Alec looked up impatiently at the guard in the tower.
The gate opened, sliding back first and then to the side. He walked through and got a chill as the gate closed behind him. Sitting just at the entrance was the statue of the first five Elementris’ holding hands in a circle. He loved that statue. It was white stone and the family names were all engraved at the bottom. He passed by it, seeing a young girl chasing after a butterfly. Her mother right behind her and the girl’s father arranging apples in the square.
Some Elementris’ lived on the island permanently, but mostly they came and went, almost like tourists with a secret location to visit. It was getting crowded on the island because the first summer moon was approaching. There would be a big festival with food, dancing, and magic. As a child he loved the festivals of the seasons, but now that he knew all the dirty little secrets contained on the island, they didn’t seem so magical anymore.
He stopped just in front of the castle entrance. Two guards stood on each side. The one on the left gave him a long slow look, “Did you hear yet?”
“Hear what?”
The guard looked down, “Scott was killed last night.”
He couldn’t breathe. “What? How?” He felt tears beginning to well in his eyes so he clenched his jaw tight and blinked hard.
“No one knows. You better talk to Shawn. I don’t know all the details.”
Alec darted past them, running up the staircase that led to the guard quarters. Scott was his best friend and Alec had a feeling he might have been killed for what he knew. Alec, Scott, and Shawn were the only three who knew the secret plan. Scott was the one who had encouraged him to get to know Avalene Vangeretta. Now, she might be the only hope and she had no idea.
…Ava…
Ava took her tray and sat down across from Brea. She felt sick, excited, and confused all at once. Sick because she was beginning to realize that she couldn’t fight what seemed to be her destiny. It seemed so crazy to think about destiny in terms of her life. It was such a powerful word, one that had no place in her plans to just live a normal, everyday kind of life. How was she supposed to kill someone? She could die too. How was she supposed to keep that from happening? She suddenly felt sicker. It was all so confusing. “This just sucks.”
Brea sat down, her lunch tray clattering loudly onto the table. “I swear, if John Donner gives me one more disgusting tongue flap, I’m gonna rip his right out of his mouth for him.” She took an angry bite of her pizza.
“Well then!” Ava said, trying to act like her normal self. “A little testy today are we?” The last thing she wanted was to have to talk about what was going on with Brea. She picked up her napkin and dabbed it over the top of her pizza.
“Yeah, just a little.” Brea admitted. She took a big gulp of her soda, “Anyway, we so have to go shopping today, right?”
“For what?” Ava put the napkin to the side.
“The party!” She rolled her eyes. “Seriously, I figured you would be freaking out about it. I mean this is only the guy you’ve been crushing on for like seven years. The guy who has broken up with his annoying girlfriend and asked you to come to his party.”
“I know,” Ava glanced across the cafeteria at him and turned back to Brea. “All this other stuff just seems way more important than a crush.”
“I’m sure it does, but you’re still only seventeen. Even if you decide to do that, you don’t have to do it now. We still have a little over two months before your birthday right?”
“Yeah, July fourth.”
“Well, I think you should enjoy the rest of your youth before you’re officially a grown up. Wow, we are almost grownups…so strange. I definitely don’t feel like a grown up.”
“I know…What about the magic though?”
“You definitely need to learn it, but I wouldn’t dwell on what comes after.”
“What happens if she comes after me before I’m eighteen?” She arched a brow.
“She doesn’t even know who you are, right? Besides, you have bad ass warrior boy looking out for you and we will kick her ass together. So quit stressing, you're putting a big damper on the last few weeks before graduation. Let’s have fun.”
Ava let out a breath, “You’re right.”
“I know, and by the way, I’ve been thinking about it and when you do become queen of the Elementris’ or whatever, I want my own room in the castle.”
Ava laughed, “You’re a dork. I don’t know what I’m going to do about that part yet.”
“You don’t have to know yet, but if you do it, I want my own room and you better not forget about me.”
“I won’t.”
The bell ending lunch sounded, bringing their conversation to an end. The rest of the day moved by slowly but finally the last bell of the day set them free. Brea and Ava met at the car and set off for the mall. Brea propped her foot on the passenger door and wiggled her toes in the wind as she sang along with the radio. Ava decided to let her problems go for a little while and just enjoy the distraction that a shopping trip with Brea was sure to provide.
Thunder rumbled as Ava made the turn into the mall parking lot. Then, with a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning, it started to rain. Brea opened her door, “Let’s run for it!”
“Ready… go!” Ava said, darting out of the car.
The girls ran through the rain. Dodging mud puddles and blinking to see. “I’m completely soaked,” Brea complained.
“Me too,” Ava twisted her hair wringing the water out of it. “Come on,” she pulled open the door. She shivered as the cool air in the mall hit her. “It’s freezing in here.”
Brea pointed ahead, “Bathroom.”
They walked across the hall to the bathroom looking like a couple of drowned rats. Brea ran over to the hand dryer and ran her hand under it. “It’s warm,” she ducked down underneath it. “Oh, this feels so good, come feel.”
Ava walked over and ran her hand under it, “Yeah.”
“Get under, my shirts almost dry already.” Brea moved over.
“It does feel good.” Ava squatted next to Brea underneath the dryer, sighing as the warm air hit her cold skin. “It’s so warm,” she shivered and moved her shirt back and forth letting the hot air shoot down her shirt.
Brea laughed, “You’re a dork.”
The toilet flushed.
They looked at each other, their eyes big as the stall door opened. A woman walked out giving them a strange look down her narrow nose and walked over to the sink.
Brea giggled, “Come on.”
Ava got up, following her out of the bathroom.
“Did you see her face?” Brea laughed.
“Yeah, I didn’t know there was anybody in there.”
“Hey look!” Brea pointed at a pink box. “Win a free cruise!”
“No one ever wins those things. They just offer you a fake discount.” Ava followed her over to the sign-up forms.
Brea picked up a brochure, “Wow, look at these pictures. I would love to go to an island and spend all night on a cruise ship. My mom’s always talking about going on a cruise one day. She’s got a whole two hundred and eleven dollars saved in her cruise jar.” She grabbed a pen, “I’m signing up...it can’t hurt.”
“You’re wasting your time, but go ahead.” Ava couldn’t help but think about Alec and what he’d said about Element Island. ‘It’s the most beautiful place you have ever seen, but it’s also a dangerous place.’ There was no avoiding it; she had to think about it all. She wanted to be normal, but what’s normal really? It was time to learn the magic. He was right this is who she is. She shivered just slightly at her revelation. “I want to be able to protect them if I need to.”
Brea held up her finished slip, “Wish me luck!” She kissed it.
“I’ll do better than that.” Ava smiled and closed her eyes. She imagined all the other slips inside going blank. Her breathing quickened and she felt something warm move through her body. She could picture it in her mind.
The pink slips swirling around inside the box and going blank. She opened her eyes and the box shook. It vibrated across the table and then stopped.
“Are you doing that?” Brea whispered, looking back and forth.
“Yeah, I just increased your chances. Drop it in.”
Brea folded it over and dropped it through the slot. She smiled and tilted her head, “What exactly did you do?”
“Nothing big, just erased the other slips inside.” She looked sideways at Brea and lifted her brows.
“Really…? Wow, I’m shocked. I’ve never seen this side of you. I like it.” Brea linked her arm through Ava’s. “Does this mean you have decided to take my advice?”
“Yeah, I guess learning won’t hurt.”
“So cool,” Brea smiled. “Now, let’s find you a wicked outfit for the party.”
…Alec…
Alec ran down the long hall; his steps echoing as his boots slapped against the hard floor. The stone walls were narrow; the long hall kind of dark. He pushed open the third door and saw Shawn sitting on his bed looking down at his feet. Shawn glanced up. “You heard,” his voice cracked painfully.
Alec nodded, “Yeah.” He had never seen Shawn look so broken, so weak. Since they were thirteen on that first day when Alec met the twins, Shawn had always seemed to be stronger than his brother Scott, stronger than Alec too. He was the older of the three; sort of anyway. Shawn and Scott were identical twins and Shawn was born first.
They all moved to the castle when they were thirteen to begin their training for the guard. Three to a room and it didn’t take long for Alec to form a strong bond with the twins. They sat in a different room now and Scott’s top bunk was empty… too empty. Alec looked up, “What happened?” He couldn’t believe it was true. “How could Scott be gone?”
Shawn didn’t look up as he clutched Scott’s favorite hat in his hand. “I wasn’t with him,” his voice shook slightly; “It was Draken.”
The name seemed to vibrate there in the air, like an echo in Alec’s mind. A red haze tinged his vision. The name sent chills down his now straight spine. He had only laid eyes on Draken once and that one time was enough. He was six and powerless as he watched Draken take his mother away from him as she screamed and begged him not to. He still missed her and wished he could have done something.
Draken is the leader of The Waerven. The Waerven use a different kind of magic. A magic born from evil which they must feed with human sacrifice. Those born of the Element like to believe their power comes from God, or nature, or something good. Alec wasn’t sure where he stood on the whole religion thing, but he was sure if there was a devil or evil spirits, The Waerven got their magic from there.
Draken Blake was born of the Element, but after one of the five in his circle refused the magic on their eighteenth birthday, Draken knew he could never reach his full potential. He was infuriated and began practicing black magic to further his own ends and then he joined The Waerven. He began recruiting humans as well as those born of the Element.
Alec pushed the horrible memories away and looked at Shawn, “What exactly happened?” He hated to push him, but he had to know. Draken had taken two people from him now and he needed to know the details. He wanted to store it in the arsenal in his mind. He would save it there and keep it churning until he finally found Draken and made him pay.
“They left yesterday morning, we found evidence that The Waerven was planning another sacrifice…a baby. Ben and Tony were with him when it all happened. They said there were thousands of them there. They captured one of them, an Elementris and killed three others.” He met Alec’s eyes, “It was Draken who delivered the fatal blow.” He turned the hat around and around in his hands. “The funny thing is, I was assigned to go with him, but...” he looked up “I couldn’t go.”
“Why?”
“Five minutes before we were supposed to leave Lareina doubled the security at the prison and I was assigned to watch duty.”
“Why would she send you? Watch is always done by the pledges and old guards, not by the senior Clutch guards. I’ve only had it once since becoming a guard and that was as punishment.”
Shawn shook his head, his face hard as stone, “I don’t know.”
“Do you think she knows what we found out? Or, what we are doing?”
Shawn tightened his jaw and spoke through his clenched teeth, “I don’t know, but it’s strange that she assigned me to Watch. You don’t think she would go as far as arranging for one of the royal guard to be killed?” He looked up, “Then again, I guess it wouldn’t be a far leap from the things she’s been doing. What if she has found out and is trying to separate us so she can have us all killed?”
“Did you notice if Ben and Tony had any injuries?” Alec tilted his head; questions clicking through his mind.
“I haven’t seen Tony, but Ben looked fine. You don’t think…, you think they allowed it to happen?”
“I don’t know, she might have ordered them to let it happen.” Alec felt his muscles tighten, he practically snarled, “We can’t trust anyone—not even our brethren. Who knows how deep this is. Even the council could be in on it...,” he stopped himself, looking back to Shawn.
“I can’t stand the thought of it,” Shawn looked up at him his brows pulled hard together, creasing his forehead. “Scotty worked so hard and took pride in the Clutch, in the brotherhood.” His shoulders sank back. “He was my baby brother, Alec.”
“I know,” he paused. “If she did this, I’ll kill her myself,” Alec promised standing up.
Shawn put the hat on the bed, “If she knows what we found out, she will come after us next. The worst part is we don’t know who all she has gotten to. Any of them could do it and make it look like an accident.”
“We really need to know if she knows. We need to know what happened to him. Didn’t you say they captured an Elementris?”
“Yes, a young blonde woman.”
“Did they bring her back here? Is she with the prisoners?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“That’s who we need to talk to; she can tell us what really happened.”
“Yeah, maybe, but there’s no way I could talk to her without being seen. You know how many Junior Clutch Guards are down there on Watch.”
“I know, the ‘Greens’ are hard to get around. They pay more attention since they are trying to prove themselves,” Alec said. “I’ll figure something out.”
“Okay,” Shawn said quietly. His voice sounded hollow, “Scotty’s ceremony is tomorrow night.” He looked towards the window, “I don’t know if I can take this.” He lay back on the bed turning away. The smell of the sea crept into the room, a sure sign that Shawn’s control was slipping.
Alec swallowed hard and rubbed his hands together, he had never seen Shawn look so broken. His heart ached and he was sure Scott’s death hadn’t completely sunk in for him yet, but clearly it had hit Shawn like a ton of bricks. Shawn was always the strong one, the one in control. It was hard to see him like this. Alec searched for the right words, he had none. So he just sat back in the chair and closed his own eyes.
The memory of their first day flashed through his mind, so fresh it felt like yesterday. Alec couldn’t wait to join the guard, his father tried to talk him out of it to no avail. They were all gathered in the ballroom to be assigned to rooms. He stood next to Scott and Shawn. They called their names off and Alec overheard Scott whisper to Shawn, “This is going to be hard.”
Shawn smiled, “I told you.”
Alec had always wanted a brother and the twins became like his brothers. Scott and Shawn looked just alike, same blue eyes and sandy blonde hair, but in reality they were polar opposites; Shawn always in control and Scott the free spirit who never thought a moment before any decision. Their elements fit them perfectly, Shawn was water and Scott was wind.
It takes a lot to make it through and be picked by the royal council. In the beginning it was hard to tell who would make it and who wouldn�
��t. The three boys were assigned the same bunk room. The training brought them together fast. Only three days after their arrival, they realized that they were all born in the same circle, so in a sense the twins really were his brothers. There were two others in their circle, two girls. Autumn and Hailey. The girls visit from time to time; they will be there for Scott’s ceremony. He swallowed hard, not able to imagine seeing Scott just lying there, still, cold, and gone forever.
Chapter Seven… (Pregnant?)
...Ava…
Ava turned into Brea’s driveway and they both gasped at once. “Is that?” Ava muttered starring at the green pickup truck with the big plastic cockroach on top of it.
“I think it is,” Brea swallowed hard choking on her words. “I swear if she lets him move back in…” she looked up, “I won’t stay here Ava. I will leave her with him.”
Ava shook her head, staring at the truck, “She wouldn’t let him move back in after what happened, would she?” Ava still remembered the night Brea called her crying. Buck was her mother’s on again, off again, boyfriend. He was bad and the last time he left, he nearly beat Brea’s mother to death.
“I don’t know, she’s let him come back before.”
“Yeah, but after the last time… Doesn’t she have a restraining order on him?”
“She does,” Brea unbuckled her seat belt slowly, never taking her eyes off the ugly green truck. “I better get in there.”
“Do you want me to come in with you?
“No,” she opened the door, “You better not. I’ll call you if I need to.”
“Okay,” Ava tried to smile. “Maybe he’s just back for something he left here or something.”
“Maybe,” Brea forced a smile and shut the door. Her normally bright face looked a shade of gray; her lips were tight and her eyes slightly watery.
Elementris, Exposure, Eruption Box set: The Vangeretta Curse Series Page 7