Elementris, Exposure, Eruption Box set: The Vangeretta Curse Series

by Christina Mobley

  “No,” Brea said, shaking her head. “We are learning about distraction and positive redirection.”

  “I’m lost,” Ava smiled.

  “It’s like this. When a kid is acting like a turd, instead of punishment we are supposed to give positive redirection, like showing them a different area in the room. And if they are having a meltdown, like a lot of special needs kids and really young kids do, we are supposed to talk in an excited voice and point out something to distract them. The sudden change is supposed to help them snap out of it.”

  “And from that you decided that pulling my hair would distract me. I think you are seriously misunderstanding your teacher,” Ava laughed.

  “Yeah, well, from what I can see, you are sort of having a meltdown. Plus I didn’t think pointing out a heart-shaped cloud would suddenly snap you out of it. I had to improvise.”

  Ava shook her head, “Well, it definitely distracted me! I still can’t believe you’re going to be a teacher. You never even liked any of our teachers.”

  “I know, but I’m going to teach little kids, or maybe special needs kids. I’ll be a cool teacher, nothing like the stiff-butts we had. She jumped on to the bed, “Come on, I got us a notebook and everything. We are going to make this an awesome party.”

  Ava smiled, “Okay.” She plopped down beside her and for a few precious moments she forgot that she was the True Elementris. She was back in her room at Aunt Avalene’s; back on her old bed, hanging out with her best friend, and no one was waiting on her for anything. Not one person was expecting her to make any decision other than the ones they were making about the party. Laughing, they made their plans, thoroughly enjoying themselves until a knock on the door brought an abrupt end to their merriment.

  Ava frowned, not happy at the interruption, then stood up and walked to the door. She straightened her shoulders and smoothed down her now wrinkled dress. She twisted the knob and pulled the heavy door open. “Thomas?”

  “Ava,” He said giving a quick nod to Brea. “I told you I would let you know as soon as I heard something about Alec. The first boat has returned and Alec is on the second. They’ll be here in a quick minute.”

  “He’s here!” Ava practically leapt into the air with excitement. She brushed past Thomas and raced down the stairs. She ran through the castle, ignoring the reproving look Vincent shot her as she darted by. She was sure he would have something to say about her behavior later. “Whatever! Alec is coming home!” Ava exited the castle and broke into a full run as she headed towards the boat dock. Shawn was climbing out of the first boat, “Ava!”

  Ava rushed over to meet him at the edge of the dock and gave him a quick hug, “Is he really coming behind you?”

  Shawn nodded, “Yes, any time now.”

  “There they are,” one of the other Clutch guards pointed.

  Ava couldn’t control her wide smile any more than she could control the beat of her heart which was now pounding in anticipation of Alec’s arrival. Delighted and feeling mischievous, she hid behind the boathouse so she could surprise him.

  Shawn shook his head and smiled, “It’s good to be home.”

  “I’m glad you are all safe.”

  “Me too,” he said, and then pointed. “Here he comes.”

  Ava peeked around the corner of the boathouse.

  Alec stood with his foot propped on the front of the boat. Bianca stood behind him saying something over his shoulder. Alec smiled and nodded his head just as the boat tapped against the dock.

  Ava burrowed her fingernails deep into her closed palms, wincing at the quick pain that followed. She was sure she about drew blood. She felt as if she would swallow her own tongue. A sudden rip of thunder clattered across the blue sky. She swallowed hard, took a deep breath and stepped out just as the boat motor shut off. She glared at Bianca.

  Amusement flickered across Bianca’s face as she met Ava’s glare. She turned, grabbed a black duffel bag and threw it over her shoulder.

  Alec looked up and locked eyes with Ava. He moved quickly and had his big arms around her before she could take her next ragged breath. His smell, his warmth, everything surrounded her and made her feel better. When he finally pulled back to look down at her, she noticed a cut down the left side of his cheek. She reached up and ran her fingers lightly over it, “What happened?” She looked deep into his green eyes.

  “I’m fine. I’m just so glad to be home and have you in my arms.” He bent his neck and whispered close to her ear, “Maybe I can sneak up to your room tonight,” he stood back and smiled.

  Ava shook her head up at him, “You know Vincent would have a stroke. You know I’m supposed to behave until I get married.”

  “That didn’t stop us last time,” he winked. “Besides, those rules are ancient.”

  “Still,” she took his hand and looked up at him, “I don’t need to look any more irresponsible to the Council than I already do.”

  “Ah, but you’re not the irresponsible one, I am.” A devious smile flickered across his lips “My charms are like a powerful spell; no one can resist them.”

  “I can! Your sweet-talking spell is not as powerful as you think it is.” She giggled.

  “We’ll see tonight.” He smiled and took a step back, “But first…,” he motioned towards the boat.

  Ava had been about to object, but then she saw what he was looking at. Coming down the dock behind Bianca was a young girl. “Lyssa?” She looked at Alec, “How did you know? How did you get her here?”

  “I’ve been watching your dreams and I saw the news. I thought if she could meet you, we could figure out what to do.”

  “You visited my...have you noticed the new thing? I think I saw you yesterday.”

  He smiled, “I know. I saw you too. The bond is getting stronger.” He tilted his head and kissed her again, “I’m glad to be back.”

  Ava took his hand and smiled as Lyssa approached. She’d heard the tail-end of Lyssa and Bianca’s conversation. “She’s young, but a good leader.” Bianca looked up, “Lyssa Relic, meet Ava Vangeretta.”

  Lyssa looked uneasy as she took Ava’s hand. Ava could feel the deep shake traveling from Lyssa’s arm down to her fingers.

  Lyssa released Ava’s hand and looked at her with wide eyes.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Lyssa.” Ava smiled and said, trying not to notice how close Bianca stood to Alec. Alec didn’t seem to notice.

  “Nice to meet you too,” Lyssa mumbled.

  “Let’s go somewhere and talk,” Ava looked to see if Alec was following.

  He said, “I’ll catch up, Ava. We have to get the boats unloaded.”

  Ava nodded feeling her stomach clench. She bit her lip so that she wouldn’t throw a lightning bolt at Bianca. Bianca was smiling just a little too much and she was staying entirely too close to Alec for Ava’s peace of mind. She turned away biting harder on her lip, feeling the power demanding to be released. She was controlling it with the sheer strength of her will because she knew that if she allowed its release, Bianca might not survive the onslaught.

  …Lyssa…

  Lyssa wished for a moment that she had four eyes, instead of two. Everything on Element Island was so amazing, so beautiful. Each detail of the great stone wall demanded her attention. Tiny embedded trinkets glimmered in the sunlight. Soft, pink and white flowers climbed the stone walls in little trails that weaved in and out and over the beautiful wind-worn stone. Lyssa decided they were most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. They were flawless and their colors dazzled the eye. Even the True Elementris was exceptionally beautiful. One of the most beautiful people she had ever seen. A white dress brushed her sandaled feet as she walked. Her red hair appeared almost alive; seeming to have a million different red tones in it. She moved with grace and her ice blue eyes made Lyssa feel that she could see right through her, right down to her very soul.

  Ava stopped and pointed to an amazing statue. “That’s the First Five statue.” Five figures held hands in a circle.
At the bottom of the statue, names were engraved with little symbols beside each one. She noticed Vangeretta on one and saw the same symbol next to it that she had noticed on Alec’s and the other Clutch guard’s uniforms; the woman with upstretched arms that cradled the moon.

  Lyssa hurried to catch up with Ava and tried to take in every wonderful thing in the square. Everything felt so magical here. Even the air she breathed seemed different. A few people moved about and Clutch guards stood stationed at different points in the square. Flowers and plants grew everywhere. Lyssa felt almost sure she could see some of them blooming right before her eyes. It felt like spring in fast-forward. Sunlight polished the warm breeze that drifted through the trees and around the grand stone castle.

  Ava paused by the entrance and waited for her. Lyssa noticed the way everyone in the square seemed to watch her. “Does everyone born of the Element know about all this?” Lyssa asked.

  Ava led her into the castle, “Yes, eventually they all know about it. When those like us reach eighteen, something deep inside draws us here.”

  Lyssa nodded and forced her mouth not to drop open as she took in the castle. It was beautiful. Something right out of a child’s story book, but better. Rich red carpets stretched in different paths across the stone floor. Large archways, tall enough for a giant to walk through dominated the hall and led off into different directions. A group of three people dressed in long white robes passed them. They nodded their heads at Ava and kept moving.

  Ava moved through one of the archways. It led to a wide stone staircase that had wild flowers growing right up the railing. Lyssa let her hand graze the rough wall as they climbed the stairs. Pictures of different people lined the walls. Their eyes were painted so realistically, she felt as if she they were watching her.

  “Who were those people in the white robes?” Lyssa asked.

  “They are members of the Royal Council,” Ava lifted her arm, flicked her fingers and the large double doors in front of them swung open.

  Lyssa forced the gasp in her throat to stay in her throat. She wasn’t used to seeing magic used like that. She knew there was book magic, but didn’t quite know where to pick up a book of spells. Her Keeper, Ms. Shelby, had told her that when she turned eighteen she would get her first book of spells. Zack had tried many times to track one down. If anyone could find one, Zack could. He was a master hacker and the internet held few secrets for him, but he had finally decided that no such book was to be found before they were supposed to have it.

  Lyssa jumped when the doors snapped shut behind them. She turned in a slow circle as she took in the large room. A white-washed desk sat in the center and digital screens and maps covered the walls. A large window served as the back wall and Lyssa could see beyond the island and far across the ocean. She was startled when a small wooden chair with red padding bumped against the back of her knees.

  “Have a seat, Lyssa.”

  Lyssa suddenly felt really sick to her stomach and could hear her voice shake as she uttered, “Yes, ma’am.”

  “You don’t have to call me ma’am.”

  Lyssa nodded nervously.

  “Okay, since we don’t have much time, I guess we should get right down to it,” Ava said.

  Lyssa nodded again and gripped the arms of the chair tightly, “I know, I did something bad, it’s just that...” She paused trying to find a starting point in her jumbled mind.

  “It’s just what?” Ava leaned forward behind the desk.

  Lyssa looked up, and then averted her eyes. It sounded stupid to say it out loud. No one would ever understand why Relic Manor was so important to her. No one would ever understand why she had to save it at any cost.

  Ava looked intently at Lyssa, “I know you’re scared, but I just want to help you. Don’t be afraid of me. I know the castle and the crown are a little intimidating, but just a short time ago I was in high school and going through almost the same thing you are.”

  “Really?” Lyssa muttered feeling surprised.

  “Yeah, really,” Ava smiled. “I know there has to be a reason you’re doing this.”

  Lyssa nodded, “It’s just…,” she looked up, “My father,” her insides shuddered. “He died.” She took a moment to gather herself. Every time she had to say that out loud, it was like losing him all over again. “My house has been passed down in our family for generations and we’re going to lose it. I know it sounds stupid, but my stepmom, Dana, and me...we had this idea that…,” she looked around the room and wished she wasn’t having this conversation. It all sounded so petty.

  She started again, “After Dana caught me that day, she wanted to know everything.

  “Who was Dana again?” Ava asked.

  “My stepmother.”

  “Okay, go on,” Ava said.

  “After Dana caught me using my gift that day, she wanted to know everything.”

  “How did she catch you?” Ava interrupted.

  Lyssa shook her head, and looked up, “It wasn’t really that she caught me. You have to understand. I had always been careful but I wasn’t myself after my dad died, and after he told me…” Lyssa felt her composure slipping and took a deep breath before continuing, “He told me that I was adopted right before he died. Dana told me first, but I didn’t believe her, so I asked him and he confirmed it. He died soon after that and I was so lost, so confused about everything. It didn’t help that Dana and I were arguing all the time. One day it just all came to a head. She’d threatened to send me to foster care for what seemed like the hundredth time since my dad died, and I just lost it.”

  “We were in the kitchen. I don’t even know where all the water came from. It came from everywhere and it kept coming. Dana freaked. I had to tell her everything or she would have sent me away. A few weeks later Dana decided that if I let people know about my gift, we could make the money to save the house.” Now the words just seemed to tumble out of her mouth. She didn’t even know if she was making any sense, she just needed to get it all out. Tears trailed down her cheeks as she spoke. “My job wasn’t paying the bills and my dad loved that house. He used to spend every Sunday polishing each piece of furniture. I know it’s just a house, but it wasn’t to him. It represented his family, his history. His ancestors built it with their blood, sweat and tears. He used to say that all the time. He tried so hard to save the factory. Then he got sick and…” She stopped, no words left, and wiped her cheeks with both hands, looking anywhere but at Ava.

  Ava was quiet for a moment. “Why didn’t you speak to your Keeper so she could help you?”

  “I couldn’t find her,” Lyssa shook her head. “She just disappeared.”

  Ava nodded, “You have created a mess; now we have to think about damage control. If you go on one of those shows the council told me about, the damage might be irreversible. I’ll make a deal with you. I’ll try to help you save your house if you agree not to expose yourself, or us, any further.”

  Lyssa felt tears threatening again, “You would do that?”

  “Yes. Those of us born of the Element are like one very large family. We help each other; most of us anyway.”

  “I couldn’t take that much money from you, though.”

  “I’m not really offering money,” Ava smiled. “I don’t have a whole lot of it to spare. It takes a lot to take care of this island and its people. I’m offering help from the family.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Our ‘family,’ is all over the place. I’m sure we have some people in Houston that could help. Maybe even help find you and Dana better jobs. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can get the council to approve a small loan; enough to catch up one or two mortgage payments for now. You can pay us back over time if they approve it.”

  Lyssa felt relief wash over her. “You would really do that for me?”

  “Yes. Lyssa, I understand what you were trying to do. The house is the last thing you have that connects you to your father. Your method of trying to save it was the problem. I don�
��t want to force you to do anything, but I want you to understand why we all work so hard to protect each other from exposure. If we were to be exposed, not only would we be in great danger, all life on earth would be also. Together we maintain the balance needed to keep the world we live in safe. To do that, no one can know about us. Do you understand?”

  “Yeah, but there’s something I don’t understand.” Lyssa paused, “What about natural disasters and horrible storms. People die. If you can stop it, why do you let it happen?”

  Ava shook her head, “I can’t stop it. The cycle of life is not something I have any control over. I know it’s hard to understand, but the earth moves and cleanses itself in many ways. I just help it along when necessary. For instance, if there is a part of the earth that is in need of cleansing, I might send a small storm to clean it up. Maintaining the balance needed to sustain life is what I do. It’s really complicated. I’m still learning myself.” Ava tilted her head, “Do we have a deal?”

  Lyssa smiled, “Yes. Since I’m here, can I look around and check it all out?”

  “Definitely,” Ava smiled.

  They both jumped as the door suddenly burst open and hit the wall behind it with a loud bang. Lyssa whirled around in her chair. A dark-haired girl with a short, pixie-like, haircut burst into the room.

  “Brea!” Ava said

  “I can’t believe you didn’t bring me in here, Ava.” She looked at Lyssa, “You’re the one on the news. Do you know what you’re risking? How dare you!?! Ava’s my best friend. I swear if you don’t…”

  “Brea!” Ava stopped her, “I’ve got this. Lyssa, you’ll have to excuse this seemingly crazy person. This is my best friend, Brea, and she’s a little over-protective sometimes. Now Brea, Lyssa has agreed not to do the interviews and the council is already working to cover the first news story. What’s up with you?”

  Brea shrugged, “I just wanted to make sure nobody was messing with my best friend.”

  Lyssa felt nervous, but squared her shoulders trying to look stronger.