The Essential Elements: Boxed Set

by Elle Middaugh

  I might not have known that beyond a shadow of a doubt, but I believed it, and it felt right. If I set my mind to it and sent those positive vibes out into the universe, somehow, someway, that positivity would find a way to return to me. Anything I set my mind to, I could achieve, not because I was amazing and all-powerful, but because I finally understood the key to success was simply never giving up.

  It’s not over until it’s over, or so they say, and I’d finally figured that out. If I got knocked down but kept getting back up every time, eventually I’d get strong enough to the point where I didn’t get knocked down anymore.

  All that to say…I thought that was where I’d gotten to. Mentally and physically, I was in a place of determination and resolve.

  Ida’s voice filtered into my memory. You’re all going to have to work together if you want to overpower Nicholai.

  As much as I believed in myself, I also believed in the gods. If Ida said I’d need all eight champions—well, all seven now—then I’d need to find the others.

  I pursed my lips. That totally threw off my plans for training and revenge.

  “What are you thinking?” Holden asked knowingly.

  I blinked and looked over at him. He must’ve dunked under at some point, because tiny rivulets of water streamed down his face as he slowly drifted closer to me.

  “Nothing,” I said, probably a little too quickly.

  “I don’t believe you,” he said with a smile. “I’ve seen that look in your eye before. You’re worrying about something.”

  Lilly scoffed, rolling her dark eyes, and then she grinned. “I can’t imagine what she’d have to worry about. She’s only training to save the world from the strongest Elemental in existence. No biggie.”

  Holden glanced over at her, a faint blush tinting his cheeks. “I suppose you’re right.”

  Well, that was…interesting. It wasn’t every day that Holden admitted to being wrong.

  I watched Pax flittering around underwater as I contemplated whether or not to fill them in on my musings. I was going to have to leave after I’d just told them they could train with me for two weeks. Could I trust them with the truth? Would it even matter? Maybe they wouldn’t even fight me on it; maybe they’d just stay behind and keep training.

  Holden wouldn’t.

  I peeked over at him then quickly averted my gaze. He would insist on tagging along, and that was the main reason I preferred to not tell him. I was glad he was being a friend, but I didn’t need a babysitter. Then again, I had no idea what I was about to get myself into. I knew I’d need the help of the other demigods, wherever they were, but I had a feeling I’d also need as much help as I could get from everyone else, too.

  “Where are the Revolutionists now, Holden?” I asked, assuming that, as the Modernist leader, he’d have kept tabs on their whereabouts.

  He frowned slightly. “They followed Nicholai up north to New York.”

  Damn it, I knew he’d bee-line for the city! Obliterating Wellsfield wouldn’t have been enough for him. He wouldn’t stop until he’d destroyed every major city in America, and then he’d take over the world, continent by continent, one “natural disaster” at a time.

  “Val, seriously—what’s going on?” Holden prodded again.

  I took a deep breath, still unsure if I should tell them or not. I mean, what could it hurt? Other than them…

  I bit the inside of my cheek. If they decided to risk their lives and join me, I couldn’t be upset about it. They each had a will of their own. I needed to at least give them the facts and give them a choice.

  I took a deep breath, solidifying my resolve.

  “I’m…a demigod.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Holden grinned, Lilly frowned, and Paxton finally popped his head above water.

  “What?” Pax asked, studying me with a hint of disbelief on his face.

  I winked at him. “Sorry I’m not a vampire instead.”

  He chuckled. “Vampires are becoming less popular with me for some reason. Probably has something to do with my newfound loathing for the taste of blood.”

  He shivered, Lilly pretended to gag, and Holden looked curiously between us.

  “We drank the scientists’ blood to escape,” I explained.

  Holden’s expression morphed into a sort of mild horror. “You’re not serious…”

  I shrugged. “You’d have done it, too, if you were trapped in the cells of the Shadow Sect with no other way out.”

  He stared at me, that look of terror slowly morphing into confusion and disapproval, as if he were seeing me in a different light for the first time and wasn’t sure he liked the new color or tone.

  Lilly splashed some water in Holden’s face, earning her a glare and a return spray of water.

  She turned her head and the water hit her hair instead of her face. “Get over yourself, pretty boy. It was just a little blood. Haven’t you ever done something totally disgusting because the situation was outside of your control?”

  He wiped the water from his face and contemplated her words. “I suppose I trudged through the sewers a few months ago. That was pretty disgusting.”

  Lilly smiled. “See? We’ve all done shit we’re not proud of, some of us literally.”

  He chuckled humorlessly. “I also sat tied to a chair while my friends’ and family’s brains were splattered across the bookshelves of an old library. Now, that was the worst.”

  He shot me a sideways glance and I caught a bit of anger burning behind his brown-eyed stare. He was definitely still pissed at Nicholai for what he’d done. Good; he’d need to channel that anger into sheer power of will if he planned on coming with me to take him on.

  Speaking of which…

  “Anyway,” I said, getting back to the point. “I’m a demigod, a descendant of Kya, the Water Goddess, and blessed by Ida, the Fire Goddess, with extra power. There were eight of us.”

  I swallowed hard and closed my eyes at the use of the past tense.

  I love you, Cade. I’ll see you soon.

  I took a deep breath. “Cade was one of them, so that means there are only seven of us now. Sienna and Xavier are demigods, too, blessed by Kya and Dru respectively. Dru’s the Water God.”

  If their muddled expressions were anything to go by, all the names and skewed history were screwing with them. It would have been easier if the truth had remained sacred.

  I tried coming at it from a different angle. “You know how I have this extra power?”

  Holden nodded. Lilly and Pax didn’t.

  I held out my hands and produced two large wisps. One flickered into the electric blue of a scorching hot flame as the other wavered into a glittering teardrop of crystal water. Suddenly, they all understood what I was saying.

  “There are four others like me, not including Sienna and Xavier. We need to find them. Ida said we’d need all of us if we hope to defeat Nicholai.”

  Holden’s eyes glazed over for a second before snapping back to mine. “But Cade’s gone…”

  I nodded forlornly. “We’ll have to make it work with seven. Now back to my original question—where are the Revolutionists? I need to find Sienna and Xavier.”

  Holden looked nervous. “They’re trailing Nicholai closely, attacking when they can, rescuing humans, and cleaning up his mess along the way.”

  I nodded firmly. “Okay, then. We need to catch up to them. Let’s go.”

  I started wading toward the riverbank.

  “Whoa, Val, calm down,” Holden said, making waves as he tried to swim closer to me. “Let’s not be rash. Let’s think this through.”

  My brows furrowed, but I stopped and turned around. “I’ve already thought it through. I need to gather the demies and kill Nicholai. That’s the only thing that matters anymore. The sooner I do that, the better.”

  He shook his head. “You said you needed to train. You said you’d give yourself two weeks. Stick to that. Take your time and be fully set. You don’t want to bl
ow your one and only chance at defeating your grandfather on an ill-prepared plan.”

  I wanted to ignore him—especially since he’d referred to that maniacal tyrant as my grandfather—but unfortunately his words had struck a chord. What if he was right? What if I really did need some time before I was truly ready? What if I rushed through and attacked the Elitists but lost? The whole world would crumble…

  I fought back a growl and turned to Lilly and Paxton. “What do you guys think?”

  Pax shrugged, looking like a deer in the headlights.

  Lilly pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes slightly. I could tell she was thinking; I just had no idea what conclusion she was about to arrive at.

  Eventually she sighed. “I want to help, and if I’m being honest, I need these next two weeks to train. I probably need more than that, but I’ll take what I can get. If you leave now, I’ll follow you, but I’m afraid I won’t be of near enough help.”

  I contemplated her words. “So, you’re telling me you want me to wait, too?”

  “Yes,” she said with a small smile. “But I’ll be there no matter what you decide.”

  I turned away, staring across the river, across the empty fields, and over at the rolling mountains beyond them. The clouds and the distance lent them an almost dreamlike haziness. It was easy to get lost in your own head while staring at them.

  What was the worst that could happen? Nicholai could attack another city—possibly New York—and kill tens of thousands of people.

  Then again, maybe he wouldn’t. Now that we’d broken free of the Sect, maybe he’d simply wait for me to chase after him. He wanted me, after all, wanted to kill me and steal my power. So, would he keep moving, keep killing, or wait? Maybe he wouldn’t attack again for a few weeks, anyway.

  It was a gamble, one I wasn’t sure I was willing to risk.

  Mathematically, thousands versus billions was a no-brainer. If I had to sacrifice one city in order to save the whole world, I should do it in a heartbeat. Ethically, however, it was much more complicated. I didn’t want to sacrifice anyone, except maybe myself and the other demies.

  I needed a guaranteed way to keep him from killing any innocents until I reached him. But how?

  I suppose I could send him a message, tell him we were going to fight it out, once and for all, winner takes over the world. I could have scoffed at how ridiculous that sounded. Besides, a message like that would give him ample time to prepare, and I didn’t want that.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Holden and Lilly watching me intently as I debated the pros and cons. Neither of them dared to speak in case they tipped whatever delicate balance I’d achieved in my internal battle.

  Pax had slipped back underwater and was hanging out amongst the rocks of the riverbed.

  I needed more time to think, but if I was being honest, my gut was telling me to wait. I didn’t know if that was some sort of demigod reflex kicking in, if Ida was silently nudging my spirit, or if Holden’s words had just been too true to ignore, but I couldn’t deny my instincts.

  I would stay and train for two more weeks—not a day longer—and I’d pray to the gods Nicholai didn’t attack another city in the meantime.

  I heaved a massive sigh and nodded. “We’ll stay for the original two weeks.”

  Lilly nodded back at me, and Holden looked far too relieved for my comfort. What the hell was in it for him if I hung around a bit longer? Was this some sort of political coup? Was he secretly working with Nicholai and the Elitists? Surely not…

  Then it hit me: he wanted more time with me. He wanted us, and now that Cade was out of the picture, he thought he’d have a better chance than ever.

  It made me sick to think he was planning to move in on me when Cade’s grave was still warm. What kind of sick bastard uses another man’s death as their gain? And who tries to manipulate a grieving woman when her emotions are as chaotic as ever? If that was the case, he was royally fucked up. It was a big if, though. I didn’t know any of that for sure, so I decided to keep my speculative disgust to myself.

  I dipped my head underwater, and the vivid aquatic landscape came to life. This same river ran into Center Allegheny, but it was deeper here, and slower. The bottom was smoother, calmer, and covered in rounded rocks of all sizes and colors. The water itself almost glowed a bright turquoise, despite looking dark green from the surface, and the fish and flora swayed gracefully in the lazy current.

  Pax was lying face down in the rocks, snuggling his cheek against the smooth stones.

  I rolled my eyes and smiled. “Come on, Pax. Time to get back to training.”

  He groaned. “Is that what you decided, then? No suicide missions?”

  “Haven’t you had enough of those yet?”

  He chuckled and we swam above water together.

  Holden and Lilly were already climbing up the bank, the latter having a much easier time due to her control over the Earth, the former slipping around like a fawn on new legs.

  “You could help me, you know,” Holden snapped as he lost his balance and dug his hands and knees into the mud.

  Lilly chuckled. “And why would I do that?”

  Holden raised a brow and shot her one of his famous charming smiles. “I know you think I’m attractive. You haven’t stopped staring at me since we met. The quickest way to get in my good graces is to help me out.”

  Lilly’s features morphed from humor into concern. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Here…” She held out her hand. “Let me help you up.”

  “Thank you,” Holden said, sounding rather pleased with himself. But when he went to put his hand in hers, she quickly pulled it away and he slipped the whole way down and back into the water.

  Lilly laughed hysterically as Holden splashed into the shallows.

  “What the hell was that?” he shouted, but since he was already back in the water, he apparently decided to wash the mud off.

  Lilly smirked. “You’re handsome, yes, but you’re too cocky. You needed to be knocked down a few pegs.”

  Just then, Lilly shrieked, and a tornado of Wind erupted around her.

  What the…?

  Leaves and vines filled the funnel, giving it an eerie green glow. It ripped branches from the nearby trees, lifted undergrowth from the ground, and sucked in nearby clouds. Even some water from the river was drawn into its storm.

  She screamed again from the center of the vortex, a look of terror plastered on her face.

  “Make it stop!” she cried, and I instantly turned an accusing glare at Holden.

  “What?” he asked defensively. “It wasn’t me!”

  “You’re the only Wind here!” I shouted back, using my control over the water to keep me from being completely sucked away by the freak tornado.

  “Valerie! I. didn’t. do. it!” His expression was wide open and surprisingly innocent.

  Shit. He really hadn’t created the tornado in retaliation.

  I shot my gaze back to Lilly, who stood completely unaffected in the middle of the chaos. I couldn’t help but notice that her feet were still firmly on the ground, and her hair wasn’t blowing in the torrential wind. Mine sure as hell was, the white-blonde strands whipping my cheeks hard enough to leave pink streaks.

  And then it hit me. A memory flashed before my eyes: me, standing as she was, tied to a stake and surrounded by a blast of electric blue fire and frosty blue ice. It was the moment I’d received my Elemental powers—both of them.

  “Lilly…” I began slowly, shouting over the gale. “I think it’s you.”

  “What?” she screamed, staring at me like I was a freaking lunatic.

  I nodded quickly. “I think Meg chose you as her champion.”

  “Valerie, I have no idea what the hell you’re saying!”

  I glared at Holden as if it were still, somehow, his fault. “Help her! She doesn’t know how to turn it off.”

  Holden looked as confused as Lilly sounded, but thankfully he held up his hands and helped calm the raging w
ind. After a few minutes of struggling, the whirlwind finally died down, depositing a thick layer of displaced vegetation on the ground at our feet.

  Mine and Paxton’s hair was a blown-out mess. Lilly’s and Holden’s looked perfect as ever.

  “You’re a Wind?” he asked her in confusion.

  She shook her head fervently. “No, I’m an Earth.”

  This time I shook my head. “No, you’re a demigod. I think Meg, Goddess of Wind, chose you as her champion and blessed you with extra power. She’s a bit of a dick, so she probably enjoyed it when you let Holden fall down the bank.”

  The thought made me smile, but Lilly was too busy freaking out, pacing across the grass in between the river and the few trees separating us from the street.

  “Oh my god, what am I going to do? How am I going to control this?”

  I climbed out of the water and patted her back with a perfectly dry hand. “I felt the exact same way when I got my extra power.”

  “And you were terrible at controlling it, too,” Holden added as he scrambled back up the bank.

  I thought about pushing him into the water a second time.

  “But I had Elementals who helped me,” I continued, ignoring him. “Elementals who controlled the same powers I did and could therefore teach me properly.”

  I shifted my sly eyes to Holden, and he instantly tensed up.

  “What? Me? You want me to train her? I couldn’t possibly.”

  “Why not?” I asked, accidentally putting my nose in the air.

  He looked flabbergasted. “Well…for one, I’m the Modernist leader. I don’t have time.”

  “And yet you’re here now, shirking your duties and training with us,” I said sarcastically.

  He opened his mouth then snapped it shut. “For two, I’m a Modernist…I don’t have extensive experience with using my element in practical ways.”

  I put a hand on my hip. “Maybe not in practical ways, no, but as a Modernist, you have an endless amount of experience at taming your element and caging it inside.”

  “But…” His features contorted, but he couldn’t seem to come up with a good excuse. “But she’s a jerk. She totally just tricked me and let me fall.”