WATER BONDED
M.A. Abraham
WATER BONDED
BOOK 2 ELVEN SENTINEL SERIES
Copyright © 2021 by M.A. ABRAHAM
www.maabraham.com
Acknowledgements…
I would like to take this time to thank my editing team, Eniko, Fran, Candice and Tanya for their continued support and efforts in correcting my poor grammar and literary efforts. Without them my books would be unfit for reading. A good backup team is priceless and I hope to one day be able to find a way to repay each of you for your support… and Becca… what can we say, you continue to be my foremost reason for being out in the public eye, your talents are endless. And, last but definitely not least, I would like to thank Cora Graphics for the wonderful job she did on my cover. A good cover is priceless and you have made this one as masterpiece. Also, a special thank you to Betty Olsen for going over it, "one more time, just to be sure."
WATER BONDED
CHAPTER I
“Here they come.” It sounded like a message being carried on the wind to Adriel and Hawk. It made them wonder who “they” were, those who the people on the sidelines were speaking of with such reverence. The question was soon answered as everyone at the game gravitated towards the edge of the ocean.
There were large breakers rolling in from the ocean, those were wildly crashing in on the reefs that protected the beach where the people had gathered. Further out, more waves were gathering to head inwards in ways that were only inviting to the brave, foolish, or surfers who reveled in this type of sport. At this moment, the ocean, which had seemed to be rough earlier, now looked dangerous, and those who were still in the water were coming in before things got worse.
The moans, groans, and cheers from the crowds on the beach told of each wipeout, each successful recovery, and the awe they felt for those whom they considered brave enough to attempt to challenge the elements. It seemed to be calm on shore, but this was only because of the cliffs and reefs that made this beach popular. The natural protection on this part of the shoreline sheltered the land as well as the crowds.
Adriel and Hawk could have told those out on the water that there was little chance they would be able to master the power held in the waves they were attempting to ride. The two friends had Water Elf blood in their veins, and they knew what they were looking at. These waves would only answer to the strongest of wills, and those existed only amongst sea-dwellers like their ancestors. It was a gift that had been weakened in Hawk and Adriel because of their shared Light Elven ancestry, but it was still strong enough to allow them to use if necessary.
Hawk pointed at two surfers who were riding a rogue wave in from far out at sea. As he did so, Hawk asked the person beside him. “Are these the two whom everyone are cheering for?”
Even as he asked, Hawk could only question how it was possible for anyone around him to be able to identify the surfers from so far away. Even he was having a difficult time seeing them, and he was Elven.
The person beside Hawk smiled as she danced from one foot to the other in her excitement. “Yes, Thea and Caia. Aren’t they wonderful? Now we will see who will win this tournament. Our star players are about to arrive.”
Hawk looked at the excited girl by his side in disbelief. Surely this person didn’t believe two new players could make that much of a difference. The girls had been getting their butts handed to them by the men’s team only moments ago, and they been bemoaning their chances of recovering their losses. Now, the women were dancing around, cheering, and laughing in glee as if their victory was a sure thing. This didn’t make much sense to Hawk.
Adriel seemed to be as mesmerized as the rest of the men who were watching the spectacle. He leaned close to Hawk and commented, “They are magnificent. Watch how they play with the curl of that wave, catching each of the moods, and making that work in their favor. I want to meet those women, whomever they are.”
Hawk replied. “From all accounts I have heard, we will get that chance. It seems those two girls will be joining the woman’s team when they arrive, and it is the reason the ladies are celebrating.”
Hawk’s comment caught Adriel’s attention. “Really? What difference could those two make? We already have two games won, and the third as good as done for our side.”
Hawk admitted. “I don’t know, but the girls’ team suddenly seem very confident of their chances. I get the impression things are about to get very interesting.”
As the two surfers Adriel and Hawk had been looking at got closer, all conversations stopped as the girls finished riding the wave. When the surfers had gotten as close to shore as was possible, they paddled their boards the rest of the way. As entrances went, Adriel and Hawk felt the two girls had made as good a one as was possible. Now it was time to finish the game to see what difference their participation would make.
Before the surfers had been noticed, Hawk and Adriel had been indulging in a bit of fun, playing a game of volleyball on the beach. The young men and women who formed the teams all looked to be in the same age group. The games had started as a lighthearted challenge and then escalated when more teams joined in to see who would end up on top. They were now in the middle of a championship match that would end what had become a full-scale tournament. What astounded Adriel and Hawk was that everyone seemed to expect these two newcomers to take over from a couple of the players who had made up part of the girls’ team. Just who did they think they were to assume this was right? The idea that anyone believed they had the right to usurp two positions from players who had proven their worth upon their arrival bothered Adriel and Hawk. To them this wasn’t fair to the other girls who had helped to get the team this far.
With a surge of welcoming cheers, the crowd that had been watching the two surfers moved forward to greet them. A couple of the young men immediately took possession of the surfboards the two girls were carrying out of the water, while the girls from the team Hawk and Adriel had been playing against surrounded the swimmers to usher them towards the court.
One of the young men who had been playing on Hawk and Adriel’s team gave a groan as he declared, “There go all of our chances to win.”
Hawk was the first to get shutdown by his teammates when he tried to instill some spirit back into them. “They are only two girls, what difference can they make to us? We have the tournament in the bag.”
Several side-glances from the other men told Hawk that no one believed what he had to say for a moment.
Adriel, to support his friend, added. “I will grant you the girls are pretty to look at, which can be distracting, but surely they can’t make that much of a difference.”
Only two words came back to Adriel and Hawk from one of the men on the team. “Watch them.”
Fine, Hawk and Adriel agreed, they would, but they couldn’t believe that two slightly built human girls would make that big of a difference. They also couldn’t see what the other players found so intimidating about them. It would be different if they were Elves, but Humans? What were these men afraid of?
With a confidence no one else on Adriel and Hawk’s team seemed to share, Hawk called out. “Remember men, they are only girls. We have the match already won by all standards.”
Both teams heard the arrogance of Hawk’s remark. What they didn’t notice was how the smiles that Hawk and Adriel wore moments before slowly disappeared when the two girls they were taunting turned to face them. These were not human girls, they were Elven, and Hawk and Adriel knew that winning was going to be no easy task.
To make things even more complicated, the moment eye contact was made between them, the four combatants froze for all of a moment. They knew what they were looking at, and as the whistle to action blew, the girls frowned in irritation. It was time for the
m to focus their attention on the game, but it was going to be difficult, for these were their Life Mates. They were going to have to control their reactions to the bonds. That matter had to be dealt with at a later time, much later.
CHAPTER II
Thea frowned at the twin looks of delight that crossed Hawk and Adriel’s expressions. Of course, those two male Elves would be pleased to have found their Life Mates. In fact, Thea wasn’t so sure she minded herself. But it couldn’t have come at a worse time. From the vibes she was now receiving from Caia, her friend wasn’t any happier about this turn of events than she was. Well, there was nothing either of them could do about it right now. They had to focus on the game, no matter how this was affecting them.
Caia could have screamed at this intrusion on her life. Caia’s mother had told her that if she would be so lucky as to find a Life Mate, he would be impossible to resist. The thing was, Caia had to pretend she hadn’t noticed that Hawk was her Life Mate, at least until the game was over. Well, it was time to see what kind of effect this had on a Female Elf. Caia already could feel her mind losing its focus. Instead of focusing on the game, Caia kept thinking of the stories her parents had once told her about what Elves go through to be bonded. They had told Caia that no matter the cost, nothing beat the benefits of having a Life Mate.
Both Caia and Thea knew the history of their parents’ bonding. Neither of the families had benefitted from the love and security a Life Mate bond might have brought to a relationship. They had grown up realizing something was missing between their parents, but had no idea what it could be. There were so few Elves living in this part of the world that the thought of actually finding a Life Mate was like a fairy tale to most of them. It didn’t stop any of them from hoping the Fates might grant their children this kind of a relationship. With these hopes in mind, Caia and Thea’s parents had traveled extensively so they could meet every Elf on this side of the boundary to see if they could find a Life Mate for one of them. It never happened, which made this meeting that much more astounding. Where had these male Elves come from? Caia and Thea were certain they had met every Elf living here. The lack of bond mates for their children had forced Caia’s and Thea’s parents to assume their daughters would have to settle for second best. The thought that there might be a possible match somewhere in the Empire proper never crossed their minds. Caia and Thea’s parents covered their disappointment and made life for their children as happy as possible. After all, it was not every Elf who got to meet a Life Mate.
Caia and Thea’s parents had made sure they told the girls about Heart Mate bonds, which was a choice Caia’s and Thea’s parents had been unable to make for themselves. There had been so few possible matches that the older generation had chosen their mates. Despite their incompatibility, Caia and Thea’s parents had learned to love each other. The girls had only the words of their parents to go by to make up their minds whether this was something they would accept or not. Their parents had told Thea and Caia they would allow them much freedom. However, they were also warned this would only apply to them for so long. It was still important that Caia and Thea form some kind of bond while they were of childbearing age. It was a freedom that had come to an end when they had gone home one day to find their families slaughtered. They could tell this was not the work of humans, for their siblings and parents had not died easily, nor had they died without causing great injury to their enemies. The smell of Demon blood had hung heavily in the air, and although the bodies of their enemies had been taken away, it was this telltale odor that had told Caia and Thea what had happened.
How Caia and Thea had known what the stench of Demon taint was like neither knew, but they had, and it made them run from what they had once considered a safe haven. They were the last of their lines, the only Water Elves capable of guarding the underwater portal, which meant they needed to learn to blend in with the people who frequented the shoreline close to the portal. The task to keep the sanctity of the gateway had been passed to Caia and Thea. This also meant they needed to find a way to strengthen it, for they could tell that the passageway was at risk of rupturing.
With all of this information racing through their minds, Caia and Thea prepared to take their places on the volleyball court facing Hawk and Adriel. As soon as they nodded to say that they were ready, someone from Hawk’s and Adriel’s team tossed Hawk the ball, and the game began. The movement made Caia and Thea focus their attention on the two male Elves who were grinning at the girls with confidence. Caia and Thea turned their noses up at the men and then smoothly went into action. Hawk and Adriel laughed as they scored the first point against the opposing team. Their laughter was not well-received. Hawk and Adriel might be able to score points in the areas where their teammates were trying to guard their spaces, but they were about to find out that Caia and Thea didn’t need the rest of the team to win. They were not going to allow these arrogant male Elves to laugh at them.
I didn’t take long for Hawk and Adriel to lose the arrogant confidence they were feeling because of what they thought would be an easy win. There was a grim determination in the way Caia and Thea played that told the two male Elves that these girls would not allow anyone to take them lightly. Adriel and Hawk got the feeling this wasn’t only in the matter of sports, as both Caia and Thea seemed determined to ignore them. Hawk and Adriel had to admit that the girls were good at what they did.
Caia served the ball into Derrick’s area of the court, Derrick set it up for Alan, and he spiked it towards the middle of the opposing team’s court. There, the ball was set up for Thea, who showed Alan how to spike the volleyball properly. It was an immediate point for the girls. The next point went to Caia, as she blocked a spike, something Hawk hadn’t expected from her. Just that quickly, the challenge was sent out and accepted, and the game became more serious.
Although none of the other men blamed Hawk and Adriel for the change in their luck, Adriel and Hawk knew what had happened. They had been too smug about finding their Life Mates after so many centuries of searching through hundreds of thousands of girls in the Elven Empire. Where their team had been ahead two games before, now the women had turned the tables on them, and the women were only one point away from taking the lead.
As the girls’ team scored the last point, and they set up for what could be the final match, Adriel grumbled. “They must have Light Elven bloodlines in their lineage to be this competitive, as well as good at times like this. No other Elves are as quick to rise to a challenge.”
Hawk had to agree. “Especially not Water Elves, who can be elusive, but very playful.”
Adriel then commented. “We better get serious about picking up the gauntlet they tossed in our direction, or we will never win their respect.”
Hawk frowned. He couldn’t remember there being a challenge issued. “What makes you think this is that type of a match?”
Adriel retorted. “Light Elves, Hawk. Think about it. If we don’t win this next match, they will think we are weak and therefore unworthy. If that happens, we will never stand a chance of being taken seriously.”
Hawk, turned his attention back to the game as the ball was served. One of the other players lined up the shot for Adriel, and he slammed it into the center to score a point. They then changed places as control of the ball changed hands. Hawk, noticing the looks of begrudging admiration that came from Caia and Thea, decided Adriel knew what he was talking about. It was time they got serious about how they handled their courtship or they could lose their Life Mates.
As Hawk made plans about how to gain the friendship of the two women, Adriel wondered if the girls knew about the order for all Elves to return to the Elven Empire. Lothriel had made it clear to everyone on this side of the boundary what he expected from them. The book they had found under the Book Aerie was warning them about the weakening of the remaining portals, as well as their encroaching enemies, and was urging speed. The danger to the human element on this side of the boundary wasn’t enough to involve th
e Elven Empire, and it was time they looked toward other interests. There were rumors going around in the Kingdoms of something big about to happen, although if those tales were true, no one but the Emperor Lothriel knew what it was.
Dismissing the matter from his mind, Adriel turned his attention back to the game. It was time for them to even out the scores and let the girls know their challenge had been recognized for what it was as well as to make their intentions to win clear. They were not going to allow their Life Mates to slip from their grasps now that they had found them.
CHAPTER III
Thea knew they were going to lose the last game, she could see their defeat in the actions of the two male Elves, and in the glint shining in their eyes. These were Light Elves, and they weren’t about to throw the game, not for any reason. The question that continued to nag at Thea in the back of her mind was where had they come from? According to everything Thea knew, they had met every Elf who still existed on this side of the boundary, and none of them had been a match for either her or Caia.
When Caia got close enough to talk to, Thea muttered loudly enough for only her friend to hear. “You had to poke at the Dragon.”
Caia wasn’t in the mood to put up with Thea’s negativity, just as she had no intention of losing. If they did, she would accept it with grace, but first the men were going to have to earn their moment of glory. “Just shut up and play like you never have before.”
Thea snapped back. “Don’t I always do my part?”
Caia replied. “We need to do better if we hope to win, and that means both of us.”
Alright, Thea decided. She would accept Caia’s edict, but only because it meant Caia was busy berating her own performance as much as hers.
Hawk and Adriel knew the last point was going to be difficult to score. The girls were determined to stop them from winning, and they knew this was more than just a game to them. This had to do with their Life Mate bond. It didn’t take much intelligence for a Light Elven male to figure that his Life Mate would demand a lot more from them before accepting their match. If Hawk and Adriel were able to prove themselves worthy, Caia and Thea would be the best of Life Mates, it was the way of things in their world. The question foremost in Hawk and Adriel’s minds was, however, would the same apply here as it did back at home?
Water Bonded Page 1
