Leah’s face scrunched and she looked over to Ruby with a half-smile. “Told you. Always a drama queen!”
Chapter 7
Ren Barba’s brother
“What is so freakin’ urgent that it can’t wait?” Leah exclaimed, her arms up in the air.
“Dude, it’s important. And why aren’t you in class anyway? Didn’t your semester start this week?”
“I don’t have class on Tuesdays. But also, like, none of your business.”
“So, what’s going on, Zag?” Ruby interrupted hoping to put an end to their sibling rivalry. “What did you find?”
Zag pushed a few dreads of hair from his eyes and walked closer to her. His beard was even more scruffy than it had been a few days ago which made her wonder if he had even bothered to shower in that time. The circles under his hazel eyes told her that he hadn’t slept much, and it immediately made her nervous about the news he was about to share.
“I know you told the elders not to worry too much about the Dalhurst murder but I of course, had to do at least some research on it.”
“Of course,” she sighed. Being overly involved was one of Zag’s most frustrating qualities, though she could not deny that if there was anything to be dug up, he was the man for the job. “And?”
“And the kid that got killed is Ren Barba’s brother!”
A silence coated the room as Ruby and Leah exchanged glances. “You going to tell us who that is, bro?” Leah asked after a few uncomfortable seconds.
“Right. Sorry. Got ahead of myself.” He scratched at the hairs in his beard before continuing, “So you know how we have the center here in Westerlake?”
“Uh huh,” Ruby said, trying desperately to connect the dots of his story.
“Well, because of the sword and just how this all worked out, the elders and a lot of the Elementals gravitated to our city.”
“And?” she asked.
“So basically, we have all the cool kids here. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other Elementals all over the world. That just wouldn’t make sense.”
Ruby thought about his comment for a minute. She felt almost foolish now because it hadn’t occurred to her that there were more of them out there. She was so preoccupied with the center that she didn’t even bother with other cities. The guilt of it instantly consumed her. This was what they should have been discussing at the elder meetings, what she should have been pushing towards. This entire time she was obsessing over the AetherBorns and the Elementals in Westerlake, never once thinking about everyone else outside of the safe cocoon she created. What if they also needed help and she was too obsessed with her own problems to offer it?
She felt a hand squeeze her arm and turned around to see Leah’s warm smile beaming in her direction. “They’re all fine,” she whispered as if in response to Ruby’s inner turmoil.
“And this Ren is… what exactly?”
“An Air Elemental. A pretty strong one at that. It took me a while to connect him to the murder though. But obvi I’m magic so–” He laughed in the self-assured way that she was certain made Leah’s blood boil. “I kept digging into the case, and when I found out that it was his brother that got killed, I had to come tell you!”
“So, the kid was an Elemental? But that means that–” she stopped, afraid to utter the words out loud.
“There’s a pretty good chance it wasn’t just a random case,” Leah spewed the words for her, “Demas could be back.”
Her world shattered into a million pieces. Each one cutting her soul into shreds as she made sense of what she just heard. There was no doubt in her mind that if an Elemental was dead, Demas was somehow behind this. Cyril was right and she had refused to listen to him. She wasn’t sure what she hated more, him for calling it or herself for letting her distaste for him rule her decisions. If Demas was truly back, there was no telling what he might do next. They needed to act fast, she would be damned if she let her doubt get in the way again. “Do we know anything else about this kid?”
“Not from what I could find. But I have a pretty good idea of who might.”
“Who?”
“We should probably talk to Elena.”
“Elena? Why? She’s not even from Dalhurst.”
Zag snatched Leah’s bottle of water and took a giant gulp from it before meeting her eyes again. “Because Ren and his brother were her nephews.” He said and fell silent, letting the information sink in.
If Demas was behind this, he was making a point. One Ruby would not let go unpunished.
Chapter 8
Bet my life on it
Her eyes ran over the swirling lines of the Artex ceiling in their living room. Shaylah was finally out for the evening on a date with Jake, and they had the apartment to themselves. On any other night, she would be full of energy and excitement to have this time alone with Liam, but tonight, her mind was miles away from the cozy warmth of the living room couch and his arm around her shoulders.
“Is it possible we finally found a movie that even you don’t like?” Liam asked, pointing to the blaring television. The movie had been on for almost an hour now and she had no idea what it was about.
“Sorry, I’m just really out of it right now.”
“Because of Dalhurst?” he asked.
“That obvious, huh?”
“I’m a Fire Elemental, remember? I’m pretty good at reading people’s emotions,” he nudged a thumb under her chin, “But yours are all over your face so it’s not even that hard.”
“I know, I’m sorry. It’s just that I really thought that this was over with. After last time, I don’t think I can face him again.”
“Demas?”
“Yeah. It’s too much, Liam. I want to hide in this apartment forever. I don’t want to deal with it all anymore.” She crossed her legs and faced him, “And what’s worse is that Cyril was right. I should have listened. I’m such an idiot.”
“Hey! You’re not an idiot,” Liam grabbed her legs and pulled her closer to him, “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you and Cyril but whether he was right or not does not change anything. The Dalhurst kid is still dead. So, what if you thought Cyril was wrong?”
“Because what if I do the same thing next time? What if something happens and he gives me advice that could help, and I just walk away because I hate him? I can’t let my feelings get in the way anymore. I’m supposed to be impartial.”
“That’s not fair, Rue. You can’t be a robot all of a sudden. Just because you’re an AetherBorn, doesn’t mean that you can push all your feelings away.”
“Actually, that’s exactly what I should be doing.”
“So what? You can’t get upset anymore? Can’t be happy? Can’t love?” He asked, placing emphasis on the last sentence.
“I don’t know. I just have to be–” she looked for the word to describe her thoughts, “More. I have to be more.”
“Why is this affecting you this much? I mean, we always knew that there was a chance Demas might come back. Last I remember, we agreed to take it one step at a time if that happened.”
“Because, it isn’t just that he’s back, Liam! Don’t you see it? He’s back for a hot minute and he’s already killed an Elemental. And not just any Elemental. One of Elena’s nephews. He’s trying to send a message.”
“So, he’s a prick. Okay.”
“Then there’s the ash.”
“What about the ash?”
“It has to mean something. I know it in my gut. I can’t explain it, but I know it’s not just a coincidence. I’ve never seen him wield fire so if it’s not from him, then who?”
“You think he didn’t come back alone?”
“I’m willing to bet my life on it. If he came back to finish this, he’s got help.”
“Is it possible that he has another AetherBorn army somewhere?”
Her legs wrapped around his waist and she leaned in closer, afraid to say the words out loud. “I think it might be so much worse this time.”
“The other deities?” he asked, watching her nod in agreement. “But why would they even come back? I thought he told you that they’ve been locked away somewhere in the Aether Plane, living their best life and whatever. Why would they bother coming here?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he convinced them to help somehow, to join his pathetic attempt at revenge.”
“Didn’t they banish him to the underworld? After the whole thing with Eirene?”
“After she was killed by an Elemental and their daughter was lost to Demas forever, you mean?”
“Yeah. After that.”
“Who knows. We don’t even know if any of that is true. When I was in the Aether Plane, I could feel them you know. It was like they wanted to get out. Besides,” she sighed, “disagreements or not, they’re still a family of sorts. And they’ve had how many centuries together? Wouldn’t you help your family no matter what?”
“I’m not an all-powerful being from another realm, Rue. I don’t think we can compare them to us. At least not when it comes to feelings.”
“Well, maybe he threatened them or something. Or they’re just bored. Either way, I don’t think Demas would go around murdering Elementals without a plan in place. I just want to be prepared this time.”
“So, what do you think we should do?” His cupped his palms behind her neck, heating up the tense muscles in it. “And I’m asking as your boyfriend here, not an elder.” He added with a teasing smirk.
“I think we need to go to the source. I want to go to Dalhurst as soon as we can. And I want to talk to Ren about his brother. But right now,” she said, reaching for the remote and shoving a fistful of popcorn into her mouth, “I want to watch this movie. I am personally insulted that you would think there is actually a movie out there that I wouldn’t like.” She turned around and nestled her back into his broad chest. “So, what’s this about?”
“Killer ants.”
“Sounds like an Oscar nominee to me!” She exclaimed, feeling his pecks vibrate from laughter. “Let’s get this show on the road! No more shop talk for the rest of the night. And that’s an order!”
Chapter 9
Hard to get to know
Shaylah’s mouth grimaced as she swirled a spoon in her coffee cup in an attempt to fish out a loose strand of hair. “Well that’s hella gross,” she noted when she was finally able to free the hair from its watery grave. “I need a trim. Like asap.”
“How can you even tell?” Ruby laughed, flicking a full strand of curls of her friend's hair.
“Very funny. You know, not all of us were blessed with perfectly behaving hair. Get off your high horse, lady!” Shaylah’s laugh boomed through the apartment, “But like seriously, how long is boy toy gonna shower? I need to get this tamed. Jake is almost here and I’m definitely not rolling out of the house like this.” Her arm waved over her own body as if to point out some disastrous specimen.
“You look fine,” Ruby noted, “maybe lose the slippers though.”
Within seconds, her friend was already kicking off the fur lined slippers and tossing them into the living room. The first one made a proper descent by the couch but the second faltered mid-air, landing squarely in the center of the coffee table.
“Much better,” she laughed and took a large sip of her coffee. “So where are you guys off to today?”
“Don’t know. I think we’re meeting his mom for lunch or something,” Shaylah offered, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Supes boring, huh?”
“I’m sure it won’t be that bad. You like his mom, right?”
“Rhea? Yeah, she’s pretty awesome! But it’s never just us anymore. Maybe I’m overreacting.”
“I get it. If Liam’s parents were around all the time, I’d probably lose it.” She said, lowering her voice to make sure it didn’t make its way to the bathroom.
“You’re so lucky they ran off to Italy again! I would kill for Jake’s parents to go away for a bit. Like even a weekend would be super!” Shaylah exclaimed in excitement at the thought, “How’s Liam doing with it though?”
“Them leaving? He’s okay, I think. It’s weird you know; they don’t act like parents around him. More like business partners or something. I don’t get it.”
“Probably ‘cause your folks are cool as shit. Not everyone is that lucky.”
Ruby took in her friend’s comment, realizing how much truth it held. With the center being her top priority, she had been neglecting spending time with them. Not because she didn’t want to see them but to keep them at arm’s length from her life there. Neither of them had powers to protect themselves with if something happened. As much as she loved having them close by, she wished they had never made the move into the city. They thought they were helping her somehow; but instead, they just caused more worry. No matter how many times she hinted for them to move back, they refused to budge. At least she knew where her stubbornness came from.
“So, how are things with Jake other than that?” She asked, switching the subject before the worry over her parents took its toll on the rest of her day.
“They’re okay, I guess. He’s kind of hard to get to know.”
“You’ve known him for years though.”
“I know. I mean like that. He keeps to himself a lot and I know there’s stuff he’s not sharing with me. It’s annoying sometimes. Maybe it’s some Elemental thing?”
“Probably,” Ruby said, “I’m sure he’s stressed like the rest of us. Just give it time, he’ll come around.”
She hated lying to her friend but telling her how she really felt would not help right now. Jake hadn’t kept anything to himself in the entire time she’d known him. In fact, he was more likely to overshare than hold back. If he was keeping things from Shaylah, there must be a reason for it. Ever since they started dating, their interactions seemed strange to Ruby. It was as if they were putting on a show, faking a relationship as opposed to being in one. She knew how her friend felt about Jake but whether those feelings were returned was still a mystery to her. One thing she was sure about, if he hurt Shaylah, he’d have to answer to her.
Ruby was still mid-thought when a wet hand gripped her shoulder, causing her to whip around defiantly to find Liam standing next to her. Dressed only in a towel, beads of water ran from his messy, wet hair and down his chest. The droplets curved over each heavy muscle and she found herself looking away quickly before her flushed cheeks could give away every thought.
“About time, Romeo!” Shaylah chuckled, giving her an insinuating wink. “Some of us need to get in there too you know.”
“Sorry, Shay. I lost track of time, I guess.” He slid unto the chair next to her, “Is there more coffee?”
“We don’t have maid service here,” Shaylah remarked, sarcasm coating every word. “This ain’t your mom’s house.”
Liam slid off the chair and before her friend could block him, shook his wet hair all over her. The water ricocheted off her face and bounced in Ruby’s direction, covering her in cold wetness. Her eyes met Shaylah’s, offering a nod as they grabbed two apples from the fruit bowl and chucked them at Liam, hitting him square in the chest. Laughter exploded from all three of them as they watched the apples roll away on the floor. They were still catching their breath when the front door creaked open.
“Am I interrupting something?” Jake asked, his eyes moving from Shaylah to Ruby and finally settling on Liam’s half naked body.
“Just Liam being a jackass as usual,” Shaylah remarked. Her hand reached for Jake’s, but he pulled away, tucking his fists into his blazer pockets.
Ruby pretended not to notice the hurt on her friend’s face. When she got a chance, she’d have to make sure to tell Jake exactly what she thought about his behavior. She hated how he treated Liam, but he could handle himself. Shaylah had nothing to do with it, and she deserved someone who would treat her like royalty.
“So, you ready to go?” he asked, standing with his back to Liam like he was putting up a defensive wall betw
een them.
“Almost, just need to fix my hair real quick. Fish, can you help with the back?”
Ruby followed her friend into the bathroom watching as Jake made his way into the living room without acknowledging Liam’s presence. Her gaze caught Liam’s, offering a shake of her head to let him know that she was on his side. She would make sure to speak with Jake this week. If they were going to stay in each other’s lives, he needed to stop acting like a child.
“Oh! Did you hear they found out who that kid is in Dalhurst?” Shaylah asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Yeah. About that–”
“Don’t tell me, I was right, it’s some Elemental bull, isn’t it?”
“Is it ever not?” Ruby laughed and continued to whip strands of auburn hair around as she filled her friend in on Zag’s discovery.
Chapter 10
Unprepared
“I’m going to Dalhurst.” Ruby stated before any of the elders had a chance to start the meeting. She was nervous about letting them know what her plan was and blurting out the words seemed like a good idea at the time. As she looked around the table at their confused faces, she wished she was more diplomatic in her delivery. Here we go, she thought while waiting for the objections to come in. She was surprised that Elena was the first to speak up.
“Why exactly?” she asked, pushing herself up slightly until her backside was barely grazing the chair. “What do you hope to find there?”
“In all honesty, I don’t have the slightest idea. But it has to be better than sitting here and doing nothing.”
“And what could you possibly do there? What if this is some scheme to lure you out there?” Her words made Liam tense, and he rearranged himself in his chair so that his shoulder was flush against her own.
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