by T K Eldridge
“Okay, so why are you really here?” Grams asked.
“How much do you know about elementals and mythics?” I asked her.
“Not a lot. Elementals tend to think they’re above everyone else and mythics don’t like to play well with others – at least in my experience. Now, Siddie finding her Chosen among the mythics surprised me a bit – but now that we know mythic is in the bloodline, it’s not unheard of. When, or if, they ever decide to have children, I’m going to be curious as to what kind of powers they develop. Imagine a dragon that can use witch magic and draw from the fae elemental power source,” Grams said.
I blinked at her and made a soft ‘wow’ sound.
“Precisely that. It’s why hybrids were feared and shunned for so long. Along with the lack of healthy births for shifter and witch blends. Which we now know is because witches created the shifters and the magics conflicted instead of blended. The potion I helped create combats those magical conflicts.”
“The elementals have a group that are contesting the council, and using rocks and firebombs to cause chaos. Why would they not be using their magics?” I asked.
“Maybe they’re reserving their power for something else?” Grams said.
“Why reserve? I mean, eat a good meal or two, get a solid night’s sleep, and you can pull all you need for the next day – right?”
“For most people? Yes. But not all elementals. They are the essence of their element. Burn through it all, and they can wither and fade.”
“Huh. So they may be planning something big?”
“That’d be my guess. I just hope they don’t. The last time the elementals attacked, the whole Eastern Seaboard lost power for four days because of the storms.”
“My advice, Grams? Prepare for something like that coming soon. Do what you have to, to stock up and reinforce the farm or whatever.”
“When Liam gets home, we’ll make a list and get started on it tomorrow. Just in case.”
“I’d rather you were prepared than surprised, Grams.”
“Me, too.”
Chapter Seventeen
Sid
It was moving day and we were racing the storm. The last couple of days, clouds had gathered and the winds had started to rise and fall over a forty-eight hour period. Sin’s friends with the moving company had shown up at the cottage in the early morning, and we cleaned the last of the stuff out so Grandma Maggie’s cleaning crew could come in and give the place a polish before their things were moved in that afternoon.
At our new house, the things we were keeping were unloaded, and the rest was being donated to the homeless habitat charity that helped people get settled that didn’t have much. It was unnerving to see the trees bowed by the gusts of wind just outside the two-story high windows, but Drake assured me they were reinforced and could handle a tree coming down against them.
Yesterday, Grizz had taken me to meet Dr. Everly Rosemont. She had met us at the library in Belle Cove because Grizz didn’t want to travel too far with Glenda ready to deliver at any moment. Her dark blue hair and eyes, and nearly albino white skin told me she was a supernatural without having known beforehand that she was an ice phoenix.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sidonie,” Dr. Rosemont said as we stood from our seats at the table in a private study room.
“A pleasure for me, as well, Doctor. I enjoyed the one lecture of yours I attended a few years back when I was still at State,” I said.
“Do you ladies need me to stay?” Grizz asked.
“No, my friend. We’ll be fine. You go be with your lady,” Dr. Rosemont told him.
“I’m fine, Grizz. Give Glenda my best, and rub her feet with that lotion Mira gave you,” I told him.
When he left, we settled at the table and Dr. Rosemont opened her briefcase. “I brought some copies of things for you. Some are scanned on this thumb drive, but I didn’t get it all done, so I just made paper copies.”
“Thank you for that. I like to dig into the material on my own when I can focus,” I said.
“I’ve admired your research skill and how it’s developed over time. I know you didn’t write that e-book that was spread all over, but the material that went into it was your work, yes?”
“Yes, it was.”
“Impressive. So, what I’ve brought with me is the research and data I’ve compiled on the Prophecy Twins. At one point, those of us that have studied the prophecy thought the twins were Camille and Cameron McKinnon. They were the mother and uncle of the pack of troublemakers plaguing you these days.” Everly handed me a bottle of water, then opened one for herself and took a sip. “Camille married Jean-Paul Marius and had six children – three boys and three girls. She died birthing the last daughter that was named for her, which confirmed that we were wrong about which twins the prophecy was about.”
“I thought Caleb and that crew were all elementals?” I asked.
“They are. Elemental and mythic. The twins mother was a nymph and the father was a merfolk.”
“But the prophecy says ‘gifting them with all that lies, in magic under seas and skies’. My brother and I are shifter, witch, mythic, and fae elemental. My great-grandmother was a sylph.”
“And that’s one reason we know you and Sinclair are the true Prophecy Twins. Add to that the blessing that Orion gave you,” Dr. Rosemont said. “And there is no question.”
“So, what are we supposed to do? I mean, Sin and I both serve the community and have for years now.” I didn’t want to tell her about how I believed Orion’s so-called blessing was a manipulation tool.
“To save us in this fragile hour,” Dr. Rosemont said. “That means there will be a time when the community hangs between survival and loss – and you and your brother will be the ones to save us all. Or, so I hope.”
“This community has been through more than its share over the past few years. It is my hope that whatever it is gets dealt soon, or holds off for a century or so. My neighbors and family need some time to heal and tend to their lives.”
“Understood. There is one thing I’d like to clarify for you, though. Elementals are mythics, and mythics are elementals. A sylph may be an ‘air elemental’ – but they are the element of air, given form beyond mist and fog. Some sylphs can ‘shift’ from a human form to an air form, although not many today learn the old ways. A nymph is the element of water, given form, and so on. They are mythics in that something that was only known in one form, can shift into another. They try to differentiate themselves from other mythics, but when the Creators gave the elements sentience and purpose, they didn’t give them human forms. It took the witches disrupting the fabric of reality by creating shifters that allowed all of the others, excluding fae, the ability to take human form. Fae were given a version of the human form, by the elementals and the Creators, in order to serve the needs of the elemental beings.”
“Because the elemental beings didn’t have opposable thumbs? That’s why the fae were created?” I asked.
“Pretty much,” Dr. Rosemont replied.
I started to giggle, then laugh. Dr. Rosemont chuckled a little along with me.
“It is rather ridiculous when you think about it, isn’t it?” she said.
“I’m thinking about going back to Grandma Maggie and Grampa Fionn, and explaining to them they were created to be a servant class because they had thumbs,” I said around a snort of laughter.
Dr. Rosemont’s eyes widened, and then she covered her mouth with a hand and started to laugh harder. “Oh, stars, I would love to be a fly on the wall for that revelation,” she said.
We went over some of the documents she’d brought, and then said our farewells, with a promise to talk if I needed any clarification or explanation on what she’d given me.
I put the documents from Dr. Rosemont on the desk in my new office, then sat for a moment and watched the trees bounce and sway. The sky had lightened some, but it still looked like a storm had rolled in and settled around the mountains.
/> I got up and went to find Drake.
“Hey, luv,” I said when I found him seated on the floor, parts of a table spread around him. “I forgot to leave the extra replacement bulbs for the stove hood in the old place, and I want to grab the pot of herbs off the back porch that Sett dropped by and we didn’t pack up.”
“Go ahead. I’ve got a few more pieces to put together, once I figure out how this table works,” Drake said. “Bring something back for lunch?”
“Sure thing, any preferences?”
“I don’t care as long as we don’t have to cook it or do dishes afterwards,” Drake replied. He kissed me back when I leaned over to kiss him goodbye, then went back to his project.
“Love you,” I said as I headed out the door.
“Love you more,” Drake replied.
I dropped off the replacement bulbs, grabbed the pot of herbs, and gave my grandparents a quick hug. I doubt anyone would have believed me if I told them just how happy the King and Queen were as they unpacked and sorted their belongings in the little Victorian cottage. Yes, they had four people there helping them, but they were setting up a new home and a new way of life that they were both beyond excited to start. It made my own heart happy because it meant that no matter how many centuries one might exist, there were still simple things that could give one joy.
At the barbecue place, I got a couple of brisket sandwiches on homemade crusty rolls, with coleslaw and baked beans as sides, then headed home. I had texted Drake that I had food and he said he was going to take a shower and the furniture was done. Once home, I put the food in the kitchen and started to unpack it when I heard Drake shout.
I ran towards our room, but skidded to a stop when I saw a very curvy redhead in very little clothing, standing in the middle of our bedroom. Drake held a towel around his hips and stared at the woman in shock.
“Excuse me, but what the fuck?” I said.
“Aww, Drakey, you didn’t tell me you were into groups,” the woman purred. Yes, purred.
“Asherin, what the hell are you doing in our house?” Drake said.
“Our house? Oh, baby, I knew you wanted me,” Asherin said, then she turned to me. “Servants need to knock before entering.”
“Oh, no, you didn’t just…” I snarled and started towards her, but Drake reached out and pulled me to him.
“Asherin, I’d like you to meet my Chosen, Sidonie Boudreau. Siddie? This is Ash, my ex girlfriend who apparently can’t read or comprehend the words ‘it’s over’,” Drake said.
“Seriously, Drake? You’re going to toss this aside for that?” Asherin said.
“Get out, Ash, and don’t ever come back. You can stay in the enclave, but you are never going to have permission to come here,” Drake said.
“She’s not even a dragon,” Asherin said as she pulled her clothes back on. “That’s disgusting.”
“Listen here, dimwit,” I snarled. “I’m more than any one being and if you cross my threshold again, I’ll show you just how fierce I can be.” I turned to Drake. “Put some clothes on, I’ll take this trash out.”
“But…” Asherin started and Drake growled. Literally growled. She shut up then and grabbed her purse off the bed.
I found her heels on the floor, scooped them up, and shoved them into her chest, then spun her around and pushed her towards the door. “Out. Keep walking. Go. Out.” We got out into the main room, and I pulled the front door open and gave her a shove. “Get the fuck out and stay out.”
“You’ll regret this someday,” Asherin spit back at me.
“Yeah, no. I don’t think so,” I replied and slammed the door in her face, then locked it.
“That’s it,” I shouted. “We lock all the doors when we’re not in the main room. No more letting the wind blow the trash inside.”
Drake left the hallway, barefoot and in just his jeans, and pulled me against him. “I love you. I’m so sorry I didn’t lock up before I went to take a shower.”
I wound myself around him and kissed him with every ounce of feeling I had for him. “Shut up and take me to bed,” I said.
“Wait, what?”
“Take me to bed. I’m done being afraid of what this all is. I saw her in our room and I wanted to rip her throat out. You are mine and I love you and life has no meaning without you in it. Let’s seal this bond, once and for all.”
“You’re sure? This isn’t just because you’re pissed that Asherin was here?”
“I’m sure. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, this was just the last push I needed to get out of my own way.”
Those sandwiches tasted great reheated and eaten like a picnic on our bed – before we tangled the sheets yet again.
Chapter Eighteen
Sin
I answered the door to a delivery person. The box he handed me was so light, it almost blew out of my hands. For three days now, the winds had been gusting hard enough to take down trees, scatter branches across roads and yards, and upset the ferry schedule to the isles.
“What’s that?” Mira asked.
“I don’t know, but it’s addressed to me,” I said. “It’s too light to be more books.”
When I opened it up, I started laughing.
“Who would send you a stuffed animal?” Mira asked.
“It’s a stuffed badger – from Bastien. It’s his reminder that I need to reach out to my friends and family, and not let myself get cornered.”
“Ah, that’s kinda cute,” Mira replied. “When was the last time you two hung out together?”
“It’s been too long,” I said with a sigh. “I need to get him to join the next Drake, Grizz, and Finn gathering. I think they’d all get along well together.”
“I agree. Maybe have them over here and do a barbecue or something?”
“I’d like that, and have them bring their ladies?”
“Yes, of course. It’ll have to wait until after Glenda is up to going out again. I’ve already put a basket together for once the baby is born. Drake said he’d take it up to the aerie for me.”
I pulled Mira in for a hug. “You’re so good. Have I told you yet how much I love you?”
“Today? Yes, but tell me anyway,” Mira teased back and kissed me. “The twins are napping and the other two are at school. Want to take advantage of the moment?”
Have I mentioned yet how comfortable that huge leather sofa in our family room is? Yeah, it’s amazingly versatile.
* * *
The weather continued to be wild and unpredictable, so much so that the weather experts called it an anomaly. Some predicted if the weather stayed this unsettled, that the first Nor’easter of the season would combine with it and create a super storm.
Grams called in reinforcements, and I found myself working with Bastien and his high school boarders as well as my Dad and Drake as we stacked sandbags around the more fragile fields. Flooding would destroy thousands of dollars worth of crops and wash away those plants that had only been in the ground for a short while. Sheets of burlap were pinned down over shrub-type plants to keep the wind from snapping off more branches, and trenches were dug around older fields to help redirect any water that might overflow the riverbanks or come from a deluge-style rainstorm.
When two major accidents and multiple minor ones happened near the university due to the weather, the school decided to go virtual for the last few classes before the holidays. That meant that, even though I came home from the farm every day, exhausted and filthy, I could still keep up with some of my classwork. A shower, a nap, and I got up to eat whatever Mira had left for me in my office over the garage while I studied. I’d work for a few hours, clean up my dishes, go to bed and get up the next morning to do it all over again.
So, yeah, I’m going to blame my exhaustion on the fact that I didn’t think about what might be driving the storm. Hindsight being twenty-twenty and all that, I can see it now, but I sure as hell didn’t see it then.
It was about four in the morning – two hours
after I’d fallen asleep and three hours before I had to get out of bed, when Ethan came into our room and shook my shoulder.
“Da…wake up. Da, Biggie says there’s trouble coming. Da,” Ethan hissed at me and I finally opened my eyes.
“What’s wrong, Ethan?”
“Biggie says there’s trouble coming. You need to get up,” Ethan said and pressed the coin into my hand.
“Wake up, Sinclair. There was just a huge influx of new souls to the Fade. Some tragedy has happened and there are more coming in every minute.”
“Oh, gods,” I stuttered and sat up. “Where, Sir Cedric?”
“Somewhere off the coast, but not on the islands. I think maybe the ferry went down.”
I fumbled for my phone and called Drake.
“H’lo?”
“Drake, it’s Sin. Ethan’s guardian just told me he thinks the ferry went down. There was a huge influx of new souls into the Fade and more keep trickling in. That means there may still be survivors. I’ll call the Commander and get that going, but can you get some of yours and Grizz’s guys to fly over and do a rescue?”
“Woah, yeah. I’ll fly over first and assess, then put out the call. See you soon,” Drake said and disconnected the call.
“Ethan, go back to bed, son. I’ll bring the coin back when we’re done. You did great, waking me up,” I told him and gave him a hug. Mira smiled over at him as she sat up and stretched.
“You’re welcome, Da, but I don’t think I can go back to sleep yet. I can go make you a coffee, though,” Ethan said.
“Thanks, that’d help. Put it in my travel cup, would you?” I said and pulled some clothes together. Fleece lined pants, thick wool socks, and the rest of my cold weather gear was piled onto the chair before I started to layer it on.
“I’ll go put a sandwich together for you,” Mira said and kissed my cheek. “I’ll also let Mama Mellie know we may have injured people that need care. One of us will be there to help once we figure out who is going to wrangle the kids.”