Call of the Waters (Elemental Realms Book 2) by H. L. Burke

Author:H. L. Burke [Burke, H. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2016-05-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Pet’s heart skipped within her. To be allowed to open portals was like something out of a daydream. Willa and Freda stationed buckets of water around the yard, in case a fire monster emerged. They needn’t worry about that. Pet remembered the fire portals, how angry and hungry they felt. Opening them came out of fear and rage; perhaps why they’d appeared when she lost her temper as a little kid.

“Are we sure about this?” Freda asked for probably the tenth time that morning. Pet had stopped counting around five.

“You said the Water Elementals were speaking to Quill,” Willa said. “I want to know why. Pet has the control not to open a fire portal. Are you ready, Pet?”

Pet nodded, sucking in her cheeks and dancing from foot to foot.

Freda strung her bow. She pulled an icestone-tipped arrow out of her quiver. “Burn it all, I never wanted to use these again.”

“Hopefully you won’t have to,” Willa said. “Go ahead, Pet.”

Pet focused on the ground before her. She imagined cool water, refreshing, alive. A whirlpool spun in her mind, and she projected that image into the dirt. A blue light, like a disk, rotated to life. Freda drew a sharp breath.

Water ran through Pet's veins. Her breath quickened. The portal grew, now as wide as a plate. Would it work this time?

The water energy choked out like a strangled breath, and the light died. Only a black circle remained where the infant portal had been.

Pet’s shoulders slumped. She tried again, only to have it fizzle out immediately … and again … and again.

Frustration welled within her, and she blew out a hot breath.

“Let’s rest,” Willa suggested. “I’ll go make some lunch.”

Pet sat cross-legged, her face in her hands. “Why does fire come so easily but not water?”

Freda shrugged and set her bow down. “Perhaps we should be grateful. For all we know, the Water Elementals are as dangerous as the Fire Folk.”

Pet stared at the black scar in the dirt. She didn’t think so. The energy from the water portals didn’t have the anger she remembered from the fire portals.

“Have you tried the other Elements?” Freda sat beside her.

“Nothing happens when I think of air. At least with water, the portal starts to form, but air just won’t talk to me.” Pet avoided Freda’s eyes.

“Talk to you?”

“Yes. All the portals have a voice. Not words, really, though. It’s hard to explain.”Nothing about me makes sense. I’m a freak.

“You don’t have anything to prove, Pet.” Freda squeezed her shoulder. “If not for you, who knows what state the world would be in? You’re a wall between us and danger.”

Willa emerged from the house carrying a platter with a loaf of bread and a wedge of goat cheese.

“I don’t think I want to try any more today,” Pet said.

Willa nodded. “Eat something. You need your strength.”

Pet took a warm crust of bread and crunched into it. It melted pleasantly in her mouth. This is what I’m meant to do, and I’m going to do it well.

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