by S. N. Hunt
“Well, she does look like Alavara. I guess I can train her. But you have to help me with this mess. I just can’t find anything. The more I try to organize, the worse it gets.”
Sarah nodded and looked around at the mess, dumbfounded. It looked like nothing had been touched in years. She wasn’t sure if she could ever organize it all. Tabitha walked through another door that was partially hidden behind more books. Thibus nodded at Sarah and followed her.
The door led to a conservatory filled with plants. Sunlight shone through the glass ceiling and walls. A blue metal table and chairs sat in the center of the room. The tabletop was covered with books. Tabitha took one look at them and shoved them off the table to the floor.
Thibus took a seat and gestured to the one next to him. Sarah sat down and looked around. Everywhere around the room, plants stood. Some in raised beds, others in pots and hanging baskets. Flowers of every color bloomed. The cloying perfume of the plants filled the air.
Tabitha turned and walked through a door to the left of the table. She returned with a steaming kettle and cups. She set it all on her table and turned back to the door. Thibus quickly grabbed the cups and wiped them off on his robe. He smiled at Sarah sheepishly and returned the cups to the table before Tabitha returned. Tabitha set a bowl of sugar on the table. She took the seat opposite of Sarah.
“So, you are an elementalist. Look just like your mother. Is your Guardian nearby?”
“He camps outside the city walls.”
Tabitha nodded and poured steaming water into each of the cups. Pulling tea bags from her apron, she plopped one in each cup. She laid out spoons and bobbed her tea bag in her cup. She gently picked up her cup, blew on it, and sipped it slowly. Setting her cup back down, she stared at Sarah.
“So what can you do? What is your preferred element?”
“Um… I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know? Have you used your powers yet?” She said, raising an eyebrow at her.
“I grew up in the human realm. Before coming to the Veil, I didn’t even know I had powers. I have never done any magic.”
Tabitha’s eyebrows shot up together and scrunched into a line. Clenching her jaw, she drummed her fingers on the table. She looked at Thibus.
“Are you sure she is the one?”
Thibus nodded as he loaded spoonful after spoonful of sugar into his cup.
“So you know nothing? You are completely untrained. Blank slate. Great, that’s great.”
Sarah nodded and watched as Tabitha stood. She walked across the room, opened a glass panel, and stepped out. Standing still, she stared up at the sky. Then she opened her mouth and started screaming. Kicking the dirt at her feet, she gouged and stomped around the yard. She gripped handfuls of her hair and hopped around in place.
“She is just frustrated. Let her get it out of her system. It will be fine.” Thibus said as he sipped his tea and patted her hand.
Sarah watched the woman with wide eyes. Tabitha sent a red fireball at a nearby tree. It exploded in flames. Her screams of frustration rattled the glass of the conservatory.
What have I gotten into?
Tabitha stopped and came back in through the panel. She cleared her throat, smoothed her hair and apron down. She took a deep breath and sat back at the table. Out of a pocket in her apron, she pulled out a silver flask. Screwing off the top, she added a generous amount of amber liquid to her tea. Smiling at Sarah, she held it up in a toast and took a long drag from the flask. She screwed the cap back on the flask and pocketed it. She then downed the tea in one gulp.
“Each day will start early with breakfast. We’ll clean and organize one room a day. Starting in the kitchen, of course. We will have lunch once done then train in the afternoon. We will train til dinner. After dinner, you may do as you please. You can cook, right? You will be in charge of all meals.”
She pulled her flask back out and unscrewed the cap. Tabitha took another deep drag of the amber liquid. She coughed for a moment and pounded on her chest. Sarah nodded at her question.
“We will start with basics. Then build from that. Let’s get you a room then.”
“I cleaned out the room at the top of the stairs for her yesterday. I knew that you were too busy to deal with it. You are welcome.”
Tabitha regarded Thibus with a glare. Her anger didn’t even faze him as he smiled from ear to ear at her. She shook her head and stood. She led them back through the house and up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, a long hallway bisected the house. Red doors lined the walls. Tabitha opened the first door.
“This one is yours while you are here. Stay out of the rest of the house, unless you are cleaning and organizing. There is an adjoining bath for you to use. Enjoy.”
Tabitha went back down the stairs and disappeared into the workshop.
“She is a little rough around the edges, but she is a great teacher. One of the best. I will come daily and check on you. She gets forgetful, so be mindful of time. She may set you to task and then completely forget about you.”
Thibus took her hand and patted it gently. His smile was wide and sincere. Sarah smiled back and watched as he walked back down the stairs. He waved up at her before exiting the house.
Sarah stepped into the room. She was surprised to see modern electricity. A small light fixture was flush to the ceiling and sent yellow light all around the room. The room had a beige stone tile floor with red walls. A large queen sized bed sat at the end of the room. It’s bedding in shades of red and yellow. Matching curtains hid a large window that looked down on the street below. A dark wood wardrobe stood to one side. She opened it and found it stocked with clothing in her size.
A door stood next to the wardrobe. She opened it and walked into a modern bath. The tub was situated in the corner and looked like it could fit three people. A large vanity with double sinks lined one wall. There was even a porcelain toilet. The same beige tiles and red walls decorated the bathroom.
She quickly disrobed and turned on the tub’s tap. Hot water poured from the fixture and she sighed. She sank into the water and saw a button on the ledge. Pressing it, jets churned the surrounding water. She sighed in contentment and leaned back.
I could get used to this.
Coming January 2021!
Thank you
Thank you for reading The Elementalist: Journey to Zlorta. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it. If you enjoyed this book (or even if you didn't) please consider leaving a review on Amazon or on Goodreads. Reviews are very important to readers and authors.
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About the Author
S. N. Hunt loves to read and write all about fantasy and romance. She wrote her first story when she was in her twenties. Then her computer crashed. At the time she took it as a sign and quit writing. Now fifteen years later, the story wouldn’t leave her alone. Thus her first self published book The Elementalist: Journey to Zlorta was born. When she is not writing or reading, she is spending time with her hubby and furbabies. She enjoys camping in the summertime and fishing til the sun goes down. She loves cooking, baking, and of course eating. Family is very important to her and she thanks God everyday for the support they have given her.
Books by S.N. Hunt
The Elementalist and Guardian Series
The Elementalist: Journey to Zlorta
The Elementalist:Allsanore
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