by Debbie Kump
Excruciating heat traversed the length of my arms. I aimed my hands at the tornado to blast it with a steady stream of fire. The strong wind gusts caught hold of my flames, enveloping them and lifting them skyward in a spinning ball of fire that ignited the tornado against the dark gray clouds.
“Whoa,” I breathed and stepped backward, awestruck by the beauty of this awesome, deadly firestorm. Gaia’s eyes grew wide. The fire rose high into the sky in a whirling mass.
Hydros’s monster wave neared shore. It had already tripled in height without even reaching the shallows.
Swallowing hard, I jetted a stronger flame toward the fire tornado, using my power to wrestle the blazing spiral from Skye and shift it toward The Three. From amidst the flames, flickers of trapped debris surfaced. Just a little closer. I exhausted my energy reserves to hurl the storm at The Three in time to silence Hydros’s destructive wave.
In a sudden burst of speed, the fire tornado unleashed its fury upon them. I heard Hydros scream before she lost control of the water.
“Yes!” I exclaimed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the surface of the bay flatten as the rising swell quickly subsided. “I did it!”
Now for Gaia.
I directed the fiery twister toward Gaia when I noticed Skye studying Hydros’s fallen form. I glanced over at Hydros, shaken to see a wooden spike impaling her thin abdomen. Blood pooled around her. Gaia bent down to comfort her ally. She cradled Hydros’s head in her lap and soothingly stroked her flowing brown hair.
I didn’t destroy Gaia and I didn’t win Skye back, but I managed to get Hydros. Wasn’t that enough? After all, she’d killed William Mills and I vowed to pay her back for his life. Surprisingly, a lump formed in my throat, reminding me of all the times I’d watched my friends and family die before me. I dropped my hands a few inches, grief filling my heart, remembering the pangs of loss.
Skye took advantage of my momentary lapse of judgment to regain control of her tornado.
Around me, the winds increased in ferocity, lashing my hair against my cheeks and threatening to knock me from my feet with each gust. Fighting to stand upright, I tried to form another blaze, but each time her gusts and updrafts extinguished it in an instant.
Skye’s winds intensified, uprooting saplings and barreling over a telephone pole that toppled in slow motion, caught up in its lines. The transformer sent out a shower of sparks when it hit the ground nearby. I realized with dismay, that even with Hydros fading fast, I still might lose this fight.
I glanced around me, struggling to fight back. The winds battered my body and shook me back and forth.
Regain control. I lifted my hands to drive the winds back.
Closing my eyes in concentration, I sensed the familiar surge of throbbing energy fuel through my veins, funneling down my arms and out through my palms, until something struck me. A sudden burning pain choked my every breath. Opening my eyes, I glanced at my belly where one half of a metal rod protruded a few inches from my skin. The other half lay embedded in my gut.
My eyes grew wide with horror. I glanced back at Hydros lying still in Gaia’s arms, knowing I would soon suffer that same fate, with no one to comfort me.
Afraid that removing it would increase my bleeding, I tore off my jacket and wrapped the fabric over the wound. I slipped the sleeves around my waist and held it in place with a knot. I wobbled on my feet, knowing I didn’t have much time.
In the midst of this chaos, a vehicle screeched to a halt, right by my side. “Get in,” Micah said, opening the back door from inside.
“Shouldn’t you be at the hospital by now?” I snapped.
“Get in,” he shouted, reaching for my wrist.
“No way.” I shook my head adamantly and pulled away from his grip. “I mean it. Get outta here! I can’t hold them off much longer.”
“I was afraid you’d say that. We’ve gotta get Cam and Sully to the hospital,” he said pointing to the backseat. “Pronto.”
Speechless, I frowned, knowing I caused their injuries. In an instant, my own problems seemed trivial.
“Listen. I’m not leaving you here,” Micah declared. “So can’t you do something to hold them off?”
Renewed determination flared in my eyes, returning the fiery glow. “Right.”
It’s now or never, Jordan. I dug deep within my soul, mustering the last reserves of energy in a powerful, stinging blast. A huge gust of fire unleashed from one hand, connecting with Skye’s tornado once more and rocketing upward. Swirling chunks of fiery debris encased the remaining Elementals. Inside, I heard two sets of panicked screams. Around us, the earth grew still and the wind lessened, like the lull of the storm in the eye of the hurricane.
Secretly, I hoped that would suffice. Not just to squelch their powers momentarily but to finish them altogether.
Micah’s eyes popped. “Is that a fire tornado? Now that is cool!” he congratulated me, then pulled me into the passenger’s seat and sped off.
I agreed with Micah. It did seem cool, but it had totally drained me. I glanced down at my belly, noticing a patch of blood stained the jacket despite my efforts to keep the rod in place. I bit my lip, pain replacing the rush of adrenaline from battling The Three.
“You’re hurt,” Micah said, following my gaze. His face clouded.
“I’ll be fine,” I managed. “It’s Cam and Sully I’m worried about.” I glanced at the backseat where Cam moaned in pain. Sully kept his eyes closed and pressed one hand to the back of his head.
While Micah drove to the nearest hospital, I carefully lifted up the jacket to peek at the wound. It looked bad. I doubted the doctors could help me this time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Micah slipped into my hospital room, his face grave.
“Did you get ahold of Celia?” I asked, masking my own pain.
With a nod he said, “She’s on her way, but it’ll take her awhile with the bridge out. She’s got to make a long detour now.”
“And Cam? How’s he?”
Micah shuddered, sadly shaking his head. “Not good. The doctors say his kidneys were crushed in the accident. He needs a transplant or he’s terminal. Only there’s a waiting list for a kidney donor.”
“Meaning?”
“Even if they could find a match, it’s unlikely he’ll get one in time,” he concluded with a deep frown.
“I’ll do it,” I offered. “Ask them to check if I’m a match.”
“It doesn’t really work like that,” Micah said as he looked away. “It’s not that easy.”
“Just ask, will you?” I begged. “There’s no harm in asking, right?”
“They won’t let you. Besides, you’re so weak. I’m afraid you’ll die.” His eyes misted over.
He made it sound so final when I knew my biggest sacrifice in leaving this world would be losing Micah. But that shouldn’t really matter. There couldn’t be—wouldn’t be—a future for us.
“I don’t have much time left anyway,” I told him.
Micah shook his head, refusing to meet my gaze.
“Just ask,” I prodded. “Remember it’s for Cameron. He has so much life yet to live.”
“But—”
“And I’ve already lived more lives than I can recall.”
“Still—”
“Please, Micah,” I implored. “Do this. For me.”
Micah sniffled, his eyes filled with sorrow. “Fine,” he conceded with a heavy sigh and walked out the door muttering something about how it would never happen.
For a few minutes, I lay in silence, hoping Micah had it all wrong and my selfless action might indeed spare Cam’s life. In the pit of my stomach, I knew my time drew short. And this time, I would not return. I might never see them again, but at least I spared their lives and eliminated Hydros for good, I hoped. So what if I died? I’d saved a lot of innocent people today and accomplished more than I ever dreamed possible.
Before I had a chance to ponder my bleak future, my door swung open. �
��Hey, Sully,” I smiled softly, feeling genuinely glad to see him on his feet. “How’s your head?”
“A little bruised. The doctor says I probably have a concussion but I’ll survive. How about you?” he asked in an apologetic tone.
I shrugged, and then kicked myself for doing so when another wave of pain shot through my gut. “I’ve been better.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing? If it hadn’t been for you, I’d be dead by now. I couldn’t keep them off much longer.”
He pulled a chair up to the side of my bed. His eyes held mine in earnest. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. You tried to tell me, so many times. And yet—”
“No worries,” I interrupted, gritting my teeth to battle the pain. “Besides, I should be the one apologizing to you. I didn’t want to blow you off. I was only afraid they’d get to you.”
“Plus there’s Micah,” he said in a low voice.
My eyebrows pinched together. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Nervously, he readjusted the baseball cap on his head. “Let’s just say it’s not the first time a girl’s chosen him over me.”
My jaw dropped. He knew?
“Sully, I—” I stammered, feeling worse than before. “I…I didn’t mean—”
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell Tessa. Your secret’s safe with me.”
Under different circumstances, I doubted Sully would have let me go so easily. But he couldn’t stay mad at someone who had so little time left in this world.
Giving my hand a squeeze, he added, “Anyway, I’m still glad I got to know you…if only for a short time.”
Guilt weighed heavy on my soul. All this time I thought I’d lessen Sully’s hurt by distancing myself from him. Instead, it turned out I pained him more. Why was love so cruel? So unfair? A sharp pain stabbed my heart, contorting my face with grief and shame.
Sully noticed. His expression turned grim. With a frown, he rose off the chair. “I’ll tell Micah that you’re…” He swallowed hard, unable to finish.
“Thanks,” I whispered, my eyes filled with apology.
He leaned over the side of my bed to kiss me good-bye. His lips hovered over mine for a second before he changed his mind and planted them on my forehead instead.
“See ya, Jordan,” he said, giving my hand a final squeeze.
My eyes brimmed with tears. My voice too choked to respond, I lifted my hand in a meager wave. Once again, I knew it didn’t suffice. Unintentionally, I’d managed to hurt him even more.
Another bolt of pain shot through my body, threatening to cleave my abdomen in two. I clenched my jaw to contain the misery when Micah entered. His face looked bleak, worse than before.
“How’s Cam?” I said before the tears ruled my emotions.
“He’s sleeping now.”
“So? What did they say? Am I a match?”
“The doctors are working to find a donor,” Micah explained.
I frowned. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Micah heaved a heavy sigh. “I couldn’t ask. I just couldn’t.”
“Micah,” I scolded him, “you promised.”
His eyes searched mine in earnest. “You don’t understand. I’m still worried you won’t…”
“Make it,” I finished for him, every word a challenge to utter. Irritated that he wouldn’t even check to see if I could help Cam, I grumbled, “Don’t worry. I won’t.”
Micah wiped away a stray tear, puzzled by my nonchalance. Then his eyes lit with an idea. “How’d you do it before?”
I couldn’t reply. Everything around me began to fade, like I only had a matter of minutes left in this world. If I couldn’t donate my organs to save Cam, why cling to the trace of life that remained?
“Jordan,” he said, his voice urgent, “Tell me again. How’d you do it before?
Willing my eyelids open, I focused on Micah’s anxious face. “Do what?”
“Jump across time. Can’t you do it again?”
Slowly and with extreme effort, I whispered, “I need fire.”
“Then make some.”
“Too weak. Hurts too much,” I said, suddenly lacking the energy to form full sentences. “Never been this bad before. Can’t handle the pain. Plus—” my voice trailed off. My eyes grew too heavy to keep open.
“Plus?”
“In hospital. Hurt others.” Hadn’t I intended to save mankind by sacrificing myself?
Micah grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall and said, “It’s okay. I’ll be your backup.”
“Can’t.” It took all my reserves just to answer his questions. I doubted I could produce a tiny spark, even if I wanted.
Micah frowned. “So there’s nothing I can do?”
I closed my eyes and whispered a sad, “No. Even if I could jump…”
Perching on the edge of my bed, Micah leaned closer, waiting for me to finish.
“I’d never see you again,” I grimaced, another wave of pain shooting through my belly. I wanted to tell him I never traveled to the same place twice but felt too drained to elaborate.
“Never?”
“Never.” But it didn’t matter anymore. With Hydros and me gone, Gaia and Skye could never gain total control. So I guessed that meant I’d achieved my goal and spared humanity after all. It seemed such a small sacrifice when I thought of it that way. There must be something I could say to make him understand.
With the last of my strength, I continued, “I can’t live like this. They find my friends…my family…and hurt them. Just to get to me. It’s better…better if I’m gone.”
“Better for who?” Micah looked up, his eyes finding mine. “You? And what about us?”
“Us?”
“Okay…me. What about me?” he clarified.
Tears built in the corners of my eyes. For such a long time, I’d thought he hated me. Gradually his hate grew into tolerance and then tolerance into friendship. Until yesterday, I never realized he felt anything else. To hear him verbalize this now was more than my heart could bear.
“Maybe a small part of me will always be with you,” I said, assuming that once I died, they couldn’t deny my request to help Cam, if it would work.
Micah’s eyes shimmered. “You’re not making this any easier on me, you know.”
“Sorry,” I mumbled. My heavy eyelids drooped lower with each passing second. “Tell Cam I said good-bye.”
“I will.”
“And thank Celia for me, will you.”
Micah sniffled. “Absolutely.”
Managing a faint smile, I forced my eyes open to look at him once more. My voice came out in the softest of whispers when I finished. “And you…thanks for putting up with me.”
Micah looked torn, like he wanted to laugh and apologize at the same time. He set his hand upon my forehead and brushed my hair from my face. His eyes told me everything I needed to know—that deep down, he loved me, too.
The comfort I derived from that knowledge would carry me into the next world, until reunited with those I’d already lost. A warm smile crept across my face, my eyes closing. My strength faded, ready for the end.
“Come on, Jordan. Don’t leave me yet.” Micah laced his fingers through mine and squeezed hard to keep me alert. “You promised you’d say good-bye.”
But I couldn’t move. My body felt sluggish, the slightest effort exhausting all my remaining strength. My head tilted to one side, like a heavy load against the pillow.
I heard Micah sniffle again and felt his weight shift forward on my bed. Before I could muster the energy to shoot him a confused look, I felt his lips touch mine in parting—soft and sweet, like drops of dew caressing springtime blossoms. When I didn’t immediately respond, he pressed his lips to mine with greater urgency, willing me to return to this world—and to him.
A sudden rush rejuvenated my soul, infusing it with unexpected bliss. My hands found his head and pulled him closer to mine, my lips moving with his. I sensed Micah’
s face light up in a wide grin as he kissed me longer and deeper than before. And it didn’t feel like an it’s-okay-‘cause-Tessa-will-never-find-out kind of a kiss but a thank-you-for-everything kind of one. I should have believed Lucius, so very long ago in Pompeii. This was a real good-bye.
Filled with warmth from his touch, my pain slowly receded, replaced with a familiar calming sensation, like a glow radiating from my core. I forgot all our differences, long in the past. For now, it was just him and me—together—even though this moment proved fleeting.
Eventually Micah pulled away. His fingers brushed the side of my cheek. He surveyed my face, uncertain of what to say.
I looked up at him with a genuine smile. For once in my life, I stopped living in fear. I was tired of running. Tired of not feeling normal. I wanted the safety and stability of a family. This time I got all that and more.
As much as I’d miss Micah, I took comfort in the slight chance that a part of me might live with him forever…in Cam.
“Good-bye,” I murmured, my voice fading fast.
Micah blinked back the tears. He leaned over, softly kissing my lips once more. When he pulled away to whisper a good-bye, his fingers traced my cheekbone. Though his face weighed heavy with sorrow, he managed a smile.
The pain in my abdomen receded, leaving me tired. So very tired. I sank deeper into my bed, my heartbeat fading. A team of nurses burst into my room and I glanced up at Micah one last time, his face blurring in my tears. Only this time, my tears carried joy.
I closed my eyes, ready to find peace at last.
EPILOGUE
“It’s time.”
A striking, yet unfamiliar voice pierced the darkness. Sweet like honey while determined and frighteningly powerful at the same time. I fluttered my eyelids, expecting to meet the bright lights of the hospital room filled with a bustling medical staff that fervently struggled to keep my weakened body alive.
Instead, I found a tall, dark woman illuminated by the soft glow of the thin crescent moon. Long black locks stretched all the way to the ground, framing her stunningly beautiful round face. My gaze rested for a moment on her warm brown eyes, full lips, and high cheekbones before tracing the length of her hair. Surprisingly, the ends of her long tresses glowed red-hot, apparently fusing with the molten lava that surrounded the soles of her bare feet, leaving her trapped on a tiny island of black rock in the middle of a superheated sea. I leapt to my feet, ignoring the throbs of pain that remained from my battle against The Three. Oddly, I no longer lay in my sterile bed, but sat perched on a rocky outcrop of my own, a warm breeze rustling my hair and hospital gown. My location made little difference. My soul filled with a sudden desire to rescue this woman from her precarious situation.