Caution to the Wind: Book One of the Elementals Series

by F. R. Southerland

  “Mal?”

  Callum nodded. “The names aren’t what’s relevant to the story.”

  “Um, sorry. I'm just curious.”

  “You want to know everything.” Callum shifted in his seat. “But let’s focus on the big details for now and we can discuss the smaller ones later.”

  Loren nodded again and let him continue.

  “Castle and Mal came to our world through a portal. Travel between worlds isn’t common. In the past, there were gateways, but they became concealed, lock. Only accessible through magical means. Castle told me something happened when they were younger. It changed Mal. It made him angry. He sank into a dark place.” Callum frowned. “Castle never told me the details of it, only what happened after.”

  “What happened?” Her voice was barely a whisper.

  “He waged a war against Castle. It tore their world apart. It threw everything out of balance. Castle ultimately defeated his brother and sent him to a place where he couldn’t harm anyone. Mal didn’t settle for having lost. He plotted revenge. He eventually came upon a weapon. It could destroy his brother and everything he’d worked to preserve.

  “The weapon came in the form of a stone tablet, inscribed with ancient runes. He believed the stone tablet could neutralize Castle’s powers. Castle learned of it and went to find his brother and the tablet to destroy both. It was a tough decision.” Callum paused and looked down at his hands. “Castle struggled with it for a long time. It was his brother. They had grown up together. Loved one another. But he had no choice. He had to choose between saving his kingdom and world and his people from ruin or allow his brother to destroy everything. So he met with his brother. There was a fight.

  “During the battle, Mal was wounded. Castle begged him to stop what he was doing, to relinquish his hold on the tablet. He offered him a chance to reform. Mal refused.”

  Callum stopped and rubbed his hands over his face. His voice was softer when he resumed the tale. “Mal activated the power within the tablet. Instead of harming his brother, the tablet did something neither of them expected. It opened a portal. Mal saw an opportunity and took it. He went through it and Castle followed, believing his brother would continue his reign of terror in whatever world he found himself.

  “They came to our world. Upon arrival, they discovered their abilities greatly diminished. The stone, however, vibrated with energy and they fought over it. Castle feared Mal would use it to return to their world or another to continue his conquest. Mal believed the stone still held the power to destroy Castle. In the end, Castle managed to break the tablet into four pieces. He left Mal injured and weak before he fled with the broken stones.”

  There was silence, but Loren knew the story hadn't ended. Callum pressed his fingers against his chin and remained quiet and thoughtful. It seemed a lifetime before he spoke again.

  “Castle took the stones and separated them. He believed that if they joined again, it would open the portal. Three of the stones are secure. My father ensured as much at Castle’s request. The fourth was never recovered.”

  The stoned weighed heavily against her chest. Her heart thudded against it and Loren swallowed. “What do the stones look like?” She needed to be certain.

  Callum leaned back in his seat, his hands resting on his lap. “Small, square—broken where they split from the original tablet. I only saw the three of them, once. The runes Castle mentioned vanished from them. Red, blue, and green in color. The fourth was yellow, I was told.”

  Loren looked away from him. She resisted the temptation to touch the stone she wore. She didn't know what to say.

  “We never knew what became of the last stone. After his death—”

  “He died?” Her breath caught.

  Callum nodded, watching her reaction. “Yes. It happened shortly after he divided his abilities between us. Sometime shortly after he gave you yours, I imagine.”

  The new information spun in her head. She tried to make sense of it all, to sort her thoughts and emotions. She was saddened Castle was dead. She hadn't known him, but she knew the loss. He was the one responsible for everything. He'd given her the ability to control air, had given her the stone from a mystical tablet.

  Her thoughts broke off when Callum spoke again.

  “We knew there was another. Castle told my father of his intentions. When they discovered his body, it was clear he had passed on the gift. He left no indication whatsoever of how we were to find the recipient. We searched, but...” he trailed off with a shrug.

  “No one found me.”

  It was heavy information, to know people had searched for her. She had meant something to them. Loren put it out of her head. She wasn’t important. It was her abilities. That was all. A small frown tugged at her mouth.

  “No, we didn’t. We’re sorry for—I'm sorry for that. If one of us had found you—if my father had found you—we would’ve brought you immediately here. You would’ve known everything then and could’ve learned to control your ability. My father exhausted so many resources searching.”

  Loren rubbed her hands on her jeans and nodded. Words failed her.

  Callum attempted a small, sympathetic smile. “I’ve given you too much again, haven’t I?”

  “No, no. I mean, well, yes but I’m okay. I’m just sorting through it.”

  There were questions—always so many questions. She didn’t know where to start. Her brow furrowed. “Castle came from another world,” she began, stating the information aloud for her own clarity. “He fought with his brother, Mal, who came here with him. There was a mystical stone.” She swallowed hard. “A tablet, which had broken apart. The pieces were hidden away, except for one, which became lost.”

  “That’s right.”

  She nodded. “What um happens if the piece is found?”

  “By Mal?” Callum sighed and leaned back in his seat. “Nothing good. For a hundred years, Castle kept the stones safe. I never understood how the last became lost, but it's possible Mal could have it. We don’t know.” He frowned. “If he does, it wouldn’t be good.”

  “What if the stone is lost? What if he doesn't have it and it's only lost. If it’s lost, no one knows where it is.” That was sound logic.

  Callum pulled a face. “It’s dangerous, regardless. If Mal hasn’t found it yet, it means there’s a chance he could. It would make me rest easier at night to know all the stones were somewhere safe and secure, away from him. He’s weaker in our world. Mortal. If he returned to his home world, he’d regain his full power and without Castle to no longer oppose him, he’d destroy that world.”

  “When Avery said we were saving the world he didn’t necessarily mean our world?”

  “He might’ve meant both.”

  The weight of it all pushed down on her. Suddenly, Loren wanted nothing more than to be in her apartment in her blanket cocoon. She longed for the simplicity of her former life. It looked good right now.

  “I don’t think I can handle it.” She couldn't be important, she realized. Even though she wanted it, craved it. She had too much anxiety. There was too much at stake.

  The air shifted around her.

  “Take deep breaths,” Callum spoke gently. He leaned on the edge of his seat. “Breathe in, exhale slowly,” he instructed her.

  Loren focused her eyes on him. She sucked in a breath, and then let it out. Then again. The shifting air around her settled. She brought up a shaking hand to smooth back her windblown hair.

  “It’s under control now. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. You’re fine.”

  But was it? She didn’t know.

  Callum’s mouth pressed into a thin line as he studied her. “Forgive my asking but do you have an anxiety disorder?” he asked.

  Loren couldn’t deny it. She nodded and looked down at her hands.

  “Related to your abilities?”

  “No, I—I think it comes from other things, though that’s certainly not a big help.”

  Callum sat back. S
ilence followed for a few seconds. “I think we’ve discussed enough for one night. We should think on other things and, perhaps, get some rest. Do you agree?”

  Loren pushed hair behind her ears before she nodded. “Yeah, I think that would be for the best. We can talk about it tomorrow.”

  “Or in a few days.” Callum stood with her. “I have a business retreat. I leave in the morning.”

  “You’re leaving?” Loren frowned.

  “Yes. Eva and I discussed it at dinner.” He gave her a curious look. “I will be away for a few days. She will be in charge of the household, as usual.”

  “Oh.” Loren hadn't realized how lost in her own thoughts she'd been not to catch the conversation. Her disappointment remained. “Have a safe trip.”

  Callum smiled at her. “I intend to. Thank you.” He paused. “May I walk you back to your room?”

  “Yes, please.”

  He offered his arm to her and Loren hesitated before she placed her hand on his forearm. They stepped out of the sunroom.

  “This stone,” Loren began, “what if it was closer than you thought?”

  An eyebrow lifted. “What do you mean?”

  She chewed on her lip, uncertain for a moment. Her fingers closed around the cord and she drew it out from her shirt.

  Callum stopped in his steps. “You’ve had it. All this time.”

  “Uh, yeah.” She fumbled to untie the cord. “Castle uh gave it to me when I got my powers. I didn’t know what it was, what it could do. I kept it safe. Like he wanted, but I think… he’d want you to have it. To keep it safe with the others.”

  Her hand trembled as she held it out to him. The stone swung back and forth, a pendulum for a brief moment before Callum took it into his palm.

  He stared at it in amazement. “This is incredible.”

  “Yeah. Make sure it’s safe?”

  “Of course.” His fingers rubbed over the stone. He lifted his gaze to her. Unable to decipher his unsettling look, she glanced away.

  “Thank you for this,” he said quietly. He leaned down. His cool lips brushed over her cheek.

  The surprising and confusing action made her face burn. “You’re uh welcome.”

  “I’ll have this sent immediately to a safe place. I’ll take good care of it.”

  “Good. Good.” She nodded and avoided his gaze.

  She heard static. Levi’s voice broke through. “Callum!” The white noise crackled again.

  She stopped when Callum did, noticing his frown. As his name repeated, he stepped over to the closest intercom and pressed the button.

  “What is it, Levi?”

  “Emergency.” His words broke apart. He said something else, but Loren couldn't make it out. Then, the message came through loud and clear. “We’ll meet you in the training room. You need to hurry.”

  Callum glanced to Loren. “What kind of emergency?”

  Loren’s heart thudded against her ribs and she bit down hard on her lip.

  There was a long pause before Levi spoke again. One word. A name.

  “Avery.”

  Chapter Eight

  She had to stay calm. That was all there was to it. It had been an hour. Loren stopped her pacing outside the infirmary door, but her worry had yet to abate. She believed Avery’s condition was urgent and no one had yet to tell her the details. Eva's pale face and insistent tone as she requested Loren to remain outside frightened her.

  Levi waited with her as only family seemed permitted within the infirmary. She tried to look through the window, but the blinds had shut. Through the slits in the plastic, she had a partial view. She caught a glimpse of Avery's bare torso. Callum stood nearby. Eva paced.

  He’d gotten hurt while he’d been in the city. No one knew the details. Even Levi, who seemed to know everything, was clueless. Loren glanced over at him. He sat at the computer terminal where he'd remained since it began.

  From what she'd gathered, Avery showed up in the kitchen with his shirt torn and bloody. That was how Levi had found him.

  “He'll be fine.” Levi's voice cut through the silence. His attention remained focused on the computer screen.

  Loren wished she had his level of confidence, but she didn’t. Nodding, she drew her arms around herself and looked back to the infirmary. “I hope so.”

  “He will. Cal’s got it under control.”

  “Aren’t you worried?”

  Levi shrugged in response. She hated how he was so calm, aloof. Did this happen often enough that he’d become jaded? Or did he just not care at all? Her mouth pulled down in a slight frown.

  The waiting was the worst part. She longed for some word, to know what was happening inside that room. It was difficult enough already to keep her anxiety and her powers in check. “I wish someone would tell us something.”

  Levi pushed his chair back. It rolled across the concrete floor to stop in front of her. “Look, I said Cal has it under control. This isn’t the first time Avery’s done something stupid and gotten hurt for it.”

  She wasn’t naïve. Avery’s hooded superhero routine was dangerous—the mugging on the night they met came to mind. It was ridiculous for her to think this was the only time he’d ever been hurt. He was experienced, but it wasn’t a comforting thought.

  He helped people, risking himself night after night. He was a friend to the city. And a friend of the city probably had enemies. The sudden image of a supervillain wearing a ridiculous costume and sporting a massive sci-fi ray gun popped into her head. She shook it away. “I know. It doesn’t make me worry any less.”

  Levi rolled his eyes. His lip ring moved when he poked it with his tongue. “You’re really uptight, you know? Edgy. I thought Eva was bad, but you take the cake. The whole entire three-tiered cake.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He crossed his arms. “I mean you have problems.”

  Loren’s brow furrowed. “Well… so do you.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Is that the best you’ve got? No shit I have problems. Who doesn’t? But you…” Levi paused, gesturing toward her. “If you stack yours one on top the other, you’ll be right up there with them.” He nodded his head toward the infirmary door. “You fit right in. You’re just like them.”

  Considering he’d said it all with derisive bitterness, she was certain he was trying to offend her. All she could do was stare at him, unable to come back with a convincing or appropriate response. She drew her arms tighter around herself and looked away from him.

  “I’m right. I know I’m right. And you know it too. You get the same look on your face they do when they realize that.” Levi let out a scoff. “I was hoping you’d be different.”

  “Why are you like this?”

  “Like what? Perceptive? I don’t know. Maybe it’s my superpower—in addition to the big brain and the good looks.” He gave her a cocky smirk.

  She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to talk to him, or even be in the same room with him. With a mild shake of her head, she turned her back to him and walked over to the infirmary.

  “Yeah, ignore me, if it makes you feel better,” he called.

  She did. It didn’t make her feel better, but it helped.

  Seconds later, she heard the office chair slide back and the clack of the keyboard resumed. She exhaled a breath, thankful his attention had diverted from her.

  Loren looked up when Eva stepped out of the infirmary. Her face was ashen and her thin lips were set in a tight line. “Everything’s fine.”

  Loren drew her lip between her teeth and nodded. “Good,” she answered. “Good.”

  “You can see him if you like.” Eva pulled her long hair away from her neck, sighing tiredly.

  “You look exhausted.”

  Eva put on a smile. “I’ve been exhausted before. You don’t need to be concerned about me.”

  “You uh should get some rest.”

  “Oh, I will. Go on.” Her smile stayed in place. “I know you want to see him.”
/>
  She flushed with a small smile of her own. She stepped up to the infirmary door and hesitated a moment before she entered.

  Avery appeared to be fine. He was shirtless and that didn’t help the redness in her cheeks go away. Callum stood at the sink. She cleared her throat to get their attention.

  Callum turned to her, but Avery kept his focus on the floor. She had a brief glimpse of his bare chest but saw no visible wounds.

  She sat down slowly in the seat next to the bed. “What happened?”

  “I had a bad fall.” Avery swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his shirt. When he picked it up, Loren could see the tears in it. The dark fabric appeared sticky and wet from the semi-dried blood.

  “You don’t strike me as the falling type.”

  “I’m usually not.”

  Callum grabbed a paper towel from a nearby dispenser to dry his hands. “There were factors to the fall.”

  “What factors?” Loren shifted her attention away. She felt sick.

  “I was attacked.” Avery tossed his ruined shirt aside and ran his fingers through loose hair.

  Loren’s eyes widened. “What? By who?”

  “I don’t know.” Avery glanced at Callum. “I’m careful. All the time. I don’t bring attention to myself. I’m quick. But this time, someone was waiting.”

  Callum remained silent, leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed. Loren had seen that disapproval before. It made her stomach tighten. “It’s always perilous when you go out,” he said to Avery. “Always. No matter how careful you are. One small slip up could mean disaster for all of us.”

  “I know.”

  “Which is why you need to stop this.”

  “I’m trying to help people.”

  “You’re being a sentimental idiot about it.”

  Avery set a glare on his brother. “I don’t need another lecture.”

  “I don’t know the details, and apparently you don’t get along but... can you not fight? Please?” Loren asked.

  Avery remained quiet, but Callum sighed. “My apologies.”

  More heat flooded to her face. Silence pervaded the room for some time before Avery spoke. “I went into the city and I was surveying the area from the rooftops. There wasn’t much happening, but it was still early. I continued to watch and wait, and then I was shot.”