The Elementals - The Ice Princess

Chapter 39

On the way through the forest, I explain to Jared what I saw when I touched the crysallium. In spite of everything he's heard, he accepts my story without judgment as he has in the past. I think we've both seen enough crazy to actually expect the unexpected and not be surprised by anything anymore.

Before long we are back in the Jeep and on the highway.

"Can I see it?" Jared asks.

I nod my head to him. He reaches behind me and pulls the book bag out from behind the seat.

"Take the wheel," he says as he begins to dig through my book bag until he finds it. Oddly, when Jared brings it out of the book bag, it's no longer white. It's now jet black and no longer glows or pulses. I was sure that when I put it in the book bag, it was white. Perhaps it has something to do with Jared not being an elemental. With one hand now back on the steering wheel, Jared places it in my hand and the orb immediately begins to swirl away and the black now gives way to the brilliant white it was when it first emerged from the "Gweneira Rock". It's the most brilliant white I have ever seen but not bright enough to hurt your eyes when you look directly at it.

Placing it back in Jared's hand produces the opposite effect. The white fades and a black swirl takes its place until the crysallium is completely black and faded. It offers no shine or brilliance when in this state.

"What's our plan?" Jared asks putting the crysallium back in the book bag and tossing it back over the seat where it once lay.

"Well, we certainly can't just barge in during the broad daylight. We're going to have to wait until night."

"Don't you think that's a bad idea? Aren't the scouts and the Achlys more active at night?"

"Exactly, my hope is that there are less of them around that we need to contend with. Hopefully they are out looking for us and we will be right under their noses."

Jared thinks this over as we pass a large semi-transport on the highway. It's the first real sign of life we've seen this morning.

"I think this is a terrible plan," Jared finally says. "Let's say we get in, they are going to be guarding him and then how are we going to get out again? If he's hurt it will slow us down. Alex and Laney are more than likely captured or worse so we can't jump out of there. The whole thing sounds too risky Eira, you're too important to risk this."

"Too many people have already died because of me, if I can find someway to save my dad, I am going to do it and there isn't anything you could say to change my mind."

Jared breathes a heavy sigh and returns his eyes to the road ahead of him. We are about 30 minutes outside of Snowspell by my calculation.

"We've got a few hours to kill before dark. Any last meals or requests that you can think of?" he says sarcastically.

"Yes, I need you to take me to Iron Mountain, Michigan. That's the last place my dad was before he was taken and I think there may be some useful stuff there, if it's not destroyed."

Jared slows the car down and does a u-turn on the two lane highway sending us in the opposite direction. He floors the car which pushes me back in my seat. "I can have us to the U.P. in forty minutes."

I smile at Jared and place my hand in his. "Thanks," I tell him.

"For what?"

"For not thinking I am crazy and for going along with all this. I'm terrified and it's comforting that you are here."

He offers a sideways glance and smile, then gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Let's just not die ok?"

I can't help but laugh out loud. I can't believe that I am actually going to try and rescue my dad from things that want to kill me. I must be mad.

The car speeds along the highway as Jared and I sit and talk about normal things, holding hands. For the first time, in a long time, I feel normal. I try to concentrate on that feeling for as long as I can and it blocks out my assumption that the odds are heavily against us and that we aren't going to survive this rescue.