Caution to the Wind: Book One of the Elementals Series

by F. R. Southerland

  “Levi has inhibitors. He would’ve taken care to make sure all of us were dosed with it so we couldn’t use our powers,” Loren pointed out.

  Callum was silent, concentrating on healing Loren’s wounds. The smaller cuts were already gone, so his attention focused on the larger gash along her toes. “We realized that.”

  “We weren’t planning on using our powers at all.” Avery finally spoke. “We were going to use force. Whatever it took to get the stones back.”

  “And then what? Destroy them?” Loren shifted in her seat. “Why haven’t they been destroyed before? Save everyone the trouble by getting rid of the thing that can open the portal and be done with it.”

  “None of us possess enough strength to do it. Castle broke the stones apart all those years ago, and he’d used a considerable amount of power to do that. It can’t be destroyed here.” Callum pulled back, sighing. “If it can be destroyed at all.”

  Loren eased her foot down onto the towel. She dried it herself. “How do you know all of this?”

  “My father and Castle. From their first-hand accounts. My father kept records. When he died, they came to me. Well, all of us.” As he spoke, Callum took Loren’s hand to heal another cut.

  “Dad was thorough, if nothing else.” Avery sounded bitter.

  “He was,” Callum agreed.

  Loren chewed her lip and looked to Avery.

  “I hate this,” he said.

  “I’m not overly fond of it myself.” Callum stood and emptied the dirty water in the sink.

  “We should’ve known Levi would pull some stunt like this.”

  “Levi always walked a thin line. He fooled us all. I always assumed his deception would come in the form of exposure to the media. I had no idea he was in any communication with Mal.”

  Callum crossed his arms, mimicking his brother’s stance. Glancing between the two, she debated before she finally spoke. “I met him. Mal.”

  They both looked at her. Loren’s gaze dropped down to her hands. “And Ruth. I met them both. Family.” A strange laugh came from her. “He’s my uncle. Castle’s brother. My uncle.”

  Loren allowed herself to think about it. It was a huge shock and the gravity of it now weighed in.

  “I thought my parents died in a car accident. I was eight. But they weren’t my real parents. I never knew that.” Her voice was thick. Her gaze stayed on her hands. Her real mother was Castle’s daughter. She died when Loren was born. She had brown eyes. That was all Loren knew of her real mother. She knew nothing of her real father.

  Everything she’d thought about her life had been a lie. Her anger melted away, replaced by sadness and hurt. “You didn’t tell me.”

  Callum frowned, but Avery spoke. “I’m sorry.” It was clear he had more to say. He stayed quiet and looked down to the floor.

  Apologies weren’t enough. Loren stood. “I think I need to be alone.”

  “That’s not wise,” Callum said.

  “For ten, fifteen minutes. I need to be alone. I can’t look at either of you right now.” She held up her hands in a helpless gesture as she stepped to the door. Avery stood before it.

  “Please move.”

  “Loren, don’t.”

  “Move.” She pushed out hands, sending enough forceful wind to push him to the side. She entered the forefront of the shop.

  It was dark, but she left the lights off. Carefully but quickly, Loren navigated her way through the bookshelves. When she was far enough away from the backroom and hidden by the stacks, she dropped down to the floor, pulled her knees up to her chest and cried.

  She let out her frustrations and anxieties. The tumult of emotions bubbled up and she sobbed. She didn’t care if either of them heard.

  Her face burned, eyes stung. She choked but didn’t stop. She cried hard. Soon, her tears stopped and she went silent. She hugged her knees close to her chest. Her gaze focused on nothing and her mind drifted.

  She was Castle’s granddaughter. That made her one-quarter god. She had some of his power. He had given them to her himself. She was the heiress to Kahsh, an alternate world where they had been strong, powerful gods.

  And Mal, her uncle, wanted to return there with her. She was to be an example; a lost figurehead for a dynasty Mal would destroy to regain his full power. He would use the tablet to return to Earth and rule it as well.

  They couldn’t destroy the tablet to prevent it. Mal knew of her now, knew she was in hiding. He would send Ruth to hunt her down, perhaps for the rest of their lives. If Mal died in the meantime, would Ruth continue the quest? Would she assume control? Somehow, Loren felt she would.

  They had to put an end to it somehow. And how they could possibly do that was the true puzzler.

  Loren wiped at her eyes and face. She was certain she’d gone beyond her fifteen minutes, but she couldn’t bring herself to return to the backroom with Callum and Avery.

  She didn’t stir again until she heard footfalls. Loren lifted her head, expecting to see Avery. Instead, it was Callum. He sat down next to her.

  “Avery stepped outside to check the perimeter,” he said, his tone soft and even. There was a small pause. “I believe he wanted a few moments to himself too.”

  She shifted her position a bit to rest her head against a shelf.

  Callum was silent for a time before he spoke in the same quiet voice. “I truly am sorry.”

  “I don’t want apologies,” she muttered.

  “I understand.”

  “Do you?” It came out more biting than she intended. The question hung in the air between them.

  “I like to think I do. Perhaps, I understand nothing at all.” He sighed softly. “I know everything has been thrust upon you suddenly. I forget, sometimes, you didn’t have the advantages we did. We’ve had years to come to terms with everything. You’ve barely had days, and your burden is so much heavier than ours.”

  Burden. The word fit.

  Lines etched along his forehead when his brows came together. “It hasn’t been easy for us either. We were children when we gained our abilities. I was barely fourteen. I wasn’t ready for such responsibility.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because I want you to know I don’t have it all figured out. I don’t have it together all the time. This face I put on? The stoic, stern façade? It’s for show. Inside, I’m always terrified. When my father died, he left the company to me. That’s a kingdom itself. And I was the heir. Believe me when I say I understand how you feel. No one wants to wake up and learn they have so much to live up to, so many burdens and responsibilities, with the fear of failure and disappointment looming over you.” He looked at her. “I live that. Every day.”

  Callum seemed so cool and collected all the time. It was unexpected for him to express his own fears, to see them so sincerely on his face.

  “I’m… sorry.”

  He shrugged it off. “It wasn’t fair of me not to tell you those things. I should’ve. I would’ve. Things became complicated.” He paused. “There is one other thing you haven’t learned yet. Eva and Avery don’t know. It's a document.”

  “What is it?” Loren was afraid to know.

  Callum took a deep breath. “It was written in Castle’s handwriting, with his and my father’s signatures, with Castle’s seal burned into the paper. It was a contract.” He shifted a bit, drawing his knee up. He rested his hand on it. “It came to me upon his death and I kept it hidden. It wasn’t relevant at the time. I had honestly hoped perhaps it never would be.”

  “What sort of contract?”

  “I don’t know how to explain it, or how I was to proceed with it.” He kept his gaze steady on her. “It was a marriage contract.”

  Loren stared at him blankly.

  He leaned back against the bookshelf and drew his gaze forward as he explained. “In the contract, it stated Castle’s granddaughter—you, but unnamed in the document—would marry my father’s eldest son. Me. To secure the continuation of bo
th bloodlines, to hold the power and privilege, to join two great dynasties in both worlds.”

  Loren couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t speak. All she could do was stare in disbelief.

  Callum’s head fell back against the shelf and he closed his eyes. “It was meant to be me. Not Avery. I guess I would’ve been happy to let that happen. I never wanted any claims to any kingdom. When you told me you had a date with him, though, I realized I wasn’t happy with it. It had less to do with securing bloodlines and dynasties and more about how I feel for you.”

  Loren tightened her arms around her legs and bit down on her lip.

  At her continued silence, Callum opened his eyes and looked over. “I told you it was complicated.”

  “I had no idea.” Her voice barely rose above a whisper.

  “Neither did I. I’m a petty man, apparently.”

  “You… feel something for me?”

  Callum shifted his weight and moved to stand. “I can’t tell you what it is I feel, but it’s something.”

  Loren understood that. She understood it well. “What—What do we do?”

  “We do nothing. I fully intend to keep to myself and stay out of your way. I won’t get between you, no matter how I feel. Whatever tension remains I will take full credit for.” There came a pause. “I thought you should be aware since my obvious lack of decency prevents me from revealing important details to you. You have expressed dislike for that. I’d hate to get on your bad side.”

  So many secrets. So many lies. Loren had a difficult time keeping up with everything. Things would’ve been marginally better if emotions didn’t play a factor. Unfortunately, they did.

  Callum observed her in silence. He brought his hand down. Shy of touching the side of her face, he stopped. “I should’ve healed the bruise for you too,” he said. He took in a breath and abruptly changed the topic. “We need to keep moving.”

  He looked uncomfortable. She didn’t blame him. She wasn’t entirely certain how to feel about it herself.

  “Let’s find Avery and leave.”

  Loren silently agreed and pulled herself to stand.

  The room was plunged into total darkness. At first, she thought someone had shut the lights off—until she remembered no one had turned them on. The inky blackness was consuming. She couldn’t see anything.

  “Callum?” She stretched out her arm. Her fingers touched something solid and she grasped. Books thudded to the floor.

  She tried to quell the growing panic inside her.

  “Callum!” she called again. She had a moment’s relief when he answered. She moved to the sound of his voice. Her hand brushed against the coolness of his arm where she held tightly. “What’s happening?”

  “It’s called shadow play, dear.” Somewhere in the fathomless darkness, Ruth spoke. “You’re not the only ones who know a few tricks.” Her voice echoed around them.

  Callum’s arm moved around her. “Do you remember the path to the backroom?” he whispered.

  She couldn’t remember. She hadn’t paid attention to which aisles she’d taken. The darkness made it impossible to see. “I’m not sure.” Her voice trembled.

  “Take the chance and try.” With that, he pushed her away from him.

  “Callum, no!” Loren stumbled, tripping over her skirt. She pulled herself up and reached out, hoping to find him. Instead, her fingers found the sharp edge of a shelf.

  “Seize them!”

  Having no choice, Loren followed along the edge of the shelf and blindly sought for an exit.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Her hand groped for the shelves. Books toppled to the floor and she tripped over them. Kicking volumes aside, she forced herself to keep going. She saw nothing in the blinding darkness. What was happening?

  Quick rushing steps came toward her. Loren’s hand closed on open air. She’d run out of shelves to hold. Her breathing quickened.

  She was reluctant to let go, but she had no choice but to fumble in the dark. Loren released the shelf and held out both hands to feel around. There was nothing in front of her, only dark empty space. She had no clue where she was.

  A fist connected with flesh loudly somewhere close by. Loren heard a groan of pain. Callum was blindly fighting them off. She bit her lip and kept moving. She had to find the backroom. She had to get to the stones before Ruth did.

  There was another groan. Callum cursed.

  “Callum.” She spun in the darkness.

  That was a bad idea. What little direction she’d had was completely gone now. “Callum!”

  She tried to move as quickly as she could. Each step forward was a risk. She could walk into a shelf or a wall, or right into an assailant’s waiting clutches.

  Loren gasped when ice water sprayed her face. She froze in her spot, spluttering out a mouthful of water. She tried to make sense of it. When she heard the rush of running water, she realized Callum must’ve used his powers. She shivered and took another step.

  A cold, wet hand closed around her wrist and she let out a startled cry.

  “Loren, run!” Callum pulled her along. Her feet slid on the wet floor. She nearly fell but managed to stay upright as she followed him. Her fingers clutched his damp shirt.

  The shadows were cold, pervasive. They drew close around her, smothering her. She shivered and stepped closer to Callum on instinct.

  And then she was alone. She could feel the coolness from where he touched her wrist, but he was gone.

  “Callum? Callum!”

  There was no answer. Loren’s chest heaved with labored breathing. She turned and a gust of air accompanied her movements. She directed it away from her and there was a loud crash.

  The air swirled. “Callum!” She fought off panic, but her power grew stronger. Shelves knock over with the wind. She didn’t care.

  “Callum!”

  “Loren!” Avery yelled over the roar of the wind. “Cal’s here! I have him! Turn off your power!”

  It wasn’t so easy to do. She tried to concentrate. She sucked in her breaths. “I’m trying!” It took a few moments, but she managed to reign it in. The wind died down and she gasped.

  “Step forward, Loren.”

  Everything was pitch black. “I can’t see. How can you see?”

  “Because you’re the only one who still thinks you’re in shadows.” Callum’s voice was calm when he spoke.

  “What?” Loren took a tentative step.

  “Trust me,” Avery said. “Keep walking to my voice. You’re not far.”

  She did so with small steps. She stretched her arms out. A warm hand closed around one wrist while a much cooler hand took the other. They pulled her to safety.

  “Open your eyes,” Callum said.

  “They are open.”

  “No, they’re not. Open them.”

  Loren struggled with it. “I can’t see.” She shivered and forced her eyes open. There was a faint sliver of light. The darkness receded.

  The light blinded her until she blinked a couple times. She saw Avery first, then Callum. “Oh, oh God. What was that? What happened?”

  “A trick.” Callum’s mouth set in a thin line. “Mal gave her his power.”

  “What? What power?”

  “The power to control shadow and darkness.” Callum stepped back. He moved books from his path with a sideswipe of his boot. The shop was destroyed. “Like Castle dividing up his powers with us. Mal did the same with his daughter.”

  Loren drew closer to Avery. His arm went around her. She brushed wet hair from her face. “Why couldn’t I see?”

  “A hallucination. I guess that’s how it works. She focuses the darkness on someone and makes them believe they’re in the dark. I couldn’t see either. It was only when one of them hit me, I snapped out of it.” Callum rubbed the red mark on his jaw.

  Loren frowned. “Are you okay?”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “What happened to Ruth? And the men?”

  “Gone. Gone for a while.” A
very rubbed her arm.

  Loren looked at him. “A while?”

  “You were in the shadows for some time.”

  She tried to make sense of it. “Wait. Did I lose time? What did I miss?”

  Avery looked at his brother. “I came back in. Callum was out cold. Ruth and her assholes had you surrounded. You just stood there, in a trance.” He stopped and his mouth turned down. “Fire took care of them. For the most part.”

  “For the most part?” Loren clutched Avery’s arm for support.

  “No one died. They got away, but only because—” Avery cut himself off with a sharp shake of his head.

  She looked questioningly at the brothers. She swayed slightly. “What? Because of what?”

  Callum’s lips stretched into a thin line. “Ruth got the box. They have the stones.”

  “Oh.” The room tilted. “That’s not—” She wavered again. Avery called her name. Why did he sound so far away?

  ~~*~~

  “Try not to move much.” Avery made sure Loren was comfortable. The chair where she sat wasn’t much in the way of comfort, but the dizziness had ebbed.

  She hadn’t been out for long. Callum told her the same happened to him shortly after coming out of Ruth’s shadow spell. It had to be one of the side effects.

  Loren felt sick to her stomach and she agreed moving wasn’t the greatest idea. She closed her eyes to gather herself.

  “I’d rather you didn’t come down here.” Callum spoke into his phone, pacing. “Things are about to get ugly, Eva.” He paused as he listened to his sister’s response. His gaze flickered to Loren and Avery. “We don’t want you to get caught up in it. You should stay at the manor and handle any fallout that may occur.” He turned his back to them.

  “Do you need anything?” Avery asked Loren softly. “Water?”

  “No. I think I’m fine.”

  “Good.” He rubbed her arm.

  Callum continued to speak into the phone. Loren leaned her head against Avery’s arm. “This is so bad.”

  “I know.”

  “Well, that’s settled.” Callum sighed as he hung up and put his phone away. “Eva will meet us downtown. She refused to listen to reason.”