Fragmented Dreams

Chapter 33: Grounded

"Wow, I think I can actually feel his disappointment from here," Azar said wryly.

"Ha-ha," I laughed anxiously.

Grandpa watched us as we approached, making our way around the pond and up the steps of the house. I lingered on the top step as Azar and Maayan entered the house, looking apologetic as they left me behind.

"Hey," I said. The elder Earth Elemental was silent as he looked down at me, his arms crossed over his chest. I looked up at him sheepishly, attempting to lighten the mood with humor. "On a scale of 1 to that time I crashed the truck, how much trouble am I in now?"

"Diana..."

"Can I just say that I am sorry and I promise to never go anywhere without a bodyguard or babysitter ever again," I babbled, my cheeks growing red. "I promise, really I do." The memories of my last encounter with a shadow-wraith-possessed human replayed in my mind as I spoke.

Grandpa sighed as he looked off into the distance, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"What?"

"You deserve a peaceful life," he said, looking back at me.

I flushed red at his comment, I could feel his sadness and love for me, even through the power of his talisman. I muttered a thank you and we both went inside to find the rest of the group sitting quietly in the living room.

"How much trouble is she in?" Azar asked from his spot on the couch. I threw him a nasty look as Maya elbowed him, scolding the Fire Elemental under their breath. I looked over at Casimir whose expression was almost neutral, save for some tightness around his lips.

"Casimir and Azar have already told me their side of the story," my grandfather began, gesturing for me to sit in his armchair. "Please let us know everything that happened at the club, spare no details."

I settled in, wishing I had a glass of water or a chance to eat breakfast before having to tell my tale, but they waited all night to hear my side so I could wait another hour for food.

"First of all, I'm sorry," I said, glancing at everyone in the room. My grandfather had decided to stand next to the windows so he could face me. He nodded in response to my apology. "I thought that because I was with Zola that nothing would happen and nothing really did, at least not before we got separated."

"Did anyone approach you or talk to you?" Casimir asked, his tone serious. I was pretty sure he was still mad about last night.

"No, wait yes. A young man did come to talk to us. He said he worked for the club owner and he invited us up to the second level," I recalled.

"What did he look like?" Grandpa pressed, rubbing at his chin as he spoke.

I shrugged as I tried to remember. "He looked like any other guy. A young white dude dressed to go to the club. He had a gap in between his two front teeth but that was about the only thing I remember." That and the creepy way he shook my hand, but I didn't think that was important to the story.

"Did you meet with the club owner?" Casimir queried.

"No way," I protested, a little too loudly. Azar snickered at my reaction, he was leaning against the arm of the couch, watching my interrogation in a bored fashion. Maya was sitting stiffly, their hands pressed against their knees as they glanced back and forth between whoever was talking. Casimir paused as he looked at me, his eyebrows raised slightly at my reaction. He reached into his inside jacket pocket, pulling out a set of small photos before handing them to me. I flipped through them curiously, examining each person in the picture.