The Book of Elements

by Cynthia Woods

  "I would ask one additional favor of you, Vin. When you visit Salma, please let her know that her great grandfather, Javeed, is very proud of her. She will understand."

  "I will do that, my friend."

  Vin was alone again and quickly moved a few steps away from the fallen tree. He walked to the place where Salma had fallen. Javeed was correct. He had no difficulty catching hold of a link to Salma. Vin followed that link to the lake house, where he found Salma and the policeman from earlier asleep on the couch.

  Remembering the effect Javeed’s sudden appearance caused on his Sahrina, Vin wanted to ease into this. He called Salma’s name softly. She didn’t stir. He touched her arm as he tried again. This time Salma opened her eyes and looked around, but did not move from the safety of the man’s side. This is where it was going to get tricky.

  Vin did not have time to explain everything, so he decided it would be best if Salma could see him. That should dismiss most of her questions and allow them to get past all the preliminaries and on to finding Caeli. The only problem was that Vin had never done this before. He had never tried to make himself visible on this side of the barrier. Yet, he believed it was possible. Centuries of ghost stories confirmed that possibility.

  He concentrated on his own image and spoke Salma's name a third time. She let out a sudden, startled gasp in response, and her eyes went wide in disbelief. Her movements also caused the man beside her to wake suddenly in alarm, jumping up from the couch to face the unknown threat.

  "Salma, don’t be afraid," Vin spoke only to her. He could not afford to waste any energy on the police officer yet.

  "Look at me, please," Vin continued.

  "Vin? Is it truly possible? Can it be you?" Salma rose from the couch to put a reassuring hand on the police officer's arm. She stepped in front of him to face the shimmering image barely visible in the air before her.

  "Please Salma, I need your help. I need to find Caeli. I cannot reach her myself just now, so I need you to use your special talent to locate her," Vin implored.

  Salma stood there facing the specter of Vin in silence. She was considering what she saw and heard before answering.

  "So this is the role I’m fated to play. I will help you, Vin. I will do my best, but I don’t know if it will be enough." She moved to sit at the kitchen table, pulling the man along with her to sit in a chair drawn up close to her own, giving him a quick synopsis of her gift so that he might be able to accept what was happening.

  "I have known of my ability ever since I was a little girl. I could sometimes hear the voices of people after they passed away; even saw a ghost or two, though nothing as substantial as what Vin has achieved. It was my mother who helped me understand my gift when I was just a child. I can also pick up on the feelings and thoughts of people around me. Though, to get anything more than random bits and pieces, I have to narrow my focus and concentrate. I tried it a few times, but it always exhausts me," Salma explained.

  "That's fascinating and a little frightening," Ben commented.

  "None of it has ever frightened me, and I knew that one day the reason for my gift would be made clear to me. At first, I thought it was to allow me to better understand and help my patients, which it has done. Then I met Vin and Caeli. I knew right away that our fates were somehow tied together. I’ve been enjoying their friendship ever since, waiting to fulfill my purpose." Salma now took Ben's hand and looked directly into his eyes.

  "Ben, I have to open up my emotions and find the thread that uniquely connects me to Caeli in order to do what Vin asks. I hope that my bond to her is strong enough, and I trust that my strength will be sufficient, but I do not know what will happen."

  Surprisingly, Ben seemed to take it all in stride, not doubting her. Then, waking up to see a poltergeist in his living room did offer him firsthand evidence that Salma had not lost her senses.

  "It's all right. I'm sure you can handle it. I'll help you. What can I do?" He was not shy about offering his support.

  Vin followed them when they moved into the kitchen, but stopped a few feet away while they spoke. He did not want the awkwardness of his presence to make them any more uncomfortable than they already were.

  "Thank you. Unfortunately, I don't know what will happen because I don't how much effort it will require. I might not be up to the challenge."

  Vin listened as Salma explained, and understood what she was trying to tell the man only moments before Ben figured it out for himself.

  "You mean the exertion might kill you? Salma, no! There must be another way. Can you draw on my strength? I feel a connection with her as well, like I might have felt for my own daughter. That girl touched my heart the first time I met her. And I care for you, too. Please. Let me help you, Salma. Maybe our combined strength will be enough." Ben was aghast at the severity of the personal risk Salma was willing to take.

  "It doesn’t really work like that for me. As far as I know, my gift is a solo act," she replied sadly, knowing that her words caused him pain. Ben's feelings for her had been clear from their first meeting, and they were mirrored in her own burgeoning love for him. Nonetheless, Salma would not let this dissuade her from trying to help Caeli. She understood that this was only one move in a larger game. She had to play. Salma had always known that a task such as this would be required of her one day, and that she would not refuse it when the time came. That time was now.

  Vin was moved by the emotion behind their words. This man obviously cared a great deal for Salma and was doing his best to protect Caeli. That was good enough for him to befriend this man. Additionally, Vin gave Javeed his word that he would keep Salma safe. He moved to stand directly behind her as she sat with her eyes closed, concentrating on her task. Vin placed one hand gently on her shoulder and spoke so that both she and Ben would be able to hear him.

  "Don’t worry, Salma. I will add my strength to yours. It will be enough, and I will not let you die."

  His contact with Salma allowed Vin to see the images as they flashed through her mind and were seared into his own. Caeli was bound and looked as if she'd been beaten. Kent was torturing her, causing her unimaginable pain. Vin's anger leaked out of him and seeped into Salma, who winced and cried out.

  "Caeli!" Salma shouted. Ben reached out and grabbed her hands as the air in the room began to swirl in small gusts around them.

  "Where? Where is she?" Vin demanded. But before Salma could answer, more images flashed.

  Caeli raised her head when Salma yelled, as if she might have heard her friend's voice across the distance. Kent, too, took a moment to search the room around him before continuing to press salt into another cut on Caeli’s arm.

  An instant later, the connection was broken. Salma lost consciousness, but not before Vin obtained the information that he sought. He knew where Caeli was being held. Vin took a moment to ensure that Salma would be all right before he left.

  "She is exhausted. I fear it was more than her mind could handle, but she will be ok. She just needs to rest. Please, take good care of Salma and pass on a message for me when she wakes. Tell her that she has my utmost gratitude and that her great grandfather, Javeed, is very proud of her. Salma will understand."

  Ben picked up Salma’s limp body and carried her to the bed in his room on the first floor, where he placed her head gently on the pillow. He drew a blanket across her and pulled a chair close to the bedside so that he could sit with her. Ben held Salma's hand while she slept.

  Vin flew off to find Caeli, accompanied by a very strong gust of wind. He barely contained his anger long enough to deliver Javeed's message and see to Salma's well-being before he departed.

  CHAPTER 26

  There were now multiple, bloody lines dripping the precious, red fluid down her arm in addition to two long gashes in her left thigh. Each cut had been more painful than the previous when the salt was pressed into them, but Caeli was more determined now. She knew that she heard Salma’s voice call out to her.

  More than that,
Caeli felt Vin’s presence behind Salma and immediately knew his thoughts. Vin was coming to rescue her, and she had to stop him. If he revealed himself now, the consequences would be dire. She would not allow herself to be the cause of Vin's further torment. He should be allowed to find peace.

  The only way to intercede with Vin was to get herself free before he arrived. While Kent was taking extreme pleasure in causing her pain, Caeli was slowly working the piece of hidden glass against the tape that bound her wrists. It was difficult, and the pain was distracting, but she had managed to manipulate the edge of the shard in such a way that its edge slid against the adhesive each time Kent jerked her arm to apply the salt application that amplified her suffering. Caeli soon cut through enough of the tape that she could feel it begin to give way as she continued to struggle against it.

  At last, the tape tore apart, and the force she was applying against it sent Caeli's arms flying outward. She inadvertently knocked the knife from Kent’s hand as he was etching another stripe in her flesh. Caeli snatched the bowl of salt and hurled it at his eyes. A few of the granules hit their target.

  Kent reflexively brought his arms up to shield his face, and Caeli leaned on the couch so that she could throw a forceful kick at his side where she knew he carried a fresh bullet wound. The kick landed solidly, causing Kent to double over in pain. While he was recovering, she rapidly tried to hop out of his reach. After a few feet, Caeli stopped to remove the tape around her ankles. As she was pulling loose the last of the binding that hampered her ability to run, Kent lunged forward and grabbed her by an ankle, yanking her off her feet, and throwing himself on top of her.

  "Where do you think you’re going? We are just getting started. I have so many more ways to make you scream." He managed to get himself into a position semi-straddling her with one knee pressed into her ribs. His weight on her torso constrained the expansion of her lungs, causing Caeli to gasp for air. Kent was trying to catch and restrain her arms as Caeli threw strike after strike at him in her effort to break free. She landed a fist across his nose and heard a crunching sound. Caeli heaved a knee into his exposed groin area and shoved with all her strength to knock Kent away. She stumbled to her feet and ran toward the nearest archway looking for an exit. His sadistic laughter followed her out of the room.

  "Now that’s the spirit! Damn! I think you broke my nose."

  Caeli heard Kent's heavy footsteps as he stalked after her, still laughing. She raced toward a door, but found it locked by a keyed deadbolt. She edged her way around a large dining table to reach a window. Throwing aside the thick curtains revealed a solid pane of glass with no means to open it.

  "You didn’t think it would be that easy to escape, did you?"

  Caeli felt a small jolt of electricity hit her straight in the chest. She had to reach for the back of one of the chairs at the table to keep from falling down.

  "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to fight back at all. It would have been very disappointing if you had not." Kent was taking great pleasure in what he was certain would be her failed escape attempt.

  She took advantage of his time-wasting chatter and clutched the chair she was using for support more tightly. Caeli swung it as hard as she could against the exposed window pane. It rebounded, but the glass cracked slightly. She repeated the assault two more times before the glass finally shattered and her route to the yard outside was clear. Caeli felt the wind rush in through the window. As she dove for the freedom of the yard, Caeli felt another shock rip through her body. She hit the ground rolling and groaning as the intense stinging and burning sensations continued.

  Abruptly, the pain stopped. She no longer heard Kent’s laughter stalking her. Caeli knew she had failed. She had not been fast enough. It took her too long to get away. It was too late to avert the impending disaster. Caeli realized that she felt more than just the wind sweep into the house as she fled out the window. She knew that is was Vin who now confronted Kent. Vin promised he would always protect her, no matter what. Somehow, Vin had found a way to keep that promise even now.

  Caeli stayed where she fell on the cobblestone patio, conserving her remaining strength. She wrapped her arms around her knees with one hand pressed over the still painful cuts on her arm. She sat still and waited to learn the outcome. Vin would not want her to interfere. Otherwise, he would have to divide his attention between protecting her and dealing with Kent. Caeli would not put Vin in that situation.

  She wanted Kent to pay for what he'd done to Vin, for taking him away from her. Caeli realized that she no longer wanted to stop Vin at all. A light rain fell as Caeli struggled to keep her emotions in check. Thusly intent on watching through the window, Caeli was caught completely off guard by the man who crept up and grabbed her from behind.

  Caeli's hands were forcibly bound, and she was taken inside once again. She was made to stand and watch from the back of the room, unable to utter a warning, as Vin engaged Kent in a surreal contest of elemental forces. She felt the backlash of power emanating from both combatants. Caeli could distinguish the frenzy of Vin’s wrath as it whirled around him. Although Caeli felt no sympathy for Kent’s suffering, she did feel a certain pity for him in that single moment when he looked at the corner where she stood with the two men. Kent recognized his former assistant, Nemi. It was then that Kent knew he had been betrayed by the very cause he served.

  Kent’s body was flung across the room like a rag doll in a hurricane. The impact of his body against the wall left a large dent and rippling cracks in the smooth surface. It was impossible that Kent was not dead, but he was able to employ a counter to Vin's attack. He directed his electrical bolt at Vin's flickering shadow moving within the raging wind as it blew fiercely around the room. At what he thought would be his last moment, the pressure against him eased and Kent's life was spared.

  Vin absorbed the energy of Kent's jolting attack, which at first dissolved his efforts to direct the wind. But, Vin quickly found a way to convert the bolt’s energy into a bolstering source for his winds, and he renewed his onslaught. The wind picked his former friend up off the floor, squeezing the air around Kent's neck as his feet dangled a few inches above the floorboards. Vin threw blast after blast of heated air at the man’s abdomen, severely damaging ribs and vital organs with each blow. He had not even begun to expend his fury yet.

  Kent was gasping, and his face was red with his effort to breathe. The pain caused by Vin’s attack was much worse than he anticipated. He managed to throw a few more bolts of energy at Vin, but they were absorbed and then returned in combination with Vin's stronger force. It was much more than Kent had been led to believe Vin would be capable of doing. Kent was only now beginning to realize his folly. He allowed himself to be used to such an expendable end. It reminded Kent of his own lackeys who suffered a similar fate.

  The pressure on Kent's throat eased so that he could draw a breath. For a flicker of an instant, he considered the possibility that perhaps he could convince Vin to spare him. If he offered a clue to the bigger game in which Vin was now a pawn, perhaps Vin would listen, but Kent seriously doubted it. He mumbled and gasped as he attempted to get Vin's attention.

  "Wait...I know who..," Kent tried, unsuccessfully, to speak to Vin. He attempted to raise his hands in a final, futile effort to disrupt Vin’s hold. Instead, his hands suddenly felt as if they were being smashed beneath an anvil. Then Kent felt the little bones in his wrists and fingers begin to snap and shatter as the pressure slowly increased. Next, the larger bones of his forearms were crushed with excruciating pain reverberating throughout Kent’s nearly immobilized body. He knew there would be no relief until Vin’s rage was exhausted. His only hope rested with the man-shaped figure in the corner of the room yet unnoticed by Vin.

  Vin suddenly heard a wrenching of bones and knew that his adversary was dead. Kent’s neck had been broken, but not by his attacks. Kent had not suffered nearly enough to satisfy Vin’s desire to punish him. Vin allowed the dead body to fall and
slump over onto the floor with a loud thud.

  Then Vin turned to follow the last gaze of now unseeing eyes that stared into the corner behind him. There, Vin saw an elderly man with his hand outstretched, clearly having been the instrument of Kent’s demise. Beside him stood Caeli, tears flowing silently and a mix of emotions visible in her liquid, brown eyes. Her hands were bound behind her once again; this time with a thick, fibrous rope knotted several times. Her mouth was covered by a wrinkled hand. A second wrinkled hand held a long knife firmly against Caeli's throat. Vin could see a trickle of blood welling where the point of the blade already nicked her flesh.

  The elder man gave a smirk when he saw that he now held Vin’s undivided attention. With a casual wave of his hand, Caeli and her new captor vanished. As the old man began to fade from Vin’s sight, he spoke a single parting statement.

  "You will work for me now, puppet."

  Vin stood dazed, not able to process the full impact of what had just happened. Against the limits of his hope, he was granted aid to find Caeli. Technically, she freed herself, and he merely arrived to help ensure her escape was successful. Of course, he was also there to punish the man who was responsible for hunting and tormenting Caeli the past few days.

  Willingly, Vin accepted the risk that taking such action to help Caeli would reveal his presence to the larger enemy. He would now be vulnerable, and this newly revealed enemy was fully aware of it.

  Unfortunately, Vin had naively believed that Caeli’s involvement would end with Kent’s death. He did not seriously consider that they would use her further. Now Vin regretted that he would have known better if only he had stopped long enough to think it through. What other leverage would they possible have over him if not Caeli? They knew that if this attempt to draw him out succeeded, then a continued threat to her safety would be the most effective way to force him to do their bidding. Vin was certain that particular hammer would fall very soon.