Caution to the Wind: Book One of the Elementals Series

by F. R. Southerland

  Tears threatened to fall. Loren leaned her head back and blinked them away.

  The knock on her door startled her. She wiped at her eyes quickly and glanced over her shoulder. “Shit,” she muttered as she composed herself.

  “Loren? May I come in?” Avery's voice was soft.

  “Yeah.” She cleared her throat. “Yeah, come in.”

  Avery entered and crossed to the balcony. He had changed his into a black t-shirt and jeans, his hair tied back.

  “How are you feeling?” He leaned against the door.

  “I'm...” She thought about it and shrugged. “I'm okay.”

  “Just okay?”

  “Yeah. I’m not sure how to feel anything else.”

  Avery looked her over. “Any side effects from the inhibitor?”

  “The what?”

  He made a gesture with his hand. “The device I stuck you with. The one that stopped your powers. It’s called an inhibitor.”

  “Oh. I don’t think so. I feel all right.”

  “That’s good.”

  Loren wiped her hands on her jeans. “Is that all it does? Just stop powers?”

  “Yeah. Mostly. Levi made it. It’s kind of a failsafe when our powers get out of hand. It happens sometimes.” He paused, glancing down. “Not to the others, but to me. Fire has always been more difficult to manage. I guess air is too.”

  “Hey. You’re not alone.” A small laugh escaped her.

  “Well, you saw what happened in the dining room.” He lifted his head, resting it back against the doorframe. “Two incidents in one day. It’s been a long time since that’s happened.”

  Loren studied him before she spoke. Her voice was soft. “I’m sorry about that. About the dining room and the training room.”

  He met her eyes. “The dining room wasn’t your fault. That was Levi being a prick. Like always.”

  “Yeah, but it was about me. And I don’t like that.” Levi had been right about so many things and she hated that Avery heard it all and reacted how he did. She didn't want him to believe any of it. It was somehow easier that way.

  Was she really so easy to pick apart? No one else had before and that unsettled her. She wasn’t as guarded as she thought. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine, Loren.”

  She fiddled with the string around her neck. “Is he always like that?”

  “Intrusive?” Avery let out a short laugh of his own. “Yeah. Always. In case you hadn’t noticed, we don’t exactly get along.”

  She had noticed. Then again, Avery didn’t seem to get along with anyone. She couldn't say much for Levi, but she got the impression he grated on everyone’s nerves even more so. His attitude was off-putting and it was no stretch to think it was the same of everyone else.

  “Is Callum upset? Eva?”

  “No, they’re not upset. I don’t think he’d be upset with you. Only with me. I’m the disappointment, after all.” His brow furrowed and a frown tugged at his mouth. It remained there as he continued. “They’re more concerned than anything. They wanted to give you some time to calm down.”

  “Yeah. A lot of information. A lot of pressure.” She looked up at him. “Are we really saving the world or did you just say that to get me to come here?” She'd wondered, especially after his discussion with Eva.

  Avery sighed. “I didn’t mean saving the world right away. It’s not like a comic book or a movie where the world’s in peril and we have twenty-four hours to save it. No. But, yeah. I did say it to motivate you.” He scratched the back of his neck.

  “It sounded good at the time? Dramatic?”

  A small grin started to break across his face. “Yeah,” he answered sheepishly.

  Loren drew her lips together, fighting back a smile. “That’s terrible.”

  His grin widened some. “I was trying to be cool.”

  “Yeah, you were doing well with that. Breaking into my apartment, telling me I had to save the world, scaring a girl half to death.”

  “I didn’t break in. I just… opened the unlocked window and let myself in.”

  “Right.”

  “You’re not upset about that, are you?”

  She shook her head, but then thought again. “At first, yeah. I almost hit you.”

  “With an umbrella.”

  “It was an umbrella-bat, with the capabilities of both bat and umbrella. Get the facts straight.” She chuckled and Avery joined her.

  Loren eased into a smile. “It’s still a lot. Knowing I’m not the only one with powers, knowing I’m part of something bigger.” Even if she didn’t completely understand what she was a part of, it was kind of nice. She played with the string again, adjusting it so the stone pressed against her skin, warm from her body. Her smile disappeared. “I don’t feel like I fit in though. Not here. Not anywhere. And sometimes I freak out about it. I don’t mean to. It just happens. Like earlier. I was fine and then…”

  Avery pushed off from the door and stepped closer to her. He crouched down in front of her. “It’s not easy. I’ve had eighteen years to adjust to it and there are still times when I feel like I’m sleepwalking through it. It's like some crazy dream. Even among my siblings, in a household that knows, I still feel lost. Like there’s something more. Fitting in? I never tried. The only thing that comes close to it is keeping my powers a secret from the world. Believe me, that’s not easy. Not with everyone always watching.”

  “Is that one of the reasons Levi made the inhibitor? To keep you from accidentally revealing your powers?”

  Avery sighed. “One reason, yeah.” He paused. “Dinner is ready downstairs if you’re hungry.”

  “I’m not sure. Will you be there?”

  “No.” Avery was halfway across the floor by the time she entered the bedroom.

  “No?”

  “I'm going out.”

  She should've guessed. The all black ensemble meant he intended to go back to the city as the vigilante again. She didn't realize how much she'd wanted him to stay. She masked her disappointment with a smile.

  “Oh, okay. Be safe?”

  “Hey, I always am” He lingered at the door. For a moment, Loren thought he might say something else. Instead, he gave her a small nod and headed out the door.

  Alone again, Loren viewed her reflection in the vanity’s mirror. She pushed hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ears. She attempted to smooth it down. Her face remained flushed. Redness had crept into her cheeks and neck.

  She couldn't help but feel drawn to Avery when he was close, and she couldn't help but think about him when he wasn't.

  The memory of Avery's warm touch on her hands was fresh. The scent of his cologne still permeated the air in her room. She could still see his smile.

  The Avery from her thoughts smiled gently at her. Before Loren realized, her thoughts shifted. In her mind, she saw Callum's smile and envisioned his cool, comforting touch.

  Her mouth drew into a slight frown and she shook her head to clear it of her thoughts. She couldn’t think of either Morgan brother right now. There were matters that were more important.

  But the distraction had been nice, as confusing as it was.

  Dinner was waiting. Not wishing to be late, Loren smoothed her hair back again and resolved to get through it without incident.

  ~~*~~

  Unlike breakfast that morning, the servants presented dinner in courses. Loren was pleased with the salad and the chicken. She managed to eat heartily. Dessert was chocolate cake. It was so rich; she had to stop after a few bites.

  Everything was delicious and filling. The wine was especially enjoyable. She lost track of how much she drank but declined a refill once her thoughts became fuzzy.

  The dinner conversation consisted of Callum and Eva talking mostly among themselves about business. Levi was absent. Loren felt completely at ease.

  Dinner seemed to go on for some time but she didn’t mind. She sipped her water and listened to the siblings. It was another small glimpse
into their lives and Loren was privy to it. But she was still an outsider.

  She'd begun to wonder if she should excuse herself and return to her room when Callum addressed her.

  “Would you like a tour of the manor? I’m afraid with the events earlier there wasn't much time to properly acquaint you.”

  “Oh, yes. That would be great. Thanks.” Loren had so far memorized the path from her room to the dining room, but that was about it. It would be nice not to worry about misdirection.

  Callum pushed back his chair and stood. Eva dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a napkin before she joined him. “I have those reports to finish. It will be a late night,” she said, “and an early day tomorrow.” She stepped over to brush a kiss against her brother’s cheek in farewell. “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight,” he echoed.

  Loren watched Eva leave before stretching her arms and pushing her chair back. She swayed slightly from a sudden rush of dizziness but managed to keep her footing. Her feet were steady enough to walk to the door. Callum met her there and escorted her from the room.

  They followed the path leading to the secret door but moved beyond it.

  “Is everything to your liking?” Callum asked.

  “Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Everything’s great. The room is great. And everything is…” She trailed off, sighing softly.

  “Great?” he supplied. She glimpsed at him to see the small touch of a grin.

  She fought her blush. “I sound like a broken record, don’t I?”

  “You’re fine. I understand what you mean. I suppose sometimes I take it all for granted.”

  “Well, it is great.”

  Callum smiled warmly at her and entered another hallway. There was a beat of silence before he looked ahead. “About earlier, I apologize for forcing you to display your abilities. I realize now how stressed you were.”

  “Yeah. I uh never had to show people. I mean, I’ve shown people, but not under the same circumstances. And it was a lot of pressure. I was trying to keep it under control. I really was.” She had begun to ramble. She closed her mouth, lips pursing to keep from saying another embarrassing word.

  “I know. Having our abilities is difficult. We’ve all been there.” He exhaled softly. “Some more than others.”

  She took a few seconds to look about. Multiple windows lined the hallway but remained closed off by thick, blue curtains. The opposite wall displayed photographs and paintings. Loren viewed a couple of them as they passed. “I’ve never known anyone who could do what I could do. When Avery told me there were others and showed me his powers, I couldn’t believe it. A part of me still doesn’t. It’s kind of like a dream.”

  “A good dream or a bad dream?” Callum looked at her.

  Loren bit her lip. “Not a bad one. Most of the time.”

  “What about the rest of the time?”

  She hesitated and her gaze dropped to study the polished floor. “A nightmare. I… would rather not talk about it.” She thought of Levi and his accurate perceptions of her. She didn't feel comfortable discussing her insecurities and faults twice in one day.

  Callum nodded. “Fair enough.” The conversation stopped there and Loren exhaled a soft breath, relieved.

  They walked in an uncomfortable silence for a time. She occupied herself with watching Callum. She soon stopped, fearing he would catch her stare. Instead, she looked at the paintings and photographs on the wall.

  As they neared the end of the hall and it split off into two directions, Callum spoke again. “I’ll show you to the sunroom.” Callum made a gesture to the left. “This corridor takes you there, and from the sunroom you can reach the backyard.”

  Loren nodded as she made note of it. Her gaze lingered on the photographs for one last look.

  When she saw a familiar face smile down at her from a frame on the wall, she stopped. Her breath hitched. She took a step closer.

  Callum paused with her. “Ah, that’s Fredrick Castle.”

  The name didn’t ring any bells, but she knew that man. She knew his face, his kind eyes, and the gentle genuinely happy smile.

  “You recognize him,” Callum stated. It wasn’t a question.

  Loren nodded again, not looking away from the photograph.

  “I do. I know him.” She wanted to touch it, but she refrained. “That’s the man. That’s the man who gave me my powers.”

  Chapter Seven

  Loren was seven years old when the strange old man had given her superpowers.

  Eighteen years ago. To Loren, it was as if it had been yesterday. The bigger kids were mean, teasing her. They'd taken her backpack and as she tried to chase them, they'd laughed. Her desperate pleas went unheeded and they threw her bag into the bushes and fled.

  When she couldn’t breathe, she stopped running. She sat on the ground and gasped. Her chest constricted. Her face burned. Her inhaler was in the bag and she couldn't breathe without it.

  Through blurred vision, she saw the old man as he walked toward her. His hair was white and his face wrinkled and speckled with age spots. He moved past her, giving her a cursory glance. He approached the bushes. It took him some effort to retrieve her fallen bag and amble back to her. She didn’t know how he’d gotten there, or how he had known to take the inhaler from her backpack, but he did.

  She took it from him with shaking hands. She puffed deeply once, twice. The medicine took immediate effect and she breathed with ease once again.

  His eyes were a warm brown. His smile was kind, but sad.

  He pushed the stone into her hand. It was small and flat, the color of egg yolk, smooth on two sides and jagged on the others. It fit perfectly in her palm.

  The man had a soft-spoken voice and his words were few. “This stone is very important, as important as you are. Keep it.”

  Before she could ask what he had meant, he spoke again. She didn't understand the words and, to this day, she still didn't. He placed his warm hand atop her head.

  Colors flashed in her vision before everything swam into focus again, more vibrant than before. She took a deep breath and exhaled. Everything hummed around her.

  The old man kept the sad smile on his face. “Be careful. Be safe. Keep it with you.” He walked away, his footsteps shuffling through the gravel. Loren remained there with the stone in her hand until the man was no longer in sight. Dark clouds rolled in and it began to rain.

  She ran the rest of the way home, faster than the wind, the stone clutched in her fist.

  As she looked at the picture, her eyes watered, but she didn’t cry. All the same, she wiped at them with the back of her hand. When Callum offered a handkerchief, she took it.

  “I only met him once. He gave me my powers and he walked away. I never saw him again. He said I was important and he—” Her voice trembled and she stopped talking.

  “He was a good man.”

  “Yeah. I uh got that impression.” Loren glanced off to the side. “I didn’t know who he was, or his name or anything.”

  “He was a friend of my father’s—an old friend from way back. I remember first meeting him when I was a boy.” Callum studied the photograph. “I've been waiting to see if you’d mention him.” He paused there and looked at her. “We all got our powers from him.”

  “How?” she asked. “Why?”

  “He met my father in the 1970’s. Castle was already an old man by then. He possessed abilities, like ours. No,” he paused and corrected himself, “exactly like ours. All the elements. He could control them. My father used to tell me he was more powerful than the richest, most influential leader in the world. He had a lot of respect for him. And trust.” He sighed. “They were close.”

  He placed a gentle hand on Loren's arm. “Walk with me.” She gave one last look at Fredrick Castle’s portrait before she fell into step beside Callum. His hand remained on her arm.

  “Castle wasn’t human, at least, not in the beginning of his life. It’s extraordinary and unbelievable, but he came from another world.�
��

  “Another world? Not human?” Loren blinked a few times, trying to process the new, incredible information.

  “Yes. He came from another world, nearly one hundred years ago.”

  Her mouth dropped open, mouthing a silent oh. A hundred years. What was the guy’s secret to aging so well?

  She drew her own conclusions. “He’s immortal. He came from another world and had all these magical powers. Is he a—”

  “A god? Yes.” Callum nodded. “Incredible, isn’t it?”

  She shook her head in disbelief. “That’s insane.”

  “Do you want me to continue?”

  She nodded. It was a lot of fantastic and heavy information, but it was also essential. If she didn’t know the details, she’d never feel like she’d fit in, be important, or understand. She needed to know for her own sake.

  “He came into our world through a portal—a magical doorway between worlds. He didn’t come alone. He brought his brother with him.” Callum paused and glanced up at the ceiling to gather his thoughts. “Most of this information came from Castle himself. Some of it came from the recollections of my father. Castle was his real name.”

  “His last name?”

  “No, his first.”

  “That’s a weird first name.” They entered a large, airy room with many windows. Moonlight streamed in, creating a beautiful ambiance. Loren paused to take it all in.

  Callum paused the discussion to watch her reaction. When Loren noticed his stare, she blushed. “The room is lovely,” she said.

  “I thought you might like it.” He gestured toward some chairs paired at a small table. “Sit, please.”

  Loren nodded. Callum sat with her, leaning forward. He resumed. “No, Castle was his first name, his only name.. We found it strange too.” He smiled some. “His brother’s name was Tower, originally.”

  Loren lifted her eyebrows. “Did their parents name them randomly or something? What do you mean by was?”

  “I believe it was a custom to name one's child after common objects, things, places.” He waved a hand. “And I say was because his brother changed his name. Mal, he's called.”