Air: The Elementals: Book One

by Jennifer Lush

  Lilah closed her eyes and tried to concentrate hard to focus on her mom, but there was nothing. She was blocked. Trying a different tactic, she tried to pick up on something psychically, anything that would help her figure out what Uncle Todd had been talking about downstairs. It was no use.

  Taking a deep breath, she tried once more. This time she simply saw the letter V behind her closed lids. That was enough to convince her even though she knew it was just as likely a coincidence caused by her worried mind than it was any kind of vision. Besides, it was her mom who had recently told her coincidences are usually anything but just a day ago. Lilah stared at the window knowing there could only be one explanation. V is for vamps. Vamps as in vampires.

  Lilah ran down the stairs again to the kitchen to confront her mom and uncle, but they weren’t there. She looked around downstairs then went to her mom’s room. No sign of her. She hesitated before checking the attic because she didn’t want to disturb Sara and Gene, but she couldn’t resist.

  The attic stairs creaked and groaned beneath her feet, and she tried to walk them as quietly as possible. The only people she saw were her cousins who were sound asleep. She had no idea where her mom and Uncle Todd would have gone, but had no doubt they left to continue their conversation about vampires in private. ‘Vampires,’ she thought, shaking her head as she quietly retreated to her room. ‘Could it possibly be true?’

  Chapter Four

  Marcus awoke in the makeshift hut in the trunk of his tree unaware of the blistering cold outside. He kept the air around him warm protecting him from the harsh winter. A small haze of light penetrated through the bark. The dawn was still young.

  It was clear what woke him so early. Leena was up again. Her father had taken ill, and her mother was adamant about marrying her off to a warrior in their tribe who could provide their family with meat from his hunts. The warrior was twenty years her senior and already had two wives. Leena had nightmares about the pairing, but found no way to escape its eventuality.

  Marcus often became blinded by the rage and jealousy he felt over the thought of his Leena forced to marry a man she did not desire, but he knew intervening was forbidden. “Observation only,” his mind repeated.

  “My Leena,” he said to himself. Marcus dropped his shoulders and looked to the ground. “She’s no more mine than this tree I call my home,” he thought. “Less so as this tree can know my presence, something that Leena can never know.”

  More light was cutting through the trunk now. Marcus cupped his hands into his water pail to lift a drink to his lips. When the ripples stopped, he gazed at his reflection on the surface. His light bronze skin was just as smooth as the day he arrived. His brown eyes stared back at him. A beard covered his square jaw. He had made futile attempts to keep it cut with the sharp rocks he’d found to form spears, but had long ago given up. The man staring back at him was still quite striking even with the scruffy hair hanging from his chin, and Marcus sometimes had difficulty separating himself, his true self, from the image he saw clearly before him.

  He rooted through the floor of the tree to find his provisions of nuts and some assorted vegetation that faired the cold weather. His last hunt supplied him with enough meat to last for weeks stored in the snowbanks outside. With the snow easily collected to melt for water, cooking and cleaning, Leena had not made daily trips to the stream with her buckets since a few weeks after Marcus first spied her. In fact, she rarely left her village at all. Marcus felt no need to leave his home if not to see her again.

  Spring would break soon, and Marcus knew he should leave to learn from other villages. He also knew that was something he could never do. His connection to Leena was too strong. He worried about failing the Divine Spirit, but he had followed all of the rules laid before him. He only used his powers for safety and survival. He had not made anyone aware of his presence. Still, Marcus had fallen in love as much as he hated to admit it.

  “Isn’t that part of the human experience?” he wondered out loud. “Love.”

  Marcus convinced himself that having these feelings did not break the rules set for him. It actually could be considered part of what he was sent here to do. He was to study human interaction and experiences to understand them better. Marcus had definitely accomplished the latter. His feelings for Leena kept him confined to this tree most of the winter where he followed her with his mind’s eye instead of experiencing anything for himself.

  He rested his head back and began a breakfast of pecans and his own version of pemmican. He learned from watching the women of the village combine fruit and meat to make bars for the men to take on their hunt. Marcus didn’t have everything they used, but what he managed to make tasted good and kept him satisfied. Fire couldn’t be chanced this close to the village, so he had to travel a great distance to cook. He could prepare a week or more worth of pemmican at a time, so it was his main staple.

  While he ate, he watched her again. Marcus couldn’t keep his thoughts away from her for long. She was layered in animal furs stoking the fire for warmth as well as to melt snow to drink. Leena was drained, and it showed on her face. Marcus wanted nothing more than to go to her. He wanted to hold her and comfort her. He wanted to take her away from the cruel fate that awaited her, but take her where? All he could do was watch over her and dream of a life that couldn’t possibly exist between them. His time was limited. Not only would giving in to temptation and meeting her surely be suffered by severe punishment upon his return, but it would not help her in the long run. He would be interrupting her life only to abandon her in the fall when he had to return to the spirit realm.

  He watched as Leena laid cool cloths on her father’s wide forehead. Even with the cold that snuck in their hut overnight, he was still burning up. She propped his head with a bundle of fur and slowly fed him some broth to sip. Marcus knew her dad’s end was near, but he would first improve. He would recover from this illness initially, but the toll it was taking on his body would bring about his demise in the autumn of the year. Marcus worried about how he would be around to witness Leena’s grief because he was uncertain he would be strong enough to not go to her then. He could barely stay away now.

  Marcus decided to spend the day exploring. He needed to try to get his mind off what his heart was feeling. He could keep the air around him warmed, so the temperature outside was of no concern to him. Marcus placed the shoes he had crafted on his feet. It was another trick he had learned from watching the villagers. His shoes were not as impressive. They were simply two sheets of animal hide from his first successful hunt tied around his feet with smaller pieces of hide tucked inside. They were inferior to what the villagers wore, but he had little time to construct anything before winter had settled in the area.

  He removed the door of branches and vines from the opening of the tree. Marcus allowed the bitter air to burst forth and startle his warm body before controlling the air around him again. The cold was almost cleansing. It cleared the thoughts of Leena from his mind completely.

  Marcus stepped outside and looked at the snow cover. It glistened in the morning rays that cut through the tree branches. The snow sparkled like it had memorized the starry night sky and was mimicking it on its surface. There was a light snowfall, and he liked the feel of each cold flake that landed on his skin before melting from his body heat.

  The trees were silent and had been for months mostly. Most days the only sound was the night owl that rocked him to sleep each evening. Occasionally, a deer would make its way close enough for Marcus to spy, but they seemed to be aware not to travel too close to the village. Even without their constant chittering and running through the valley, Marcus was keenly aware of the animals that slumbered nearby. Many snakes, squirrels and other animals had made their winter homes in the vicinity. Marcus was careful not to hike near enough to disturb their homes or their rest.

  The glistening white terrain was forgiving, but he slowly hiked for miles giving no real thought to where he was going until he rea
ched the small clearing he used for preparing food. He no doubt walked there out of habit as opposed to intent. This location suited a fire perfectly as it was too far from the village for the smoke to be detected. He looked around and found the sycamore he had used to hide a small stash of coconuts before winter began. His supply was dwindling, and he would soon have to use the bucket to gather snow for melting to conquer his thirst.

  Clearing a spot in the snow, Marcus drew warm air to the earth before sitting. He reached into his robes and pulled out a piece of pemmican. Marcus had been so mesmerized by the beauty of winter in the forest around him that he had not realized how much time had passed or how hungry he had become. He ate and drank from the coconut as he thought about how great this walk had been to help him organize his mind. He hadn’t even thought about Leena for hours.

  “Leena,” he whispered. “Here I go again.”

  Marcus distracted himself by clearing his fire pit of snow. He had no trouble seeing wood beneath the snow or preparing it to burn with the forced dry air he summoned to it. Soon he had a small fire going, and he allowed the bitter air to chill his body so the heat from the flames could warm him. Leena escaped his thoughts again as quickly as she had entered them.

  He stared into the flames for a long time thinking about nothing and everything. Marcus had always known that he and his companions controlled the elements, but he was amazed by how much humans could control them as well. It was evident much they depended on them and their ability to manipulate them. Life would not be able to survive without the most basic uses of the four elements here. Fire meant survival. It provided heat and prepared food. Water was needed for everything to grow and thrive from the smallest blade of grass to the largest bear. Earth provided fruit and vegetation, poultices, and shelter. Air scattered seeds for life to continue and breezes to cool you. It also contained the very breath you needed for survival.

  People found a way to harness these elements themselves. These villages didn’t wait for air to disperse seeds. They harvested the seeds in the fall and planted them every spring. They had learn how to add nutrients to the ground to help the plants grow even if the earth was not that rich. They interfered with the natural course of water, so it would flow through fields. They created fire with tools of their own design.

  It impressed him considerably. He knew the humans’ ability to manage the elements were limited by comparison, but their accomplishments were nonetheless magnificent. No other creature had ever made such progress.

  His thoughts on the inhabitants’ progress were cut short, ‘The fever has broken.’ Marcus continued to stare in the fire, but he could see the hut where Leena’s family were excited and relieved to see her father doing better for the first time in days. He knew the relief would be short lived, but they still had a little time before they would see just how much he had weakened.

  Marcus blocked the air from the fire, and it quickly died out. He covered his fire pit with snow and began the walk back. He decided to take the long way by walking across to the stream before heading north to his home. Winter was almost over, and he wanted to see the ice covering the stream again while he still could. It was one of many sights that he hoped would never fade from memory after his Return.

  As he walked toward the stream, a branch snapped near him. It startled him, but he knew before he looked that it was a buck. Marcus had sensed the deer while he was still sitting by the fire. He stopped and turned to face it. It was close, but it was still at least fifty yards away. The buck saw him as well Marcus was sure. Marcus could sense the apprehension the deer felt, and knew it was unsure as to whether he was a threat. The deer bowed his head for a moment obviously deciding that he meant him no harm.

  Marcus stood very still not wanting to cause an alarm. He knew that as soon as he moved, the deer would run. Marcus was awed by the buck’s size. It’s different seeing one like this than when you are watching from afar. He already knew how people and animals compared in size, but it didn’t prepare him for experiencing it himself. The buck lifted his head again and turned away. Another noise had caused it to take heed. It turned back to Marcus before bolting off into the trees almost as though he was trying to give warning of possible danger nearby.

  No more creatures made themselves known as he continued his walk toward the stream. Light was fading. There were still a couple hours before dusk, but the tree cover blocked most of it. Even after they shed all of their leaves, they still prevented a lot of the light from peering through. He knew he was getting closer even without being able to hear the bubbling of the flowing water. Marcus used his intuition to see the rocks and limbs that scattered the ground under the snow. He knew exactly where to step to avoid tripping on them. However, he hadn’t yet learned to watch for ice.

  The ground was slick where he stepped down with his right foot on the bank of the stream, and it slipped up in the air bringing his other foot with it. Before Marcus could react, he was falling and twisting until he landed on the ice covered stream with enough force to break through the surface into the near freezing water below. The forest was awakened by the sound, and every living thing scrambled for safety. Marcus could hear every one retreat even as the cold penetrated his entire body stinging like a thousand little mosquitos biting him at once.

  Marcus clambered for the bank trying to pull himself out of the water, but he slipped back into the icy drink. He tried again and was able to grab hold of a large sturdy rock to pull himself up on. His right ankle shot pains up his leg, and his right foot jutted out an awkward angle. The pain from the break was almost enough to distract him from the ache that ran down the length of his back.

  He wound the air around him into a warm dry personal tornado to dry himself and his robes. It was the one problem he could easily fix. Sitting on the rock stunned with paralyzing fear, he wondered how the villagers faired in this weather. A fall like that would surely be fatal for them. They would freeze before reaching the warming fires of their home especially with injuries like his. Even if they did reach their home, a broken bone such as this one could lead to a permanent disability or death from infection.

  The muscles in his back loosened first, and the ache quickly faded as it healed. His ankle would take more time. Marcus was unsure as to how long it needed or if he could do anything to help it along. Carefully and slowly, he moved his foot back to the correct position as best he could. The torrents of pain that rippled through him rocked him hard, and he almost slipped back into the stream.

  Shoving his fist into his mouth, he bit down hard to prevent any screams from being released. The fear of his voice echoing far enough for anyone to chance hearing him was still a possibility that he couldn’t risk. The aftershocks of the jolt started to fade, and he regained control of his breathing until he was once again calm. Time passed, and he had no way to tell how long he sat waiting for the ankle to heal. The only indication was the darkness that started to cover the valley like a blanket.

  He ventured to move from the rock to the other side of the water before darkness fully took hold. There was a risk of falling in again, and it would amplify once all light was gone. It was easier than he expected. His ankle still cried out at him in the form of painful throbs that could be felt up to his knee, but it was not as intense as it had been when he moved his foot.

  On the bank, he sat down again to rest and give his ankle as much time as it needed. There was no way to tell how long it would take. All of his previous accidents had been minor by comparison. A pulled muscle or perhaps a scratch was the extent he had suffered. They had healed within minutes. This would likely take quite a while. Even when the veil of nightfall covered him, he continued to wait. He wouldn’t attempt to make it home until the hunger in his abdomen became worse than his pain.

  Slow and steady, he walked back to his tree as carefully as he could. Night was upon him. His faith in seeing the hidden obstacles in the covered ground had been shaken. Marcus wanted to reach the safety of his tree, and he vowed to stay th
ere until spring came to light the wilderness with beauty and expose all of the hidden dangers once again.

  Chapter Five

  Lilah didn’t see her mom or her uncle until late the next evening. She was waiting on the front porch when the car pulled in the drive. “Where’d you guys disappear to?”

  “We went to Trinity to meet with the rest of the family this morning,” her mom answered.

  “You had to drive all the way there? You couldn’t have talked to them any other way?” Lilah was suspicious.

  “It’s nice to visit in person too, Lilah,” her uncle told her.

  “In the middle of the night?”

  “It was morning when we arrived,” her uncle explained.

  “What are you getting at, Lilah?” her mom sounded irritated.

  “I just thought you might have been checking on the camps.”

  Todd looked at Abby. “I told you it was a bad idea. Are you going to tell her or should I?”

  Lilah shot her mom a look with her arms firmly crossed over her chest. ‘They better not try to lie again this time.’

  “I won’t lie to you,” her mom said.

  Lilah threw her hands up and groaned. “Would you stop already?” She stormed over to the swing and sat down so hard she worried for a second it might break from where it was attached on the ceiling of the porch. “Stop listening in on my thoughts all the damn time! You’re always telling me private thoughts should stay private, but you never practice what you preach!”

  “You’re right.” Her mom had that condescending appeasing tone to her voice that grated Lilah’s nerves. “I’ll stop.”

  “So get on with it,” Lilah demanded. “What is it you claim you’re not going to lie to me about?”

  “You heard your uncle correctly last night. It was vamps that he said like you thought.”