The Forgotten (Elements I)

Chapter 19

My fury with him stayed with me for the next couple of days. Eventually, he began avoiding me, which I didn’t care about. It suited me better when he wasn’t around. I hid the bundle of notes in the room he’d given me, using the water in the air to render them practically invisible. I didn’t trust him not to search the room, and I didn’t want him finding them again. It was too risky.

When he finally sought me out again, I was on the roof, having found a way to get up there. Watching him with cold amusement, I waited as he gingerly picked his way over. When he’d managed that, I ignored him. Instead, I gazed out over his land, watching the servants as they worked. I could tell the elementals apart, as they pulsed faintly with the colour of their element. It was something that humans couldn’t see, and often came in handy when searching for young elementals in the human world, when their tattoos were not easily visible.

“What do you see?”

I glanced at him, and then returned to my study of the land, thinking about my response. After a while of silence, I replied, speaking almost to myself.

“I see a land that is cared for, but is dying. I see the lifeforce of the land being sucked away, unable to remain. I see a people who are trying their best to survive, and to do their job. I see a people who are struggling.” I closed my eyes, wanting to block out the scene in front of me. I could feel his gaze on me, but I didn’t meet it.

“You see your homeland, don’t you?”

Mutely, I nodded. At least he was sensitive enough to understand that.

“Is there any hope for you?”

Now I looked at him, feeling unbearably tired. Lately, any talk of my homeland caused that, and I knew that what I felt was what the land felt. “Not for me,” I said quietly. “For my people, perhaps. For the land, there is very little.”

“There is nothing the humans can do?”

“Apart from freeing us all?’ I gave him a scornful look. “No. There is nothing anyone can do.”

“But what will happen to you all?” He seemed to be genuinely concerned, but I refused to answer. My icy silence was met with a sigh, and he soon left, leaving me in peace once more.

I sighed, leaning back against the chimney. The pull of my home was getting stronger with every day that passed, and I knew that soon he would have to prevent me from being able to access any stream if he wanted to keep me. Otherwise, I would just obey the pull and return home.

*          *          *

After that conversation, he seemed to go to more lengths to avoid angering me. He hadn’t asked about the notes again, nor any questions about my past, and for that, I was grateful. On my part, I gradually abandoned irritating him constantly, but it didn’t mean that I’d stopped altogether. I still managed to get under his skin on a daily basis, but he worked on his control over his temper.

A couple of months passed, and I could feel the land slowly losing its lifeforce. It pained me that I could do nothing about it.

Vayu came looking for me late one morning, where I was roaming the garden.

“Isla?”

I turned to her, letting her catch up, “What is it, my dear?”

“He’s looking for you. He says he needs help with something.” She looked at me curiously when I snorted. “What?”

I shook my head, beginning to walk back. “Nothing cariad.”

She kept pace with me, slipping her hand into mine. “Isla?”

I looked down at her. “Yes?”

“Can you tell me more about our home? Please?”

I smiled. “Of course I can. I’ll come when I’m done with him, alright?”

She nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Isla.”

“It’s my pleasure, Vayu. Now off you go. Sofie’s looking for you.”

She stared at me, amazed. “How do you know that?”

I shook my head, refusing to answer, and she scurried away. With a glance at the midday sun, beating down on the land, I slipped inside and made my way to his workroom.

He was standing at the window, his back to me, and I knew that he had seen me with Vayu. I leant on the doorframe, waiting for him to turn around and notice me. When he finally did, he jumped in shock, and glowered at me.

“How long have you been there?”

I shrugged. “Long enough. What do you want?”

He sighed, and looked down at his table. I could see perfectly well what spell he wanted to do, but I waited for him to tell me.

“I’m sure you know,” he said, looking back up at me with a wry smile. “Will you help me?”

“You need water."

He nodded, even though it hadn’t been a question. I sighed, and collected the water in the air into one spot – the ground behind him. I waited until it was about a foot deep, and then lifted my chin slightly.

“Step back.”

He did, right into the water. His shoes and the bottom of his pants were soaked, and I walked out with the sound of his curses ringing in my ears. When I was ready, I let the water disperse back in the air again, and opened the door to the room he’d given me. It still wasn’t ‘mine’. It never would be. However, he was slowly – very slowly – gaining my trust.

Looking at the cloudless sky with worry, I leant my hands on the windowsill. It had been too long, and too hot, without rain. The land was crying out for rain, but I couldn’t help. There was no water in my range that could help. All we could do was wait.

I turned my head at the knock on the door, knowing who it was.

“What?” I called out wearily, not particularly wanting to talk to him. The heat was taxing enough without having to deal with him as well.

The door opened, and revealed him standing there, wet shoes and all. I sighed, and turned back to looking outside.

“What do you want?”

“Did you have to do that?” he asked bluntly, soundly almost as weary as I felt. I wasn’t surprised – it was almost too hot to move.

“Yes,” I replied, just as bluntly. I closed my eyes, feeling light headed.

“Isla?” His voice was closer, and as I swayed slightly, his arms came around me. “Isla?”

With an effort, I shook my head. “Nothing’s wrong,” I muttered, pulling away from him.

He snorted in disbelief. “Don’t try to tell me that,” he told me. “You’ve gone pale, and you’re shaking.”

Again, though, I shook my head. He wouldn’t understand what I was going through, because he didn’t understand who I was, and what I was to the land.

“Nonsense. You need rest.”

I stayed where I was, refusing to move. “Leave me, bachgen,” I said, but it lacked my usual bite. I think it was that, rather than what I said, that made him finally leave me alone. He closed the door quietly, and I closed my eyes. I was so tired.