Caution to the Wind: Book One of the Elementals Series (8 page)

“It’s under control now. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. You’re fine.”

But was it? She didn’t know.

Callum’s mouth pressed into a thin line as he studied her. “Forgive my asking but do you have an anxiety disorder?” he asked.

Loren couldn’t deny it. She nodded and looked down at her hands.

“Related to your abilities?”

“No, I—I think it comes from other things, though that’s certainly not a big help.”

Callum sat back. Silence followed for a few seconds. “I think we’ve discussed enough for one night. We should think on other things and, perhaps, get some rest. Do you agree?”

Loren pushed hair behind her ears before she nodded. “Yeah, I think that would be for the best. We can talk about it tomorrow.”

“Or in a few days.” Callum stood with her. “I have a business retreat. I leave in the morning.”

“You’re leaving?” Loren frowned.

“Yes. Eva and I discussed it at dinner.” He gave her a curious look. “I will be away for a few days. She will be in charge of the household, as usual.”

“Oh.” Loren hadn't realized how lost in her own thoughts she'd been not to catch the conversation. Her disappointment remained. “Have a safe trip.”

Callum smiled at her. “I intend to. Thank you.” He paused. “May I walk you back to your room?”

“Yes, please.”

He offered his arm to her and Loren hesitated before she placed her hand on his forearm. They stepped out of the sunroom.

“This stone,” Loren began, “what if it was closer than you thought?”

An eyebrow lifted. “What do you mean?”

She chewed on her lip, uncertain for a moment. Her fingers closed around the cord and she drew it out from her shirt.

Callum stopped in his steps. “You’ve had it. All this time.”

“Uh, yeah.” She fumbled to untie the cord. “Castle uh gave it to me when I got my powers. I didn’t know what it was, what it could do. I kept it safe. Like he wanted, but I think… he’d want you to have it. To keep it safe with the others.”

Her hand trembled as she held it out to him. The stone swung back and forth, a pendulum for a brief moment before Callum took it into his palm.

He stared at it in amazement. “This is incredible.”

“Yeah. Make sure it’s safe?”

“Of course.” His fingers rubbed over the stone. He lifted his gaze to her. Unable to decipher his unsettling look, she glanced away.

“Thank you for this,” he said quietly. He leaned down. His cool lips brushed over her cheek.

The surprising and confusing action made her face burn. “You’re uh welcome.”

“I’ll have this sent immediately to a safe place. I’ll take good care of it.”

“Good. Good.” She nodded and avoided his gaze.   

She heard static. Levi’s voice broke through. “Callum!” The white noise crackled again.

She stopped when Callum did, noticing his frown. As his name repeated, he stepped over to the closest intercom and pressed the button.

“What is it, Levi?”

“Emergency.” His words broke apart. He said something else, but Loren couldn't make it out. Then, the message came through loud and clear. “We’ll meet you in the training room. You need to hurry.”

Callum glanced to Loren. “What kind of emergency?”

Loren’s heart thudded against her ribs and she bit down hard on her lip.

There was a long pause before Levi spoke again. One word. A name.

“Avery.”

Chapter Eight

She had to stay calm. That was all there was to it. It had been an hour. Loren stopped her pacing outside the infirmary door, but her worry had yet to abate. She believed Avery’s condition was urgent and no one had yet to tell her the details. Eva's pale face and insistent tone as she requested Loren to remain outside frightened her.

Levi waited with her as only family seemed permitted within the infirmary. She tried to look through the window, but the blinds had shut. Through the slits in the plastic, she had a partial view. She caught a glimpse of Avery's bare torso. Callum stood nearby. Eva paced.

He’d gotten hurt while he’d been in the city. No one knew the details. Even Levi, who seemed to know everything, was clueless. Loren glanced over at him. He sat at the computer terminal where he'd remained since it began.

From what she'd gathered, Avery showed up in the kitchen with his shirt torn and bloody. That was how Levi had found him.

“He'll be fine.” Levi's voice cut through the silence. His attention remained focused on the computer screen.

Loren wished she had his level of confidence, but she didn’t. Nodding, she drew her arms around herself and looked back to the infirmary. “I hope so.”

“He will. Cal’s got it under control.”

“Aren’t you worried?”

Levi shrugged in response. She hated how he was so calm, aloof. Did this happen often enough that he’d become jaded? Or did he just not care at all? Her mouth pulled down in a slight frown.

The waiting was the worst part. She longed for some word, to know what was happening inside that room. It was difficult enough already to keep her anxiety and her powers in check. “I wish someone would tell us something.”

Levi pushed his chair back. It rolled across the concrete floor to stop in front of her. “Look, I said Cal has it under control. This isn’t the first time Avery’s done something stupid and gotten hurt for it.”

She wasn’t naïve. Avery’s hooded superhero routine was dangerous—the mugging on the night they met came to mind. It was ridiculous for her to think this was the only time he’d ever been hurt. He was experienced, but it wasn’t a comforting thought.

He helped people, risking himself night after night. He was a friend to the city. And a friend of the city probably had enemies. The sudden image of a supervillain wearing a ridiculous costume and sporting a massive sci-fi ray gun popped into her head. She shook it away. “I know. It doesn’t make me worry any less.”

Levi rolled his eyes. His lip ring moved when he poked it with his tongue. “You’re really uptight, you know? Edgy. I thought Eva was bad, but you take the cake. The whole entire three-tiered cake.”

“What do you mean?”

He crossed his arms. “I mean you have problems.”

Loren’s brow furrowed. “Well… so do you.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Is that the best you’ve got? No shit I have problems. Who doesn’t? But you…” Levi paused, gesturing toward her. “If you stack yours one on top the other, you’ll be right up there with them.” He nodded his head toward the infirmary door. “You fit right in. You’re just like them.”

Considering he’d said it all with derisive bitterness, she was certain he was trying to offend her. All she could do was stare at him, unable to come back with a convincing or appropriate response. She drew her arms tighter around herself and looked away from him.

“I’m right. I
know
I’m right. And you know it too. You get the same look on your face they do when they realize that.” Levi let out a scoff. “I was hoping you’d be different.”

“Why are you like this?”

“Like what? Perceptive? I don’t know. Maybe it’s my superpower—in addition to the big brain and the good looks.” He gave her a cocky smirk.

She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to talk to him, or even be in the same room with him. With a mild shake of her head, she turned her back to him and walked over to the infirmary.

              “Yeah, ignore me, if it makes you feel better,” he called.

              She did. It didn’t make her feel better, but it helped.

              Seconds later, she heard the office chair slide back and the clack of the keyboard resumed. She exhaled a breath, thankful his attention had diverted from her.

Loren looked up when Eva stepped out of the infirmary. Her face was ashen and her thin lips were set in a tight line. “Everything’s fine.”

Loren drew her lip between her teeth and nodded. “Good,” she answered. “Good.”

“You can see him if you like.” Eva pulled her long hair away from her neck, sighing tiredly.

“You look exhausted.”

Eva put on a smile. “I’ve been exhausted before. You don’t need to be concerned about me.”

“You uh should get some rest.”

“Oh, I will. Go on.” Her smile stayed in place. “I know you want to see him.”

She flushed with a small smile of her own. She stepped up to the infirmary door and hesitated a moment before she entered.

Avery appeared to be fine. He was shirtless and that didn’t help the redness in her cheeks go away. Callum stood at the sink. She cleared her throat to get their attention.

Callum turned to her, but Avery kept his focus on the floor. She had a brief glimpse of his bare chest but saw no visible wounds.

She sat down slowly in the seat next to the bed. “What happened?”

“I had a bad fall.” Avery swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his shirt. When he picked it up, Loren could see the tears in it. The dark fabric appeared sticky and wet from the semi-dried blood.

“You don’t strike me as the falling type.”

“I’m usually not.”

Callum grabbed a paper towel from a nearby dispenser to dry his hands. “There were factors to the fall.”

“What factors?” Loren shifted her attention away. She felt sick.

“I was attacked.” Avery tossed his ruined shirt aside and ran his fingers through loose hair.

Loren’s eyes widened. “What? By who?”

“I don’t know.” Avery glanced at Callum. “I’m careful. All the time. I don’t bring attention to myself. I’m quick. But this time, someone was waiting.”

Callum remained silent, leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed. Loren had seen that disapproval before. It made her stomach tighten. “It’s always perilous when you go out,” he said to Avery. “Always. No matter how careful you are. One small slip up could mean disaster for all of us.”

“I know.”

“Which is why you need to stop this.”

“I’m trying to help people.”

“You’re being a sentimental idiot about it.”

Avery set a glare on his brother. “I don’t need another lecture.”

“I don’t know the details, and apparently you don’t get along but... can you not fight? Please?” Loren asked.

Avery remained quiet, but Callum sighed. “My apologies.”

More heat flooded to her face. Silence pervaded the room for some time before Avery spoke. “I went into the city and I was surveying the area from the rooftops. There wasn’t much happening, but it was still early. I continued to watch and wait, and then I was shot.”

“You don’t have a wound,” Loren pointed out.

“Not anymore. Cal took care of it.”

“It’s one of my abilities,” Callum explained. “Along with the power to create water, I can heal. It takes time and effort, but I can do it.”

“You can heal?”

“It comes in handy.” His gaze shifted to Avery. “The wound was severe.”

“Two inches to the right and you would’ve been crying at my funeral,” Avery said.

Loren didn’t want to picture that. “So someone fired a gun at you and you were shot—”

“Not quite.” Avery glanced down at his hands, flexing them before he gripped the edge of the bed. “It wasn’t a gun. It was an arrow.”

“What?”

              “Two arrows, actually. I was on the rooftop. I never saw who shot me, but I felt it. The first arrow hit. I managed to duck before the second one could strike. That’s when I stumbled back too far and fell off the roof.”

“Oh God.”

“Luckily, I landed in a dumpster. Garbage broke my fall.” Avery tightened his hands on the mattress. His knuckles were white.

Without thinking, Loren edged forward in her seat. She placed her hand on one of his. She flushed when he looked to her and held her gaze. She didn’t move.

Callum spoke up. “It concerns me how you were deliberately attacked.” When Loren glanced over at him, she was uncertain what to make of the look on his face. Disapproval mixed with something else. His lips tightened.

Loren drew her hand back into her lap and looked down.

Avery shifted on the bed and his feet met the floor. “Someone shot at me twice. They weren’t doing it for shits and giggles.” He picked up his soiled shirt and stepped over to throw it in the trash.

“And no doubt you have a long list of people you’ve pissed off while playing your little game. It could be anyone. How
do
we begin to narrow it down?” There was a note of sarcasm in Callum’s voice.

“It’s
not
a game.”

“Clearly.” Callum looked at Loren. “I won’t argue the point. Not tonight.”

“Fine.”

There was a terse silence. Loren looked between them.

              “You’re certain you saw no one?” Callum asked.

“Not even a glimpse.” Without looking at either of them, Avery crossed to a cabinet and opened it. Loren caught sight of towels and various other linens. He snatched up a plain white t-shirt and pulled it over his head.

“Someone knew you’d be there. Someone’s been watching you.”

“Someone’s been watching the Shadow, not me. I highly doubt they know who I really am.”

“You can’t be sure of that.” Callum’s eyebrow lifted. “Were you followed?”

“No, of course not.”

“Are you sure?”

Avery pursed his lips slightly, looking far less than certain. He lifted a shoulder. “I was bleeding out. I… may not have been very concerned with being discovered at the time.”

Callum rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I can’t believe this.”

“Well, if the puncture wounds weren’t proof enough, I don’t know what the fuck is.”

He shot Avery a piercing look. “You know what I mean. I don’t like this. Any of this. If someone was watching you, it’s possible they followed you. It was risky before, but now…” Callum trailed off and glanced toward Loren. He shook his head. “We can’t compromise anything.”

“I know that.” Avery crossed his arms.

“Which is why I don’t want you to go out into the city again.”

Avery’s eyebrow went up.  “Excuse me?”

“I don’t want you to go into the city again.” Callum was firm.

“Ever?”

“I’d prefer that.”

Avery scoffed. “Unlikely. Are you ordering me?”

Callum gave his brother a tight-lipped smile. “No. I know you’re stubborn and won’t follow if I did. I’m asking. Nicely.”

“You forgot to add please.” 

Callum sighed. “At least refrain from it while I’m on my business trip? I can’t fly back from Spain at a moment’s notice to heal you again.”

Avery placed a hand over his heart. “Oh, you care
so
much.”

He received another pointed look. “Avery, please be sensible. Don’t go into the city while I’m gone.”

He debated it then gave a curt nod. “I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you.” The words were tense. Callum faced Loren and mustered a small smile. It didn’t meet his eyes. “It’s been quite an evening.”

It had been quite the last few days, but Loren didn’t speak her thoughts. “Yeah.”

“I think rest is needed for all of us.”

“Good call.” Avery moved to the door. “You always know best.” He gave one last look back, eyes locking with Loren’s as he left the infirmary. The door slammed behind him.

Callum sighed deeply. He rubbed at the bridge of his nose again. Loren shifted in her seat before she stood. “I should go too.”

“Of course. I have a flight in a couple of hours and a mystical stone to put into safekeeping. I should attempt sleep, at the very least.”

She hesitated. “Uh, thanks for the tour. Earlier.”

“It wasn’t much of a tour.”

“I liked the sunroom.”

His smile became more genuine. “I’m glad you liked it.” There came a brief pause. “I’ll leave a number where I can be reached if anything should come up. You can use any house phone to call. You don’t have to worry about the charges.”

“Right.”

“Let me walk you back to your room. We didn’t seem to make it there, did we?”

              Blushing, she shook her head. She took his arm again when he offered it. “Okay.”

              They left the infirmary and training room in silence. Once outside her door, Callum gave her another gentle smile. “I’ll see you in a few days. I hope by the time I return, everything will have settled in your head and we can talk more. There’s still much to discuss.”