As the fog dissipated, Elzar took in the scenery around him. The rolling mountainside was filled with large trees, mostly pines, which covered the entire landscape. He knew they were in a completely different part of the country.
“Where are we?” Elzar asked as he turned to face Isa. Her hair had thinned considerably during their travels, leaving only a few white tendrils on the top of her pale, nearly bald head. The age lines around her face had deepened and her skin appeared even more translucent. She looked ten years older. Elzar flinched when he saw her, not even trying to hide his disgust.
Isa limped toward him, but ceased the moment he took a step away from her.
“What happened to you?” Kayla asked when she turned and looked at Isa for the first time.
“With that ring gone, my powers age me more than normal,” Isa explained needlessly. Elzar knew what her powers did to her each time she used them. She was once a young, vibrant woman. But that was long ago, long before she used her powers to help him.
“Where are we?” Elzar asked again, ignoring her obvious want for approval. Isa sighed and turned to the house she knew would be just beyond the trees.
“We are where we need to be,” Isa explained. She limped in the direction of the wooden house that sat unused. With a wave of her hands, the lights in the house illuminated the dark. A collective gasp filled the night air.
A summer home, snuggly placed in the wooded mountainside of the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, lay hidden in the darkening sky. A full wraparound porch encased the entire wooden cabin and made an inviting place to sit and recuperate as they planned their next move. Large windows from the base of the porch extended to the ceiling that allowed all around the ability to see inside the house. Modern day furnishings filled the living area and kitchen. A large staircase split in both directions, leaving the occupants the opportunity to climb to the loft or descend to the basement.
“I’m taking a bath,” Kayla said the moment she saw the luxurious cabin. She stalked past Isa and ran into the house without a backward glance.
The warriors Isa retrieved from the battle in Oregon moved past as well, none saying a word as they disappeared into the cabin behind Kayla.
Elzar came up behind Isa and put an arm across her back while using the other to support the old witch as she lumbered. She put an arm around his shoulders and this time Elzar didn’t flinch.
“Why have you brought us here?” Elzar asked as they slowly walked to the cabin. “What can we possibly gain from coming here?”
“I don’t know, my love. I just follow the path my magic takes me. And today, it takes me here.”
“What happened with the ring? Why did it not work on Raine?”
“I thought you would have figured that out by now,” Isa replied with a weak chuckle. “We‘re related. I didn’t know until the moment at the falls when the ring obeyed her commands, even though she didn’t know she was commanding it.”
Elzar caught Isa when she stumbled on a rock and held her fragile form in his arms. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it gain when Isa laughed.
“She is Aria’s granddaughter,” Isa explained. Elzar shook his head. “Aria was my sister.”
“Your sister?” Elzar was startled by her confession, but everything clicked into place. “That’s why you tried so hard to find Aria. She didn’t just die on her own, did she?”
“No, Lizzy helped me with that. A little poison in her food did wonders. She was a hard one to kill.”
Elzar stopped walking and Isa pulled up short, stumbling a little at the sudden change. From the house, one of the men exited the front door and made his way to where Elzar and Isa stood. He took Isa by the hand, walking slowly with her to the house.
“Lizzy helped you? You knew where Raine was all along?” Elzar questioned her retreating frame.
“I didn’t know where the little brat was, or who she was, exactly. I only knew she would grow to be a powerful Elemental. Aria kept her life hidden from me very well, but I knew, eventually, something would slip and I would find her. I was right. The night Raine was born, Lizzy confided in me the fears she had for her son. He received his call as Guardian and Lizzy had a feeling which Elemental would be his charge. She went that night to kill her, to free her boy.
“She confronted Simon and they fought. He followed her and saved the baby, but Lizzy turned on him in her fear and hate. She never forgave herself for killing Simon, and she never forgave the Elementals she deemed responsible. She was easy to manipulate after that, especially after Kaesen died.” Isa spat the last words out as if they were acid on her tongue.
“You wanted Raine killed from the beginning? I thought we were in this together.” Elzar took the few steps separating them and put a hand on Isa’s arm. She laughed in his face.
“You’ve always been in this for you. I have always been a means to an end. I have my own reasons for what I do.”
“Isa,” Elzar said in a tone that sounded like a parent reprimanding a child.
“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you. Bringing you here,” Isa waved a hand in the air to emphasize her point before she turned a crooked finger at Elzar and pointed at his young body. “Making you young with my magic while I age with each use. For years, I have wanted to be noticed by you, to be more than just your witch. For years, I have sat in the shadows and done everything for you. No more.”
Isa pulled a ring Elzar had never seen before from a place inside her robe, placing it on her finger. It burned red through the night. She placed both hands on the man at her side and began to chant words in Galic as he appeared to freeze in his steps. White fog, now extremely familiar to Elzar, appeared through the blackness of night and covered Isa. The air once again filled with energy, popping and sizzling through the night. Faint, raspy screams of the man penetrated the fog.
“Let’s see how you fare without me, lover.” Isa’s voice sounded miles away as she spoke from the center of the dense fog.
“Isa, wait,” he screamed, but received no reply. When the fog lifted, the shriveled body of the warrior lay on the ground at his feet and Isa was gone.
Elzar screamed into the darkened night as a sudden gust whipped around. He swore he could hear Isa’s laughter on the wind.
CHAPTER 34
RAINE
Raine blinked at the bright lights raining down in front of her. The sky was dark and sprinkled with stars that appeared to glow hot and streak from the sky. White sand beneath her feet warmed her toes as she stepped toward the streaking lights and lifted her hands to the figure appearing out of the brightness.
Aria stood an arm’s length away, the smile on her face warm and bright. The darkness faded as Aria’s presence glowed with the intensity of the sun.
“My child, I have missed you.” Aria stepped forward and pulled Raine into a hug. “Much has happened, you have changed.”
Raine threw her arms around Aria and wept. She couldn’t help the tears that fell from her eyes, for what felt like the first time since her world tipped on its axis. Aria, startled, ran her fingers through Raine’s hair as she spoke soft consoling words in her ear.
“Shhhh, child. All will be well.” Aria’s attempt at comfort made Raine burst into a rant of questions.
“Will it? Will it really be okay?” Raine pushed back from Aria and turned away. “So much has changed and I don’t know what to do, who I can count on, who I can trust.”
Raine paced in front of Aria, occasionally swiping at her cheeks to wipe the tears away.
“There are others, like me,” she said to the ground. “And they look to me to lead them, but I don’t know how.”
Raine stopped pacing when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked into the familiar blue eyes and saw they were aglow. Aria smiled and placed both hands on Raine’s shoulders.
“You know who you can trust, but you’re afraid. He has changed, my child. He has come back to us, to you. He loves you, just as his grandmother and I knew he would.”
Raine listened and as Aria spoke, more questions formed in her mind.
“You were the one to assign Kaden as my Guardian?”
“No, child. Not I. Kaesen and Alwen.”
“His grandparents? But . . .”
“Child, there is much you still do not understand. Walk with me.” Aria took Raine by the arm and pulled her close to her side. She took small steps as they walked across the never-ending white sand.
“When our home was destroyed, everything was destroyed with it, even the seers. Alwen, Kaden’s grandfather, was the last chosen Guardian appointed by the seers, and he alone was given the authority to pass Guardianship to any he deemed worthy to receive it. His line would carry on the powers necessary to protect the Elemental we all knew would come. You.
“Simon, his son, was chosen by Alwen to be my Guardian and to pass the gift along to his children. Eryk was the messenger, but Alwen was the authority to give the call.
“Kaesen and I knew their warrior line would need to pass to someone special, someone worthy enough to seek the truth and brave enough to follow it when he found it. Kaden was that person. He received his call from his grandfather the night you were born. Called by his grandfather and approved by his father.”
Raine watched Aria intently as they walked arm in arm along the white sands. The bright light Aria gave off followed them as they walked, pushing back the darkness with each step.
“If Kaden’s father knew of the call, why did his mother fight so much? Why did she try so hard to change him?”
“Lizzy was a lost soul. She never understood. She met and fell in love with Simon with full intentions of supporting him in his call as my Guardian. But with each mention of the pending war to come, her fear overcame her and she began to despise the thought of losing her family. When she accidently killed her husband, grief overwhelmed her and she chose the only path she felt she could take. Blame and hatred.”
Raine paused in her steps and Aria turned to look at her.
“She was misled because her heart was lost. Kaden was never lost because he had yet to find you. Now that he has you, he will do everything he can to keep you.”
Raine felt a glimmer of hope rise in her chest as Aria spoke. She’d always felt something for Kaden, from the first moment she laid eyes on him at school. There was something different about him.
“Yes, child, you are beginning to understand.” Aria smiled. “Kaden has always been meant for you. Kaesen and I knew it from the moment we met. Our lines were destined to become one. You and Kaden were destined to be. Trust in him. He will never let you down.”
Aria gave Raine another hug and took a few steps away, still grasping Raine’s hand.
“There is more to come, child. More that you must figure out on your journey. The war is just beginning and it will not end as easily as you had hoped.”
“Tell me what I need to do.” Raine’s voice was a whisper but the desperation was almost palpable.
“I cannot tell you what path to take, child. You must discover this on your own. But know this: there is one you need to be cautious of, one that you must defeat for all of this to end.” Aria took a few more steps away from Raine as their arms stretched out between them, unwilling to let go. “It is the one you fear the most and suspect the least.”
Aria stepped away, taking with her the light that surrounded them as she pulled her hand from Raine’s outstretched grasp.
“Please, who do I need to defeat?” Raine pleaded, but Aria never turned around.
Trust your heart, my child. Trust in Kaden. The thoughts filtered through her head as Aria faded into the darkness.
The streaks of light that seemingly brought Aria to the beach reappeared as Aria disappeared into the smattering of twinkling lights in the darkened sky above.
Raine woke with a start and sat up with a jolt, pushing the swing into motion on accident. She had fallen asleep on the swing after Kaden left.
The house was silent when Raine entered, every light was off. She made her way through the darkened living room, past the sleeping forms on the couch, and tiptoed her way down the hallway.
She paused at Kaden’s door and placed her hand on the smooth wood separating them.
Aria’s words, still fresh, crept into her mind as her heart beat wildly in her chest. Trust Kaden, she had said. She did trust him, with her life. He’d proven that much to her. But could she trust him with her heart? That was the question that burned inside.
She remembered the first time they met, how her skin felt under his hand, how his lips tasted when he first kissed her, how her heart constantly ached for him.
What if they really were destined to be together?
Raine placed a hand on the doorknob and lightly knocked. Without waiting for an answer, she cracked the door open and stepped inside.
“Kaden?”
“I thought you’d never come,” he said. The door clicked shut behind Raine as her eyes focused on the form lying prone on the bed. His hands were behind his head, his feet crossed at the ankles as if he had been waiting for her.
Raine walked to the bed and paused when she was standing over him. She looked down and met his stare, his green eyes peering through the darkness as he watched her.
“I’m scared.” The declaration was simple yet frighteningly true.
“I am, too.” Kaden took one arm from behind his head and grasped Raine’s hand in his. With a gentle tug, he pulled her to the side of the bed and coaxed her to sit as he moved over to make room. She sat with her back to him, then found herself lying down next to him, her head resting on his shoulder as he pulled her back close to his body.
His arms came around her, holding her close, and his breath heated her neck. Her body relaxed, the stress she was feeling released on a sigh.
“Kaden, I don’t want to stay away from you,” Raine said after several minutes. “I can’t.”
Kaden squeezed her tighter and placed a kiss on the tender flesh at the nape of her neck. Tingles shot down her spine and gooseflesh erupted on her arms. She felt him smile against her skin.
“Truth is, I’m scared. I thought you used me and my mind was clouded with that hurt.” Raine turned her head in his direction, but he wouldn’t release his hold so she stared up at the ceiling. “I know that isn’t true, not really, and I don’t want to do this without you.”
“You don’t have to do this without me.” Kaden loosened his hold and she turned to face him. He took her lips in a quick, gentle kiss. “I’ll be here, no matter what.”
Raine closed her eyes and laid her head back on his shoulder. Kaden pulled her close and she snuggled into his body. They lay in silence long enough that Raine thought Kaden had fallen asleep. She started when he spoke.
“Aria came to you tonight, didn’t she?” He asked the question, but it sounded more like a statement. She nodded her head knowing he would feel her affirmation against his shoulder. “I was there, in the shadows.”
Raine sat up, her hands on his chest as she stared into his eyes.
“How?”
“We’re connected,” he said matter-of-factly. “I felt the sting of my marking and when I closed my eyes to decide if I should run after you, I was taken to a beach. I watched as you and Aria walked along, talking. I heard every word.”
Raine huffed and turned away from him, placing her hands in her lap.
“I tried not to interfere. I tried to put the wall up, but once my marking started to burn, I couldn’t help the connection between us. I’m sorry for intruding.”
Raine lifted her head to look at his face, and then she lay back down. “Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault. This is something we have to work through together. But,” she looked up at his chin and waited until he looked at her. “Do me a favor. Try to keep the ‘mind-thing’ to a minimum. I would like for us to know each other without the help of our bonding.”
“I promise.” Kaden kissed her nose and smiled.
“Kaden?” she said. �
�When I healed you back at the falls, I healed the scars left from your mother. I didn’t want you to have that reminder of her.”
Kaden was quiet for several moments before he placed a kiss in her hair and whispered, “Thank you.”
Raine draped her arms around his waist and snuggled closer to him. They lay still for several more minutes before Kaden took her hand and placed something over her wrist.
“My bracelet? Where did you find it?” Raine asked, knowing exactly what it was the moment it touched her skin.
“It was back at the Inn. I was going to give it to you tomorrow, but it seemed like now was the best time.”
“Kaden?”
“Hmmm?”
“You can kiss me whenever you want.”
Kaden smiled, pulled her closer, and kissed her forehead. “Ahhh . . . tempting thoughts are going through my mind right now. It’s a good thing I’m an honorable man, at least where you’re concerned.” He kissed her on the lips, gently, and lingered there for a few moments before he closed his eyes and dropped his head to the pillow. “Let’s go to sleep.”
CHAPTER 35
KADEN
Kaden pulled his car into the nearest gas station, stopping at the closest pump. As the others piled out of the car and headed inside to load up on snacks, Kaden unscrewed the gas cap and inserted his card into the machine.
At the next pump over, a tall blonde woman was cursing at her car as she fiddled with her gas cap.
“How do you get this off?” she said to no one in particular.
“Do you need some help?” Kaden asked as he stepped around the pump and spied the woman fully. She was dressed in an almost see-through summer dress with wedge heels that made her four inches taller than she would normally be. Her hair lay in waves around her shoulders and she wore dark sunglasses that covered her eyes.
Raine (Elemental Series Book 2) Page 22
