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

Chapter Eleven: Monsoon

July 12th, 2016

Bordeaux, France

Lyria takes a deep breath as she heads down the stairs and through a long corridor before she exits through a pair of double doors. She smiles softly when she sees a few familiar faces, all of them wearing tired, solemn expressions.

"Lyria, you don't have to do this..." Dartanian whispers as she approaches him.

"I have to help them with this. Either way, they already know about me," she murmurs, "Lena can't do it all herself."

The teen sighs softly before nodding. "Okay," he whispers before she walks over to Lena.

"Hello," Lena murmurs.

Lyria smiles gently. "Hi. You're half human," the teen states and Lena inhales sharply before nodding, "I know someone else like you," Lyria tells her, "she's an Ice Elemental, half human."

Lena looks at the young girl before nodding in appreciation. "So you won't tell anyone," Lena murmurs, "thank you."

"Of course," Lyria murmurs before taking a deep breath, feeling the ground under her feet rumbling, "Earth. I was wondering when I'd get another..."

The teen rolls the sleeves of her shirt up, revealing a few markings on her skin, all black. "You're different too," Lena murmurs before smiling gently, "what are you?"

Lyria shrugs. "I'm still trying to figure that out," she admits before looking at the headstone before her, "it's a beautiful stone," she says as she turns her attention to the family.

Lyria takes a deep breath before looking at Lena. The woman steps forward and offers a smile to the parents. "Amara Lucienne Grâce was a lovely soul. She was lively, funny and strong. Her young life provided us with many wonderful memories for us to look back on. She's survived by her parents, Sebastian and Amélia, and her brother Logan. They will help us keep her memory alive," Lena says, smiling softly as Amélia steps forward and tosses the first bit of dirt onto the oak casket.

People step forward and either toss dirt or flowers into the six foot hole. Once everyone is finished, they step back so Lena and Lyria can end the ceremony. Both women focus on the six foot hole, then wave their hand down in a diagonal direction, the hole filling up with dirt.

Lena steps forward before looking at the parents. "Yellow peonies, correct?" She asks gently and Sebastian nods. Lena carefully kneels down, her fingers immediately going into the dirt and closing her eyes. She smiles as she feels flowers spring up between her fingers, and she opens her eyes to see the yellow peonies covering the six foot patch.

"They're beautiful, thank you Lena," Amélia murmurs as the woman nods, then moves through the crowd of people in order to leave.

People make their way to the Grâce's in order to speak with them, and Lyria carefully moves away from them, heading back to Dartanian. He offers her his hand and she takes it, smiling gently as he squeezes it.

"Are you alright? You just received another marking earlier. It didn't hurt?"

"No," she murmurs before looking up at him, "I think I'm getting used to them. Earth makes eight so far. I have yet to receive Sound," she says as they head inside the house, "everyone out there, they saw me..."

Dartanian nods. "They did. They won't say anything, though. Everyone out there is trustworthy," he assures her, "Lyria, you'll be found out at some point, but it'll be because you choose it."

"What do you mean?"

"People will protect you, including me. That is until you're ready to tell the Council."