Call of the Waters (Elemental Realms Book 2)

by H. L. Burke

  “Well, I can save you a bit. Why don’t you check the bramble and I’ll check the pond? It’s better for all of us if she doesn’t bring fleas into the house. I swear, she’s far too old to be so finicky about baths.”

  “Yeah, she is.” Brode grinned. His smile faded. “Are you all right, Quill? You’ve been odd lately, distant. If you were Trea, I’d say it was just a mood, but this isn’t like you.”

  She forced a smile. “I’m fine. Worry about your sister and her fleas, not me, all right?”

  “Well, hopefully I can drag her out of the bramble unscathed.” He laughed.

  Quill started off down the hill towards the pond. She needed to be more careful. If Brode sensed the difference in her, Mother certainly had to be aware of it. Soon everyone would know. What if it makes them afraid of me? What if they don’t want me around anymore?

  No, they were family. There was no way they’d turn on her. No matter what happened. Her only concern should be whether it was safe for her to be around them. If there were even a chance of her hurting them, she’d willingly leave.

  She crept through the woods. If Pet heard her coming, she might run off to avoid bathing.

  A pair of beavers had made the fishing pond, sometime before Quill’s family had found the area. They’d blocked off the stream right before it joined with a larger, more boisterous waterway, creating a wide, deep pool surrounded by marsh weeds. Brode and Trea spent several days last summer constructing a raft, which floated about the pool, tethered to one shore by a long rope.

  Quill parted the face-high marshrushes. There was Pet, sitting on the raft in the center of the pond, and in between Pet’s hands glowed a spinning circle of luminescent blue.

  A portal? Oh Pet, no!

  Quill quashed the urge to rush forward. Pet waved her hands over the growing circle, about the size of a ripe melon, her brows pinched together.

  “You hear us!”

  The voice echoed through her thoughts. The water of the pond began to churn, splashing against its boundaries. Quill shrieked.

  Pet’s head shot up. The portal blinked out, and silence fell. Quill stared across the water at Pet. The girl’s bottom lip shook. She dove into the water and swam for shore.

  Shaking off her own fear, Quill rushed after her. “Pet, come back!”

  Pet reached the bank and stood, dripping-wet, her smock clinging to her body. “Don’t tell. Please don’t tell.”

  “I won’t. I promise.” Quill knelt before her, her hands on Pet’s arms. “But what were you thinking? You know how dangerous opening portals can be!”

  “I just wanted to try and get someplace besides the Fire Realm. I think I can. I think if I try really hard, I can do it.” Tears ran down the girl’s cheeks. “Willa told me not to. She said maybe later, but I hate later. Everything happens later. Why can’t it happen now?”

  “Because the Fire Folk could come through the portal and capture you, or worse.” Quill wiped Pet’s face with her sleeve.

  “I’m not stupid. I’m doing it on the pond. If they come through, they’ll just fall in the water and it will put them out.” Pet sniffled.

  “It’s still too risky.” Quill tried not to think of the voice in her head. “You said you were trying to reach somewhere other than fire? How?”

  “I just think about one of the other elements, but when I do, the portals almost always flicker out before they get big enough.”

  “Almost always?” Quill raised her eyebrows.

  “When I think about earth, they last longest. I’ve been trying air and water, though, and they always disappear when they get about this big.” Pet held her hands about a foot apart. “I won't do it again … please, Quill, don't tell on me.”

  “I won't. I promise. We'll keep this between us …”

  “That’s going to be hard.”

  Quill’s head spun around. Pet cried out, pointing to the treeline. There, Gabrin leaned against a tree. Pet dashed into the woods in the opposite direction.

  Gabrin strode forward, but Quill thrust herself between him and the fleeing girl.

  He raised his eyebrows. “What do you think I’m going to do? Track her down like prey? You’re the one I want to talk to.”

  “You can’t tell anyone!” She pushed him.

  He rocked back. Her own chest ached from the empathic pushback to her blow. She drew a deep breath to steady herself.

  “So that’s why you’re hiding out here? It’s not because of your father, like Eanan thinks. It’s because of the girl.”

  Quill let her shoulders slump. “Yes. When people found out about her, they tried to hurt her. She needs to be kept safe.”

  “Of course she does. As long as she’s alive, the humans have control of the portals … Can she open to all Realms?” He gazed past her into the trees where Pet had disappeared.

  “No, just Fire.”

  “Interesting … I need to tell Eanan about this.”

  “No, you can’t! You can’t tell anybody!” She gripped his arm.

  “He’s your grandfather. Doesn’t that equate to some trust?”

  She bit her bottom lip. “We’ve been betrayed by friends and family before over Pet, and Eanan already doesn’t trust Father. They don’t need another reason to go at each other’s throats. Also, she’s just a child. You can’t use her in your quest. If you want to stick around until she’s grown, fine, but until then, you leave her alone.”

  “So I should just loiter about for the next decade?” He laughed. “And here I thought you wanted to get rid of me.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “You can jump into the Fire Realm for all I care, but you’re not using Pet in your scheme to go down in history as some sort of hero-explorer.”

  “And you’re going to stop me, how?” His mouth quirked in an infuriating sideways smile.

  “Is everything a joke to you?” Heat rose in her cheeks, and she pointed a quivering finger at his chest. “This is a child’s life, my family’s safety …”

  “All right, all right, simmer down. Ships and seas, woman. You really need to work on your sense of humor.” He reached into his pocket and brought out his compass again.

  Quill gritted her teeth.

  “You do realize I’m in an awkward position, now, keeping secrets from my friend and mentor? You owe me one.” His thumb circled over the casing of the compass. “I did tell him about your powers, though. So maybe we’re even.”

  Cold sweat beaded on the back of Quill’s neck. “You told him?”

  “Yes. He wants to talk you into coming with us. It would be wonderful to have the portal keeper herself on our quest, but you’re right. She’s a kid, probably more trouble than it’s worth in the long run. You, however, you can speak directly to these Elementals. Do you know how advantageous that would be?”

  She crossed her arms. “I already told you, I don't wish to accompany you.”

  “Hear me out!” He held up a hand. “These incidents are going to continue whether you come with us or not, whether you want them to or not. You can’t deny what you are. Why not take a chance?”

  “I don’t know … What if I hurt the people around me the way Meghil … or what if the water takes over when I'm near Dad and … I can’t hurt the people I love.”

  “Then you need to learn to control this, to learn how to make it work for you.” His eyes glistened. Excitement radiated off him like sun reflecting from a pool of water. She couldn’t meet his gaze. “You have been given a gift, to be the first Water Speaker in centuries. Do you know the sorts of things they could do with their powers? They used them to heal and protect, to rescue sailors lost at sea.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “They used to call them the azure guardians.”

  Something in his tone, a slight syrupiness, made her jolt back to the present. “You’re making that up, aren’t you?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Wow, you’re good. I dip into the insincere for a moment and you call me on it. Honestly, though, they were considered heale
rs and protectors … the azure guardian thing, I made that up, but it sounds nice, doesn’t it?”

  “I don’t need things to sound nice. I need to keep the people I love safe.” She stepped away from him.

  “If you want to learn to keep it in hand, you'll need to go to the source, and for that, we’re your best chance. Come with us.”

  She glanced past him into the woods. Dad won’t like this … but what choice do I have?

  Chapter Seven

  Karvir settled into the flames of the kitchen fire. The heat flowed through his being. He allowed his consciousness to drift into a dreamlike state. The voices of his family lowered to a pleasant murmur.

  In this condition, it was easy to put aside the strangeness of his non-human form, to forget the broken ruin that was his body.

  “Willa! Karvir!” Pet's voice rang out.

  Karvir forced himself out of his fade and stepped out of the fire. Willa and Trea set down the food they were preparing.

  Brode came in from the yard. “Pet, what’s wrong? You act like you’ve seen a pack of wolves.” He laughed.

  She turned to stare at him, and his smile died. “Woods and trees, Pet, what happened?”

  “I know I shouldn’t but I … it was just one little one … and Quill was there and … but he saw me! He saw me, and I know he’ll tell everyone!” Her bottom lip shook. “I’m so sorry. I ruined everything.”

  Willa glanced at Karvir. She strode across the room to Pet. “Who saw you? Eanan?”

  “No, the other one. The smirky one.”

  “Does she mean what I think she does?” Trea asked.

  “Pet,” Karvir forced his voice steady. “You’re saying Gabrin saw you open a portal?”

  She looked down and shuffled her feet. “Just a little one.”

  “There’s a chance he doesn’t know what he saw,” Willa said.

  “Maybe, but we can’t count on that,” Karvir said.

  “Do we have to move again?” Trea asked.

  “No, if Gabrin pokes the hornets’ nest, I’ll take care of him,” Karvir said.

  Willa blanched. “Karvir, he’s practically a boy. You can’t—”

  “Hopefully it won’t come to that, but if it’s a choice between his life and the safety of our family, I won’t hesitate.” Karvir strode over and closed the door to the cabin. “Where is Eanan?”

  “I think he went with Freda to get firewood. I sent Quill after Pet … Pet, was Quill with you?” Brode’s brow furrowed.

  “Yes. She … she might still be with him.”

  Trea stepped forward. “If he hurts her—”

  Willa held up her hand. “If he hurts her, he gets hurt. It’s the blessing of the empathics. We should go to her, though.”

  Karvir slipped his arm around his wife’s waist. “No, you stay here. I’ll take care of it. Where are they, Pet?”

  “By the pond.”

  “Can I come, too, sir?” Brode asked.

  “If he goes, I go!” Trea burst out.

  “No, just me. If it does go wrong, you two don’t need to be there. Ideally, I will explain the value of keeping his mouth shut, and that will be it.”

  Karvir hurried out the door into the woods. He needed to get to Gabrin before Eanan did. Even if they were lucky enough for Gabrin not to know what he’d seen, Eanan knew the portals and would easily recognize a description of one.

  The damp odor of the fish pond permeated the air as he drew closer. He could hear voices: Quill and a male voice, most likely Gabrin.

  “We’re your best chance,” he said. “Come with us.”

  Karvir’s stomach clenched, and he quickened his pace.

  Gabrin and Quill stood together at the edge of the lake. She didn’t look frightened or threatened, though her lips were pursed in what might’ve been worry.

  Glancing up, her eyes met his, and her jaw dropped. “Is everyone sneaking up on me now? How long have you been there?”

  “Just arrived.” He shrugged. “Pet came running home, scared out of her mind, so I thought I’d check on you.”

  “We’re fine. It was a misunderstanding.” Quill turned back to Gabrin. “Isn’t that right?”

  “Yes, definitely. I guess I surprised the young one. I’m glad she made it home safe.” Gabrin smiled in a way he probably thought was quite charming.

  Karvir gave a slow nod. “She’s fine, but it’s getting late. We should all get back.”

  Quill fell into step beside her father, letting Gabrin bring up the rear. Karvir examined her out of the corner of his eyes.What was Gabrin saying to her when I walked up?Come with them … Obvious why Gabrin would want her to come along. She has her mother’s eyes, but she wouldn’t fall for his act, would she? I need to keep an eye on this boy. And did he really not see the portal, or is he bluffing?

  When they reached the house, Willa rushed out to them.

  “Everything all right?”

  “Seems to be.” Karvir planted a kiss on her forehead. “Why don’t you get everyone inside? I’m going to look for Eanan.”

  “What for?” Willa whispered. She grasped his shoulders. “You swear everything is all right?”

  “Yes.” He slipped his lips closer to her ear and spoke so only she could hear. “Get a reading on Gabrin when you can. He says it was all a misunderstanding, but I don’t trust him.”

  Her fingers clenched into him, then she nodded and withdrew.

  Karvir and his family had been clearing a patch of land for a few months now, preparing the way for more crops. If Freda took Eanan firewood gathering, that’s where they’d be, plenty of cut brush and fallen trees ready to be carted away. He started in that direction and soon found the tracks of a wheelbarrow in the new grass. The thud of an axe splitting wood rang through the forest, accompanied by the smell of fresh cut pine.

  Freda looked up at Karvir’s approach. “Hey, we’re almost done here.” She motioned towards the full wheelbarrow.

  Eanan leaned his axe against a fallen tree. “I haven’t worked like that since we left the isles. My muscles are going to snap at me tonight.” He grinned.

  Karvir's expressions were impossible to read. Handy because right now he wanted nothing more than to glare at the older man. “Freda, can you get the wood back to the cabin on your own? I want to speak to Eanan.”

  “Of course. Don’t be too hard on him. He’s starting to grow on me.” She cast Eanan a smile, and he winked at her.

  They waited for Freda to roll the wheelbarrow out of the clearing before facing each other.

  “Nice girl, sassy, hard worker. I’m surprised she’s still unattached,” Eanan said.

  “Freda’s independent. She fought at my side during the war, as hard and as well as any man. A lot of men can’t handle a wife who could take them in a fight, but Freda does well enough on her own.” Karvir stepped closer. “I overhead Gabrin talking to Quill. It sounded like he was trying to recruit her for your quest.”

  Eanan raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t ask him to do that, for what it’s worth, though I’ve been open about my intentions. I asked Willa to join us, and she turned me down. Quill would be the obvious replacement.”

  “Quill is a lot like her mother, kind, sincere, and a little sheltered. If Gabrin thinks he can flirt with her and put her aside, you need to set him straight … or else I will.”

  Eanan snorted. “Look at you, the protective father now. It’s not fun when someone comes to steal away your little girl, is it?”

  “This isn’t about that.” Karvir’s jaw clenched, but he kept his voice level. “This mission of yours is idiocy in more ways than one. You’re risking not only your own lives but the safety of Forra. We’ve managed to drive out the Elementals. Opening a gateway to their Realms could ruin everything, set us on a path back into war. Humanity can’t survive another major conflict. We’ve only just started to rebuild.”

  “You think you have a right to forbid me?” Eanan’s eyes narrowed. “Or the power? This is my life’s work.”


  “You can do whatever the hell you want, but you keep your claws out of my daughters. I won’t have you dragging them into danger to spite me for Willa’s choice.” Karvir widened his stance. His body flickered involuntarily into a fade before he forced himself solid again.

  “Yes, this is all about you.” Eanan shouldered the axe. “You’ve been spoiled by my pliable daughter. I’m not going to let you bully me.”

  Karvir’s core flared. “I’m the bully? Now isn’t that the crow teaching the cock to sing.”

  “Tell me, then, honestly, if Quill asks to accompany us, you won’t deny her?” Eanan raised his eyebrows.

  Karvir drew back. “She isn’t asking.”

  “But if she does? You’d allow it?”

  “I’m not going to speculate on what-ifs. It would be the best for all involved if you and your companion continued on your quest soon. You’re only causing misery here, for all of us.”

  Eanan nodded. “We’ll leave in the morning, then. Apparently some seas can only be crossed once.”

  ***

  The sun dipped below the treeline, cloaking the little cabin in shadow. Quill stepped out into the yard where Gabrin and Eanan took stock of their supplies. They’d lit a small fire and laid out tarps to sort their belongings on.

  Gabrin glanced up. “Did you talk to your family?”

  Quill glanced back over her shoulder. The others were all inside, crowded together as if trying to pretend Eanan were already gone. “No. Dad’s furious at whatever happened between you. He’s trying to hold it in, but it’s rising off him like heat. He’s not ready to forgive you yet, Eanan.”

  Eanan cast her a wry smile. “Still not Grandfather? Yes, some wounds can’t be healed overnight. Your father’s made it clear we aren’t welcome here. The question is, what do you plan to do?”

  “If you’re right, if what’s happening to me won’t stop, then I need to face it head on. It's that or stay here and risk being a threat to those who matter most to me. I think I’m supposed to go with you. Maybe the Creator brought you here at this time for this reason.”

  “If you tell your father, he’ll forbid it. Are you willing to go against his wishes?” Eanan asked.