Water {Elements of Power 2}

Chapter 9: Jasmine

The following morning was crisp and breezy, almost like Arcan weather. So while the others were comfortable in their normal clothes, I was once again forced to huddle under cardigans and shawls.

Brae laughed when he stepped outside and saw me.

"Thanks," I said, shooting him a dark look. "The Helian Realm did have one thing going for it: it was beautifully warm."

"Perhaps it will be warmer on the other side of the Brizan Realm. We'll have to go and visit before we leave."

I nodded eagerly as the others arrived. Lorelie and Kit were going to take us on the tour, since they were the closest to us in age. Imogen seemed pleased with this arrangement and beamed at Kit as he approached. He was dressed like a sailor again and his hair glistened with water, as though he had just been in the sea.

"Hey, guys," he said warmly in his melodic Brizan accent. "While we're up here, we might as well go and see the waterfall first." He led us round the side of the castle, to the cliff top I had seen from the boat.

The view was magnificent. I could see the entire west side of the Realm, made up of islands of varying size: some large enough to sustain towns and villages, others little more than sand banks, or rocks with gulls on them. The ground was covered in moss and rocks and I perched on one as close to the fall as I dared to go, listening to the roar and enjoying the refreshing spray on my face.

"The fall is called the Euphrasia." Lorelie had to shout to be heard over the sounds of the water. She was standing right on the edge, smiling.

"Like the Protector?" Devon asked.

"Yes, she's named after the waterfall, which in turn takes its name from an old Brizan myth: a girl called Euphrasia waited for months at the top of the cliff, watching for her lover's ship. On the day she finally spotted it on the horizon, there was a horrible storm and she was forced to watch it wreck, powerless to help. The waterfall is said to have been formed from the tears she shed—"

"Before she jumped," Kit said dramatically, before leaping over the edge.

Imogen screamed and Devon paled. Shaken but confused, I edged closer to the fall.

When I peered over the edge, I couldn't help but laugh. The cliff didn't drop straight down—eight metres below us there was a large, inky blue pool of water, in which Kit was floating happily, looking back up at me with a mischievous grin on his face.

He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Come on down; the view from here is amazing."

"Want to go for it?" Brae asked, coming to stand beside me.

"Sure, if you hold my hand."

I quickly shrugged off my extra layers, discarding them on the ground to collect later. Brae then gripped my right hand tightly in his and we jumped.

The sensation of falling only lasted for a few seconds before we hit the water's surface, sending a wave at Kit. The Brizan pushed his hair out of his eyes and laughed. "Well done, guys. Do you think the others will follow?"

His question was answered seconds later when Cameron came hurtling over the edge, immediately followed by Devon. Only Imogen was left at the top with Lorelie. "Come on, Imogen," the Brizan girl said kindly. "I'll hold your hand if you want. We've done this a hundred times, it's completely safe." I saw Im's head peek quickly over the edge before retreating.

"I'm not sure I can." Her voice wobbled.

"I didn't think Arcans would be afraid of heights," Kit said, not unkindly.