The Elemental Collective by Montana Ash

Author:Montana Ash
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paladin Publishing

Chapter

Eighteen

“What do you need from me?” Max asked, making herself comfortable on the sand.

Nik joined her and squinted in her direction, gauging her mood and wondering again if he should test their friendship by being blunt. In the end, he knew it needed to be addressed and he wasn’t one to shirk a task simply because it was unpleasant. If he was, he wouldn’t have become a ranger in the first place. He only wished he had been able to speak to Penny one last time before he and Max took this little walk. But Penny had been busy with Rosa and considering she had been away from her for almost three days, Nikolai knew the older woman was Penny’s priority right now. He didn’t begrudge her in the least.

Max was still waiting so he took a deep breath and replied, “I need you to stop.”

Max frowned, head tilting in confusion. “I’m sorry, what?”

Nik shook his head. “Stop, Max,” he repeated and watched her face lose its usual open happiness. Her turquoise eyes lost their sparkle, her lips drew into a straight line, and frown lines appeared as her eyebrows dipped. His pulse kicked up a little despite himself. After all, Max was formidable on a good day. And this day? It was shaping up to be a very bad one.

“That’s not for you to say, Nikolai,” Max informed him, tone cold.

“Then who then? Who else is going to say it, Max? Curing the ill paladins with a wave of your hand is not for you,” he stated. He felt like a real prick, considering everything Max had done for him and the world. But it had to be said.

“You don’t think it’s for me to do? Really?” Max scoffed. “The person who was literally created to fix the plight of the chades? It’s my calling.”

“Calling’s change,” he rebutted, knowing the truth of that all too well.

Max studied him for a moment, looking beyond him to his left. He tried not to fidget, knowing she was likely peering into his very soul. “You would know about that, I guess. The changing of one’s callings.”

He refused to rise to the bait, for that was precisely what it was. Instead, he repeated, “It’s not for you, Max. Not anymore. You know this.”

“Do I?” she queried, looking regal.

It wasn’t often she looked like the daughter of a deity, but she sure was looking like one now. Yet, he snorted, shifting on the sand a little. “If I know it, you surely know it.”

Max jumped up and began to prowl in front of him, kicking up sand as she paced back and forth. She was pissed, but not necessarily at him, Nik knew. She was pissed that she was being called out. Pissed that he was right. Pissed that she was now going to have to cease her healings.

“Of course, I’m pissed that you’re right,” Max said, stopping in front of him, answering his silent thoughts. “But it’s not that easy, Nik. How am

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