Page 19

NINETEEN

Lee

The setting sun casts dappled puddles of light through the towering trees, illuminating the vivid greens of the forest within the elemental realm. My steps are in sync with Luke’s as we jog to keep up with the five Scorpios charging forward, fueled by one goal—finding Wren. I glance over my shoulder at Dean Rottingham. His steps are measured and steady as he whispers to the Water Elemental next to him. I want to slow down to hear what he’s saying, what other plans they’re hatching, but I can’t risk being too obvious.

I told Luke everything about Maya’s room, her checklist, the book, and the contents of the backpack that, with every step, thumps against my back like a heartbeat.

Wren is right not to trust Rottingham, Celeste… me. The thought is a bitter pill to swallow and it rests in my gut like a stone, but there’s no way to deny that our journey into the elemental realm is not a rescue mission. It’s a journey that skirts a web of lies and deceit that’s bigger than I can even imagine.

I glance over my shoulder, and Rottingham’s gaze, cold and calculating, meets mine.

The hairs on the back of my neck rise. This isn’t a journey at all. This is a hunt.

“Quiet!” a Scorpio shouts from up ahead, and the three of us turn our attention to him and the others creeping toward the bank of the stream.

I didn’t think our group was loud as we rushed through the forest following the tracks and camp remains Wren, Lily, and Ruby left behind, but now that we’re all silent I realize we were a stampede quaking through the elemental realm.

Luke elbows me and points to the stream as if there’s a chance I’d look anywhere else. The center of the stream bubbles, boils. Water surges against the bank, up and over the Scorpios’ feet.

Beads of sweat slide down my forehead, and I brush them from my brow before they drip into my eyes.

“It’s water,” I whisper, tugging at my shirt, trying to unstick it from my damp skin.

Luke wipes his own forehead and looks at me, brow furrowed. I know he thinks I’m late to the party. I reach out, cupping my hand in the air. Slowly, water droplets cascade down my fingers and pool in my palm. This isn’t our sweat. It’s much, much worse.

A geyser explodes from the heart of the stream. It twists and turns, a form coming to life. Naked curves take shape in the massive spout of murky water, smooth and translucent. Her eyes, huge and cerulean, are set wide on the sides of her head, and her gills flutter against her thick neck. The last splashes of water fall, bursting against her head in cascades of pink lotus blossoms as elongated, eellike bodies dart within hers.

Waves thrash around the Elemental as she surveys her surroundings with a calm more terrifying than peaceful. The forest seems to hold its breath, and I can’t help but do the same as the Water Elemental with us swells. From beneath its cloak, its limbs lash out like tentacles. With a collective battle cry, the Scorpios charge into the water.

The creatures clash in a storm of elemental fury. The Water Elemental’s thick tentacles lash out, striking the mermaid-like creature with the ferocity of a storm unleashed. Against the onslaught, she counters with a lethal yet mesmerizing grace, her movements fluid, embodying the relentless force of a raging river.

As the Scorpios close in, the eellike creatures within her dart out in swift attacks. Their grotesque mouths are wide and circular, a writhing vortex of razor-sharp teeth, arranged in concentric circles that spiral into the abyss of her throat.

This is it. This is my chance.

I jab Luke’s arm, and with an expression that doesn’t require words we take off down the shoreline, leaping over surges of water and dodging wild, whipping tentacles. I slip into the cover of the forest, my heart beating so fast and my breath so loud that I barely hear Luke.

“Lee!” he yells at my back as I run deeper into the forest.

Branches whip my cheek as I keep up my pace and glance over my shoulder. At first, I don’t see him. I skid to a stop and bend over, resting my hands on my thighs as I suck in air and scan the trees for any sign of my friend.

“Lee!” he shouts again.

This time, I spot him leaning against the trunk of a wide spruce. I jog to him, annoyance building within my chest. We’re losing precious time, and I don’t have the patience for one of Luke’s jokes.

“I swear to god, Luke—” The words stop in my throat as I get closer. The right side of his jeans are ripped across his thigh, and blood seeps from a deep tear in his flesh.

“Just needed to dodge, like, a foot more.” His laugh is interrupted by a wince of pain. “One of its octopus legs got me.”

I help him sink down to the ground before ripping his jeans a bit more to get a better look at the extent of the damage.

“If I die, tell Lily I sacrificed myself for her. And tell all the girls at my funeral that I went out like a total badass. I’m giving you full creative license.” He grunts and slams his fist into the earth as I carefully feel around the edges of his wound.

“You’re not going to die, but this is gonna suck.” I rip off the bottom two inches of my T-shirt and lift the ring of fabric over my head. I tear it in half so it’s one long length of cotton and slide it under Luke’s injured thigh. “Actually, some people might call it karma.”

He snorts, and while he’s semi-distracted coming up with a witty retort, in one fluid motion I knot the fabric above the wound and tighten the tourniquet.

Luke’s anguished hiss and cry of pain doesn’t keep me from continuing. I told him he won’t die. Now I have to make sure to keep that promise.

“Any chance you have some pain meds in that backpack?”

When I look up at him, his face is ashen and sweat trickles down his forehead. “I need to focus.” For once, Luke doesn’t have to have the last word.

With my right hand, I touch my thumb to the tip of each finger in a rhythmic pattern I could perform in my sleep while I hold my left hand over the gash in his leg and press down with my pointer finger in time with the movement of my thumb. Blood wells in the cut, pushed up by the new skin that bubbles to the surface.

Luke lets out a sigh, and his fingers relax against the dirt. “Holy shit, that feels better.”

I cock my head and stare down at my handiwork. I’ve done all I can do without another healer or stronger powers. The wound is no longer bleeding, but the band of skin patching the tear is newborn pink and just as thin.

“We have to get going.” He pushes off the ground and wobbles as soon as he rises to stand.

I catch him before he falls and lean him back against the tree. “You’ve lost blood. What I was able to heal might rip open at any moment—”

“Then go on without me,” he says, the color gradually returning to his cheeks.

“And leave you out here with wild Elementals? Yeah, right.”

“You’re the one who said they’re going to kill Wren and Lily and Ruby. You’re the one—”

“I know.” I hold up my hand, and he clamps his mouth shut. “I know.” I look past him, beyond the closest trees and into the forest. “We ran for a while. Who knows how long they’ll be caught up fighting that Elemental.” I pull him away from the tree and slip my arm under his. “But let’s make sure we get to them before Rottingham does.”

I support Luke, his steps growing steadier, yet still weak from his injuries. We manage to struggle up a hill, following the muddy trail we discover that led from a waterlogged ditch. I try not to think about what it means that there were only two sets of tracks instead of three.

Please let one of them be Wren’s.

We trail the tracks to a sparkling lagoon below, fed by a waterfall cascading from an enormous cliff.

“Where are they now?” I say more to myself than Luke as I shift my grip on him.

“Look at that.” Luke points to the curved left side of the lagoon where it butts up against the sheer cliff. “Am I delirious, or is that a trail heading into the waterfall?”

I wipe sweat from my brow and squint, trying to see through the shadows. My chest swells with hope, and I stand a little straighter. “It’s definitely a trail.”

Luke and I move down the hill and make it to the lagoon where the tracks lead from the water to a trail that disappears behind the waterfall.

“It’s a cave,” I say.

“They have to be in there. That’s where the tracks lead.” Luke looks around. “But why would they trap themselves in there like that? There’s no guarantee there’s an exit on the other side of that cave.”

“Rottingham said that Wren’s making allies. This must have something to do with the Earth Elementals. What better way to make an ally of the earth than to go inside a cave?” I rearrange my grip on Luke and like losers in a three-legged race we hobble together to the path that snakes around the lagoon and into the waterfall. There’s an opening behind the veil of water, but my eyes must be playing tricks on me because it looks like it’s closing.

There’s a deep growling rumble, and the ground begins to shake.

“Luke, hurry! It’s closing.” I urge Luke forward as fast as he can go, but we’re both staggering, trying to stay upright as the ground shudders. I watch it like it’s happening in slow motion—the gaping maw in the earth grows narrower and narrower as stones stitch together and pull the cave’s lips tight. “No! No, no, no! Wren!”

I know she’s in there the same way I know this is an Earth Elemental’s doing. I feel both things deep inside the same way I feel magick flow through my veins.

Luke slides his arm from my shoulder and leans over, bracing his back on the side of the cliff and his hands against his thighs. “You could’ve made it without me,” he says between deep pulls of air. “I’m slowing you down.”

I drop to the ground beside him. I hadn’t realized how exhausting our race through the forest has been. I shake my head. “We’re in this together. I’m not leaving you.”

“I appreciate it, but now we’re stuck out here and my sister and your girlfriend are in there.” Luke jerks his chin at the closed mouth of the cave. “We’re screwed. The Scorpios are going to catch up with us. They’ll use their super strength to dig a hole into the cave and grab our girls.”

“No!” The word rockets me to my feet. I cup my hands around my mouth and shout at the closed cave, “Wren! It’s me! Luke’s with me! We’re here to help because we believe you! If you can hear me, send me a sign. Tell me how to get to you!”

Nothing happens. There is no sign. The waterfall continues to dampen us with mist and I continue to glance up at the hill behind us expecting the Scorpios and Rottingham to descend at any moment.

I lean against the rock wall and wipe sweat and mist from my face. “Please, Wren,” I whisper. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you. I’m here for you now. I’m here for you always. I promise.”

My gaze is pulled to a bug fluttering in the air, her wings a beautiful teal glow in the gloom of dusk.

“It’s you,” I say as she floats down from above to hover in front of my face.

I try to quell the excitement welling with my core and speak to her in a soft, soothing voice. “Hi, I’m Lee. I didn’t formally introduce myself before. Do you know my girlfriend, Wren? She’s been traveling through this forest with two of her friends and an Air Elemental.” As I pause to think of what else to say, the moth starts to chatter.

“What is that?” Luke limps closer to me.

“I think it’s a sign.” Then I refocus my attention on the moth. “If you know Wren, could you get a message to her? I think she’s inside that cave. If she knew I was out here, she’d definitely want to see me.”

“You’re talking to it?” Luke says. “Bro, it’s a bug.”

I ignore Luke and turn back to the moth still hovering right in front of my face, watching me with her big, citrine-colored eyes. “I love Wren and I let her down, but I won’t do that again. Can you tell her that? Or can you show me how to get to her so I can tell her?”

“Stop talking to bugs. We need to figure out a way around this cliff, or at least get out of sight before the Scorpios show up and—”

I elbow him and hiss, “Shut up! The moth is doing something!”

Luke frowns and swings his gaze from me to the moth.

We’re both speechless as she flies a few feet away and starts to grow. The moth is as big as a car. Her intelligent eyes focus all her facets on me. She chitters and turns her side to face us before lowering her wings until they’re resting on the ground. Then she lifts one of her four thorn-covered legs and motions for us to get closer .

“Is that thing telling us to come to it?” Luke shakes his head. “Absolutely no way. Do you see those spiky things on its legs? Near death by octopus monster was enough for me.”

But I’m already walking toward her. “Will you take me to Wren?”

She trills and nods toward her back, making another beckoning gesture.

I look at Luke, who is still shaking his head. “I’m going for a ride. My gut says to trust her.”

“Does your gut also say that thing could fly us up into the sky and then shake us off and kill us?”

“No. What my gut also says is that Wren is worth taking the risk. Is Lily worth it to you?” I almost don’t want Luke to come, though that’s probably not fair of me. It really wasn’t his fault he got hurt and slowed us down. And he’s right. I could’ve left him. “You decide, but hurry. This time, I’m going with or without you.”

I close the short space between the moth and me. Slowly, I reach out and put my hand on her wing. “I don’t want to hurt you,” I tell the creature. I don’t know why, but I expect her to be like a normal moth and that her scales will fall off when I touch her wings. But they don’t, and she isn’t.

She chatters at me, and I get the distinct feeling she’s laughing. Then she lifts a leg, positioning it as a perfect step so I can boost myself up.

“Okay, here goes,” I tell her. I take a tighter grip on the wing, put my foot between two of the wicked-looking spikes on her leg, and launch myself up.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Luke hobbles up.

I scoot forward a little. The moth has lowered her leg and she studies Luke intently.

“Say something to her,” I prompt Luke.

“Uh, hello?”

I sigh. “Something nice .”

“Your fur is pretty,” he blurts, and takes a small step back as she continues to study him. Shrugging, he looks up at me. “Now what?”

“Do what I did. Ask her for help.” I shake my head. “I get why you’re single.”

Luke scowls at me before he clears his throat and addresses the moth again. “I would appreciate it if I could catch a ride with you, too. See, Lee here’s Wren’s guy. It’s different for me. I’m here because Lily’s my twin, my sister.” The moth cocks her head, listening. “Yeah, I know, we’re not identical twins, but we have the same hair.” He points to the red strands sticking up at odd angles on top of his head. “Well, hers is longer. But if you know Lily you’ll definitely see the resemblance. I just want to help her. Like Luke wants to help Wren.”

The moth lifts her leg, making a step for Luke like she did for me. I reach down and he grasps my hand. It’s a struggle, but I pull him up behind me. Immediately the wind changes. There’s a rumbling, whining sound as our hair lifts and it feels like my shirt’s going to be torn from my back. Luke smacks my shoulder and points up. He shouts something, but the roaring wind drowns out his words. I don’t need them anyway. The funnel cloud descending from the night sky, its long spout reaching for us, is unmistakable.

I want to jump off the moth, but there’s no time. She flaps her huge wings and lifts to meet the spout. As we’re sucked up into the whirlpool of spinning air, I get some satisfaction from hearing Luke’s shrill scream, and then everything calms. We’re in the very center, the eye of the funnel, still lifting up. It’s loud, but the wind no longer batters. Amber eyes watch us within the whirling wall of wind.

I glance down and automatically hold tighter to the moth. Through the spout of the funnel the top of the cave is visible. My stomach lurches as we drop down—all of us, the funnel, the moth, Luke, and me. But we’re heading to the ground too fast. We’re going to crash.

“Hold on!” I shout to Luke.

The tip of the spout slams into the earth, but it doesn’t stop there. Like a drill, it pierces the ground, boring down. Light radiates up at us, along with a sound like wind chimes in a hurricane. With Luke and me clinging to her back, the moth ducks her head and dives through the spout.

We’re spit out inside the brightly lit cave and soar past glowing crystals to land in front of a tree, its branches heavy with ripe peaches. As soon as the moth touches down she shifts her wings and makes a horselike rearing movement, spilling Luke and me from her back.

“Ohmygod! Lee!”

I haul myself to my feet in time to brace as Wren jumps into my arms.