Elementals: The Reunion (Book 2)

Resting

They weren't sure when they crossed the final boarder into Vodina, but Lia, Toby, Des, Roxy and most of all Z were happy to be close to what they like to think of as home.

A couple flags were the only way they could tell they were back. And close to the river. Lia was the first to realize that it was the families they knew who were proudly showing off the flag, and yet, places like the chief huts and anything of power, they held two flags. The Vodina, right under one that looked like the old Vatrus flag.

The Elementals from Vatrus must have invaded the towns and villages just like they did the schools. With no one around to protect them, or help, the regular people just did as the Elementals wanted. 

Lia had laid down that night, Z beside her. After a while he realized she was silently crying. Turning onto his good side he wiped a tear away before making her talk.

"It's just... those people in the town." She sniffled and wiped her face before looking at him, meeting his eyes, and waiting.

"What about them?" Z didn't know what had upset her, the people had barely looked their way when they passed through.

"They were so scared. Kids weren't even playing. They looked at us like they expected us to hurt them or something. They didn't even know we were Elementals. We just kept going. Didn't try to help."

"We can't help everyone Lia. No matter how much we want to. We're still hurt, Roxy keeps working at her ankle, the twins are jumpy, and I am nowhere near ready to fight a grown Elemental off." Z pulled her in by her shoulders, hugging her tight despite how his sides ached with the tense muscles as he gave her a comforting squeeze.

"I want to help everyone. We need to get to the others, the council should have gathered as many nations as possible by now to help." She leaned her head on his shoulder, worried about the others, but refusing to think about anything but good things for them.

"We should be only a day late, less if we walk while we eat tomorrow." He told her and she sighed but pulled away and nodded.

"Then that's what we will do. Walk through our lunches. We can eat our breakfast on the go too." Lia nodded on and on with her own words and he smiled softly.

"We get there before we are too late to be saved." Z whispered and nodded along with what he was saying this time as Lia did.

"So, we're on the move."

"First light." The twins finished each others declarations and turned over to look at the couple and laughed lightly together. "Let's just sleep. Stop worrying about how people are reacting to us now Lia... think about how we can help them when we tell them what we have learned." Toby made a grunt noise before he seemed to lift a rock under his shoulder and toss it a few feet away so he wouldn't roll on it again.

"Good night everyone."

"Good night Lia." Des grunted out as he now turned over and Z laughed lightly and turned to face her fully again.

"Good night." He whispered and she smiled and mouthed it back.

"Good night love birds." Roxy called out and mumbled something about how she had almost been asleep.

Lia smiled wide and she felt the earth slowly rising under her until she seemed to rock right into Z, and he smirked and tightened his hands around her hips as soon as he found them and made sure she wouldn't roll away. He fell asleep, not caring that he was still hurting if he took too much air. He had the love of his life laying next to him, curled into his side, and he was going to sleep like this for as long as he could, and get up and do what he had done today all over again.

And have Lia fall asleep in his arms again tomorrow night.

He would make sure of it.

All the way across the sea, instead of a bit of romance and content happening, it seemed that there wasn't a chance to talk things through clearly.

Eli went to the girls the night after the last meeting he got to attend, told them about how Emmerson wasn't standing up and fighting to get the others here and make sure they're safe. They divised a small plan, to find a way to get the to the others on their own.

They would look for a new boat, one they could take and know how to use. While Eli seemed to be watched every minute of every day now that he had gone to a couple meetings, the girls had free reign to do what they wished, and go where they wanted to explore.

No one followed the girls, Joy was a bit peeved that they didn't think it was important, and Myra was just glad they weren't on the radar. As long as they could get to Vodina again and pick up the others, she was fine with being underestimated.

Eli walked around the night they were going to leave, being followed and watched by a guard, who he had confronted about being a spy, and he found out that King Ambrose had simply wished him to be helped whenever he needed it. If Eli got hungry and didn't know where to go, the guard would simply pay for his meal the closest restaurant in town.

Hearing that Eli felt a little bad for going against the King, but he put it to the side knowing that this was for the best, that they all needed to be here, all 9 of them needed to be safe. Lia was the healer, and if any of the men returned hurt, she could help, Z and the others would surely be able to find a way to help, and Roxy had a mother that could turn tides in the other country to make them help.

The others were more political than he was, and Eli hated that he had been the small town boy who didn't seem to want more than he was going to be given.

Now though, now he wanted respect, and to climb high on the chain of command. If no one was willing to listen to a kid, how would the elders ever learn new things?

Eli looked around, it was almost sunset, the girls would have gotten enough food and blankets and clean water on the small boat they found by now. He turned, nodded to the guard and told him he was headed back to the house, that he was too tired to stay up another hour.

Eli smiled at the guy who had been up just as long as he had, and they walked back to the house they were given, smiling and waving as he went in, Eli found himself agreeing with Myra, it was good to be underestimated.

Eli waited a bit, eating an apple and checking outside to make sure the guard was gone for the night, he moved to walk out, and he spotted Emmerson walking towards him. Her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed, looking at him like she knew exactly what he was up to.

"Hey Em, good night for a walk." He didn't ask her to join him, but that didn't stop her from keeping up with his pace as she followed him.

"Where do you think this is going to end? You think I can't tell you and the girls are planning something? Is that where you are going now?" She asked and Eli just laughed.

"What do you mean? We have been twiddling our thumbs while you kept secrets from us. Don't get all crazy because we're mad at you and don't want to talk anymore." Eli paused in his steps, turning to her now. "I sure hope, when, or should I say if, we ever get to see Z, Lia, Roxy, or the twins again, they will forgive you for just leaving them there, hoping for a way out."

Feeling a bit of pain from knowing that she had hurt her friends, and abandoned the others hit her like a horse kick would, and Emmy felt tears welling up and she looked away. "I don't want to leave them, but the safest bet-"

"The safest for us, you mean? We are safe. There isn't anyone getting through the waters here. Our friends, the people I grew up with, the boys and Lia who are like my only family- no, they are the only family I have left, are going to be sitting there like ducks. Easy prey for the men who killed my mother right in front of me. And you want to stand here, say sorry, and give me excuses?" Eli gave a harsh laugh and shook his head. "And you wonder why Myra doesn't want to look your way." He trotted down a set of stairs, leaving Emmy there to think about what he had said, what he really meant.

She bit her lip, let her tears that had been welling up fall and she wiped her face quickly.

Turning she went towards the house they all got to share with her grandfather, looking around for the girls, she noticed some things were missing from the kitchen, and she jogged around until she could tell what had just happened.

Eli hurt her to ward her off from following him. That was what she wanted to do. She had wanted to make sure they weren't planning anything ridiculous, and now they were out, taking rations, and probably making a break for it right now.

"I can either sound the alarm... or let them go." Emmy whispered, her mind going to two separate sides. One wanting them to be safe, here, with her and the entire army, and the other knowing that if she stopped them, if she betrayed them again, there would be no forgiveness after it.

"Or... you could go with them." She jumped and turned, seeing her grandfather coming out of his room, an apple in his hand now and he smiled softly.

"You were here the entire time they were taking food?" She asked noticing how long it had been since she had seen him and how long it must have taken the girls to pack up and leave.

"Yes, and now, they're gone, setting sail. They won't leave until it is pitch black. Join them." Emmy looked shocked and he laughed lightly and walked over to her. "They are safer with you than without you. Eli is doing the right thing, and while we might not know why he's not pushing for it harder, we all know he is going no matter what." He told her, and Emmy knew he meant the entire council, including the King, knew they were making a break for it.

"Thank you." She hugged him quickly, taking an apple and some bread for her rations and ducking out of the door and racing down to the marina.

It was a long run, but she was determined to get there before they could leave her behind. She saw Eli and the girls on a boat, untying the lines and she gulped in more air and used a bit of earth to push her to go even faster. Once on the dock they looked over and saw her.

She was still in her robes from the meeting, and she hated that she didn't have time to change and for a second she saw Eli look ready to bend them out of there as fast as possible. But Joy called her name and waved her over.

"What are you doing here?" Eli asked and she gulped.

"Helping."

"Spying you mean." He sneered and shook his head. He turned to the sail and she watched him make the air move so the breeze would take them out. She sat down, made sure Joy was warm before moving to Myra, but it seemed Myra felt the same way Eli did. Not happy to see her one bit.

"Myra?"

"No thanks Emmerson. I don't need you to tuck me in like I don't know how to do it myself." She snapped, taking the blanket from her and moving farther down the boat. She was closer to Eli and Emmy gulped and looked around, seeing the King standing in his watch tower.

"They knew we were leaving." Emmy said and she saw Eli pause in his movements. "They're letting all of us go. The entire council knew you wouldn't drop it." She told him and he moved forwards with his hands again, creating more air, going a bit faster.

"So that's why you're here. Got permission and thought it would be okay to come along." Myra shook her head and Emmy gulped.

"I was thinking about how I would get here when my grandfather told me about them knowing." Emmy offered out, looking to Joy who was curled up in the back, her hand on the Rutter steering them home.

"No wonder you really wanted to come." Eli muttered, relaxing a bit as it seemed the real breeze was guiding them back now.

Myra got up from the side she had been sitting on and moving to sit beside Eli, sharing the blanket, and using him as a pillow, Emmy had to look away so she wouldn't think back to when she got to lay on him.

It was going to be a fight to get them to be happy with her again, to stop making comments about her and who she chose to listen to rather than defy, but she would take it.

They were resting their brains from comebacks now, but Emmy was sure by daybreak they would have more comments to make her feet small.

And she deserved it.

Eli needed the others, and Emmy should have known that. Everything that happened at the school felt like years had passed, but it hadn't even been an entire month.

They were all still hurting.

And not knowing what happened to the others was just making things worse.