The Chilling Change Of Air (Elemental Awakening, Book 3) (38 page)

"You're a
Nero
," I surmised, voicing my earlier thought.

Not just any Nero,
he offered, still whispering warmly inside our minds.

"A prince?" I asked, and Theo sucked in a breath of air, moving forward to block me. Placing himself between me and the man.

"The
Nero Rigas
," he hissed and the man smiled, finally turning to look at us both.

"Yes, Prince of
Pyrkagia
. I am their King." He turned his stunning frost blue eyes to me. "And I have come a long way to find you, Miss Eden."

"Why?" I blurted, as Theo growled low in the back of his throat.

The King's smile broadened, humour at Theo's reaction evident in his extraordinary eyes. "You are
Aether,
" he said, not bothering to address Theo anymore.

"What do you know of
Aether
?" I demanded.

"I know, Miss Eden, that without
Nero
you will not succeed."

"It will happen," Theo pointed out and I nodded agreement. My Awakenings always happened, sooner or later.

"But not
Nero
," he smoothly replied, eyes still on me.

I wasn't sure what to make of this man. He was omnipotent, that was obvious. Beautiful and regal, just like Theo. But there was something hidden behind that mesmerising ice blue in his eyes. I couldn't name it, but I was wary of it.

"It will happen," I repeated Theo's words, refusing to show any fear before this stranger.

His smile turned intrigued, with a dash of wicked. I racked my brains for what Theo had told me of the
Nero
. Unlike the earthy
Gi
or the playful
Pyrkagia
or the strange
Aeras
, the
Nero
were considered welcoming, like a warm bath, or a spring shower.

I wasn't sure this man was welcoming me. I wasn't sure what he was doing.

"Did you not feel
Nero
attempt to reach you?" he enquired pleasantly. "When you swam with its children?"

Swam with its children? I guess he meant the crustaceans and sea creatures that mournfully called beneath the waves. And, of course, the seaweed that stroked tantalising fingers all over my skin.

"It's too soon," I advised, the only thing I could think of to say.

Because I
had
felt it. The moment too personal, too invasive to be anything other than that. Every Genesis episode up until then had barely touched me, I'd been protected in a bubble and left quite safe. But Water, when it had struck, simply pulled me, tugged me, called me to it. And I'd been unable to turn away. Like an Awakening.

"Child," he said, voice gentle, and somehow his use of the term "child" made Theo almost relax. "You missed your Awakening. You lost your chance.
Aether
you may be, but without
Nero
you will not succeed."

The repetition of those last words felt ominous. And a little too real. My disquiet aided by the fact that Theo swore softly in Greek.

Oh dear freaking God, Theo agreed with this man.

"I tried," the King went on. "I called to you, I invited you to dance. But you did not accept my invitation."

"How
did
you do that?" I queried, thinking he shouldn't have had access to his
Stoicheio
right then, when the rest of the
Ekmetalleftis
did not.

"I had assistance," he murmured, his eyes boring into mine. "An old friend, you could say."

"Who?" I pushed, unsure if I could trust a word of what this mesmerising man was saying.

"A friend who taught me to believe," was his reply, and I felt myself sway.

Theo steadied me as the King watched on, a type of understanding on his face which made his features soften, from the austere brilliance he'd displayed, to something almost human.

But he was not human. Neither was I.

And neither was my grandfather, an Alchemist who would have known how to protect his
Stoicheio
from Genesis and could have shown this King as well.

"What do you want?" I whispered.

"What your grandfather wants," he whispered back.

"Casey," Theo warned quietly beside me.

I ignored him, this was too important. I struggled to remember what exactly Gramps wanted. In the end he was against the Alchemists, imprisoned in CERN, trying his best to keep me out of their clutches. Did that mean I could trust this
Nero
Rigas
?

"What do you want
with me
?" I pressed further. His presence here was not just to warn me, to point out a failing in the series of Awakenings I'd had. He wanted something more. Why else risk facing Theo, a Scout leader and prince of
Pyrkagia?
I had a feeling the
Nero
King knew Theo would be here. He'd not shown an ounce of surprise at his presence or his behaviour. Only mild humour and what appeared unending tolerance.

"To help you, Miss Eden," the King offered. "To call forth your
Nero
before it is too late."

"How?" I asked, dreading the answer, and conversely already knowing we'd have to accept whatever help this man could give.

Wellington lay destroyed beneath us. Auckland, my home, just the same. The world lay in tatters, the Elements still imbalanced, and I'd known, dear freaking God, I had known, that I was missing something. Unfulfilled. Incomplete.
Not yet done.

How could I fight this if I wasn't a full
Aether
? How could Quintessence come to me, if I was missing
Nero
?

The answer was simple. One would not come until the other was already Awake.

The
Nero
King held out his elegant hand to me in invitation, palm up and open, ice blue shining kindly from his eyes. Theo started to growl again.

I flicked a glance up at my
Thisavros'
face; hardened
Athanatos
mask in place. But underlying it all was a fear so great I felt it. Visceral. Real. 

"Theo?" I asked uncertainly, turning fully to face him.

"Now or never, Miss Eden," the
Rigas
urged.

We both ignored him as Theo pulled me further away to talk. I could see the calculation in his eyes now, the politician working through the information and determining what needed to be done. Part of me had already decided this was an avenue we had to pursue.

And part of me was so frightened Theo would agree. Where would that lead us?

Out of the corner of my eye I noted Nico and Aktor watching from beside the remains of our camp fire. Two men who had sworn allegiance to me. Having them present improved my mood. How bad could this get with three powerful
Pyrkagia
watching?

I wondered where Mark was. Still asleep? Maybe he knew this man if Gramps did. I wanted to ask him, but time was not on our side. And calling out to him in the thick air that chilled our bodies seemed harder to do than it should have. So much was happening. So quickly. I felt the ground shift beneath my feet and my body begin to fall.

"As much as it pains me," Theo whispered, interrupting my disjointed and turbulent thoughts. "I think he may be telling the truth. But Casey, you cannot trust him. He is an
Athanatos
. A powerful
Ekmetalleftis
." He closed his eyes and let out a ragged breath of air. "We go together," he suddenly advised, making my heart clench and my eyes sting with tears. "You need your
Nero
Awakening," he added. "Without it," he looked over my shoulder at the death and destruction Genesis had wrought, then golden hued eyes swept back down to meet mine, "this has all been for naught."

He was right. I had to take the chance that the
Nero Rigas
spoke the truth. Because not to trust could mean the end of the world. Even if Genesis was over, I
knew
there was more to come.

I nodded and opened my mouth to say something, when the King began to glow an ethereal ice blue, his large body vibrating slightly, ozone and fresh sea breezes on the air.

"My borrowed power is waning," he called towards us. "Without me, you will never find the
Nero Pyrgos
."

"Where is it?" Theo asked, no doubt hoping to catch the
Rigas
off guard, but I was sure the King wouldn't answer.

He surprised me, which was saying something, because right now I was drowning in shock.

"Ever heard of Atlantis?" he asked, a playful smile on his face. Theo let out a snort of incredulity. Which made me think the walls between these two men were starting to tentatively come down. It gave me hope that this next step was indeed right.

And then the ice blue glow in the King's eyes turned bright white,
Aeras
lightning brightening the night sky.

"Come dance,
Aether
," he said in a tantalising invitation that seemed to tug at something deeply rooted inside.

Dance with me.
The words reached inside my mind again, tempting me further. Pulling. Tugging. Teasing.

Tantalisingly there.

I moved toward him, Theo slipping his hand inside mine. Solidarity.

I was not alone.

My eyes came up to the golden glow in his just as we reached the
Rigas.
The
Nero's
hand stretched out and I took it. Holding a King on one side and a Prince on the other.

Balance.

Then the dark night turned instantly bright white, blinding me as lightning struck. Ozone filled the air, crackling drowned out all other sound as my feet left the sodden ground and my body lifted up into nothing and my back bowed as electricity coursed through my veins.

I tried to cry out, but no sound escaped my lips. I tried to see something,
anything
, but all around us was bright white and nothing else. I could feel Theo's hand still, it gave me immeasurable comfort. I let a breath of air out, the sizzle of lightning stinging my flesh, the static of electricity surrounding me.

And then felt my hand slip free of Theo's.

No!

The King held on tighter, almost crushing my fingers in his. Denying me any escape.

As voices invaded the crackling, rising and falling over the hiss and sizzle of electricity. Aktor. Nico. Even Mark and Isadora. Screaming. Yelling, trying to get to me.

I couldn't see them. There was only white. So bright, blinding, all consuming. And I knew what was happening, even as I couldn't do a thing to stop it: My friends racing to reach me where I no longer fully existed anymore.

Part of me already gone, on the wind, in the blaze of an electrical arc, across the waves, far from home.

Part of me still hearing them. Fighting a losing battle. One of many more we would undoubtedly face. But I'd thought we'd at least be together when we faced them. A wish that was obviously not to be.

"
Never two, always one. Alone Aether must face the sum."
The
Aeras
shaman's voice sounded out in the memories of my mind. Reminding me. Chiding me.

I was destined to be alone.

And then my heart stalled, as the world continued to blaze white, and I heard in amongst the cacophony of buzzes and hisses, desperate voices and heartfelt cries, Theo frantically,
achingly
, yelling out,
"Casey!"

And I knew I was alone.

If you enjoyed reading The Chilling Change Of Air please tell others about this book.

Share on Facebook.

Tweet on Twitter.

Write a Review.

It all helps, and I would be extremely grateful for the support.

The Chilling Change Of Air at Amazon

The Chilling Change Of Air at GoodReads

Find out more about Nicola Claire books at:

nicolaclairebooks.blogspot.com

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?

I'm a Kiwi, through and through. I had the wonderful luck of growing up in the North Island of New Zealand, or "The Land Of The Long White Cloud", (the Māori call it Aotearoa). I've lived up North, down South, and in the "Big Smoke" Auckland City, all of which feature at some point in my stories.