Page 46 of A Song of Air
Those words had a threatening growl rumbling through the recesses of her mind, and she knew who it was immediately. She shook it off, staring straight ahead, avoiding throwing a glance over at the golden-brown Fae male with his dangerous magic. She knew what she’d find. Possession. Murderous intent.
Everyone around her treated her like property.
My Elemental.
Arlo’s words reminded her that he saw her ashisbecause he’d saved her life. A reminder to her that she owed him a debt. He was staking his claim before the Resistance, one she would be an idiot to refute.
“We have reason to believe the Emperor of Illyk is searching far and wide for those like her. For those like them. Elementals.”
“Why?”
“To destroy the Fae.”
And he began to weave a tale. It was short and clipped, but it painted a picture vividly within Bryson’s mind. Of the emperor looking for Elementals. Of their struggle as they traveled to the Feylands, the confirmation that their home was no longer what it had been. That the emperor needed them all; fire, water, ice, air, earth, and spirit, to destroy the Fae in one fell swoop. That the prince of Seelie was searching for them as well because the Elementals alone could make or break the Fae. They’d traveled, searching for them.
And they’d come for Bryson.
Because they needed her.
And for a second, as he told his tale, her mother’s words sprang to the forefront of her mind. Her father’s words.
That she was an Elemental.
And she was made for great things.
Suddenly, pieces started to fall into place. Her reason for existing. The restlessness in her body, demanding she do something far more important than what she was doing now, urging her to fight.
But that crashed against Arlo’s sudden laughter, cruel and contradictory.
And it was that laughter that reminded her who she was and where her allegiance was supposed to lie.
It pulled her right out of her thoughts of the past. Of what she thought her future could be.
She straightened, walking over to Arlo and Ev’s side, standing beside them. Presenting a united front.
“And what proof of this do you have other than your word?” Arlo asked.
“I am a prince—”
“And it is the words and actions of royalty who created this world for us in the first place, so forgive me if I am not so inclined to blindly trust you like your...followershere.”
She wondered how much of a fight the Resistance would put up and her body tightened, waiting, ready. She wasn’t sure if she had it in her to fight them at all, but she prepared her magic regardless. Even if she loathed to do it. Even if everything within her screamed that she should not go up in arms against the Seelie Prince. Against other Elementals.
“You do not believe us.” The prince sounded both annoyed and amused.
“That is what I just said,” Arlo snapped.
“Fine. You do not have to believe us. Only she does.”
All attention cut in her direction. It made the palms of her hands sweat, and she resisted the urge to wipe them against the legs of her pants.
They seemed to be awaiting her response. It took a while for her to answer, because her thoughts warred together, two differentiating ideals angrily clashing. More than that, it was Arlo’s demands, her parents’ teachings, and this new information dropped readily into her lap.
And just like her anger, she didn’t know what to do with this either.
But she knew what tosay, even if the words tasted foul leaving her mouth, like they didn’t quite belong. But she had to say them, because she had loyalties, if nothing else.
“My place is here,” she said tightly. “With my community.”
