Elemental Earth (Paranormal Public)

by Edwards, Maddy

  “Wow,” I breathed. Keller looked at me and shrugged. “This has been in our family for generations.”

  “Since the first Eriksons,” said Ezra. “Your mother and father should be with you shortly. You are welcome to wait in the study until then.”

  A look passed between Keller and the head maid that I didn’t understand, but I didn’t question it. My eyes were too huge from looking around.

  “Keller,” I breathed. “You have a study? Filled with books? I want to see. Sip would love it.”

  “I have no doubt that Sip would love it,” Keller muttered. “Maybe we can all come together sometime.”

  Ezra gave another small bow and disappeared. I didn’t even see where she went, because Keller pulled me toward a set of double doors on our left.

  “Are all your homes this beautiful?” I couldn’t help but ask. I was pretty sure my jaw was on the floor, and it was likely that it would stay there all night.

  Keller’s shoulders lifted in a shrug. “All my family’s homes are beautiful,” he said. “My mother has impeccable taste and very much cares what people think of her.”

  “Well, she’s an Erikson,” I said. “Of course she cares.”

  We were at the double doors and Keller didn’t respond.

  Keller opened the door on the left and ushered me inside. The study was even larger than the entrance hall. The ceiling stretched above us, and four spiral staircases wound up to another level of bookshelves. There were several desks, couches, and chairs placed around the room, and a crackling fireplace to our right. Heavy velvet drapes hung over the windows and a plush carpet covered the well-worn wood floor.

  We were just starting toward the fire when a female voice halted us.

  “Hello, dear,” it said, coming from the second floor stacks. A dark head stuck over the railing.

  “Mother,” said Keller, smiling. I was relieved when he didn’t let go of my hand. The woman, Mrs. Erikson, kept her smile in place as she made her way down. Once she reached us Keller gave her a warm hug, then returned to my side.

  “Mother, may I present my girlfriend, Charlotte Rollins?” he asked, smiling at me.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” I said to Mrs. Erikson, feeling so nervous I could barely get the words out. Keller’s mother was beautiful. Not in that sort of quiet way that makes people say ‘She’s pretty,’ or cute, but in a stunning, unforgettable sort of way. She was petite and had porcelain skin. Tonight she wore a floor-length black dress that glittered in the light. Keller had said the evening was casual. I would have to take that up with him later.

  She extended her hand and smiled. She wore minimal jewelry, a silver ring and a necklace that hung on a delicate silver chain, a tiny white ball that shone out into the room. When I looked at it I saw wisps and curls of power held inside. Never in my life had I seen anything like it.

  “My son,” she said, resting her hand on Keller’s cheek. I could see the depth of love between them and I tried not to be jealous. I didn’t have a mother to miss me anymore.

  Keller covered her hand with his. “I’ve missed you,” he said. “Thanks for asking us to dinner.”

  “Oh, don’t thank us yet,” said Mrs. Erikson, swirling away in front of us. “Wait until you see what Ezra has prepared for you.”

  Keller groaned but smiled. “Ezra’s the best cook ever,” he explained to me as his mother linked her arm through her son’s. “She’s probably made enough for ten people.”

  “She’s made all your favorites,” his mother insisted. “Just wait and see.”

  “Where’s Dad?”

  “Already in the dinning room,” Mrs. Erikson said, leading us out of the study. I was left to trail behind as Keller gave me an apologetic look. “He had some business to attend to.”

  Mrs. Erikson started chatting to Keller about their friends in Europe. They were all names I had never heard before, so I stayed quiet and tried not to be offended. The dining hall was behind the staircase. It turned out to be a glass porch that gave a view of the garden beyond, and part of the barn, without being open to the cold night air.

  The dining table was massive and could probably seat thirty or forty people. The only time I had seen tables that big before was at school. I breathed a sigh of relief when I noticed that only one end was set. A white tablecloth, silver dishware, and candles were placed at the end nearest to where we had entered, and a man who could only be Keller’s father sat waiting for us.

  I gulped, and so the evening began.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  It soon became clear to me that Keller’s parents did not want me there. They viewed me as an annoyance, a temporary dalliance of their son, or something, and they had obviously assumed that we should have broken up by now. As I had feared for a long time, that was the reason why we had never met. They had hoped that if they waited long enough, they would never have to meet the last elemental who constantly endangered their oldest child’s life.

  Keller was busy talking about our summer plans, as if there was nothing whatsoever to worry about in that room. When he mentioned that we had considered a trek to Europe, to get away from the threat of darkness before he started working, his father slammed his hand down on the dinner table, causing the silverware to clatter. He had obviously expended his stock of patience and wasn’t waiting any longer.

  “Keller, it’s time for you to stop all this nonsense. It’s your senior spring and you’re chaperoning a field trip. We’ve talked to Oliva about it, and he has agreed. You are to leave the field trip immediately. Your aunt, shockingly enough, tried to talk us out of it by saying that you were happy where you were. But we just feel that it’s time.”

  Keller was staring at his parents in shock.

  “Mom, Dad, I’m sorry, but I’ve made my position clear. I’m not leaving Public early.”

  I was stunned to hear that they’d had this argument before. No wonder Keller was upset. I had known there were tensions, but I hadn’t realized just how much pressure his parents had been putting on him.

  “You’ll still graduate, obviously,” said his father. It was strange to see an older version of Keller - Mr. Erikson had broad shoulders and the same blue eyes as his son - and even stranger to see so much resemblance wrapped in so much conflict.

  “I don’t care about that,” Keller cried. “You’re worried about the future of the Eriksons. I’m not. I’m worried about Charlotte.”

  “That, son, is exactly the problem,” growled his father, clearly starting to lose his temper.

  Keller’s hands were balled into fists as he glared at his dad.

  “Keller,” I whispered, unsure even what I wanted to say.

  Keller glanced at me, then looked away. “I can’t, Charlotte. They don’t care about what I want.”

  “That’s right,” said Mr. Erikson. “It’s all to hurt you. Did it ever occur to you that the family is more important? This must be for the good of the family.”

  “Dad, we’re at war. The demons and the paranormals are at war. Charlotte is in trouble, because all the other elementals are gone. If she dies, the Power of Five can never be enacted again. I help protect her. Don’t you think that’s important? There will be no future for the House of Erikson if there are no paranormals.”

  His father rubbed his temples.

  “We are at war,” Keller said desperately. “Mound says so. Professor Dacer says so. We can’t pretend like it’s not happening.”

  “Your aunt doesn’t think so,” said his father. “Yes, there are bands of demons that roam the country and hurt paranormals, and yes, that’s horrible, but that’s always been the case. With the growth of the Paranormal Police Academy, all these difficulties will be mitigated soon. They are not your burden to bear.”

  “You know,” said Keller, “Charlotte and I have been together for two years. It’s a wonderful accomplishment, and she’s amazing. I’m happier with her now than I was when we first got together. We’ve had our problems, but they’ve only made us
stronger. Only we will ever know what we’ve been through, but I told Charlotte you’d love her. I couldn’t wait for you to meet her, especially after all this time. And this is what I get.” He shook his head sadly and looked down at our entwined hands. He had held onto my hand throughout the whole conversation.

  When he looked up his jaw was set. “We’re leaving,” he said. “Maybe next time you see me you’ll be more hospitable.”

  Keller’s mother, who had remained silent until now, came forward. Unlike the resemblance between Keller and his father, Mrs. Erikson and her sister, also Erikson, didn’t look anything alike.

  I had asked Keller why they were all named Erikson, and Keller had explained that since power usually transferred through the mother (although obviously not always, and sometimes it was both), the mother’s name was dominant in marriage. His father had taken that name because the Eriksons were such a powerful family, and Keller’s grandfather had had only daughters.

  I had told Keller that it seemed complicated and asked him if his name would then be Rollins. He laughed and said that he would have to keep the name of the house of Erikson.

  “Keller,” his mother said desperately, “it’s time you stopped playing house and did your duty by your family.”

  “All I ever do is my duty by the family,” Keller said, his voice rising in frustration. “The problem is that you think, and have always thought for some reason, that my dating Charlotte means I’m not doing my duty.”

  “You need to marry a fallen angel,” said his mother, “to ensure that the bloodline is clear. Besides, Charlotte is in danger due to her elemental powers. Do you really want to risk that for your own children?”

  Keller was staring at his mother as if he’d never seen her before. She looked back at him, her eyes filled with pleading.

  “How could you say that in front of Charlotte?” he demanded, his voice going from hot to chilly. He was now very angry.

  “I’m only speaking the truth,” his mother said desperately. “It’s not a life for a child. She grew up in hiding. She didn’t believe that magic existed, and then her mother was murdered for her betrayal.”

  I felt like she had slapped me. What was she talking about? What betrayal?

  Keller glanced at me, knowing that what his mother had said was a shock to me.

  “What betrayal?” I interrupted, finally finding my voice.

  His mother looked at me for what I was pretty sure was the first time since we had arrived.

  “Your mother took you and hid,” she said. “She should have given you over to the elementals who were still left, and let them raise you as their own. You are one of the lucky few who has powers through both your parents. Your mother didn’t care.”

  “My mother was trying to save my life,” I sputtered.

  “Your mother went rogue, and she died for it,” said Mrs. Erikson.

  She stopped and clapped a hand over her mouth. We were all looking at her, even her husband.

  “That’s harsh,” said Keller’s father, shaking his head. “She was young and she was alone.”

  “So, do you know who my father is?” I demanded. “Since you seem to know so much about my mother and what happened to her, do you know who my dad is?”

  “No,” said Mr. Erikson quickly, before his wife had a chance to answer. “We do not. No one does. She refused to tell even the elementals who demanded it. There are, in fact, several possibilities. You wouldn’t think so, but it was right before the mass slaughter of the last few, even the ones in hiding, and we believe there were more in hiding than were known about at the time, because for most of your life, and even most of your mother’s life, the elementals were non-existent.”

  “You mean the killing had started early enough that they’d already gone into hiding?”

  “Yes,” said Mr. Erikson. “They had. The demons took years to find all of them, and we believe it only happened through a series of betrayals, but that is the way of the paranormals. Always out for themselves.”

  “You don’t say,” I said dryly. Keller glanced sharply at me. His parents knew my meaning.

  “This is getting us nowhere,” said Mrs. Erikson. “Keller, she is not a suitable match for you.”

  “I’m learning things I never knew about my own family,” I said. “Are you saying that’s nowhere?”

  “Your family is dead,” said Mrs. Erikson. “That’s the problem.”

  “Well,” I said, “I’ll just stop being a problem for you.” Before she could say anything else I whirled around and stomped toward the door.

  Before I could get to it, though, I saw the knob turn.

  “I’m sorry, Keller,” I heard his mother say, “but this is for the best.”

  I staggered to a halt when I saw who walked through the door.

  Keller’s godmother, Cynthia Malle.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  I gasped and fell back, knocking against Keller. Strong hands came around my upper arms and braced me, but I still couldn’t breathe.

  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” said President Malle. She looked strange, and by that I mean she looked almost human. The craggy form she had taken in my dreams was gone. In its place was gray hair swept back and a face with lines around the mouth and eyes. She had her hands tucked into the front of a black robe she wore as she came softly into the room.

  I reached my hand out, my ring pulsing, ready for battle.

  “No, no, how dare you threaten a guest of ours?” Mrs. Erikson demanded.

  I looked at Keller with wide eyes. His face was hard as he said, “Mother, you know the paranormals are at war with the Nocturns, don’t you? You know that Caid isn’t doing anything, and we’ve been forced to create our own defenses? You know that Cynthia Malle put a bounty on Charlotte’s head and that she’s been disavowed?”

  “We know that there’s a lot of confusion,” said Mrs. Erikson, coming forward. “We know that you’re young and in love and probably not thinking clearly.”

  I started to sputter, but Keller shushed me. I glared up at him, demanding to know why he was keeping silent. I honestly will never know how I kept my feet firmly planted on the ground in that moment, when all I wanted to do was run.

  Keller’s eyes were hard. “Mother,” he said, “I might be young, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

  I felt like my world was collapsing in on itself.

  “Hey,” Keller’s father barked, “don’t you dare talk to your mother that way.”

  My boyfriend didn’t even look at his father. Instead he said, “We’re leaving. We will not stay under the same roof as that traitor.” He didn’t even acknowledge Malle’s presence, but his mother gasped at his harsh words.

  “Keller,” she breathed, tears making her eyes bright, “how could you say such things about your godmother?”

  “She tried to kill my girlfriend,” said Keller. “I think I’m entitled.”

  Cynthia Malle spread her hands wide, speaking for the first time. “I am sorry to have caused so much trouble. I do know that there are . . . difficulties . . . between the Nocturns and the paranormals, but the only way to resolve these issues is to work together, not separately.”

  “Ah, so you’re advocating collaboration? Your specialty?” I asked coldly. She really was mad. How could she think she was welcome to just walk in here as if she hadn’t slaughtered countless paranormals?

  But of course she thought she could, because she was. I looked at Keller’s parents. I’d been so excited to meet them. I’d had high hopes for how the dinner would go, and instead, this had happened, something far worse than my wildest imaginings.

  “Let’s go,” Keller said, taking my hand and squaring his shoulders.

  “You aren’t going anywhere,” said his mother shrilly. “You’ve gone off on your own for long enough. It is time you do your duty by your family. We’ve invited Cynthia here to ensure that.”

  My blood ran cold.

  Keller blinked several times, a
s if he was unsure what to say. He still held my hand, but he had stopped trying to tug me out of the room.

  “Keller,” I whispered, my blood pounding in my years. It didn’t matter that Cynthia Malle used to be friends with Keller’s parents. Some actions were unforgivable.

  I knew in that moment that Keller and I had no future. There was no way I could ask him to choose between his parents and me; it wouldn’t have been fair. He was his parents’ firstborn child, and he had to align with the family, even if that meant Cynthia Malle.

  “Keller,” I whispered, slowly prying my hand free. He looked at me frantically, his eyes filled with fear, and in that moment my heart broke. I turned my head away, but that meant I met the eyes of my nemesis.

  Bracing myself I said, “It doesn’t matter how many times you come after me.” My voice was soft, but the words were filled with steel. “It doesn’t matter how many of the things I love you take away. You will never win. Never ever.”

  “Charlotte!” Keller’s voice came out strangled. With my heart in my mouth I forced myself to look at him.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

  “For what?” he asked desperately. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

  I nodded, fighting back the tears that wanted to spill out.

  “Yes, there is,” I said, hanging my head.

  “See, even Charlotte agrees,” said Mrs. Erikson triumphantly. She was met with a ringing silence. Even Malle wasn’t going to say anything.

  “No,” said Keller firmly. “No, no, no.”

  “It’s your duty,” I said. “You’re a fallen angel of the House Erikson. You’re a senior in college, and this semester all you’re doing is chaperoning a bunch of dying Public students.”

  “Are you saying I’m a bad chaperone?” Keller asked. I couldn’t tell if he was kidding. It didn’t matter anymore.

  “You should stay here,” I said desperately, afraid that if we kept talking about it I would lose my nerve.