Origin of Angels: Elemental Legacy Book 1 (7 page)

I couldn’t think about Cassie dying, especially with my own immortality so new. She’d lost too much al-ready — or at least the illusion of what she’d had with her mom and Nigel. I wouldn’t ever call that man her father again. I hoped Heath had good news for us. I wished for so many things, but what I really needed was something to lift Cassie’s mood.

Instead of answering me, she sighed, looking out into the distance. The light was fading, and the land had begun its transition from cool to awesome. When night fell in Faeresia, everything came alive with color. Each plant and most animals glowed with iridescent brilliance. The river near us looked more like a lit up six-lane freeway at full speed. The trees showed varying shades of purple veins that webbed up the bark and through the leaves. Even the stars twinkled a little brighter in the darkening sky.

I waited for Cassie as patiently as I could. The last thing I wanted to do was rush her. She had enough going on for the both of us, but her hesitance to answer right away made me wonder how bad her condition really was. Not knowing what else to do, I leaned closer to place my arm around her shoulders. She rested the top of her head near my ear. Her words were soft but strained. “All they can seem to figure out is what I’m not capable of. When it comes to telling me what I can do, they suck.” I laughed, sending her a sidelong glance. She smirked. “Not much has changed, except they think I’m still aging.”

Giving her a squeeze, I released her to get a better view of her face. “How can you be bound to Finn and still get older?” The bond had a few side effects, but stopping the aging process was one of the major changes an Elemental went through. Aging wouldn’t continue until the bond was broken. I shook my head. “Nothing makes sense.”

“That’s what the doctors keep telling me. I baffle them, which is kind of cool, but for once, I wish I could be average.” At least she could joke.

I grinned. “Give it up. You’ll never be normal.”

Her laugh sounded like a goose barking. “Aren’t you supposed to be making me feel better?”

I smirked. “Hey, just keeping it real.”

“Yeah? Since when do you know what’s fact or fiction?”

I shrugged, kicking at some pebbles by my shoe. One sailed off toward the river, barely making a splash when it hit. “I’m still working on that one,” I said matter-of-factly.

“Uh-oh,” said Cassie. “What’s wrong?”

“No way.”
She was not going to turn our conversation around. “We’re talking about you. You haven’t told me everything, and I know it.”

Her lips flattened. “I hate you sometimes.”

“Yeah, yeah, just tell me.”

“Fine.
I started my period, and it’s like my body is making up for lost time. My cramps are outrageous, and look at this!” She pointed at a spot left of her nose. Not much chance of making out what the big deal was in this light, but I improvised. “It’s not that bad.”

“Don’t patronize me! I don’t get zits, Rayla!” Her voice twisted into something almost unrecognizable. “It’s like I’m prepubescent all over again.”

When a chuckle slipped out of me, she punched my arm. Hard. My fingers cradled the area. “Ow,” I said, giving her a sideways smirk. “What a way to treat your best friend.”

She rubbed her neck. “You started it.”

“No. What I started was a conversation. You’re the one who flipped out because you’re menstrual again.”

“Don’t be gross.”

“It’s a fact of life, or didn’t your mom get to that?”

Her expression fell. I was so stupid sometimes. I offered my other shoulder. “Go ‘head.”

Cassie smiled, but it was nothing more than a movement of her mouth with no feeling behind it. She took a deep breath, tipping her head back toward the twinkling stars, the breeze tugging her dark curls. “I wish I could go back. If Finn had never seen me, he would have been —”

“Miserable,” I filled in for her. “Finn couldn’t stand the hunt. He didn’t want to be there, and thank goodness, he didn’t want me.” I leveled a look at her. “Don’t you think he’s smart enough to know his own mind and heart?”

She groaned. “I love him. I can’t stand to see him become weak because of me.”

I grabbed her arm, all joking gone out of me. “Are you serious? That man defied the entire fae nation for you. How dare you call him
weak.”

She flinched. “He’s losing power. He should be in charge, not hanging out in the med-unit worrying over me.”

I shook my head. “Finn doesn’t care about power. I’ve already told you. The only thing you need to worry about is being happy. I think your biggest problem is stress. Maybe if you just worked on living.”

“Easy for you to say.
You’re going to live forever. I don’t quite have so long. According to the doctors, I might not even have a year.”

MY EYELIDS TRIED TO OPEN, BUT the blinding light stung so much I clamped them shut. Deep voices whispered in the background. It was hard to focus on anything other than my pounding head. A groan came out of me, which sent a sharp pain to my temples.

“You should sit up,” said a man from beside me. I wanted to glare, yet I didn’t have the energy. “That bad?” he asked. The voice was familiar
— one of the lords. I didn’t know them well enough to tell who it was.

I grunted. It was about all he was getting. He had the nerve to laugh, and the sound grated my ears. “Shut up,” I said, giving my best shot at sounding tough enough to back up the demand.

His voice still held amusement. “You’re as bad as your sister. Clearly no one bothered to teach you two manners.” Normally, I would have argued. It simply wasn’t worth the trouble. I grunted again. The man made a similar sound before he walked away, his shoes slapping against a hard surface. To my surprise, when he spoke, his words were infused with anger. “What did you do to him? Rayla’s going to be pissed.”

Whoever he was, he knew my sister well. I needed to get up, or I’d have to face her protection. If I wasn’t careful, I’d end up stuck here for an unforeseeable future. Gritting my teeth, I made myself sit. When I tried again, the light didn’t bother my eyes quite as much. In fact, this part of the room was dim. I strained to focus on the four men speaking in hushed tones. Seemed they’d deposited me on a couch.

I scanned the space, searching for familiarity. The apartment held little furniture without a single hint of a woman’s touch. The place was tidy with a modern feel, which ruled out a few of the lords immediately. The white walls were completely bare, except for one large painting hung at eye-level opposite me. The landscape showed soft rolling hills with sheep dotting the muted greens here and there.

Back home, I used to watch Rayla paint when I had nothing else to do. I’d get lost in the brush strokes which started as a mangled mess but somehow always ended recognizable when she was finished. Her style was much different than this loose work yet no less brilliant.

When I looked to the men again, the owner of the place was clear. Taylor watched me take in his art. His questioning gaze begged an answer. I glanced at the painting, then to him and gave a dip of the chin. He responded in kind.

The man to his right turned, his gaze sliding past,
then landing on me. I’d only met Heath once before Rayla had sent him off to the human realm. If I’d known he was going, I would have insisted on tagging along. He gave a smile, his long stride bringing him within a few feet in a matter of seconds. Taking a sniff, he plopped beside me, jostling my brains in the process. When I cringed, his smile turned sheepish. “How are you?” he asked in a low tone.

“All right.
You?”

He
laughed, the same stilted sound from a few minutes ago. So he had been the one watching me. I had no idea how to address him. He was my sister’s bondmate, making us family. I hardly knew the guy, but he seemed a good sort. I wasn’t sure anyone would have been good enough for Rayla, but I was glad she’d chosen him. Unlike the others, he didn’t seem to want a political advantage. It was still early to tell, but I was pretty sure he and I would get along fine. He took his time in answering, but when he did, his answer surprised me. “I’ve got some news for you but not here.” Without another word said, he stood and moseyed to join the others.

News?
He’d not given any indication to whether the information was good or bad, which made my mind race with possibilities. I needed answers not more waiting. I gave myself a second to stretch my neck and shoulders before I made my way to the group. They stood around the granite island. As expected, they all shut up before I got within hearing distance.

Finn gave a low whistle followed by an appreciative nod. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you had fae in you.”

What was most likely meant as a compliment hit me as more of an insult. “I’ve been through worse,” I said, even though this was the roughest beating I’d ever gotten. In school, I was a bit of a god. Compared to these guys, I didn’t amount to much at all. They were all stronger than I was in one way or another. Turbulent thoughts turned to my mortality, which didn’t sooth my eagerness to compete with these guys. Part of me hoped I could outdo them through the testing. I had no experience, but supposedly, I had angel genetics. Whether it made me a threat or not was still to be seen.

Finn gave me a doubtful stare, along with a few of the others. I shifted my stance, gaining an inch. It didn’t ease my discomfort. More than anything, I wanted to ditch this apartment in favor of neutral ground. I was beginning to think I would never feel adequate around these guys. A thought struck me: maybe too much fae contact was what pushed Lambert over the edge of reason. He’d told me why he wanted to create a male Elemental. I wasn’t sure his logic was sound, but if what I had experienced was any indication, he might have been onto something. Despite centuries of trying, no female Elemental had accessed her power prior to bonding. I’d just faced the best lord in each house. Well, not all of them, but I’d managed to repel Luke’s attack. Lambert wanted an army to combat the fae. He’d veiled his motives in desires to protect the human race, but it was all about power. Lambert was jealous of the fae. His ultimate goal was to either find a way to eradicate them or to expel them from the planet.

Since I’d been in Faeresia, I’d learned a lot about these people, and one of the most shocking things was how down to earth they could be. They were supposed to be this superior race, and they were intimidating, but what I saw when face to face with any number of them was a people trying to change their lot in life. They were too prideful to want my pity, but they had it all the same. To be stuck in the same life for eternity was punishment enough. I had no idea what they’d done to deserve this state, but even with all the world had to offer, they were miserable.

I was starting to think true treasure had nothing to do with riches. If having things could fulfil someone, these people would have a better chance than most. I was tired of sitting around. What could I do to change their situation? “Are we done?” I asked, hoping I’d get the answer I wanted.

Zach stepped closer. My muscles tensed in preparation of an attack. He must have noticed because he re-treated a step. “I have to apologize, Travis. I was under the impression you were more adept at controlling your power than you are.”

My jaw hurt from clenching it. Was his statement meant to comfort or anger me? “Well, I didn’t know you were going to try to kill me. I might have given it more of an effort.” The truth was I’d fought with all the strength I had.

He smirked. “You have a disadvantage I didn’t take into account.”

I let a smile take my lips. “Both of us know who is at a disadvantage here, and it isn’t me.”

Confusion, or maybe it was exhaustion, slid over his features. He clasped my forearm. “Perhaps next time we will each come better prepared.”

If he meant to threaten me, it didn’t show in his stance or in his tone. I gave a casual shrug. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

A grin replaced his smirk. The hint of a lilt infused his words. “Looks as if we might be rubbing off on you, lad. Take heed, or you may end up a Faeresian before you know it.”

“Not likely,” I said way too quickly. Since I couldn’t retract my rudeness, I followed up with a friendly pat to the shoulder. “My heart is elsewhere. I don’t see my loyalties changing any time soon.”

Heath came up beside me. “I wouldn’t be too sure.”

MY WHOLE BODY FROZE IN HORROR. I couldn’t have heard Cassie right. “Death isn’t something to joke about, Cass.”

Her solemn demeanor hadn’t changed. She let out a sigh more suited to a librarian five minutes from closing. “I wish I were.” She shifted, angling her body closer, but her focus was still far away. “There seems to be some disagreement, though they all pretty much think I’m toast unless I find a way to reverse the bond.”

Regrets piled up inside until they burst out of me. “If only Tabitha were here. She’d know what to do. I should have listened to her.” Tabitha had tried to warn me the bond might hurt Cassie, but I’d been too stub-born. I wanted Cassie to be happy, and I’d done what I thought would get the deed done.

Cassie shook her head. “How could you have known? I was pretty insistent, and you were only trying to make me happy.”

Her attempt to reassure me was appreciated, but I was just too impulsive. We were past changing things now, but I would do what I could. “We need to slow time.”