The Fifth Element

4. A Coin Flip Away

Trident.

My chest feels tight as I stare at the coin. Just like that our adventure is over, Benji and I will have to go home. How am I going to ignore everything this could have been? Back home, there will be no artefacts to be discovered, no ancient symbols for me to decipher, and no ancient secrets that are waiting to be unravelled. All that awaits me at home are bills and stifling academic work.

Tears sting behind my eyes. I hate begging for favours but bills don't pay themselves. Despite my standing in the archaeological community, one of my old professors will happily take me on as an assistant if I grovel enough. It would suck, but I'd be a lot safer in England than on a battlefield—Benji would be safe too.

I look up at Benji, his face a careful mask of indifference. It's not often I see this side of him—he prefers to keep an easy smile, with enough emotion hidden behind his eyes for me to guess what he wants me to do. Confusion fills my mind, I had expected Benji to look happy with the outcome, or at least relieved. After all, he did claim that it was not our fight. Is he having second thoughts?

He opens his mouth to say something. I turn back to Quintessence. Refusing to give Benji the chance to put doubt in my mind about the choice I just made.

"Quintessence?" the guardian moves closer, a hopeful look on his face. "I'm sorry, but we are not able to help you."

"I see," Quintessence says, looking back out at the ocean with a tired and broken smile on his face. "Whether I will succeed in my revenge or join my beloved Ephyra in disgrace, I shall do all that is necessary to keep the guardians from learning of you two. Consider it my thank you for waking me."

Guilt creeps up my spine. But what else is there to do? Besides, the coin has never failed me before. This has to be the right choice.

Quintessence dips his head. Without warning he is suddenly beside us, holding our arms tightly. The world turns dark and the ground falls away beneath my feet, all I can feel is Quintessence's hand around my arm. A scream tries to claw its way out of my throat, to no avail. I reach for Benji, but I can't feel him anywhere.

It ends as suddenly as it started. I was no longer suspended in nothingness. The sand underneath my feet is firm, firmer than my knees. Nausea rolls around my stomach and I clench my eyes tightly to keep myself from throwing up.

A warm hand rubs my back, the comforting heat helping against the disorienting feeling of being teleported through space. I am suddenly glad I was unconscious last time we teleported.

"You good, love?" I nod at Benji's question.

Standing straight I don't see Quintessence, anywhere, He must have teleported away the moment after we landed.

"Good, then we can talk." Benji sounds angry and I open my mouth to respond. "Oh no, I get to go first, love" I obediently close my mouth and wait for him to speak—Benji doesn't leave me waiting for long. "You want to stay for the opportunities and the adventure, I know you do. So, why are you letting a coin decide? Why not make the decision yourself?"

"It's not like the coin is wrong, Benji. It would be a lot safer in England than it will be if we stay and get drawn into this weird magical war. You are the one who said this wasn't our fight!" I angrily turn towards our camp and grab one of our bags.

"Yeah so? Our deal is simple, Emma, you tell me what you want and I make the safety decisions," he clicks his tongue "Me — not some stupid coin."

I spin back around, just in time to watch Benji throw the coin through the air into the bay.Shock and anger burn beneath my skin as I drop the bags and stomp towards Benji, finger clenched tightly. I cannot believe he just did that!