He lifted his wine glass in a toast, Theo replicated the motion immediately. I flicked my gaze to the shaman, who was - perhaps ignoring his grandson - just watching me.
"Is this a celebration?" I asked, my determination to get answers making me bold.
"Aether comes. Aether goes," the shaman answered, voice slow and whisper quiet. "Aether puts on quite the show."
"Is that what I am?" I asked, feeling both Theo's and Hip's eyes on me, but I was all for the shaman now. Nothing else in the room existed but him and me. "Something to entertain?"
He didn't reply. Just sat there, holding his cane between his parted knees, staring back at me. Waiting.
Waiting for what?
I was getting more and more frustrated with this old man and his quirky, inexplicable sayings. If he'd seen me coming in a vision, then surely he knew more of why I was here than he was letting on. It was time he confessed all.
"Why am I Aether?" I demanded.
Silence.
"How did I become Aether?"
Silence.
"Where do I go now?"
"Where Aether goes, no man knows." OK, we were back to asking the right question, to get any answer at all. Sane or otherwise.
It was at least something to go on, and by the encouraging looks Theo was giving me, he'd cottoned on to the situation, too.
"What am I meant to do next?"
Silence. I was going around in circles here, thinking maybe if I just asked a question in a different way, he'd answer.
"It's been, what? Centuries since the last Aether, why am I here now?"
I didn't expect an answer, I'd been clasping at straws with the change-it-up idea, but he stunned me silent when he said, voice suddenly strong and level, relaying his intent, "The scales tip. Balance is lost. Our world needs Aether, at all cost."
Theo shifted forward in his seat, knowing we'd made a progress of sorts. It was still mired in riddle, but it was the most forthcoming the shaman had been so far.
"Balance. What has Aether got to do with balance?" I queried, trying to puzzle it through, while I asked the question aloud.
"Aether is for balance, as Air is to breathe." This time Hip was the one to sit forward, clearly not having heard this particular 'vision' before.
"What balance? What's not balanced?" I pressed.
"Aether is for harmony, as Water is to live."
I sat back in my chair abruptly, aware we'd lost any forward momentum for now.
"Aether is for peace, as Earth is to ground us."
"Fire," I announced with a roll of my eyes, knowing the fourth Stoicheio would follow.
The shaman didn't disappoint. "Aether is for survival, as Fire is to fight."
"What about Quintessence?" I asked, just because it was the logical thing to say.
"One, two, three, four. The fifth makes it so much more."
I lifted my eyes to look at Theo, he seemed contemplative. A hand to his chin, rubbing the stubble there, while he eyed the old man with curiosity.
"Aether is all five Stoicheio, the fifth completing the transformation," Theo mused. I nodded, wanting him to dissect the shaman's words and make sense of it, as I surely couldn't. "Something has happened recently to make Aether needed. Something no longer balanced. But what?"
"Balance, harmony, peace, survival," Hip surprised us by saying, joining in on the brainstorming session to try to decipher his grandfather's seemingly inane riddles. "What have they got in common?"
"I don't know about 'common'," Theo replied, accepting Hip's inclusion in our conversation easily. "But all four branches of Ekmetalleftis concern themselves with those ideals. Aeras controls the weather..."
"Which we must keep in balance," Hip offered eagerly.
Theo nodded. "Nero controls the oceans, which work in harmony with nature to provide life."
"Gi grounds us," Hip said, "without which the planet is not at peace."
"That leaves Fire," Theo said, his eyes sweeping across the space to meet mine. "Pyrkagia fight with passion."
"Without which we can't hope to survive," Hip concluded.
They seemed inordinately pleased with themselves, but I was still a little lost. That reasoning could be attributed to almost anything, couldn't it?
"But what does that all mean?" I asked, frustration making my tone demanding.
"If all four Stoicheio are performing as they should," Hip jumped to explain, "then balance, harmony, peace, and survival are foregone conclusions. If Aether is needed, then they're obviously not performing as they should."
"I'm here because you guys couldn't maintain your positions in the grand scheme of things?" I asked, dubiously.
Theo and Hip shrugged simultaneously, it would have been humorous if things hadn't taken a turn for the bleak.
"Aetheros created us to maintain unity throughout the world," Theo explained. "Humans were becoming unstable, the environment suffering because of it. Our roles were to control the Elements should the humans push them out of balance."
"And have they?" I asked, fascinated despite the consequences of this being true. Despite what it meant to me and the enormity of it.
"The Amazon Rainforest is being culled mercilessly," Hip offered.
"Global warming is melting the polar ice-caps," Theo added.
"Bush fires blaze out of control in the Australian Outback," Hip threw in.
"Man-made CFCs are depleting the ozone layer," Theo finished.
Oh. It made a sick kind of sense. But how the hell did I balance it all out? Bring about harmony and peace? Help the world to survive? How?
I shook my head in utter bewilderment. Why me?
"Where do I even start?" I muttered, under my breath.
Hip and Theo turned to look at each other, a communication in silent words being shared. I'm not sure what their looks said, but whatever it was made sense to them.
"If this is because of that, it's taken centuries to reach a cataclysmic level," Hip reasoned, but I was lost.
"I agree," Theo countered. "But what else could it be?"
Hip shook his head from side to side, but didn't offer a verbal answer.
"What?" I asked, wanting to understand the conclusion they'd obviously reached.
But neither got to answer, because the shaman suddenly spoke up. And it wasn't to offer any blinding clarity. Of course not.
"Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Release the lock."
Unlike the previous times he'd spoken this evening, his eyes flashed a brilliant white, reaching out across the expanse of the room, touching every single person. Gasps, and the sudden screeching of chairs being pushed back, resounded out through the space. Hip stood up suddenly, glanced towards the King, then back at his grandfather.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Tick, tock. Tick, tock," was all the old man said, before he blinked out of sight on a boom of thunder. Electricity arced across the table from where he'd previously been sitting, striking me point blank in the chest.
A scream tore from my lips, as Theo rushed to catch me, my body bending backwards and then beginning to topple off the side of the chair.
"What's going on?" he demanded, his voice laden with unsaid threats. "Why did he attack Casey?"
"He didn't attack her," Hip argued. "He released her Stoicheio." He had? "If you just hold still, I'll release yours."
Why? Why now? They weren't meant to return our Elements to us until tomorrow, once we'd been escorted off Aeras land.
Theo obviously agreed.
"What's happened?" he asked, sounding more in control of his emotions now, no longer a growling beast about to defend his mate.
"Someone has breached our outer defences," Hip replied, voice strained. Another blindingly bright white light and sizzle of electricity followed, and then Theo jolted against me, where I lay in his arms.
"Fuck," he breathed out, clearly feeling the release of his Stoicheio as keenly as I had done. "You bastards don't hold back," he muttered. Hip didn't reply, but from
what I could see from my semi-reclined position, the room was in motion and he wanted to be as well.
Organised chaos ensued, barely controlled by the shouted directives of the Aeras Rigas. Theo helped me to sit upright, brushing my hair out of my eyes. I'm sure he wanted to question if I was OK, but we had more pressing matters of concern.
"Who's attacking?" he asked, bringing us up to our feet beside Hip and his Guards.
"I've no idea, but we haven't had a breach for centuries." Our Aeras guide glanced at us both, purposefully. "My guess, whoever it is, is here because of you."
Ah, freaking hell. Alchemists or Gi?
"Well," Theo replied, gold glinting in his eyes. "Best we welcome them, then."
"I was so hoping you'd say that," Hip replied, and led the charge out of the room.
Chapter Twenty-Five
It Was A Completely Selfish Act
I stumbled twice, unable to get my feet beneath me, and then had my balance further compounded by the restriction of the very tight skirt. Theo swore softly the third time he had to right my near fall, not caring now about touching me and showing concern; the Aeras were too busy running for shelter, or taking up arms, to notice our 'dependence' on each other.
Muttering something in Greek under his breath, Theo gripped the hem of my dress and yanked hard. A ripping sound reached my ears above the cacophony of noise in the room, and I watched stunned as the expensive material was torn apart. Leaving me in a thigh length skirt. Despite the chaos and uncertainty of what lay ahead, Theo's eyes blazed gold at the sight of my bare legs, as he lifted his face to mine. He offered a smirk and a wink, and then gripped my hand and hauled me after the still retreating Hip and his Guards.
Pandemonium reigned out in the corridors, civilian Aeras being herded by those of higher rank, shepherding them to the safest location in their village. We forced our way through the sea of people; elbows poking into our ribs, high heeled shoes digging into our feet. I felt like I was about to be trampled on, but Theo maintained a solid grip on my arm, ensuring I didn't slip under the tide of panicking people.
Finally we came out through the front doors of the building we'd been in, the first time I'd seen Machu Picchu up close, and not through the sheen of a glass window. The sky had darkened further, and the strategic lighting I'd seen before was now gone. Dark shadows lurked in corners, lights from various windows were all methodically being snuffed out. The Aeras were going into stealth mode, hiding their village from sight.
But there was more going on than a blackout. Super chilled air wrapped around my bare shoulders, making my body shiver uncontrollably within seconds of escaping the indoor crowd. My teeth started chattering not long after, and even with my fingers held by Theo's hand, numbness was creeping into the tips. I swear frost had started to coat my eyelashes, I dashed the moisture away and my hand came back wet.
"Wh..what's going on?" I stuttered in a whisper.
"We're lowering the Mesosphere," Hip explained, not looking any worse for wear. "Concealing the buildings in a higher layer of the atmosphere."
"But if it's Athanatos attacking, won't they see through the ruse?" Theo asked.
"We still don't know if it's Ekmetalleftis or Alchemists. We're taking what precautions we can to protect our people."
Theo nodded. I just shook with uncontrolled shivers.
"Come on then," Hip urged, eyeing my chilled state and interrupting Theo's attempts to get circulation back into my extremities.
We followed the Aeras, who led the charge through the mountain village, over the cobbled streets, weaving in and out of the Inca ruins. "The outer defences are some distance away, allowing us time to prepare for attack," Hip went on to explain in a loud whisper over his shoulder, as we squeezed between buildings that were layered in frost, icicles forming along their roof-lines.
We came to rest, some time later, at the base of a series of worn stone steps, leading up and around the side of a tall tower. I was guessing it must have been a watch tower, but once we made it up the many treads there were no Guards, other than those still with us, present.
"This is as far out as our observation platforms go," Hip whispered, creeping toward the edge of the roof to peer over the raised side. "The Rigas has commanded we keep our defences close to the village, this tower's contingency of Guards have already been instructed to fall back."
"So why are we here?" I asked, looking around at the very open space. For a Guard tower it was extremely exposed.
Hip turned to look at me, his lips pursed in a thin line, brow furrowed. "You're the bait," he announced.
Theo swore. "And you'll gladly hand us over to save yourselves," he spat.
Hip didn't even blink in the face of all that was Theo right then; a pissed off, powerful Prince of Pyrkagia. "What would you have us do?" he said evenly.
"Work with us to fight whoever is approaching," Theo ground out.
"We'll fight to defend what is ours, but we won't take unnecessary risks. Not if an alternative is available."
"What about all of that back there?" Theo almost shouted, waving a hand in the direction of the banquet's building. "Balancing out the Elements. Aether's role in securing peace and harmony for all."
Hip flicked crystalline eyes to me, his face was otherwise blank.
"She doesn't command Air," he pointed out. "Until she does, she'll be considered an enemy of Aeras."
Oh, hell. That pretty much summed up my life in a nutshell, didn't it? And even those Stoicheio I did command, didn't want a bar of me.
I walked to the edge of the rooftop and gazed down the mountainside towards where anyone approaching would come from. I couldn't see movement to indicate our attackers, nor could I feel any burgeoning Gi power flowing up the steep slope. Whoever was on their way to attack the Aeras village hadn't arrived in Machu Picchu yet.
My eyes scanned the buildings beneath us. There were only a handful this far away from the Rigas' Pyrgos. And I was sure all the inhabitants had been hauled out of their homes and taken further back into the safety of the town. We were it, on the front-line, facing off against an unknown enemy. Without any support from the Aeras.
"Why don't you just head on back up the hill," I suggested, feeling an inevitability that wasn't worth fighting. I kept my eyes on the access point to their village, while I waited for Hip's reply.
"I've been instructed to watch what you do," he said, from a short distance over my shoulder.
"Make sure we leave with whoever is coming, you mean," I corrected.
I could almost feel his shrug from here.
"Your welcome has run out," Hip added, his voice a little softer with those telling words. "I am sorry."
I couldn't really blame them. Whoever, or whatever, approached was doing so because I was here. The Aeras were particularly focused on protecting their people. I was as much a threat as the attacking army. They wouldn't fight along side us, but maybe...
"I don't suppose you'd offer a little cover in the form of a storm?" I asked, turning around to face all the men.
"What are you thinking, Cassandra?" Theo queried.
"We lead them away from Aeras," I replied levelly. Theo started shaking his head.
I took the steps necessary to reach him and lifted my hand to cup his jaw and cheek.
"I'd rather keep the Aeras as potential allies, than have their village decimated because I didn't act," I whispered.
"Casey," he said, leaning his face into my palm. "It's suicide."
"Not if Hip agrees to offer a distraction. If we can get past that narrow entrance into Machu Picchu, we can fight them further down the mountain. They may never have to enter the Aeras village, at all."
I turned to look at the man in question, his Guards behind him, scowls in place, eyes flashing threatening white.
"I can do that," Hip said slowly, receiving shocked looks from his men. "A little storm is hardly engaging, now is it?" he said to his Guards. After a lengthy pause they both shrugged their shoulders. "
But you need run along now, if you're going to make it out of the access-way before they arrive."
I nodded. Then looked down at my abused dress and high heeled shoes. It was hardly an outfit for battle, let alone traipsing over the side of a mountain almost eight thousand feet up in the air.
"Take your shoes and coats off for the Aether," Hip instructed the closest Guard. My eyebrows rose at his command.
The Guard didn't grumble, just removed his outer clothing and slipped his oversized shoes off. His socks followed, as did the other Guard's, and finally Hip's.
"Put them all on, so the shoes fit," he explained.
I quickly did as instructed, and despite the added layers, found myself floating inside the boots. But it was a vast improvement on the heels, that was for sure. The coat swamped me, but I immediately felt warmed once it was on; it was specifically designed for high altitude and due to the size, came down to my knees, covering my bare thighs. I noticed Theo was donning the other Guard's jacket now, too. We were as prepared as we could be.
Once dressed we all stared at each other, white shining from all three Aeras men's eyes, gold glinting in Theo's, and a mixture of green and burnished yellow in mine. We must have made an interesting sight, standing up there on top of a tower, under the rapidly forming black clouds above.
"Go," Hip whispered, "And may Aetheros be with you."
"And with you," Theo said, an almost subconscious response to Hip's words.
At the top of the stairs back down, Hip stopped us with a shout.
"Aether!" We turned back to look at him, noting he was blazing white from his eyes, the clouds spinning over his head now. "When Aeras is Awakened within you, seek me out. I should like to be your ally."
I held his mesmerizing, yet very weird looking gaze, and nodded. Then led the way down the steps in a run, setting Theo and myself off at a pace we'd need in order to beat the approaching threat to the narrow path that led into Machu Picchu.
Running at this altitude soon took its toll, but Theo urged me on, and the notion of what could happen if we were trapped on the narrow path spurred me to keep going, despite lack of oxygen to my lungs. I soon became overheated in the puffy outer coat the Guard had given me, even though my bare legs felt frozen from the cold. Perspiration began to form on my naked skin, which would surely freeze solid out in the open.
Elemental Awakening Book Bundle Page 52