Game Of Lightning

Chapter Twenty-One

Damien's POV-

I open my eyes slowly as I hear birds chirping. I look at Annie sleeping in my arms and I grin. "Annie," I whisper. "Wake up. You need to train and use telekinesis to get back home."

She stirs and I gently let go. "Annie." I tap her head. She jumps up, nearly smacking me in the head. "Woah. Hello there."

"Sorry. I was having a . . . nightmare," she says.

"About what?"

"All of you guys dying just like Shun did," she replies.

"We won't," I say. "I promise."

She laughs and says, "You can't promise that, Damien. You just can't."

"Why not?" I ask her.

"Because you never know when you are going to die."

I nod my head hesitantly. "I know that," I say. "We better get some training done though. We don't want our friends to die on us."

"Okay," she says. "Let me get changed first."

She runs inside and I follow her slowly. I go and get some different clothes on. I find Leroy sitting outside the door, purring. Maybe I should train him.

"Damien," Nailea says. I look up to see her leaning against the door frame. "How long does Aria have?"

"I don't really know," I say. "She probably has at least two days."

"I need to see her," Nailea says quietly.

"I know," I reply. "When Annie is able to get us there, we'll bring you. I promise."

"Also bring Leroy," she says. "He'll help."

I nod. "Did you leave or get kidnapped?"

"I got kidnapped," she says. "By one of my fathers cronies."

"Seriously?" I ask. "By your father?"

"Yeah. He was a cruel man."

"That's what Ember said."

"How does she know how cruel he was?"

"She went back in time with Ari," I tell her. "Since Ari is a time stopper, she has a watch which she could blow on and can go back in time."

Nailea nods. "I knew Ember would be an Elementalist. Its hereditary."

"Do you know why she was sent to this world?"

"Yes I do. I kept in touch with Beck for years until he just stopped contacting me," she says.

"He was in jail for a few years because of what he did to Ember," I say. "Why did he send her here?"

"Because Scarlet made him. She threatened him, saying she would kill Aria, Ember, and Jade."

"I can't believe Mom was like that," I say quietly. "She's nice now. Well, nicer than before."

"How did you stop her?"

"There was this saying from the language that Scarlet made. It was like a backup plan, just in case she got . . . evil, which she did. That's how we stopped her. It took her abilities away."

"Interesting. She was a smart one," Nailea said. "Well, still is, I guess."

"Yeah," I say. "I wonder what's taking Annie so long."

"She might be talking to the kids," Nailea says. "Her younger siblings."

"Yeah," I say. "Let me go find Annie."