as I enjoyed the stories. Taran spoke of daring adventures through the treetops after game that I didn’t recognise the name of. Her voice went deep and low when she told the part about the party closing in on the ferocious creature, and everyone cheered when, of course, they succeeded.
The elves were all very welcoming and made sure that we ate well as they brought us into their group and their lives. The younger elves ran their fingertips over the back of our hands and giggled as they looked into our eyes. I had to assume that we were the first non-elves they’d met, and we were something of a curiosity to them.
The group took turns telling stories and jokes as we ate the wonderful mix of meats and fruits around the crackling fire. It felt as though the entire jungle had paused to enjoy the evening. Everything was at peace. For the first time in what felt like years, I relaxed and enjoyed myself.
When the time came for us to tell our stories, I told them about my night running across the rooftops from the hedgewitch familiars, and Erin and Logan co-told the story of how we travelled the world for the Seers Stone. The elves were entirely rapt. Their mouths dropped open when Logan told them about the escape from the zoo. They cheered and grinned at us when Erin finished the story. The night air was buzzing with joy, and it washed away some of the worry that had taken hold.
I refused to allow contact with Logan slip for fear of losing him. It was going to take a while for the memory of seeing him almost die to fade. I needed to keep reassuring myself that he was safe and well. I needed skin-to-skin contact with him. Perhaps it was foolish, but that didn't make the need any less real.
Once the food had been eaten and the stories told, we were given a small space with a large hammock-style bed to share. The elves had split off into pairs and small groups; with touch being such an important part of their lives, no one was left alone. Logan pulled me into his arms, and we encouraged Erin and Ethan to sleep close to us. I didn’t want them to feel pushed away. They were important to us. We were all fully dressed, and there was going to be no sex that night.
Wispy tried to make himself comfortable right in the middle of the hammock. How a little wisp can take up so much room I do not know. I finally scooped him up and tucked him under my curls so Erin and Logan could get comfortable near us.
We fell into a peaceful sleep curled up together with smiles on our faces. We'd done it. Now we just had to get home.
39
I woke up feeling wonderfully rested and relaxed. Maybe I needed a vacation in the jungle. I could handle hanging out with the elves and sharing stories. Of course, it couldn't happen like that; we needed to get back home and return to our lives. If nothing else, I suspected that Fein would send hunters after us to make sure that we hadn’t tried to break the blood contract between us.
Breakfast was quick and quiet while the elves packed their camp up and prepared to move on to the next spot in the jungle. The elves moved with an efficiency that came with deep familiarity. They moved around each other, sharing small touches and knowing looks while they completed their assigned task. Everyone knew their job and got on with it. We ate breakfast in the middle of it with the jungle exploding to life around us. Birds called back and forth, quickly followed by other beings before it was a full orchestra.
Taran touched each of our hands and gave us a small smile before she hoisted a pack onto her back and slipped away into the jungle without another word. Half of the clan soon followed her. We were escorted back to the dirt track and given the keys to the vehicle that stood there. I didn't ask how they got the keys. I decided I likely didn't want to know. The young elf that escorted us was gone before we could thank her. Our time there was over.
The jungle had already reclaimed half of the house when we reached the vehicle. The roof was crumbling and full of holes where thorny vines and thick-boughed trees were making short work of the foundations and bursting up towards the decidedly stormy-looking skies. I wondered what had stopped the jungle from trying to drive the magician out and reclaim the house sooner. I didn’t recall having felt any warding or such.
“It was toxic while he was there, a poison that the jungle didn’t touch,” Ethan said as he saw me looking at the house.
I smiled. We’d made the world a better place. Maybe our suffering was worth it.
Ethan drove. I offered, but I was out-voted, given I hadn't driven in quite a few years. I'd never needed to. I always walked or took other forms of transport. We bounced along the dirt track down the hill and back through the forest. I leaned against Logan in the back seat while Wispy nuzzled against Erin's cheek and purred.
We didn't feel the need to fill the time with talking. The jungle surrounded us with life, and I was contented to revel in the feeling of heading home. That changed at around-about noon. I was beginning to grow achy, weary, and ready to be over with this leg of the journey.
There really was only so much jungle I could look at before it started to eat at me. I could spend days in the skies watching the world pass below me, but the jungle didn’t have the same soothing effect. It was a good thing the elves hadn�
��t offered for us to stay any longer than we did.
"So, we know how far it is to a town or somewhere we can get a transport?" I asked.
"Another day and a half," Ethan said.
I sighed and tried to make myself more comfortable on the lumpy old seats. The vehicle wasn't particularly modern, and its suspension left something to be desired, particularly given the deep ruts of the road and the frequent bumps we went over. I was ready to stretch my legs and try to relieve some of the soreness when Ethan needed a break.
We each got out of the car and stretched. Even Wispy. The little wisp inflated himself as big as he could go before he shrank back down again with a contented sigh. He began to whistle and bob around in circles after a minute or so. Patience was not a virtue Wispy had. I had decided to wander down the track a short way to stretch my legs when Wispy shot into the darkness of the jungle to my right.
“Wispy! Get back here!” I shouted.
He didn’t return. I put my hands on my hips and looked to the others. They all looked as tired and weary as I felt. The guys had both removed their shirts, and while I was very much enjoying the view, their eyes lacked something of their usual spark. Erin leaned against the vehicle and crossed her arms, her chin dropping to her chest before she jerked upright.
“Wispy! Get your sparky ass back here!” I shouted.
Still no sign of him.
40
After what felt like an eternity, Wispy did return to us. He’d taken on an emerald hue and kept shooting back and forth between the track and the jungle.
“No, a storm’s coming, and I want to be somewhere comfortable,” I said.
He whined.
“Come on, Kit, let’s see what’s got him so worked up. He’s not going to let us leave until we do,” Logan said as he wrapped his arm around my waist.
Ethan shook his head and smiled.
