Igniting Spirit (Gathering Water Book 3)

by Regan Claire

  Copyright © 2015 by Regan Claire

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

  Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners, and are used only for reference. There is no implied endorsement if we use one of those terms.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Book cover and designs: Bruce Gore|Gore Studio, Inc.

  To my Mother. A simple “thank you” will never truly convey how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I love you.

  Della’s Cheat Sheet

  ● Gathering — Absorbing energy from the elements (fire, earth, air, water, spirit).

  ● Tempering — An internal use of elemental energy. Used to enhance/strengthen depending on which element.

  ● Bending — External use of elemental energy. Can create or manipulate elements.

  ● Reading — Use of elements to see the past, present, or future.

  ● Shielding — Using elemental energy to protect from physical or metaphysical attack.

  ● Elements:

  Earth- Can be found on the ground. Dirt, mud, sand, etc… Energy looks yellow and brown when Tempering Fire.

  ■ Tempering: Will make you stronger and faster

  ■ Bending: Create and manipulate earth/dirt, make mini ‘earth-quake’, create objects.

  Water- The ocean, rain, anything liquid. Energy is greens and blue-greens when Tempering Fire.

  ■ Tempering: Works on blood. It makes your skin more sensitive and helps with healing to a minor degree.

  ■ Bending: Used to create and manipulate water, make waves.

  Air- Anything with air in it, including wind. Energy is all shades of Blue when Tempering Fire.

  ■ Tempering: Will enhance vision, hearing, and sense of smell.

  ■ Bending: Allows you to create or manipulate wind and air, create tornadoes, move objects through air.

  Fire- Any flame, but also anything electrical. Energy is shades of red and orange when Tempering Fire.

  ■ Tempering: Allows you to see/sense/feel energy

  ■ Bending: Create and manipulate fire (or heat!); can make fires burn hotter.

  Spirit - Is found in all living things.

  ● Ethnos — The type of being that the Clade and Elfennol are. They have control over Spirit; life. Can use this energy for offensive fighting, healing, creating, etc. They are originally from another realm, but killed their world with the misuse of their power and came here.

  ○ Elfennol- Non-human beings that rely heavily on Spirit element to live. They can also Gather from it, and use it’s energy-force as an offensive ability. The “good guys,” and abhor Gathering Spirit energy. Are allied with humans against the Clades.

  ○ Clade- Technically the same being as Elfennol, but they have gone ‘to the dark side’. Are intent on going back to their original world, even though doing so would destroy this one. They Gather Spirit without thinking about the consequences.

  ● Dunamis — Humans with special abilities. Elementals, Healers, and Empaths to name a few. Most type of abilities can be split into two categories: Casting and Natural

  ■ Casting abilities require an item, word, or ingredient to implement ability. Ex: potions, incense, specific words/chants — I wonder if some people use magic wands?

  ■ Natural abilities do not require any external help. The power comes from within the Dunamis.

  ○ Loa — Elemental Spirits — “the personality behind the elements” — though the Vodun claim they are more like minor gods and are responsible for good and bad fortune.

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Epilogue

  About Regan Claire

  Chapter One

  I couldn’t open my eyes. Of course, I couldn’t move either, but my brain was so foggy that I wasn’t as concerned about that as I should have been. I was being held by something warm and protective and clung to my aura—something that was shouting rather loudly in my ear.

  “She is no threat to us!” I recognized Ezra’s voice. I wasn’t sure who he was talking about, because I was definitely a threat. Well, once I could move again, that is. Why couldn’t I move?

  “You are a fool if you think that. You heard what your father said about what she did to Calen, Simon, and Tomac. We cannot allow someone so bloodthirsty into our home. Kaylus, talk some sense into your son!” someone else said, someone I didn’t know, followed by a crowd of mumbled agreements.

  I almost laughed. Well, if I’d been able to. The idea that I’m too violent, but Kaylus is totally fine was… humorous. Wait, why was Kaylus there? Slowly, I started to remember what happened. Pain came with memory, similar to the pain that comes after a particularly grueling workout, but these muscles had nothing to do with my physical body, and everything to do with how I used my abilities. And I’d definitely abused myself to get where I was.

  To save Cash.

  We had been attacked by Kaylus’ men the day before. Outnumbered, I could only watch as a Clade sucked the golden spirit energy from my cousin. I was able to save his life, but Cash was left irreparably damaged. The doctors had to amputate the lower half of his leg, and he was still unconscious. I left my family behind to get help from my enemies, the Clades, because only they could tell me how to restore Cash’s spirit—only they knew how to save him.

  Unfortunately, we weren’t exactly BFFs at the moment. I knew that Ezra had my back. Technically, he had my whole body, since I’d passed out as soon as I entered their compound. Smooth move, Ex-Lax.

  With those memories flooding my head, I finally found the energy to crack open my eyes a little. A large crowd with Kaylus front and center was in my bleary sight line. He took a step forward, and I could see him smirk when he saw Ezra’s hold tighten.

  “I came to a realization, Son. I don’t really like pets. I’m not sure we’ll keep the little kitten after all.” Kaylus said it softly, barely mouthing it, and I knew that no one else in the mob of people had heard it, no one else suspected how evil Kaylus truly was.

  I needed to get up. Kaylus meant to have me killed, and if I didn’t get my act together fast he’d succeed. I began to Gather my elements, letting the energy from the Air, Water, Fire, and Earth strengthen me the way a good meal can strengthen a starving man. I didn’t Gather any Spirit, since I was surrounded by people who would be able to sense that in a second and I didn’t want them to know I was putting myself back together. Ezra, my lifeline at the moment, tightened his hold even further, and I knew that he could tell what I was doing. His sneaky little Loa probably told him. He was a half-breed like me. Born of a Dunamis — a human with abilities — and a Clade. He had abilities that no one else in the room had, similar to my own but so different. He didn’t have control
over the elements like I did, a trait that I inherited from my mother’s family, but he held sway over the Loa — the spirits behind the elements. I still wasn’t sure what exactly that meant, other than he could manipulate the elements in a very different way from me.

  The crowd around us pressed inwards, moving Kaylus closer. Right as I began to feel well enough to open my eyes fully — to stand up and speak for myself — I felt an oppressive energy sneaking its way into my aura sucking away the power in my Well. Sucking away my energy, my vitality.

  “I offer her sanctuary,” Ezra said, his voice ringing out through the crowd and leaving it silent. He didn’t seem to notice that something was happening to me. I needed him to notice.

  “Son, be reasonable. She is a danger to us all. Do not risk your life on a known murderer.” Kaylus’s voice was slime oozing through my ears and down my spine. He was the one responsible for my weakening state. I couldn’t even cry or speak to tell anyone. Things were going dark, and not what I could see through my cracked eyes, but dark inside myself. It was as if Death had found me and was wrapping me in a clammy cocoon.

  “Sanctuary has not been called in a long time, Ezra, and never to someone so insidious. Think carefully about this decision.” Another voice came forward, though it sounded far away from me. So very far.

  “I OFFER HER SANCTUARY!” Ezra shouted this time.

  Why hasn’t he noticed something is wrong with me? Please, help me! I couldn’t even Gather, couldn’t do anything but feel myself slip into the darkness that was choking me.

  Suddenly, I felt Ezra shift above me.

  “Della?” His voice was full of panicked concern. “What are you doing to her? He’s killing her! Can’t anyone see that he’s killing her? You can’t do this!”

  “Actually, Son, sanctuary only works if another is willing to step up as sponsor. None among our ranks are willing to lay their life on the line for your little pet. I can do whatever I please to an enemy dumb enough to come to our home and threaten our people.” I could hear the confidence in Kaylus’s voice, but knew that he was worried. Knew, because whatever he was doing to me wasn’t as smooth as before. It was slowing down and speeding up as erratically as the heartbeat of a cornered animal.

  “Kaylus, whatever you are doing, you must stop. Your son has called for sanctuary. Our customs say that we must give two days’ time for another sponsor to present themselves before we can mete out punishment.”

  “Stand aside, Arthur. Of course I’m not doing anything. You’d be able to tell if I were, wouldn’t you?” Kaylus’s lie was laced with victory. “Even if I was, no one is going to come forward. No one would dare,” Kaylus said, and I wondered if everyone else heard the threat in his words.

  I could feel the power on me subside even more, and realized that perhaps it wasn’t because Kaylus was losing his concentration — perhaps it was because someone else was trying to protect me. Ezra must have figured out what was happening and was trying to stop it. I felt the darkness start to fade and regained the ability to Gather my elements. This time I Gathered Spirit as well, knowing that shit was about to hit the fan and I would be a liability to Ezra if I didn’t get as much strength as possible. It was hard, though, like sucking honey through a straw.

  “What are you doing, Ezra?” Kaylus asked, suddenly. He must have realized his efforts were somehow being thwarted by his son and sounded far happier than he should have.

  “Stopping you.” Ezra’s voice was quiet, but so firm. He slowly turned around to beseech the crowd. “Won’t anyone stand with me? She’s not what you think! My father has been poisoning your minds. My father is poison.” I could hear the desperation in his words, and when the darkness inside me finally cleared from my eyes, I saw it etched in his face. Could see the tension in his shoulders and knew he was struggling to maintain his concentration. The wind started howling around us, but I was certain it wasn’t from me this time. Ezra’s Loa were trying to protect the two of us, trying to create a barrier between us and the rest of the crowd.

  “See! Even now she is trying to hurt us!” Kaylus called out to the crowd, even though this wasn’t me. It couldn’t be me, since I was as weak as the kitten Kaylus thought I was. Not that the crowd cared, since they all gasped and took a step back.

  “Oh, I think I’ve heard enough. I trust Ezra far more than I trust his slimy father. If the rest of you can’t see the kindness in one and the cruelty in the other, than you’re as daft as a draft horse. I’ll sponsor her for you, Ezra. I’ve nothing better to do.” A woman’s voice called out clear as a bell and just as loud.

  A cruel look came over Kaylus’s face, my death etched over it. He came towards us, apparently giving up his invisible fight as a knife appeared in his hand. I tried to create a Shield, but it was so weak he strolled through it without trying.

  The Clade that had spoken before, Arthur, stepped between us at the last minute. “Kaylus, stop! You cannot do this. Our laws are cle—”

  Kaylus shoved the knife in his gut, which shouldn’t have done more than create a bloody mess since the Clades, like the Elfennol, can heal themselves rather quickly. But Arthur fell down, gasping.

  “What have you done?” he managed to say, weakly, before his body stopped moving. No one went to him. They all just watched as black veins spread across his visible skin like ivy. The power gems that adorned him cracked as the dark power advanced before disappearing and leaving death in its wake. Death in Arthur.

  This was not an ability of the Ethnos — the beings who are Clade and Elfennol. This was something different and the energy of the crowd around us shifted. They were still afraid, but their fear was focused onto Kaylus instead.

  “What have you done, Kaylus?” Variations of this question were whispered and shouted among those in the crowd brave enough to speak.

  “Removed a weed from my garden.” He sneered as he stepped over the dead body, which had been the only barrier between us.

  I thought that the Clades would stand by, content to watch him end me. Never have I been more happy to be proven wrong. Soldiers — and I knew they were soldiers by the purposeful way they moved — swarmed around Kaylus. Ezra didn’t stick around to watch his father be taken down. He moved us through the crowd, even though I wasn’t certain that was much safer. Small fights seemed to break out everywhere until we reached the other side of what looked to be a large town square with cobbled streets. With all the people, I hadn’t been able to tell before. I didn’t know what was happening, and from my vantage point in Ezra’s arms, I couldn’t exactly make heads or tails of the activity that we had passed. I was thankful I didn’t have to push my way through it and was glad for Ezra’s willingness to carry me around like an invalid, even though I was pretty sure I could walk now.

  “Do you think you can stand?” He asked once we were safely away from the crowd of people and walking through what looked like an alley between some low-lying buildings.

  Thanks to my constant Gathering, which seemed much easier like the elements were more abundant than typical, I definitely could. I had to be honest, even though it meant that my free ride would be over.

  “Yes. I should be fine, now. What just happened back there?” I asked while Ezra gently put me on my feet and started leading me through a maze of buildings.

  “My father just killed an Elder, and all hell broke loose. The Guard was trying to detain him when some of his — not friends, he doesn’t have friends — allies came to his aide.”

  “But how? He was doing something to me before… it wasn’t like anything I’ve experienced before. What is he, Ezra?”

  We stopped at what was clearly a back entrance to something. I looked into his downcast eyes and wanted nothing more than to smooth the crease that was deepening between his brows.

  “I don’t know.” He shook his head and finally raised his emerald eyes to meet mine. “A monster,” he said in a low voice, as if saying that had sealed his own fate.

  “I was wondering if this was
where you two went off to. Well, come in then,” the woman who had come to my defense earlier said, before walking between us and opening the door.

  “Aahana, will you please —”

  “Yes, yes. With my life, and all that. Go on, then, before it is too late,” she cut him off, waving away his words.

  “Della, I need to make sure they have my father handled. I’m afraid he’ll manage to talk his way out of this, and I need to inform the remaining Elders of everything I know. This is Aahana. You can trust her.” But the way he looked at her didn’t make me feel like he trusted her.

  “Will you be safe? Do you want me to go with you?”

  Ezra gave me a grim smile. “As safe as I’ve ever been with my father. But you need to stay here where I know you’ll be safe,” he said, before turning around and jogging a few steps away. He stopped suddenly. “Della, ‘red’ for help, yellow for ‘leave now’, okay? If we get separated, go to the place we first met.” He held up his hand, showing me the thumb ring that held my energy. I had a matching one with his energy on my own digit, and we could change the colors as a simple form of communication. I nodded my head to tell him I understood, then watched as he jogged away.

  Chapter Two

  Journal,

  Ellis called earlier. We’re still on for this Friday, she just needs to confirm with the sitter for the little Cashling.

  I’m excited to hang out with her. Not that I don’t see her all the time, but it’s rarely just the two of us. I love my brother and nephew, but sometimes a little girl time is just what the doctor ordered.

  I picked up another shift this week. I have to do better about saving, or I’ll end up living with Dad forever, which is dumb since I have a house. I just need it to have electricity before I move in, apparently now the wiring is a stupid fire hazard. Why does everything cost so much? Of course, if I didn’t take that month in Cancun last year I would have been able to move months ago. What’s a few more months with Dad compared to a lifetime of awesome memories from that trip?