Page 14 of The Lost Elemental

Great. Maybe I’d flunk out and could come back home.

We climbed the stairs, my mom and the guys following. Mom hovered in the hallway, watching but not coming inside. As if she were too afraid I might snap at her again. That only made me feel worse.

Charlie grabbed my duffle bag from the closet and started shoving things inside, telling me I’d need things for this or that. But I couldn’t focus on his words. I stared at the room that had been mine for the past three years, wondering if I’d ever see it again.

Kai cleared his throat and I turned in his direction. He held up the pajamas I’d discarded on the floor this morning. His eyes danced with mirth. “I’ve got to see you in these.”

I willed my cheeks not to heat at the unicorn-covered set that Lainey had gotten me for Christmas last year.

Charlie lifted my stuffed animal. “She loves unicorns. They’re her favorite.”

And now I wanted to die a thousand deaths. I snatched the pajamas from Kai’s grasp and shoved them in my bag along with my stuffed animal.

Mom hesitantly came inside, extending out my toiletries bag. “I packed your stuff from the bathroom.”

My throat burned, and I launched myself at her in a hard hug. Her arms instantly answered, tugging me close. “I’m so sorry. You know I’d do anything for you, anything to protect you.”

“I know. I just—will you be okay? You were counting on me next year—”

She squeezed me harder. “We’ll be fine. We’ll just miss you like crazy. Call every time you have a chance.”

I nodded into her shoulder, as Charlie shoved his way into the center of our hug. “I want the middle.”

I laughed through the burn in my throat. “You always do.”

“It’s the best place to be.”

I crouched in front of him. “Don’t grow up too much while I’m gone, okay?”

His face scrunched. “Lanes already calls me shrimp. I gotta grow a little.”

“Okay, just a little though.”

“Promise.” He threw his arms around my neck. “Come home soon, k?”

“Soon as humanly possible.”

Only I wasn’t human after all.

“We need to go,” Riven said.

I peeled Charlie’s arms off me, unable to meet his or my mom’s eyes as I gathered up my meager belongings. Kai reached out for my duffle. “I can get that.”

“No.” The single word came out more harshly than I’d intended, but I didn’t apologize. “I’ve got it.”

I was on my own now. After having my mom, Lainey, even Charlie at my back for so long, I’d be the only one watching out for myself going forward. I needed to get used to that.

“Let’s go,” Riven said gruffly.

His lack of empathy helped. I funneled all of my emotions into anger. Rage at Riven and these stupid elementals who had wormed their way into our world and now seemed to have control over it. I’d never thought much about when they’d revealed their own world across the veil. I’d always thought they’d simply wanted to coexist. But now I saw that there were tendrils of their influence everywhere.

“Call when you can, Aura. If you need me…”

My mom trailed off, but I knew what she left unspoken. She would do absolutely anything for me.

I nodded. “Love you guys. Take care of each other.”

Charlie lifted his hand in a wave as Mom held him close. It was an ice pick to the damn chest. I turned and hurried into the SUV.