Elemental (The Keeper of the elements) (5 page)

I had been placed in this class by mistake and it was the only class I had to put up with Gabrielle. I dreaded this class. I hesitated outside, my hand barely gripping the door knob. I could feel my fear growing and my heart beating faster. I sucked in a breath and pulled open the door, motioning Ronnie inside. Ms. Daniels was stuck in the eighties and I was pretty sure she would always be single. She was a petite woman with big hair and told the students to refer to her by her first name Tracy. She never wore suits or anything like them and opted instead for brightly colored bangle bracelets, black slacks and brightly colored blouses.

The desks were in a circle so that everyone felt included. Thankfully I sat in between two empty desks and Ronnie happily filled one of them. I was really starting to like Ronnie. She was unlike anyone else and actually wanted to get to know me. Gabrielle walked in the room and instantly it felt like the temperature dropped about ten degrees. I shivered and goose bumps erupted on my skin. I immediately focused on the dragon that was carved into my desk. “So how much did you pay Aydan to take you to the cove?” Gabrielle sneered. My eyes stayed glued to the desk. “You know, I don’t know whether to laugh at you, or pity you.” Ronnie’s hard voice surprised me and I looked up at Gabrielle’s sour face. “Oh no. It is I that pity you.” Gabrielle spit. Ronnie stood up faster than I thought possible and glared at Gabrielle hard. “Pity me? no darling because bottom line , this is all you have. This is all you will ever have.” She gestured around the room, “ When you graduate your greatest accomplishment will be some guy’s house wife. Whereas Gemma, will have something to be proud of.” Gabrielle opened and closed her mouth, no sound coming out. She honestly resembled a fish.

I looked over at Ronnie with amazement. She laughed and leaned back in her chair. “I’m guessing I’m your new best friend?” She joked. I nodded, my mouth still hanging open. “Yeah I figured since you have that bright eyed, bushy tailed look now.”

Chapter Six

“ You can talk to someone for years, every day, and still when
those feelings of friendship shift into something more it catches you off guard. You can sit in front of them, not saying a word, yet you can feel them in your heart. It’s truly an amazing feeling.” - Gemma

I was staring up at my ceiling when a gentle knock on the door came to my attention. “Come in.” I called out softly. Amelie stepped inside with a timid smile. I smiled and sat up , waiting for the inevitable request to leave. I waited as she searched her mind for the right words. “I am really happy that you are here.” My heart jumped at her words, it wasn’t the normal ‘ we can’t have you here anymore’ speech. “Aydan, he seems very nice.” I was stunned, almost so stunned that I forgot to respond. She was trying to make conversation. None of my fosters made an attempt at conversation. Finally I nodded. “Yes, he is...he is my best friend.” Amelie smiled knowingly. “I think he has much more than friendship on his mind darling.” She said with a very lady like giggle. I even smiled, wishing that were true. “It’s true. You just need to open your eyes to see what is in front of your face.” She smiled and patted my leg affectionately. “Why isn’t Roland here?” I asked timidly, briefly wondering what kind of man would allow his wife to adopt a teenage girl while he was out of the country. Amelie smiled as the sound of Roland’s name. “My Roland and I met a very long time ago. I will not bore you with how long ago.” She smiled and leaned back. “I knew the second I met him that he would be the one. He was so handsome in his uniform.” She looked away wistfully. “Uniform?” I asked, curious about the man. “Yes, he protects some very important people in France. You will see when we go back.” My heart ached, leave Aydan? leave the country. My chest grew tight with panic. Amelie smiled, leaned in and kissed my cheek before stepping out.

My chest was tight and I felt like i was suffocating. My necklace was growing hot against my chest and I looked down to see whether or not I was burnt. I grasped it tightly, and a soothing energy started flowing through me. I could suddenly breathe easier. My door burst open and before I could react Aydan’s strong arms were around me and his lips were at my ears. “Hush, I’ve got you. It’s alright.” I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent. I started to grow calmer, almost sleepy as he held me. “No one will take you from me.” He whispered, his hand slowly stroking my hair. Even though I didn’t want to sleep, I felt myself drifting into awaiting darkness.

My eyes snapped open to a dark room. I could hear movement down stairs. I got up and tip toed through the dark house. “Yes Roland, I really think they are.” I heard Amelie whisper harshly. She closed another drawer and I could hear her shuffling papers. “Of course Ronnie has been watching, Aydan as well, the trackers have yet to be found but they know where .” My heart leapt at the sound of their names. I froze, plastering my back against the wall. “She was eight when the awakening happened. I’m sure of it.” My brows knitted together in confusion. I couldn’t understand what she was talking about. “The elements are getting stronger and he has been calming her and silencing the energy more and more, I’m not sure how much longer she can go without.”  I leaned forward, wanting to hear more and the stair beneath my foot creaked loudly.

I waited, my heart thundering loudly in my ears, to see if Amelie had heard me. “Gemma? is that you?” She called from the kitchen. I sighed and moved forward, pasting a smile on my face. “ Yes Amelie, I’m sorry. I got really thirsty.” Amelie was standing in the kitchen, her fluffy bathrobe wrapped around her. She smiled sweetly, and turned to get me some water from the sink. I eyed a stack of papers on the table, trying to read them. “Thank you.” I said, taking the glass and sipping at it. The silence was thick and uncomfortable. “I should get back to bed.” I said handing her the glass back. I quickly made my way back up the steps and to my room. There was something going on here. I just had no idea what.

I lay in bed, trying to decode Amelie’s cryptic phone call. I’m pretty sure that she was discussing me, and somehow Aydan and Ronnie are involved. I fell into a restless sleep not long after. My dreams filled with a man I had never before seen. His hair was almost white it was so blonde, eerily similar to mine and was pulled into a tight ponytail at the nape of his neck. His eyes were dark grey that border lined black.

He watched me closely, a slight purse to his lips. He wore a b
lack button up shirt over dark jeans. He instantly made me nervous. I shifted uncomfortably but his eyes followed me.

My heart began racing as I stood under his studious glare. A breeze began to kick up, flipping my hair this way or that way. The man smiled and a cold chill ran down my spine. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly hoping that the man would disappear, but even with my eyes tightly closed, I could still feel his icy stare. The wind began to pick up faster and then the sky let loose. Torrential down pour came falling on our heads, instantly soaking my hair and clothes. My eyes snapped open at his laughter and I let out a scream noticing he was much closer than before.

His cold hand touched my face and I pulled back at his unwelcome touch. “Ah...sweet Gemma. You have no idea the power you hold.” My heart was practically speeding in my chest as he spoke and watched me. I was shaking all over, but too frozen to run. The ground below me began to shake. It started out as only a barely noticeable tremor but escalated into an earth quake. I dropped to my knees, cowering on the shaking earth as the man stood above me laughing. “I have found you my precious Gem.” He sung. “It won’t be long now.” I watched in horror as thick black tattoos magically snaked up his arms and under the sleeves of his shirt only to reappear as they curled up his neck from the collar of his shirt and around his face.

I was only vaguely aware of strong arms as they stilled my thrashing limbs. There was some kind of awful sound echoing through my room, like someone screaming. My lungs were burning, desperate for air when I realized I was making that awful noise. I started to calm, feeling an unusually strong warmth seeping into my cold body. I stopped screaming but still I was unable to focus. The strange man still burned into my memory. His icy touch still lingering on my skin. “Hush, I’ve got you.” I could hear Aydan’s soothing voice in my ear and instantly I relaxed. “Do you see what I mean?” Amelie whispered. I struggled to open my eyes but I felt so exhausted. So drained.

“Oui, zhis iz very confuzing. I hav never zeen such connection. Especially wiout zee bonding zerimony.” I heard a strange, thickly accented voice say. I fought against the sleep, desperate to see what was going on around me. “I havent sensed anything unusual.” Ronnie offered and before I could hear anything more I slipped into a deep dreamless sleep.

When I woke up I noticed Aydan sitting next to my bed, his eyes glued onto a paper in his hand. “Hey.” My voice was horse like I spent the night coughing. Or screaming... Aydan looked up and smiled, but it didnt reach his eyes. Dark circles were underneath and made the stormy grey look darker. I shivered, remembering the dream of the strange man. “Aydan are you okay?” I asked feeling concerned. He was unusually quiet this morning. “Yeah, Gem. I’m fine.” I smiled and slid my legs from the bed and nearly let out a scream.

Peeking out, just under the hem of my shorts was the slight curl of a thick black tattoo. My hand
s shook as I pulled my shorts down, letting them drop to my ankles and my shirt up to examine the mark. There is was, curling its way down my left thigh, along my hip and up my rib cage, coming to a stop just below my bra. It was beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. “What the hell...” I mumbled as I turned to get a better look. Aydan sat still, no surprised by the revelation at all. Actually he looked a little sad. I quickly pulled up my shorts, feeling the embarrassment washing over me once the shock had faded. I knew I should be more concerned with why the was an odd tattoo on my body but right now I was just concerned why Aydan suddenly looked so heart broken.

“Aydan are you okay?” I asked gently. He stood up and towered over me, his grey eyes smoldering as he studied me. Suddenly my sore throat felt abnormally dry. I tried to lick my lips but my tongue was just as dry and made me feel more lizard than girl. “Aydan...” My voice drifted off as Amelie came into my room, following her was Ronnie and a very large, terrifying man.

“Oh good, you are awake. You gave me quite a scare.” Amelie said with a sweet smile as she pulled me into a hug. “It’s there.” Aydan whispered and the tone of his voice nearly broke my heart. Amelie’s face paled, Ronnie slumped down to the edge of my bed, looking defeated and tall scary guy crossed his arms and looked more tall and scary. “You’re sure?” Ronnie asked meekly. I had never once heard Ronnie sound small or meekly. “What is going on?” I asked shakily. I wasn’t sure I really wanted to know. “ May I?” Amelie asked, gesturing to my shirt. For a second I panicked, thinking she would yell at the tattoo that I had no memory of getting. I hesitated briefly before lifting the hem of my shirt.  

Amelie covered her mouth with her hands and gasped. “Okay I know it looks bad, but I swear I didnt do it.” I insisted. Amelie smiled sadly and nodded. “I know you didn’t Gemma.” I was confused. Everyone was suddenly acting like I had some sort of disease. Granted I was use to that growing up but it still didnt make it any better. I eyed them suspiciously and waited for some sort of explanation. “I’ve forgotten my manners.” Amelie said quietly as she stepped forward, her delicate hand resting lightly on scary guys thick arm muscle. “Gemma, this is my husband Roland.” The man was well over six foot. Aydan stood six foot three and this guy had him beat by a good six inches. “Yeah, okay. Now why is no one freaking out about the tattoo that suddenly appeared on my body.” I could feel the sudden panic creeping in and the soothing warmth as it fought to contain it. It was an odd feeling.

“I think it’s time we all sit down and talk.” Amelie suggested solemnly.