The Essential Elements: Boxed Set

by Elle Middaugh

  “I want your power, but I don’t need it,” he told me arrogantly. “Allow me to tell you a tale while you slowly bleed out. Consider it a bedtime story of sorts.”

  Sick bastard.

  My whole body shook, and the more blood I lost, the colder I felt. It was like ice was crawling through my veins. I wondered if that was what Val felt when her Water powers took over.

  “When I was a boy, no one gave a shit about me,” Nicholai said. “My powers were weak. My body was thin and frail. I was awkward and bullied incessantly. My little brother, Maksim, was the same way. Our parents hated us. We were blemishes on them and the whole Prett family line.”

  He glanced at me, and for a moment, his features blurred. I had to blink a few times before my vision cleared again.

  “You don’t have a damned clue what that’s like, do you, boy? You’ve always been the golden child, the perfect one, full of confidence and strength.”

  He sneered and rolled his eyes in disgust.

  I didn’t have the energy to deny his accusation, and even if I had, I wouldn’t have been able to. He was right.

  “One day a warrior came to our shitty little town,” Nicholai continued.

  I had to scrape at the walls of my brain to remember if this was somehow connected to the first thing he’d said.

  “He was a big, strong man with powers exceeding anything I’d ever seen. I was afraid of him, but everyone else was enamored. They oohed and aahed and showered him with praise and adoration—something I’d never once experienced. As jealousy bloomed into emboldened anger, I somehow managed to get up the balls to ask him how he’d achieved such greatness.

  “The warrior said, ‘It’s not glorious, boy. Power always comes with a price. I was forced into war, forced into killing, and the power grew against my will. I hate being treated like a hero, and I hate the attention.’ And then he stalked off, leaving me to contemplate his words for days, weeks, months, years…until I became absolutely furious.”

  My body slumped over onto the cold cave floor and I tried not to puke at the excruciating pain in my limbs. I forced my eyes open and the cave spun.

  Why would that make him furious?

  Nicholai threw his arms into the air, waving the gun around like the madman he was. “The bastard had everything I ever wanted—attention, appreciation, love—but he didn’t even want it! He had power, strength, and respect—and he hated it! Well you know what, you brutish bastard? I HATED YOU!”

  He fired a few shots into the ceiling, knocking chunks of stone and dust into the middle of the cavern.

  For some fucked up reason, I almost sympathized with him. It was like the more blood I lost, the more compliant my mind seemed to become.

  Nicholai ran a hand through his white-blond hair and got a grip on himself. “Thanks to him, I knew what I needed to do to get what I wanted—I needed to kill.”

  My teeth started chattering as more freezing cold filled me, and I tried my damnedest not to drift off into sleep…or death. As much as I hated to admit it, I was interested in the story he was weaving.

  He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “There was only one person I knew who was weaker than me, one person I’d be able to attack without the fear of retaliation or death.”

  I groaned, but I wasn’t sure if it was out loud or not.

  Not Maksim…

  But I already knew it was coming.

  Nicholai’s features drooped lifelessly as sadness and regret flooded his face.

  “I killed him. I killed my little brother, my one and only friend in the world, the only person who truly cared about me…in exchange for the false love of a crowd. I slit his throat, and as the blood cascaded out, I watched in horror at the accusation in his eyes. ‘Why, brother? Why would you do this to me? I loved you. I trusted you.’ And then I was forced to watch him die, fear and self-loathing eating at my core like maggots and worms until his power surged within me. It filled me with ecstasy and adrenaline, a sensation I’d never felt before, one I wanted more of and quickly became addicted to. I buried his body so deep in the earth no one would ever find his bones.”

  He glanced at me, probably to see if I was still alive or not. I wasn’t sure what he saw in my expression. My eyes were open but unmoving; it took too much energy to blink. My breaths were slow and shallow, my lungs on the verge of faltering, my heart on the verge of stopping.

  “I’ve thought about quitting a million times,” he admitted quietly. “Thought about giving up the killing and the addiction to power, but then it always felt like my brother’s life would’ve been wasted, like he’d have died completely in vain. And so, I keep pushing onward, never stopping but always looking back…” He scratched his chin with the gun barrel. “I do it all for him, as a fucked-up sort of apology, but I know he’ll never forgive me…and I’ll never forgive me.”

  He took a deep breath and his features hardened once more. Reaching over, he pressed his fingers into my neck, feeling the dismal fluttering of my pulse.

  “Not much longer now, boy.”

  He stood and straightened his crisp dress shirt then adjusted his watch.

  I got the feeling he was late for something, or perhaps right on time.

  As he strolled from the cave, my eyelids drifted shut…

  And darkness claimed me.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  As long as I’d waited for this moment, as much as I’d wanted it, I was stupidly underprepared. I had no plan of attack, no strategy, just a duel-minded determination to save Cade and kill Nicholai. No other rational thoughts made an appearance.

  Thankfully, Elise, Chase, and Holden were there. The three of them had worked for highly organized administrations and understood the necessity of a game plan. They pulled us all behind a tall mound of debris and started drawing in the dirt.

  My eyes drifted away from the Xs, Os, and lines, and my gaze flitted through the trees that stood beyond the destruction. If the Revolutionists were trailing Nicholai closely, they ought to be showing up any minute now. I wished they’d move faster. We needed Sienna and Xavier.

  Ida’s words continued to echo in my mind. You’re all going to have to work together if you want to overpower Nicholai.

  “Valerie!” Elise snapped. “Are you even listening?”

  I turned to her. “Sorry.”

  She sighed. “Do you and Pax want to take the left side?”

  “No, I want the middle,” I said. “A straight shot into the fortress to rescue Cade, and a clear shot at Nicholai as soon as he shows his arrogant face.”

  “We all want a shot at him, Val,” she reminded me. “Whoever gets the first or clearest shot takes it, okay?”

  I nodded. “Fine, but I still want the middle.”

  “Down the middle is probably the hardest route you could choose.” She pursed her lips and studied the dirt drawing carefully then turned to Holden. “If you and Chase take the right, Lilly and I will take the left. I don’t know how many Elitists they have holed up in there, but this should allow us to cover the most ground.”

  Holden nodded, but Chase looked around in confusion, seemingly on the same wavelength as me. “Where is the rest of our team? You can’t seriously expect us to storm the place with odds of six to, like, a thousand.”

  Elise glanced at me. “The longer we wait, the higher the chance of Cade dying. We need him, and as soon as possible, especially if we hope to win.”

  Holden dusted his hand across the ground and cleared the map. Then he drew new Xs, Os, and lines. “So, what we really need to do is stick together, forming a line right up the middle, and get to Cade as quickly as possible.”

  “But, again,” Chase pointed out, “it’ll be pointless without backup. We need to wait on the Revolutionists to show up. Sienna and Xavier are with them anyway, right? And we need them, too.”

  Elise growled in frustration while I cleared the dusty map once more, setting up my own game plan.

  “What if the Revolutionists attack the front wh
ile we secretly attack the back?”

  Elise shook her head. “It’s a much smarter plan than going down the middle, but waiting on backup will cost us precious time. Are you willing to risk Cade’s life like that?”

  “I’m not willing to risk Cade’s life at all,” I said honestly. I glanced at Holden, who’d turned away with flushed cheeks. “Do you have any intel on the Traditionalists?”

  Last I’d heard, Henrie was supposed to be convincing them to help us. Clearly Exis hadn’t complied, considering the bitch had kidnapped me, but it was possible he’d managed to scrounge up some allies, anyway.

  Holden shook his head. “Your dad convinced the Modernists to partner up with the Revolutionists, but as far as I know, the Traditionalists are doing what they do best—staying out of it.”

  God, that pissed me off. I understood the effectiveness of it, but it annoyed the hell out of me to imagine them keeping to themselves while the rest of us sacrificed and died.

  Lilly nudged Elise’s arm. “Feel that?”

  My cousin paused, palm to the dirt, listening to its secrets.

  Chase’s eyes widened and a smile lit his lips when he realized he could now try to do the same. He pressed his palm to the ground and his mouth dropped open. “Whoa.”

  Elise nodded. “They’re coming.”

  “The Revolutionists?” I asked, needing to be sure.

  She nodded again. “As soon as they get here, we attack. We can’t risk waiting a moment longer.”

  My heart squeezed tight as I imagined Cade being tortured in a cell. His family had shot me when I was being tortured; what would my family do to him? Whip him? Beat him? Stab him? Starve him? The possibilities were endless and absolutely sickening.

  Elise pulled out her bag and opened it up to reveal the Surge Protectors.

  “There are eight of us, and only five of these. I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say Cade won’t be needing one. Who should wield the others?”

  “I want one,” I said, holding my hand out.

  “So do I,” Holden agreed, staring me down and daring me to protest. “Nicholai murdered my father in cold blood. I deserve vengeance.”

  Elise sighed. “He’s murdered countless people. I’m pretty sure every Elemental on our side wants vengeance on him.”

  Even so, she put one of the rainbow-sheened crystals in my hand and one in Holden’s. I tucked it into the belt of my jeans for safekeeping. Holden followed suit.

  “I want one, too,” she said, picking up another one with her free hand. “Rosenthorn is mine.”

  “So, there are two left.” I glanced from Lilly to Pax to Chase. None of them seemed overly anxious to get their hands on a crystal. “Maybe we should save them for Sienna and Xavier? Nicholai killed Cade and Xavier’s mom and both of Sienna’s parents. I’m sure they’ll want a chance to stick it to the man.”

  “All right,” Elise agreed. Then she pointed to the woods. “They’re here.”

  I turned and saw multiple rows of Elementals exiting the trees. Sienna, Xavier, Jay, and Kale led the way. As soon as her eyes met mine, Sienna launched into a run. Xavier trailed after her, but Jay and Kale stayed behind to keep the others from doing the same. Calla, Soren, Tom, and Miranda—the coaches who’d trained us in Berwindale—were all there, too, heading up the group farther down. I watched as the Revolutionists formed a sharp line, patiently awaiting the order to attack.

  Pride filled me. I’d helped train these people, helped prepare them for this very moment. To see them standing there so brave, calm, and ready was more than a relief; it was a deep reassurance.

  Sienna pulled me into a fierce hug, squeezing the life right out of my lungs.

  “Oh my god, Val, I thought I’d never see you again.”

  I patted her back and chuckled as best I could with what air I had left. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “Where’s Cade?” Xavier asked, scanning our little group as he arrived. “I thought he was with you.”

  I untangled myself from Sienna’s arms and shook my head. “He was captured by Nicholai at the same time I was captured by the Sect. I didn’t know until this morning, but we’re going to get him back.”

  I grabbed a crystal Surge Protector and placed it in his hand.

  “You’re damn right we are,” he agreed, squeezing the weapon tightly even though he had no idea what it was or what it did.

  Elise handed Sienna the other one and explained how they worked. Then she grabbed the other bags, full of the armaments we’d brought from back home. Everyone reached in and claimed their weapons of choice. I equipped myself with a number of daggers for throwing and a couple handguns. Anything else would weigh me down too much.

  “We’re going to have the Revolutionists attack head on while us demigods slip silently around back,” Elise said, explaining the game plan. “The goal is to get to Cade as quickly as possible. Once all eight of us are together, we’ll attack Nicholai.”

  Sienna nodded, and Xavier turned around to signal to Jay and Kale.

  I glanced at Pax then nodded toward the woods. “Better go join the others.”

  He surprised the hell out of me by pulling me into a hug and softly saying, “Good luck, Valerie.” Then he ran over and joined the Revolutionists in the trees.

  I looked up ahead and took a shaky breath. The gray, craggy backdrop before us looked freaking menacing, the stronghold in the middle impenetrable, but I refused to let my fear get the best of me.

  I’m coming, Cade, I promised him in my mind. Please stay strong just a little bit longer.

  “Let’s go,” Elise said. Then she paused as a last-second thought seemingly came to her. “Team up. Holden, come with me. I’ll help you blend while you help me control my Wind.”

  He nodded and grabbed her hand.

  “Sienna, you and Xavier go with Lilly,” Elise continued. “She can cover you guys while you help with her wayward Wind powers.”

  They did as told and latched onto Lilly.

  Then Elise turned to me. “And Val, you go with Chase. He’s probably not the best at blending since he’s such a new Earth, but you’re gonna have to make it work. Stay close to me. I’ll try to help you cover, and you can help Holden with any Fire outbursts.”

  I nodded and took Chase’s hand. It wasn’t hard to pretend he was my friend again, which surprised me. The same was true of Holden now that he wasn’t bitching about my driving or trying to keep me from Cade. I supposed anyone who was on my side now, when it really counted, was a true ally no matter what had happened in the past. For the time being, at least, I could forgive them long enough to accept their help.

  “Okay, now let’s go.”

  Xavier and Sienna sent a final hand signal to Jay and Kale, and a second later, the Revolutionists were charging forward. A loud cry erupted from every mouth like the sound of angry bees. They even looked like a swarm, converging on the Elitists as a synchronized group on a deadly mission.

  Our enemies came out to meet them. They filed through every door, window, and crack the fortress had, more than double our group in number.

  My stomach fell, but Chase tugged on my hand, pulling me away from the action.

  “Over here, Val. Let’s keep up with Elise.”

  I stole a quick glance up at the sky. Please, Ida, don’t let them die. But it was futile. I knew she couldn’t intervene, no matter how much she wanted to.

  I bent over and followed Chase through the wreckage, dipping into craters and hiking over piles of loose dirt and rocks.

  The sound of Elemental enemies converging hit my ears like the crash of a cymbal. Weather erupted from every hand and filled every inch of the environment. Cracks tore through the earth, and the blackened sky rained down spears of ice. Fireballs launched like flaming arrows, and the wind kicked up so much dust and debris it was nearly impossible to see. Guns fired, swords clashed, and fists and blood flew everywhere.

  It was the single most terrifying thing I’d ever seen—and I’d witnessed
quite a few alarming scenes.

  “Come on, Val,” Chase urged gently.

  His words compelled me to tear my gaze away from the gore beside us, but I couldn’t block out the noise. Even through the whistling gale, screams, splattering, and explosions rang in my ears.

  The need to puke was overwhelming, but I fought through the gagging by concentrating on the back of Elise’s head. Her blonde strands jostled as she ran, swinging back and forth like an ever-flowing river of gold. I never even glanced at the terrain beneath my feet; I was too numb to really feel it anyway. She turned around a few times to make sure Chase and I were following, but I never made eye contact. I just kept focusing on her hair. It was all I could do to keep from losing my shit.

  When we rounded the first corner of the structure, the battle was out of sight, and though the noises were thankfully muffled, I could still hear them echoing loudly across the barren landscape.

  We clung tightly to the building’s silhouette, keeping as flat against it as we could to stay clear of any Elitist spies or sentries. My fingers met with gritty sand as I slid along the wall, but the surface was solid as steel. Nicholai had probably built the damn thing himself.

  As soon as we reached an opening, we filed in and kept to the shadows. Elitist soldiers ran around spouting orders, grabbing extra ammo and weapons, and relaying messages. They were apparently too busy to notice any intruders—either that or the Earths were doing a really good job at concealing us.

  Suddenly, Nicholai stormed up the hall, coming from what looked suspiciously like a cave…perhaps a dungeon of some sort where they were keeping Cade? My heart started racing.

  “What’s the status?” he barked at the closest Elitist—my mother, Amelia.

  “The war has started, father. Revolutionists at the front, Shadow Sect soldiers converging at the back.”

  My eyes widened. Oh shit. That was bad news.

  “Any word on your daughter and the other demigods?”

  “No. They weren’t with the Revolutionists when they attacked.”

  Nicholai growled and marched farther up the hall. Then suddenly, he stopped. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was like he was reaching out with his other senses and, most likely, his Earth powers.