Chapter 37

Gray

Chrome looked like shit. His golden skin lacked its normal vibrancy and luster, while his tousled chromatic hair appeared unwashed.

“How’d you find me?” I narrowed my eyes at him, willing my heartbeat to slow to a normal pace. I hugged my knees to my chest again.

He stepped closer until he stood only a foot before me. “I have my ways,” he mumbled. Something was wrong.

Upon closer inspection, I noted how his eyes were bloodshot and heavy-lidded, bruised below with blueish-purple circles. He reeked of the strong tang of whiskey as if it leaked from his pores. “What’s wrong?”

I didn’t feel any foreign emotions like I had in the training field. All was empty and quiet on his end, which confused me. How did this phenomenon work?

Chrome snorted and then slurred, “What isn’t wrong, little savage? Everything is wrong.” I caught him wringing his fingers with one another, twisting, twining, and squeezing until they were nearly white.

Why was he wearing a ripped hoodie? And was that blood splotching the black fabric? A sheen of sweat washed out his golden complexion. “If you’re hot, you can just take off the hoodie.”

He gave a half-hearted, hoarse laugh, being vigilant to not look me in the eye. “Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Fuck off.” The air within me stirred to attention, ready to protect if needed.

“Mhm…” He swayed on his feet. “Oh, don’t get all feisty with me now, Princess. I only came by to return your necklace.”

I arched my brows as he fumbled through each of the many pockets of his black cargo pants that had seen better days.

“Day drinking’s your thing?” I asked as he continued to search his pockets.

He peeked through the curtain of his reflective hair. “Careful. It sounds like you give a shit.”

“I’m pretty sure your people might. Can’t have a drunken leader promising to free them from my father’s tyrannical bullshit, can they?”

“I’ve never made such promises. I’m going to kill the motherfucker…probably die in the process. Then, they can do with the world as they please.” Chrome shrugged and nearly fell forward, only barely catching himself at the last second.

Realization dawned on me. “That’s why you brought me here: to become their leader. You don’t expect to be around after all is said and done.”

Chrome stood up straight and continued his search for my necklace. This time in his back pockets. A dark, crooked smile taunted me. “Well, look who thinks she has it all figured out. You know nothing of the gravity of this situation.”

Anger burned a fiery path through my veins at his condescension. I’d been talked down to enough throughout my life. I had to put up with it from my father, but I didn’t have to deal with it anymore. “Well, how about you do me a solid and fucking tell me?”

Chrome retrieved the necklace from a pocket on his pants leg at last. He looked at me with empty, reddened eyes that said he had nothing to lose. Those were eyes that spoke more than his words ever would.

“Why would you listen to someone who disgusts you?”

I felt the verbal slap as if he’d physically done it himself. The guilt from yesterday came thrashing to the surface, and my anger dissipated faster than my little nature show had upon his arrival.

“I…I’m…” I stuttered, searching for the right words but falling short. My heart clenched with shame. “I’m sorry I said that. I shouldn’t…”

“Forget it. Here’s your necklace.” He tossed the heavy black stone to me. “We have a session tomorrow. Lucky for you, Orion will be there.”

I sat there with my mouth hanging open, squeezing my knees tighter to my chest. He swallowed, the knot in his throat bobbing with the motion, pinning me in place with his lifeless gaze for several silent moments before he turned and stumbled away, back through the clearing.

Chrome left me staring after him, yet I couldn’t bring myself to stop him.

I held the black crystal necklace in my palm, already feeling my Elemental magic weakening. I set it down beside me on the boulder, wondering what use I even had for the thing now. Like Kinetics, Elementals used bracelets to mask their natures if they needed to.

Sentimentality be damned as it never belonged to my mother. The necklace had only been a tool for Forest to manipulate me.

Fuck him.

I picked the necklace up again, rearing my arm back. Allowing my turmoil to fuel me, I launched the stone into the lake. It sailed thirty feet before landing with a heavy thunk in the water.

That was liberating.

After basking in my minor victory for a few minutes, my thoughts returned to Chrome. What was going on with him? Surely he couldn’t be that drunk because of me? He’d said there was more that I didn’t understand. What more could there possibly be?

I didn’t know how long I’d remained on that large boulder. A couple of hours passed, judging by the sun. Along with my mood, it sank beneath the horizon, stealing the day’s warmth with it. I pulled my hoodie back on.

A weight sat on my chest, crushing me, as I recalled Chrome’s lifeless stare that said so much while he’d said so little. I had to make this right. I wasn’t sure how, but I’d do it because no one deserved that level of pain.

It was dark when I approached the front porch of the lodge. That didn’t mean it was abandoned. Elementals loitered about in conversation and laughter. Now and then, I’d see a shadow floating in the air, and after closer inspection, I’d see it was a piece of wood or stone being lazily guided by the wielder, as if it was their companion.

It grew more difficult to keep my Kinetic form hidden. The need to set my currents free and my magic flowing set me on edge. Onyx and Chrome liberated their Kinetic forms. Perhaps it would be accepted if I did, too. More than likely, I was overthinking the idea I’d step on toes too soon. I wasn’t willing to risk upsetting the kindness they’d granted me in providing a place to stay.

My boots clunked up the sturdy wooden steps of the vast front porch. Lights illuminated it in sconces, creating a cozy atmosphere. I rushed through the hulking double doors with plans to isolate in the privacy of my room.

“Gray!” A sharp voice caught my attention to my right.

My steps hitched, and I scanned the area for the voice.

River. And beside her sat Aella and Onyx.

I internally groaned. It wasn’t that I didn’t like them; I simply needed solitude. Especially after my encounter with Chrome. “Hey, I was just headed…” I cast my eyes toward the ornate, spiraling staircase.

“Over here,” River said. Onyx held his usual smug smile. Aella was stiff and looked at me with a wary gaze.

“I’m tired. I need to…”

“Come here.” River crossed her arms over her chest. Her severe expression left no room for argument.

Resigned, I sulked over to the three Elementals sitting within a group of lofty cushioned chairs. Glasses of brown and clear liquor sat atop the oak coffee table in the middle of their group.

I approached the trio. River sat stiff-backed in the chair with one leg draped perfectly over the other. Onyx propped his ass on the arm of Aella’s chair. Her elbow perched on the other arm, resting her jaw on her fist as she assessed me.

I raised my brows, my hands going to my waist as I faced them. “Is it important?”

River gave me a slow smile. It was Onyx, however, who answered, “Of course it’s important. You’re hanging out with us tonight.”

I sighed, noting the acoustic guitar leaning against the chair. “I’m tired and just wanna shower and go to bed.”

“Dude!” Onyx said. “Can I call you that? Or do you prefer your highness? Or lady? Or—”

“Shut up, O,” River piped in with a sharp eye roll.

“As I was saying…” Onyx cut in again. “It’s only seven. You can’t go to bed that early,” he said, appalled at the idea.

“If she wants to go, let her. Clearly she doesn’t want to be around us.” Aella narrowed her blue-and-white eyes as she addressed me for the first time. She had opinions, and it was obvious she didn’t trust me. I didn’t fault her for that.

I dropped my arms. “It’s not that I don’t want to be around you. I’m just tired, overwhelmed even. There’s so much I’m still processing.” I held out my golden palms as if that explained everything.

Onyx nodded in understanding and dropped his eyes. River’s violet gaze seared through me. “You need to decompress, Gray. Look, I’m not the social type either. Ask anyone. But even I need to be around others. Come chill with us.”

I dropped my shoulders in defeat with a sigh. “Fine. But I’m gonna need a drink.”

Aella cracked the smallest of smiles as if I’d passed some test I was unaware of. Onyx jumped to his feet. “I’ll go! We need refills, anyway.”

If Chrome could get blasted drunk in the middle of the day, then I could have a few. I think I was entitled to it after the past week.

Aella turned out to be fun. It was a pleasant surprise, considering her distant behavior toward me from day one.

After having consumed a few glasses of ‘shine, I loosened up around the trio. I found them rather easy to converse and joke with.

Aella had a rather loose tongue due to the drinks. She sat sprawled in the large black chair where full springy curls bunched up around her reclined head. “Ya know…” she said in a high-pitched voice. “I like you. I mean…I actually like you, Gray. Didn’t think I would…with you being that asshole’s daughter and all.” She gave a dainty shrug.

I laughed. It felt so good to laugh again. “How did you miss my outgoing nature?”

River and Onyx joined in on our laughter.

“You guys should’ve seen it,” Onyx said, slouched in a man-spread in his own chair. “You would’ve thought Chrome dragged her in by the roots of her hair when she first arrived.” He gripped his gut, laughing at the memory.

I kept laughing with them. “Oh, shut up. Had you witnessed the beastie-bear, you would’ve looked like that, too.”

Everyone’s mirth suddenly died. I looked around, lacing my fingers together in my lap. “What?”

They looked at each other, silently questioning who would ask. It was Aella. “Did you and Chrome really open a portal and send it back?”

I studied my hands in my lap. “So it seems…”

River sat rigid in her chair, still looking regal. “What happened? Chrome gave us the brief rundown, as you heard, but we want the full play-by-play. Spill it.”

My wide grin reached my eyes. I was all in for it. I needed to tell this story. So, I did, starting from the train.

Their eyes were wide as I told the tale. Onyx’s mouth hung slack, riveted as he remained slumped in his seat. Aella sat up, focusing her eyes on me. Not once did she cast a distrustful look. And River, even drunk, was clear-eyed and sharp, not missing a detail.

When I finished, it was Aella who asked, “Can we see them?” And when I cocked my head in confusion at her question, she clarified, “Your currents? We’ve obviously seen Onyx’s and Chrome’s, but everyone is curious to see yours. I bet they’re pretty.”

I couldn’t help the blush that crept up my neck at the attention. It wasn’t the type of attention I was used to. No one had ever taken an interest in me like that before. “Sure. I’ve been hesitant to free my Kinetic form around here—”

“What?” Onyx cut me off, scrambling to sit up straight. “Are you fucking serious? Gray, it’s been how long?”

I opened and closed my mouth. Was he scolding me? Shifting in my seat and looking away, I said, “Uhm…since the beastie bear?”

“What the hell? Take the damn thing off. Let us see it all,” Onyx demanded—damn, so stern. I wanted to laugh but held it in.

“He doesn’t mean literally everything,” Aella said with a shake of her head.

I chuckled and looked around the lodge, scanning for other Elementals nearby.

River caught me. “It’s fine. Everyone knows what you are, Princess. We all accept that like we did with Chrome. It’s actually weird to us that you haven’t exposed your Kinetic form yet.”

I took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, but I don’t know how it will feel now that my Elemental form isn’t suppressed anymore. Maybe we should go outside…” I said, not wanting to risk bringing down the lodge.

“Sounds great,” said Onyx with a clap of his hands. “Bring the ‘shine.”

We stood outside in the training field Chrome had taken me to yesterday. I shook out my arms as they all stood in front of me. Onyx’s orange currents gave him an eerie glow in the darkness. He looked relaxed, but I could tell he was ready to act in defense if something went wrong.

My Kinetic magic pulsed within me, sensing it was about to be freed. I closed my eyes and took a calming breath, letting the air settle in my chest. The alcohol made me feel lighter, but I was still anxious about combining the two forces untested…while drunk. Was it the best idea? Probably not.

“You guys ready?” I asked, looking each of them in the eyes.

“Fuck, yes!” Onyx said way too emphatically.

I cocked an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged. “What? I’ve been dying to see another set of currents around this place for a while. Chrome’s always wearing that beaten up cloak or something.”

I understood that. It must feel isolating to be the only pure Kinetic in an Elemental stronghold, no matter how loyal you were to their cause.

“Okay,” I said. I blew out a breath. “Here it goes.” I snapped off the metal clasp of my suppressing bracelet.

The air element within me stirred at the presence of the energetic waves pulsing in my veins. It was as if they greeted one another while they twined around the other in a sensitive dance. They never got too close, but it was euphoric.

I dropped my head back. The electric blue currents glowed to life on my forearms and raced up my neck. I couldn’t feel it, but I knew my glamoured, ice-blonde hair had morphed into its unusual dual-toned medley of white and black that resembled marble.

“Wow,” I heard Aella say in awe. “We have a beautiful princess, you guys!”

“And powerful.” That was River.

On instinct, I absorbed the energy waves around me. The sounds, the movement, and even the faint light coming from the lodge fed my Kinetic power.

Once I felt sated, I lowered my head and looked at the others. They stared at me in awe. “The king is a fucking idiot for creating two weapons that will be responsible for his death.” Onyx’s amber eyes gleamed with hope and determination.

A smile crept up the sides of my cheek, relishing no longer feeling powerless.

Aella wanted to see my ability in action next. We shared the same element, but Kinetic powers were foreign to them aside from Onyx and Chrome’s.

So, I showed them while also stretching my magic’s legs for the first time in several days. I would mold the energy waves into tiny balls of compact energy and release it straight up into the air, causing little blue, electrical explosions.

Aella was fascinated. Onyx was accustomed to our range of abilities. River, however, watched with a studious air. She stood with her lips tight and her arms crossed, as if she were breaking it down in ways her brain could understand best.

“Maybe we should head back now,” I said reluctantly, feeling wholly free for the first time.

Everyone nodded, and we all soon trekked our way to the lodge.

Once we reached the staircase, we decided to part ways and turn in for the night.

“It was great hanging with you tonight, Gray. Thanks for sharing your Kinetic form with us,” Aella said, gripping my hands in her dainty ebony ones laced in gold. She offered a kind smile, softening those baby-blue-and-milky-white eyes.

I dipped my head and returned a one-sided smile. “Thank you for accepting me. I’m so grateful.”

Onyx opened his mouth to say something, but I felt it before I heard it. I felt the sound waves slamming into me from a distance. Energy waves that told me someone was pounding the ground in a full sprint toward us.

I stiffened and snapped my attention in the direction it came from. “Wait,” I said, holding up a blue-lit hand. “Someone’s coming.”

They all frowned, not understanding why I seemed bothered by this. “Okay? There’s a bunch of people here, Gray…” Onyx said.

“No,” I said. “Something’s wrong.”

About that time, the front doors of the lodge slammed open, ushering in Blaize. “River!”

River stiffened. She moved with perfect posture to meet him. “What is it?”

Blaize, whose black top knot fell loose around his face, was breathless. His fiery eyes burned with fear. “There’s someone here,” he said between breaths. “A Kinetic.”

We all glanced between each other in question. River and Aella flitted their unearthly eyes back and forth between Onyx and me. We were all thinking the same thing; maybe Blaize saw my power display outside, probably from a distance, and freaked.

“No,” Blaize said, shaking his head hard enough to knock the bun lower on his head. “Not them,” he said, glancing between Onyx and me. “Another one.”

“There’s no way,” Onyx said, shaking his head. “I checked the wards earlier. They were firmly intact.” He closed his eyes. After several silent beats he opened them with a shrug. “Still are.”

I mentally kicked myself for numbing my awareness with alcohol. We all had. Onyx more than the rest.

Fear gripped my chest like a vice grip. I knew they’d find me. How could I be so fucking stupid to think my father wouldn’t track me down? Now, he knew where the Elementals’ main Hollow was hidden.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“Did you see them?” I asked Blaize.

Blaize shook his head again. “No, they were shrouded in darkness, but not before I saw the glow of currents. And they weren’t any of theirs.” He motioned a hand at Onyx and me.

“Have you informed Orion? Chrome?” River asked. She should be the one with the fire element as fierce as her gaze bored into Blaize, threatening to incinerate him on the spot.

“No, I came straight in, and you guys are the first I ran across,” he rushed out in his defense.

River turned to Onyx. “You’re his Second. Find him. Now.”

Onyx disappeared before she finished her command. He took the stairs two at a time, somehow not tripping during his ascent.