The Elementals: Lost in a Turbulent Sea (Book 3 in Elementals Series)

Chapter Two: Downpour

June 19th, 2016

Château du Taureau, France

"What have you been doing for the last sixteen years?" Damon asks as Pierce sits at the dining table.

The older man sighs softly before smiling. "I've been finding cures for Explicatio mentis," he admits quietly before yawning, "I've found cures for the first two stages. And there's also a vaccine I created so you won't get it at all."

Damon shuts the door to the fridge before turning to look at the Water Elemental. "You-"

"I know it sounds impossible, but I had a team working with me in Alaska," Pierce tells him, "I wasn't able to tell Karina yesterday. But I'd like to give you the vaccine. If you want," Pierce murmurs as Damon serves him some coffee.

Damon inhales slowly before sitting across from the man. "She barely slept last night. It was a shock for her to see you again," he murmurs, "she'll be the one to decide on that."

Pierce smiles before nodding. "I understand. When did the two of you...get married?" He asks and Damon clears his throat before chuckling.

"I was twenty-two, she was twenty-one, just turned. And...she just found out she was pregnant with our son. I was already planning to ask her to marry me, so I went ahead and asked. She was angry that I asked because she thought I was trying to marry her because of the baby. But I told her I'd had the ring for months."

"You did?" Pierce asks. "Why not ask her when you'd gotten the ring?"

Damon smiles before laughing lightly. "I was trying to find a good time to ask...but she was still reeling from your death. Well, your supposed death," Damon says and Pierce sighs softly before shaking his head, "when I found out she was pregnant, it felt like the right time to ask. I loved her even more at that moment."

"It took you long enough," Karina says as she enters the kitchenette, then moves to sit beside her husband, "good morning."

"Good morning," Damon murmurs before smiling softly, "how are you feeling?"

"Better," she murmurs before looking at her brother, "you made vaccinations for Explicatio mentis?" She asks and Pierce nods.

"They're in the fridge," he informs her, "have to keep them at a certain temperature."

"How did you keep them cool on the plane ride over?" She asks.

Pierce swallows thickly before shrugging. "I was able to," he murmurs as he sips on his coffee.

"You're an awful liar, big brother," Karina says.

Pierce looks up when Celeste enters the room. "Good morning sweetheart," Damon says as she approaches them.

"Good morning daddy! Who is he?"

Pierce offers her a small smile as the young girl looks at him with curiosity. "This is your uncle, Pierce. He's my brother," Karina says, smiling at her daughter before looking at her brother once more.

"Hello Celeste," Pierce says softly, "it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too."

Lyria steps into the room, holding hands with Dartanian as they sit with the group of people. "Good morning Lyria," Karina says, "how did you sleep?"

"I slept well," she says, "I heard what you asked. It was me who kept the vaccinations cold," she admits.

"Lyria, you don't have to tell anyone..."

"I want to. She's my aunt...she deserves to know. As long as she doesn't tell the Council."

"The Council can eat dirt for all I care," Karina says and Pierce laughs at her comment, "they're always in everyone's business, it's quite annoying."