Five by Christie Rich
I gasped for air. I wanted to hurt Jett in every way possible. I wanted him to experience the fear and pain he had inflicted upon me. He was the reason I didn’t have my mother. He was the reason my whole life had been incomplete. I was nearly hyperventilating. “Were you the one that killed her?” It was all I could do to not collapse in a flood of renewed grief.
Jett’s dark face frowned in obvious confusion. “Rayla, your mother is as alive as I am.”
My hands flew to my mouth. I choked back a sob. He was lying. He had to be. Mom would have never left me with Aunt Grace if she’d had a choice.
He smiled, spreading his arms wide in placation and took a step toward me. Luke was seething, looking between the two of us. Jett’s gaze slid over Luke. His expression shifted to smugness just before he reached for my hand.
I plastered my back to the wall. “Stay away from me.”
His eyes were soft, full of compassion. “I can take you to her. You can be with her again.”
Luke laughed. “Is that before or after you bond with her?”
Jett spun on Luke. “You had your turn and failed, youngling. You might as well leave. This girl has already been promised to me.”
Luke grunted. “Elementals cannot be promised. It is forbidden.”
Jett narrowed his eyes. “I am the reason that law was passed. It does not apply to me.”
I took the opportunity to scoot toward the door, praying they would keep their argument going. They didn’t disappoint. The cold knob slid against my fingers. I turned it slowly and edged around the door. Soundlessly, I slunk backward until I hit into something solid.
“I specifically remember telling you to stay in your room.” I whirled around. I should have keeled over from the look Zach gave me. “Can’t you ever do anything that isn’t self destructive?”
I flew into his arms, sobbing. I buried my face in his shoulder.
He pulled me away from him. “What happened?”
What was I doing? I stepped back. He was one of them.
Curse my heart. I clenched my fists. My nails bit into my flesh.
It didn’t work. Impossibly, I was still in love with the man standing before me. Whatever he had done to me over the last week wouldn’t leave me, no matter how much my mind protested.
Luke’s voice erupted behind me, “This girl is different than any Elemental I have encountered.” He looked over at Zach who glared back at him.
Luke went on unaffected. “We have to take her to Tabitha. She should be the one to decide which of us will bond with Rayla.”
Zach went rigid. “I have already claimed her. She has the fifth element.”
Luke spread his hands. A ting of fear slid over his gaze.
Before Luke could say anything, Jett spoke out, “We do not dispute that, brother. However, she has the fourth and the third, as well.” He smiled down on me. “There is also the fact that this girl has been promised to me. She is the first daughter of Alithea.”
I glanced up at Zach. He glared at me. Oh, this was my fault now. What did I do?
Zach slipped a protective arm around my shoulder. “You can’t prove that. Alithea insists she did not have a child.”
Jett moved in front of us. “How would you know? You haven’t been to court in forty years.”
Zach pulled me behind him. “Rayla still has to withdraw from school and make an excuse to her friends.”
Jett’s deep laugh reverberated over the walls. “Her only human friend has been taken by the Order. There is no one left for her to say goodbye to.” An amber glow erupted from Jett’s outstretched hand. His eyes narrowed to slits. “We will not allow you to be alone with her.”
I stepped out from behind Zach, hands on hips. “He isn’t the one that tried to bond with me.”
The three of them looked sharply at me. Zach hissed, “What are you saying?”
Try as I might to get him to react, Luke looked as stunned as the rest of them. “Luke gave it a go just before you two showed up.”
Zach shot me a dubious expression as if he was staring at an exaggerating child. “You are alive.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m aware.”
“She is mistaken,” said Luke over the top of me. “I did attempt to compel her.”
Of course he would deny it. I knew better. I shrugged. “Whatever. I’m going to my room.” I started for the door that led to Le Mans Hall.
Zach caught my arm. “That part of your life is over, Rayla. We must go. Taylor awaits us in the borderlands. It is not safe for him to stay long.”
“But—”
He took my hands. His eyes were full of sorrow. His voice was soft as a light snowfall. “It has been decided.”
Jett turned toward Zach donning a stunned expression. “I honestly didn’t think you had it in you.”
Zach gave Jett a curt nod and pulled me into motion. I didn’t struggle this time. What was the point? Even if I got away, they would find me. As it was, my whole family was in danger because of my stupidity. I wasn’t going to make it any worse for them. Aunt Grace had been right to protect everyone else. I was the one that did this. I needed to accept that. I only allowed myself one glance at the door to my dreams. That life belonged to another girl.
Jett’s dark face frowned in obvious confusion. “Rayla, your mother is as alive as I am.”
My hands flew to my mouth. I choked back a sob. He was lying. He had to be. Mom would have never left me with Aunt Grace if she’d had a choice.
He smiled, spreading his arms wide in placation and took a step toward me. Luke was seething, looking between the two of us. Jett’s gaze slid over Luke. His expression shifted to smugness just before he reached for my hand.
I plastered my back to the wall. “Stay away from me.”
His eyes were soft, full of compassion. “I can take you to her. You can be with her again.”
Luke laughed. “Is that before or after you bond with her?”
Jett spun on Luke. “You had your turn and failed, youngling. You might as well leave. This girl has already been promised to me.”
Luke grunted. “Elementals cannot be promised. It is forbidden.”
Jett narrowed his eyes. “I am the reason that law was passed. It does not apply to me.”
I took the opportunity to scoot toward the door, praying they would keep their argument going. They didn’t disappoint. The cold knob slid against my fingers. I turned it slowly and edged around the door. Soundlessly, I slunk backward until I hit into something solid.
“I specifically remember telling you to stay in your room.” I whirled around. I should have keeled over from the look Zach gave me. “Can’t you ever do anything that isn’t self destructive?”
I flew into his arms, sobbing. I buried my face in his shoulder.
He pulled me away from him. “What happened?”
What was I doing? I stepped back. He was one of them.
Curse my heart. I clenched my fists. My nails bit into my flesh.
It didn’t work. Impossibly, I was still in love with the man standing before me. Whatever he had done to me over the last week wouldn’t leave me, no matter how much my mind protested.
Luke’s voice erupted behind me, “This girl is different than any Elemental I have encountered.” He looked over at Zach who glared back at him.
Luke went on unaffected. “We have to take her to Tabitha. She should be the one to decide which of us will bond with Rayla.”
Zach went rigid. “I have already claimed her. She has the fifth element.”
Luke spread his hands. A ting of fear slid over his gaze.
Before Luke could say anything, Jett spoke out, “We do not dispute that, brother. However, she has the fourth and the third, as well.” He smiled down on me. “There is also the fact that this girl has been promised to me. She is the first daughter of Alithea.”
I glanced up at Zach. He glared at me. Oh, this was my fault now. What did I do?
Zach slipped a protective arm around my shoulder. “You can’t prove that. Alithea insists she did not have a child.”
Jett moved in front of us. “How would you know? You haven’t been to court in forty years.”
Zach pulled me behind him. “Rayla still has to withdraw from school and make an excuse to her friends.”
Jett’s deep laugh reverberated over the walls. “Her only human friend has been taken by the Order. There is no one left for her to say goodbye to.” An amber glow erupted from Jett’s outstretched hand. His eyes narrowed to slits. “We will not allow you to be alone with her.”
I stepped out from behind Zach, hands on hips. “He isn’t the one that tried to bond with me.”
The three of them looked sharply at me. Zach hissed, “What are you saying?”
Try as I might to get him to react, Luke looked as stunned as the rest of them. “Luke gave it a go just before you two showed up.”
Zach shot me a dubious expression as if he was staring at an exaggerating child. “You are alive.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m aware.”
“She is mistaken,” said Luke over the top of me. “I did attempt to compel her.”
Of course he would deny it. I knew better. I shrugged. “Whatever. I’m going to my room.” I started for the door that led to Le Mans Hall.
Zach caught my arm. “That part of your life is over, Rayla. We must go. Taylor awaits us in the borderlands. It is not safe for him to stay long.”
“But—”
He took my hands. His eyes were full of sorrow. His voice was soft as a light snowfall. “It has been decided.”
Jett turned toward Zach donning a stunned expression. “I honestly didn’t think you had it in you.”
Zach gave Jett a curt nod and pulled me into motion. I didn’t struggle this time. What was the point? Even if I got away, they would find me. As it was, my whole family was in danger because of my stupidity. I wasn’t going to make it any worse for them. Aunt Grace had been right to protect everyone else. I was the one that did this. I needed to accept that. I only allowed myself one glance at the door to my dreams. That life belonged to another girl.