Caution to the Wind: Book One of the Elementals Series (15 page)

Chapter Nineteen

There was so much information all at once. Loren couldn’t sort through it fast enough.

Ruth drew back, but the crazed smile remained on her face.

“At the risk of sounding too much like a Bond villain, I think we’ll save the exposition for later.” Levi drew his legs up to the desk, sitting Indian-style. “Too many details. I don’t want to overload your teeny tiny brain.”

Loren’s mouth snapped shut.

“Have you figured any of it out yet? Or do you still need a few minutes? Or hours?”

She bit down on her lip and drew her gaze away from him and Ruth. She focused on her feet. “I don’t understand.” She sounded so small. So pitiful. She hated it. She hated herself.

“Ruth is your cousin. What does that mean? Come on, Loren, you can do it.” The sarcasm was heavy.

Loren didn’t want to say anything. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to wake up and find herself in bed with Avery, wrapped securely in his safe embrace. This wasn’t a dream, though. She was really awake. This was happening.

“It means… she’s uh Mal’s uh…” she trailed off.

“Daughter.” Ruth lifted her head proudly.

“Daughter,” Loren echoed. Mal’s daughter. Her cousin. And she wanted to go home. “You were born in the other world?”

“No. I was not. I was conceived and born here, on Earth.” She looked down at Loren. “But this is not my true home.
Our
true home. You are as much a part of that world as I am.”

“No. No, I’m not.” Loren shook her head.

“You’ll see reason soon enough.” Ruth’s attention shifted back to Levi. “When can we expect the stones?”

“I’m working on it. This ransoming detail is delicate.” Levi toyed with his lip ring.

Ruth gave him a distasteful look. She sighed. “Tedious. Very well.” Wordlessly, she held out a hand to him.

He fished in his pocket for something and brought out the pen-like device. The inhibitor. He passed it to her.

Long, bony fingers stroked the metal before Ruth slipped it into her pocket.

“Four hours,” he told her. “Two down.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Ruth glanced toward Loren.

“Don’t use that on me.”

“It’s necessary, dear. I’m sure you understand. It’s a precaution.”

Levi chuckled.

A lump was stuck in Loren’s throat. Breathing was difficult. Her chest felt tight.

The door opened, startling her. It was one of the masked men. He carried a bag. He approached Ruth and she took it with a nod. When the man left, she peered at the contents. “This will do nicely.” She glanced at Levi.  “This treatment is entirely unneeded. Release her.”

Levi looked up, alarmed. “What? Why?”

“I don’t believe we will have much of a problem with Loren.” She turned to her. “As long as her abilities are kept under control, we can make her stay with us more accommodating.” Ruth forced a smile. “After all, we’re family.”

“Yeah, but what if she tries to run?”

“She won’t. Will you?” One slender eyebrow arched.

Loren drew her lips together. Oh, she would run. She would escape. The first opportunity she saw, she would take it. “I won’t run.” Her fingers tightened into fists before she released them.

“She’s lying.” Levi’s high-powered perception was hard at work again.

“No. I’m not. I won’t run.”

“You bite your lip when you’re nervous. When you lie, you’re very nervous.” He gestured toward her.

Ruth broke in with a few sharp words in an unrecognized foreign language. Though Loren didn’t understand it, Levi apparently did. He rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Fine. Whatever.” He slid off the desk and stepped over to Loren.

His fingers were nimble as he undid the knots of the rope. It eased off her, immediately giving her some relief. She was far from comfortable but at least she was no longer trapped. Levi stepped in front of her. The flick of the blade he drew from his pocket was so sudden Loren flinched.

“Relax.” He cut the zip-ties that held her wrists together. Mobility restored to her, she rubbed at the red and raw marks on her wrists.

Ruth took over. Her hand was cold when she touched Loren’s elbow, but her grip was firm. “Come. We have much to discuss.”

Someone else had said something similar to her once. Callum. They had never entirely finished their talk. He hadn’t the chance to explain. She pieced some of it together, but details were lost. She wondered if some of those things tied in to what he knew about her supposed lineage. Whatever the case, she was apprehensive.

She stood and Ruth led her from the room.

Ruth took her through a small stairwell. They climbed two flights of stairs. When they reached the third level, she removed a key from her pocket and unlocked a metal door. She ushered Loren inside.

It was an apartment. Loren hadn’t expected anything at all, but certainly not this. It was lavish—nearly as lavish as the manor. However, it lacked the open, welcoming feel. The carpet was a deep wine red and soft beneath her bare feet. The dark wood paneling made the room dark, giving it a closed-in feel. Loren didn’t like it.

Ruth brought her to a small couch and Loren sat. She stayed on the edge of her seat, straight-backed. “Dress.” She held the bag out to her.

She hesitantly took the bag and looked into. All she saw was a mass of white fabric. She chewed her lip.

“And be quick about it.” Ruth crossed the room to a window. She peeled back the heavy dark curtain to peer down at the street. “Father will want to see you as soon as possible.”

“Your father?” Loren’s eyes went wide.

Mal.

“Yes.”

If her anxiety was ever at a high, now was the time. She opened her mouth, trying to find words, but she couldn’t. Her fingers tightened on the handle of the bag. “There’s uh no way I can get out of this, is there?”

“I should think not. There’s a room there.” Ruth gestured toward a door. “Five minutes. I will wait here.”

Loren nodded and stood. She went to the door. It was a small bathroom. She immediately searched for a window. There was one, above the sink, but it was too high and too small for her to make any use.

Frowning, she drew out the clothing. It was a dress, simple and white. The fabric was soft.

Her fingers trembled as she peeled off her t-shirt. She slipped the dress over her head.  It was sleeveless and light, the skirt barely touched the floor. It fit perfectly. In any other situation, Loren would’ve loved to wear something this gorgeous. This only made her feel queasy and cold.

She stepped out of the room to find Ruth close by. When she saw her, the woman clapped her hands together once. “Oh, you look a vision, dear. Absolutely lovely.”

Loren flushed. Her fingers toyed with the fabric of the skirt. Her hands were sweaty, but she dared not wipe them on the pristine dress. “Thank you,” she muttered.

“Come. He’s waiting.” Ruth took her elbow again. She brought Loren through a short hallway to the door at the end. She paused there and tapped her knuckles lightly against the door.

A male voice answered curtly. “Enter.”

Ruth steered her inside. Inwardly, Loren balked, but her feet brought her forward of their own volition. The small bedroom was a huge contrast to the excessiveness of the living area. Loren couldn’t focus on the meager furnishings, not when the tall white-haired man’s presence demanded her attention.

In her mind, she had pictured Mal as a dark-haired man with sharp, hawk-like features and a perpetual scowl—nothing like the old, wizened man who stood before her.

Callum had told her Mal was over a hundred years old, formerly immortal. He looked every bit his age. He was gaunt, a living skeleton. Skin stretched over bone, his features made sharper by his emaciated state. His eyes were dark and cold, and seemed far too big for his skull, bulging. His hair might’ve once been the dark color she envisioned, but it was stark white and thin. It barely covered his skull.

She didn’t move another step, frozen in place.

“Loren.” He had the same, strange accent as Ruth. He made no move to approach her but beckoned her to move forward.

Ruth pulled her along. Loren almost resisted, but the woman was formidable and strong.

“Let me see you.” He edged to her, leaning heavily on his cane. He peered down at her face. “You look like your mother.”

She licked her lips and forced herself not to look away from him. “I uh I wouldn’t know. I don’t know anything.”

She couldn’t discern the look on his face. He studied her so intently. He never blinked once. It made her uncomfortable. Her fingers itched, longing to rub against her leg to reduce the sweat. She refrained.

“The eyes are wrong. Too light. Her eyes were dark.” He assessed the rest of her appearance but gave no other comment. He made a gesture. Immediately, Ruth was at his side. She took his arm and slowly helped him to his bed. He eased onto it with a groan.

“Castle’s child,” he said. “Once removed, but the heir no less.” He let out a dry laugh.

Loren recalled what Callum told her. Mal had once been an intimidating and powerful man. He held some level of intimidation, she couldn’t deny it, but he was an old man, weak. How much power could he have?

She stood there, uncertain what to do or say.

Once settled in his bed, Mal’s eyes focused on her again. “He kept you hidden from me, feared what I might do once I found you. He feared corruption.”

Loren drew her lips together. “I don’t know anything.” Perhaps if she said it enough, someone would finally understand and explain things more thoroughly.

No one stepped up to do so. Ruth sat with her father, pouring a glass of water from a pitcher on the table. He took it and drank slowly.

“You’re still a child.” He sounded tired. “Of course, you don’t know. You don’t understand.”

“I didn’t know I was his granddaughter. I didn’t know anything. I just learned about others with powers and alternate worlds and—”

“It’s called Kahsh.”

“Kahsh?”

“Home.” He sighed.

Loren brought her hands together. “Not my home.”

“It
will
be your home. Once the stones are brought to me and the Akasha tablet is restored, we will return to our land.”

She shook her head. “No.”

He glared at her, as did Ruth. “
No
?” Ruth’s slender eyebrow lifted and she rose from the bed.

Loren wanted to take a step back, but she couldn’t. “I won’t go. I can’t.”

An entirely new world. A world where she ruled? It was all too much.

“I’m sorry. I am. But I’m not who you think I am. I can’t be this person. You have to be mistaken. I’m nobody. I’m nothing.”

“Who filled your head with these lies?” Mal demanded.

Loren stammered. “No—no one in particular. It’s h-h-how people have perceived me. It’s how I’ve always been.” Tears began to form in her eyes. Her vision blurred, but she could make out Mal’s dubious expression.

She wanted to go home. She wanted to go back to the manor. She wanted Avery. She wanted Callum. She wanted someone to get her out of here. She blinked back her tears.

“You really
are
a child.”

“A blubbering child.” Ruth grabbed tissues from the table and thrust them in Loren’s direction.

Loren took one and dabbed at her eyes. “I’m sorry.” The apology was automatic.

“She truly doesn’t know. I thought, perhaps, it was a ruse.” Mal eased back against pillows. They appeared to swallow him up, making him seem much smaller.

“You don’t realize your importance,” Ruth told her. “It is imperative you come with us. There is no question. You will be a beacon to the people of Kahsh. My father has told me of the ways. The people need a figurehead. They need a ruler.”

“I can’t rule.”

Mal began to chuckle before a cough racked his chest. Ruth offered the tissues to him. It was several minutes before he finished. When he inhaled, Loren could hear it rattle his chest. “No, sweet child, you will not rule.”

“But if I’m heir like you said—”

“You are, but you will not rule.”

She blinked in confusion. “Then why? Why do you need me to go?”

“In Kahsh, people can agree on one point: Power. If you have power, you will be feared. You will be adored. To assert a new regime, certain sacrifices have to be made. Certain demonstrations performed.”

“I don’t follow.”

Mal hoisted himself up with some effort. Sitting up, he stared at her more intently. “You are the heir. You are the figurehead. When they see me kill you in a public execution, the direct line of power ceases and I become heir.” His lips pulled into a tight, terrible grimace that might’ve been an attempt at a smile.

“No, Loren. You will not come to Kahsh to rule. You will come to Kahsh to
die
.”

Chapter Twenty

Loren’s incarceration was more comfortable than her time tied to the chair, but not by much. Her room was small, barely larger than a prison cell. There was a bed with an adjacent bathroom. There were no windows.

There was one door and Loren didn’t know how to pick a lock. Thanks to Ruth using the inhibitor on her again, there was no chance of using her powers to blow it open either.

Loren paced the floor. The skirt of her long dress fluttered around her legs with each step. Everything was a knot of secrets, betrayal, and danger. Her mind spiraled.

She always wanted to be important, but not like this. Never like this.

Her hands swiped at her sides, no longer mindful of the unspoiled condition of her dress. It didn’t matter anymore. She was going to die.

Levi contacted the others with ransom demands. Her safe return for the stones. But she wouldn’t be returned. That was a bluff. They needed her. In Kahsh. They needed her to die there, as an example so Mal could gain power and rule.

The others didn’t know that. They would bring the stones to get her back and that would lead to something terrible. It was a trap.

Loren couldn’t think that far ahead. She needed to focus on getting out of here. If she could, maybe she could figure out a way to stop all this madness.

She bit down on her raw lip again as she once more surveyed the room. There was no way to get out of here. It was secure. She had to think of a plan.

Should she wait until Ruth came to the door again? The inhibitor wore off after a few hours. Ruth would come back to give her another injection. Even if she put force into it, utilize the little training she had, Loren doubted she could overpower the woman. She could use the opportunity to make a break for it, at the very least.

It was a long shot.

She wasn’t strong. She wasn’t particularly smart. She wasn’t confident. And she had limited control and knowledge of her powers. What did she have going for her? Loren frowned as she sat on the edge of the bed.

There had to be something.

There was no way for her to measure time. There wasn’t a clock anywhere in the room. The waiting was interminable. An hour might’ve gone by. Maybe two. Each passing second made Loren more edgy and anxious. But she waited.

After what seemed like an eternity, the knob on the door turned. Loren rose from the bed and wiped her hands against her dress.

Ruth entered. Black seemed to be the entirety of her wardrobe. She had changed her jeans and shirt for a blouse and skirt. Her heels clacked along the floor. Taller, she looked even more imposing. The inhibitor rested in her palm.

Loren backed away. “Please don’t.”

“It’s necessary. Pain is something no one in this world or any other can escape. Living is pain. It will pass. There are brighter days ahead.”

Loren didn’t move. When Ruth came up beside her, she grabbed Loren’s arm. From the corner of her eye, she watched Ruth bring up the inhibitor device. Then she closed her eyes.

She snapped her elbow back. She recalled Avery’s advice from their training sessions. The moment her elbow connected with Ruth’s face, there was a crunch and a cry of pain. She shoved her weight into the woman. The inhibitor clattered to the floor.

Ruth stumbled back and brought a hand up to her face. Loren raced for the door and didn’t look back. Her skirt tangled around her legs, threatening to trip her. She grabbed a handful of fabric and held it up as she ran.

The hallway was narrow, lined with doors. She raced for the end of it. Ruth shouted something, but Loren didn’t pause. She rounded a corner.

Her path brought her into the large living room where Ruth had first brought her. Loren paused there as she tried to remember which door led to the stairwell. Spotting it, she ran again.

Before she reached it, the door opened. Two men blocked her path and Loren edged back.

“Look at the princess now,” one of them said. “Trying to run for it. I don’t think so, pretty.”

“Seize her!” Ruth demanded, her voice muffled by her hand. Loren glanced back to see her. She saw blood dripping from Ruth’s hand. She hoped she’d broken her nose.

Panic rose as she faced the men again. They started for her. Loren’s heart kicked against her ribs. She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. She drew her arms up. She didn’t know if her powers were still gone, but she had to try.

She exhaled and thrust her hand out. The powerful, sudden blast sent the two men sliding back. Loren almost laughed at her good fortune. The inhibitor had worn off. Her powers returned.

Loren didn’t hold back. She threw another blast at the two men. One fell through the open door and stumbled into the stairwell. There wasn’t time to waste. She hitched up her skirt again, ran by the man on the floor, and out the door.

The man in the stairwell blocked her path. Loren skidded to a stop and looked back to see her other masked assailant stand. Ruth wasn’t far behind him.

She took in a breath and searched around for an exit. When she spied a light coming in from a high window, she lifted both hands. With another strong blast, the glass shattered.

“Stop her!” Blood stained Ruth’s sneer. The men rushed ahead. Loren took a giant leap.

She never came back down.

Flying was difficult. There was always a few seconds where the fear of gravity struck her hard, but the air currents held her aloft. She’d never gotten the hang of it. She never practiced it. She was unsteady but aimed for the window. She hadn’t gained enough height and reached up to snag the windowsill.

She struggled to hoist herself into it. Broken glass ground into her palms and she winced but kept her hold. Once in the window, she paused and looked back down. She caught a glimpse of Ruth’s hateful glare and the blood smeared on her nose and mouth before she turned back in the window.

Four floors up. It was now or never. She had no choice. Loren closed her eyes tightly, eased toward the edge, and fell back.

She plunged fast toward the ground. She had a limited time in which to concentrate and catch herself. Only seconds. She tightened her eyelids.

She exhaled raggedly when her velocity slowed. The current enclosed around her and guided her. She swept down to the ground where she landed on her side.

It was a rough landing. Pain jolted through her, but she bore it with clenched teeth.

Loren scrambled to her feet. With one last look toward the window, she turned and ran barefoot over broken glass and headed through the alley. She ran toward the street without looking back.

    She was free.

~~*~~

Loren hadn’t dared to stop, not until she was certain she was far enough away. It was dusk before she did. She had to rest. She hadn’t realized how big Westacre was, not until she was lost in the underbelly of the slums.

She had to get back to Fairhaven. She had to get in contact with Avery and the others. She caught her breath, leaning against the cold brick of an alley. Her feet ached and stung.

Loren frowned and balanced to lift a foot. She wasn’t surprised to see the blood, but there was a large amount of it. She hadn’t much choice to run barefoot, but it had gotten her out of there.

Now that most of her adrenaline had worn off, walking became more difficult. She winced with her next few steps but she had to keep moving. Mal and Ruth would no doubt send more goons after her. She had to muscle through it.

Biting back the pain, Loren limped as fast as she could. Several feet away, she could see the opening of the alley. If she found a well-lit, populated place, she could borrow a phone and call Avery. There had to be something on the busy street.

A sudden crash made her spin. Her eyes went wide and she brought her hands up instinctively. She readied herself for a blast.

Golden eyes flashed in the semi-darkness before the cat meowed. It jumped off the trashcan, knocking it over before it skittered away.

Loren lowered her arms and exhaled in relief. “Stupid cat,” she muttered. She ran a shaky hand through her hair and faced the street again.

A hooded figure blocked her path. Loren gasped and stumbled back. Without thinking, she threw her arm and sent out a wave of air. It blew the figure back. He landed a few feet away to roll. Loren backed away and prepared to run.

The man groaned. “Loren! It’s me!”

“Oh God. Avery?”

He pulled himself off the ground, rubbing his arm where it had made impact against the unforgiving concrete. When he righted himself, Loren didn’t hesitate. She threw herself into his arms.

Avery barely had a moment to steady himself from the sudden weight of her, but he embraced her tightly as he staggered back. “I thought I lost you.”

She could’ve sobbed. She tightened her arms around his neck, threatening to cling forever. Given the chance, she probably never would let go.

Avery broke the embrace to look at her. “Jesus, Loren. What did they do to you?”

She was certain she looked a mess, but she didn’t care. His question would have to wait. “How did you know where to find me?”

“The flames. I saw you in them. After they took you, the first thing I did was look into them. They’ve never steered me wrong before.”

“We have to get back to the manor. We have to find Callum and Eva and stop them from getting the stones for the ransom.”

Avery shook his head and looked beyond her.

“It’s too late for that.”

She was surprised to hear Callum. She turned in the direction of his voice as he jumped down from the bottom rung of the closest fire escape.

He was dressed similarly to Avery, his face obscured by the same black hood. Cradled in the crook of his elbow was a wooden box. He stepped closer.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Her eyes narrowed into a glare. “No, I’m not.” She pulled away from Avery. She fought back a wince of pain. Her feet throbbed as she stepped boldly toward Callum. “I just found out my entire life was a lie. My parents weren’t my real parents. My grandfather was Castle. I’m his heir. How do you
think
I am right now?” Loren couldn’t remember ever being this angry. “You knew who I was, what I was. You
knew
and you didn’t
tell
me!”

Callum stood his ground. His face was emotionless as he looked down at her. “Yes, I knew. And I would’ve told you.”

“But you didn’t!”

“You weren’t ready to know.”

Loren seethed, unable to form a response. Instead, she pushed against his chest. The force of the physical blow, accompanied by her ability sent Callum sliding back a few feet across the pavement. “You knew they wanted me. You knew what they wanted me for.”

“Yes.”

Avery placed a hand on her shoulder and she tensed. Loren couldn’t help it. She was so frustrated she could cry. She kept her glare fixed on Callum. “Tell me you won’t let them do it. Tell me you won’t let them open the portal and return to their world. Tell me you won’t let them
kill me
!”

Callum said nothing. In the growing darkness of the alley, Loren thought she saw a frown.

“Tell me!”

“Loren…” Avery’s voice was quiet. He gripped her shoulder tighter.

Loren shook her head. “I don’t believe this.” She weakened at the realization. “You were.”

Callum took a few steps closer. “No. I wasn’t. I brought the stones as a failsafe, in case we couldn’t save you otherwise. I would never risk you. Ever. Yes, I knew who you were. When Avery said he’d found you, when he brought you here, I took one look at you and I knew.”

Her bottom lip trembled.

“We all knew. You weren’t ready.” Callum stopped. “You have to believe me.”

Avery drew Loren back and she sank against him. Her eyes closed.

“We didn’t know how to tell you.” Avery’s voice was barely a whisper. “This is my fault. I had the chance to tell you, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t time.”

She tightened her eyes. “No.” Not Avery too. She wanted to pull away, but she didn’t.

“So many years have been lost,” Callum said. “Castle only wanted to protect you, to keep you and his lineage safe. He would’ve brought you here. He died before he could tell us your whereabouts. You fell off the map. Your parents—your foster parents—they moved you. They had your best interests in mind. My father searched. It was as if you’d vanished. The heir was gone. Our fourth was gone.

“It should’ve been for the best. Without you, without that, Mal had no chance of going home. If he were to return to his world, to regain his full strength…” He sighed. “If he possessed the tablet, he could travel back here. He could take over his world and ours. Do you think one world is enough for a tyrant? He’d destroy them both.

“I thought it was a safer bet, not having our fourth. It meant we were less powerful, less protected, but it meant he couldn’t succeed.” Callum stopped. “Loren, please look at me.”

She refused to open her eyes.

“Loren.” Avery’s voice was soft. “Please.”