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Ash and E.Z. turned, eyes fixed on the surroundings. E.Z. grounded his feet, closed his eyes, and breathed deeply. I stared between them, wondering what was going on. I followed their lead, keeping as still as possible, but sensed no threat.

They opened their eyes as I heard the sound of hoofbeats. Three distinct beats.

“Would Aidan be bringing more than one horse for us?” I asked Elijah, hopeful it was that simple while knowing it wasn’t by their posture.

“It’s two riders and one empty horse. If it’s Aiden, he brought someone with him,” Elijah answered.

I was about to ask how he knew that when Griffin shifted suddenly, pushing me behind him. E.Z. stepped in front of Griffin to the left, and Elijah moved to Griffin’s other side, forming a protective wall of strength between me and the riders.

I was starting to freak out. Unable to sense what the guys could sense, I felt like we were under attack, and I was blind to which direction to prepare against. I didn’t have a weapon, something I would need to remedy quickly so I could protect myself.

The horses were drawing closer, hoofbeats growing louder and louder. I felt their vibrations in the ground the closer they came.

“You’re using Earth,” Griffin whispered softly, reaching back to grab my hand. “We cannot let whoever is coming feel that. Do you understand me?”

I shot my gaze to E.Z. and Elijah, even though Griffin barely spoke above a whisper. Both were looking straight ahead, alert as always. There was no indication that they could hear us.

“I didn’t know that I was doing it!” I whisper-hissed back, grabbing Griffin’s hand tightly, more nervous than before.

I hadn’t spent a lot of time learning the mechanics of using Earth. I knew most of its traits but never studied how to actually use the element. My fundamental knowledge was failing me. I didn’t knowwhatI was doing, let alone how to turn it off. Would the approaching riders be able to tell? The other guys couldn’t seem to tell.

Chapter15

Kaia

Aiden came charging into the clearing first, followed by a beautiful woman pulling a white-speckled horse behind her galloping black stallion. He dismounted and walked over to his companion as she stopped, offering his hand to help her down.

She kicked it away, swinging herself off the horse and landing gracefully in a slight crouch.

“I can do it. No need to coddle me,” the woman replied, adjusting the blue tunic she wore over black leggings. She combed her hands through her white-blond hair, working out a few snags.

It was a lot less tangled than mine after everything, the way my hair still looked since I hadn’t even attempted to fix it. I needed to ask the guys for a brush before I had to cut it all off.

Aiden approached our group, mumbling about “being polite” and calling her an “ungrateful brat.”

Who was this woman to him?

“Who is this?” Elijah asked for all of us. What he lacked in politeness, he made up for in sneers and efficiency.

“Why, hello!” the woman cooed in a pure saccharin voice. She sauntered forward, her long silky hair flowing in the wind and catching every freaking ray of sunshine in the wood. “I am Erin Mae Rivera.” She daintily held her hand out for Elijah to hold. “But everyone calls me River. Don’t know what my parents were thinking with that name.” She punctuated the statement with a giggle.

To me, she looked exactly like an Erin Mae. And acted like one, too.

“Stop that.” Aiden glared at her. “This is my half-sister. I need to escort her while we travel for a bit. I wanted to introduce you before the meeting.”

I didn’t know Victor had any other children. Did he have more illegitimate kids out there?

“Victor’s? Or—” Elijah started to ask.

“—No.” River cut him off, spitting on the ground. “I am not that man’s offspring.”

Oh, this was getting interesting! I wanted to know more. Victor had his share of family secrets, apparently and I wanted all the answers. I couldn’t wait to tell Liam. He always got the good gossip first because I didn’t talk to many people.

But I couldn’t tell Liam. The pain in my chest was sharp. Remembering that felt like losing him all over again. But it didn’t incapacitate me. That was a start. It's a slow one, but a start.

Aiden turned his gaze to me. “I secured a meeting for you, Kaia. Someone I trust will come to collect you and your Keeper from your room at the Whispering Oaks Inn at eleven p.m. You can ask them any questions you have. I will escort you as close to the hotel as I can.”

“My Keeper will be there with me the whole time?” I asked, unsure how I felt about meeting him and being left alone with him.