Water {Elements of Power 2}

Chapter 6: Jasmine

Jasmine:

The Aeolia sped across the sea at an unbelievable speed. It seemed to skim across the surface of the water, rather than cutting through the waves like an ordinary boat. But ordinary boats were not powered by four Arcan Protectors, each of whom was vying to outdo the others with displays of strength. We were only two days out of the Arcan Realm and we were already nearly there.

I sat alone by the prow of the boat, watching my friends fill the sails with wind to propel us quickly towards the Brizan Realm. I couldn't help remembering that the last time we had been aboard a boat, it had been to escape from the Helians. Despite the danger, that trip had been slower: the Tielle-Marie wasn't built for speed, especially with so many people on board. Cameron and Imogen had also often been the only Protectors propelling the boat forward, since Brae had been in and out of meetings and Devon took frequent breaks to check on Brody. Her powers had been too erratic to be helpful anyway. Today, she had better control of her emotions and she had benefited from a lot more practice. The glee was evident on her face. She loved being able to use them properly.

I wished that I could say the same for my own powers... I was definitely a hazard aboard the ship, given that I could set things alight with an ill-timed sneeze. I only hoped that I would be able to produce water quickly enough to put the sparks out again. Sitting alone at the side made me feel slightly useless—I was a complete liability at the moment.

Hopefully, this trip to the Brizan Realm would fix that. My hair was up again and most of it was hidden under a woollen hat, which was both keeping me warm in the fierce Arcan wind and protecting me from the stares of the crew. Brizan sailors were superstitious and I really didn't want them to start seeing me as a bad omen. Plus, we would be arriving in the Brizan Realm that evening and I didn't want to attract strange looks the second I stepped off the boat.

Brae took a break and came over, stretching out beside me on the deck. He was smiling more than I had seen in a while.

"Slacking off?" I joked, more than happy to have some company.

"The others have got it under control. I thought I'd come and pester you for a bit instead."

"And here I was thinking I could enjoy a nice, quiet afternoon." I pouted in mock disappointment.

"What's with the hat?" he asked, eyeing it suspiciously.

"It's cold!"

"Are you sure you're not trying to hide how awesome your hair is? Worried it might make us mere mortals feel inadequate?"

"My hair isn't awesome." I tugged the hat further down onto my head, but Brae lent over and pulled it off, shoving it into his back pocket. A tumble of violet streaked ringlets fell down around my shoulders and I scowled at Brae.

"Much better." He grinned, before turning to look out across the sea.

I had now attracted the attention of the Brizan sailors, all of whom had stopped to stare at my hair. They looked wary and some began to mumble amongst themselves. I quickly turned away from them, to face out to sea with Brae.

"You've done it now. If we hit a storm they'll probably sacrifice me to the Water God." I shuddered.

Brae took my hand in his and squeezed. "The only storms we are in danger of hitting are ones created by us if they do anything to upset or threaten you. I wouldn't worry." He grinned at me before looking back out across the sea. "Besides, those streaks are a sign of how important and special you are. You shouldn't hide them away; you should be proud of them."

I smiled and looked at the shimmering silver strands in Brae's hair. They had grown even more intense since our escape from the Helian Realm. When the sun hit them, they would capture its light and send it sparkling out in every colour imaginable. Even after all this time, it could still make my breath catch in my throat. That was what it was supposed to be like: a Protector's hair was a symbol of power and status; it should create a sense of awe, but above all, a feeling of security. Protectors were there to protect, after all.