Deadly to Love (25 page)

ldquo;I’m sorry. It’s just too fast Kai.” He didn’t move or show any sign that he was listening to what I had said.

Finally he rolled off and lay beside me. His breathing was steady once more and he had a guilty expression on his face.

“Don’t be sorry Rea, I understand, I just can’t help myself when I’m with you.” I felt my cheeks flush but luckily the lights were off so I hoped he wouldn’t notice. He lifted his arm and I snuggled up against his chest, loving the feel of his bare skin against my cheek as I drifted off to sleep.

* * * *

The next morning I awoke once more to find the bed empty and cold beside me but when I rolled over to look out into the forest I noticed the folded piece of paper on Kai’s pillow.

Morning Rea,

I’ve gone into the forest with the other E.Ks. We are looking around just to make sure no Elementals have been close to the house in the past few days since we saw some when out driving the other night. Won’t be out long.

K.

Figuring I had some time to myself I decided to take a long shower before I headed down to get something to eat. I was in the process of sending a text to Chloe when the three of them returned, red faced from the chills that lingered in the air.

“Hi Rea,” Jack greeted me when I looked up at them. I gave him a slight wave and returned to writing the text.

Hey! How are things? Is Ian still bugging you? I have loads to tell you but it will have to wait until I come home ;) xx

I knew the suspense would be unbearable for her and it was normally funny to watch her futile attempts to break someone into speaking. Her reply came back almost instantly.

Urgh, do you know what time it is Rea, even if it is great to hear from you? Not really, he’s said a few things but nothing as bad as before. You can’t say that and then not tell me! Spill... xx

I laughed as I read her message. Not only was it 10:30am but she had also reacted exactly how I had expected. My laughter caused everyone to look at me strangely but I didn’t care.

Kai came over to sit by me as I put my phone down.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, as he gave me a quick hug.

“Nothing, I was just winding Chloe up.”

He looked at me sceptically but said nothing else on the subject.

“Will you be ready to leave in a few hours? We’ve had the go ahead from Sector Nine so we’re free to follow up the leads on our own when we’re ready.” I nodded but a thought occurred to me as I agreed. “Wait why do I have to be there? It’s not like I’m any use to you and how come they just agree to it like that?”

He sighed.

“First of all Sector Nine doesn’t really give the orders, it just funds us. The name is there for government reasons to make it seem official but as long as we do the job we are trained to do then they don’t get involved. Besides none of them are E.Ks, we are the experts as we were raised in the environment. To answer your other question, you’re not. I don’t want you anywhere near the Elementals. I’m going to drop you off at a hotel on the way and come and get you once we have finished. We found some evidence to suggest that a few air Elementals have been here recently so there is no way I’m leaving you here on your own.”

“Dammit Kai, don’t be so stupid! Of course Serena is coming,” Alanah jumped in, interrupting us as she slammed her hand down on the worktop which caused everyone to stare at her.

“No way in hell is that happening Alanah. She isn’t trained or skilled enough and I won’t lose her.” I could hear the anger starting to build in Kai’s voice.

“Have you gone totally mad and forgotten all our research?” Alanah stormed towards us and Kai stood to meet her advance.

“Rea is not going. I will not put her in danger.”

I was slightly annoyed at not being involved in the argument as it was my life but seeing as I didn’t really want to go I let Kai fight my corner again.

“I hate to say this Kai, but Alanah is right, Rea needs to be there. The research said that an original must make the call, and if what you’ve told us is true that means we need her,” Jack said calmly from the other side of the room as he tried to break up the fight.

I put a soothing hand on Kai’s wrist to get his attention, understanding Jack’s point enough to override my doubts.

“I’ll be fine Kai. I don’t mind being there.” Kai’s determinedness didn’t falter as I spoke and it didn’t look like anything would sway his judgement.

“No, we’ll find another way. I promised to keep you safe, not put you in the heart of a fight.”

“Kai you need me, I’m going whether you like it or not. Don’t tell me you don’t want to get rid of the Elementals permanently,” I said, trying to convince him.

“Rea...” Kai started but Alanah interrupted once again.

“You’re outnumbered Kai. You’re not the leader, even if you act like one and Rea has to be there. Think of the revenge if it works.”

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired face as the realisation that he was losing set in.

“Fine, but we pull her out and stop if there is even the slightest possibility something is going to happen to her.”

Three heads nodded in agreement but I thought it was more to placate Kai than acknowledge what he had said. As what I had got myself into finally hit home I began to panic about what I had just signed up for.

Oh god what are they going to need me to do, please don’t say it involves my death or anything
, I thought as I remembered the line from the journal
“aligned with death the elements will be mastered.”

I stood up to gather a few of my belongings as I was unsure of how long we would be gone and also wanted to be out of sight. When I returned the E.Ks were bent over a map, circling and drawing lines everywhere in red pen.

“We need to end up here, somewhere up the side of this mountain,” Kai said putting a dot on the map. “As it is a common place for hikers it shouldn’t be too hard to find a path but we will have to stop off to buy some equipment just in case. I don’t want us getting there and having to postpone it.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Once we think we are high enough, hopefully there will be a sign that we are on the right lines. Everyone understand what we are doing?”

Again they nodded, before they dispersed.

“Rea? Can you help me carry some of the stuff to the car?” he asked, gesturing to the bags of food, a few journals, clothes and guns.

“Sure,” I said heading for the least deadly items in the pile and carrying them out into the boot of the 4X4. I was beginning to get nervous as the reality of what we were about to do struck me.

“Kai what am I meant to do when we’re there? I really have no idea about this whole original thing.”

He continued packing as I leaned against the car.

“We’ll figure it out when we get there. I’m still unsure as to whether you should be with us and what the riddle means right now. Please tell me now if you want to stop this though. I’ll take you away, just the two of us if that’s the case. You promised me Rea. You said you wouldn’t get involved with any danger. ”

I sighed at his kindness.

“I really appreciate it Kai but you need me. I know you want the Elementals dead and we can’t help that I have to be the one to do it. Nothing will happen OK. We can run off together after if you want,” I said as I held his hands in mine, trying to ease his conscience and he just nodded.

Once the car was packed we had something quick to eat, using the rest of the food we weren’t taking and headed out to the car. Kai drove, with me in the passenger seat while Alanah and Jack sat in the back trying to plan our route. With the snow and ice completely gone now, we were able to cover a lot more ground at a quicker pace than the night before. It didn’t take long for us to reach the outdoor store Kai and myself had been to when we originally travelled to the house.

Kai sent Jack in to buy the climbing gear as he apparently had the best knowledge of the sport and before long he came out with four full carrier bags. It seemed that all E.Ks were surprisingly wealthy and didn’t mind spending money on anything. Once we set off again Kai said it would take about three hours to reach the base of the mountains so I decided to curl up and sleep. I had never been a good distance traveller.

* * * *

When I awoke the first things I noticed were the huge mountains in front of us. Alanah and Jack were happily chatting in the back which was unusual and Kai was silently focused on the road.

“How can you sleep so much?” I heard Jack tease from the back of the car.

“I’m not a good traveller and it goes quicker if I sleep, plus it helps if I don’t get kept awake at night,” I said looking in Kai’s direction but he just shrugged remaining silent. I heard Alanah draw in a breath as I turned back to face Jack and only then did I realise what I had implied through my comment. I blushed in embarrassment at what I assumed she thought Kai and I were doing at night but thankfully Kai announced we had arrived before anyone could say anything.

We stood at the base of the mountain which the E.Ks were sure was the highest mountain on the isle. Jack whistled as he looked at up peak that wasn’t visible through the cloud bank.

“They want us to go all the way up there?” Alanah asked incredulously.

“Looks like it. Everyone get kitted up, it looks like there’s a trail over there so I doubt we’ll need the climbing gear. Just pack one set just in case,” Kai ordered and the others moved to the boot of the car.

They began filling their rucksacks with supplies before loading the guns and holstering about four each, on different places on their body.

“You don’t expect me to use a gun do you?” I whispered to Kai as I held him back from the car.

“Of course not. You can carry one if you want, just as a precaution but I expect you to stay close to me and Jack who will protect you if we come across any Elementals.” He gave me a reassuring smile and I breathed a sigh of relief.

With Jack and Alanah packed, Kai and I moved to the boot to pack our things.

“Don’t pack too much ’kay? Just food and drink.”

I nodded and grabbed a few energy bars, bottles of water, fruit and crisps.

“Did you want a gun?” he asked as I was deciding which flavour water I would like better: normal, citrus or berry.

“Um no, I wouldn’t be able to use it even if you gave me one. If something happens today then I’ll rely on you and Jack as I doubt I could shoot anything.”

He gave a curt nod while placing the last gun in his holster and slamming the boot shut.

We began the ascent up the mountain and I was already feeling the strain in my legs. There were loose rocks that meant I had to tread carefully everywhere I stepped and soon I became frustrated at lagging behind the others. Kai held back with me but I could tell he wanted to move at a quicker pace.

“I’m sorry, I’m slowing you down,” I said as we paused to take a break.

“Don’t worry Rea, it doesn’t matter how long we take,” he said before he took a large gulp out of one of the bottles.

It took us about two hours of climbing before we reached somewhere we considered high enough. We could see out across the Andaco forest and there was even a ledge where we could pitch our tent to shelter.

“This has to be it, it’s like perfect for the riddle,” Jack said ecstatically as he started to erect the tent.

“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves Jack, we may have climbed all that way for nothing yet,” Alanah said as she sat with her feet dangling over the edge of the ledge, looking across at the view. Thankfully the air was warm that day so we weren’t going to need a fire and also, even though the climb had been slow, we hadn’t come under attack from any Elementals.

“So what now?” Jack asked once he had finished setting up camp.

“We wait until dawn and see if anything happens,” Kai replied as he studied the view. He was deep in thought when I approached him, looking at his compass at random intervals and scribbling on a piece of paper.

“What are you doing?” I asked as I sat down beside him. He looked up at me briefly, holding out a finger telling me to hang on for a minute. Noting one last thing down I could see that he had the riddle in front of him and a series of drawings. Kai looked around to check that the other E.Ks weren’t within hearing distance before he spoke.

“I think I have figured out what’s going to happen at dawn. I’m not one hundred percent sure but I’ve been working some stuff out and it seems like a plausible explanation.”

I nodded for him to continue.

“OK, so over there is where the sun will rise from, the East.” He pointed behind him to the left.

“I’ve been trying to figure out what the forest will look like at dawn and I think a lot of it will be in shadow. I’m hoping that the shadows created by the outcrops of rock over there will be triangles and because of where the sun is I’m hoping three of them will point in the same direction,” he said pointing to the rocks.

I stared at him open mouthed. “How did you figure that out?” I was stunned. His reasoning certainly seemed logical, I just hoped he was right so we would be able to save ourselves a lot of time looking for something when we had no idea about what it was.

“I was just thinking. I was watching the sun set over there and I don’t know, something about the shadows generated a thought in my head.”

He looked at the pad in his hands.

“The only problem is, is if I am right we are going to have a tough job finding the spot on the ground.” I edged a little closer to him as we watched the sun set. Alanah and Jack were faint mutters in the background as we sat there silently enjoying each other’s company.

We all turned in for the night at around seven o’clock, knowing we would have to be up early and full of energy the next morning. The tent, even though sectioned off, was small and crowded. Kai and I took one compartment and Alanah and Jack took the other, which was decided surprisingly easily with little fuss from Alanah. After all the exercise everyone fell asleep almost instantly and before I knew it Kai was shaking me awake the next day.