Elemental Release

Chapter Six

Back in Gabby's apartment, I took my same spot on the couch. We all looked to her to lead the meeting, and she cleared her throat before glancing at me.

I gave her a single nod, something I'd done in the past as a way to tell her, You can do it.

She straightened her shoulders. "What did you think of the Supremist's speech?"

"I'm on board," Isaiah said easily, his arm sliding around Cat on the couch next to me. "And me and Cat trust each other one hundred percent. So there are no issues there."

"How about you, Adam?" Gabby asked.

I took a deep breath, already knowing she didn't want me to leave the Council. It was a huge ego boost, one I definitely needed. "I like his proposal about the Unmanifested internships. I think it's a great way to begin rebuilding trust between Elementals and Unmanifested." I paused, sure she wanted me to comment on being her most trusted advisor. I wanted to be exactly that for her. "And I trust you explicitly, Gabby. I have a lot to learn still, about airmaking as well as Council politics, but I think this partnership is strong now, and will only get stronger."

She blushed and looked at her shoes. "I agree," ghosted from her lips. "Liz?" she asked, her voice regaining strength.

"I am ready to do what the Supremist has asked," she said. "I believe his philosophy is correct. As an Unmanifested, I've felt the gulf between me and Elementals." She focused on the floor. "Not you guys, but...." She trailed off, and I knew she'd felt that from us. Probably from me the most. I hadn't made an effort to get to know her since we'd chartered, mostly because...well, I didn't have a reason.

Maybe because I'd spent so much mental energy trying to mend things with Gabby, I couldn't try to form a friendship with Liz too.

"I'm sure we can all do a better," Gabby said. "And we will." She glared at each of us. "Right, guys?"
"Right," we all said.

Liz's blush deepened. Gabby clapped her hands. "All right, then. I guess we're done here." She immediately moved to Liz's side and engaged her in a quiet conversation. Isaiah and Cat excused themselves, and I went with them, not quite ready to keep working things out with Gabby in front of Liz.

#

We ate dinner as a Council, at Gabby's request. The dining hall had been redecorated, and clearly, the Firemakers had been asked to keep their Councils together at mealtimes. The rectangular tables had been replaced with circular ones, with only five chairs stationed at each.

I listened to Gabby and Liz tell stories of growing up in the southern barracks in the city-state of Crylon. I liked the way Gabby laughed, and the fire in her eyes, when she spoke of her childhood. I was hungry to learn everything about her, and the pieces of her life, before I'd met her.

So I adopted Isaiah's usual mute manner, and just listened. Gabby kept glancing at me, and I thought she probably wanted me to contribute to the conversation with an experience of my own. But I didn't want to tell her anything about the twelve years I'd spent in the sentry training program. I chuckled, raked my hair out of my eyes, and smiled at her whenever she looked my way.

After dinner, I told Gabby I needed to take a walk, and that I'd catch up with everyone tomorrow. I'd never spent so much time around others, and I craved the solitude and independence of my sentry life. Even in the Outcast settlement, I'd been able to get away from the village to hunt or fish. I enjoyed having the silence I needed to hear myself think.

I soared to the beach, to the same spot where Airmaster Rusk had brought me. I settled on the sand as I admired the moonlight on the rolling waves. I closed my eyes, letting the gentle breeze coming off the water tousle my hair and whisper through my soul. I took a deep breath in. The intense emotion, the needling worry, the troublesome fears I had melted away under the calming air.