The Elementalists

Chapter 27

Rai

*Part 1*

We're falling. 

My heart in my mouth, wind scraping at my eyes, my skin. . .

Lightning flashes through the night towards us, chasing us through the sky. I see Fina in my mind's eye, hear her laughter as thunder bellows in my ears. . .

Then Kass reaches for my other hand too. We're still falling, but now we fall together, connected, our bodies splayed out like the wings of a bird. But no—he's not reaching for me—something is being ripped out of my fingers, Kass's nails scratching at my skin. 

The Ultimate Wormhole. 

Kass gouges it from my hand and screams Charlie's name. In mid-air, a familiar void of sparkling stars and darkness and nothingness opens up and we tumble inside—

And hit the ground by Charlie's feet.

*

It's not night anymore. We're in Singavere. From out of nowhere, Henry is in my arms—

'It was him.' The words splurge from my mouth. 'Eldred. It was all him.'

Sammi's here, and Musa, I see his lips open as he starts to speak but then. . .

The Great Hall explodes.

Dove and I sat on the hills overlooking the Great Hall, dreaming about the day we would gaze out of those periwinkle windows. When we would sit by Jinaka's side, opposite the Emperor of Lares, Vesta's King and the Countess of Ceres as equals, rulers of our own planet, one designed just for us. . .

Glass shatters, showering the sky with diamonds that glint, an iridescent oil-slick in the sunlight. All the magic and dreams of Singavere tossed into the wind like a child throwing glitter into the air.

In a blaze of fire and smoke, the building crumbles to the ground.

I'd watch Quail every Thursday as he crossed the Augusta Bridge for training. Only the Ra Youth were allowed to fly in the courtyard behind the Great Hall—I was jealous. I'd hum to myself, pretending to be listening to music as he'd pass. But I wasn't. And he'd glance at me out of the corner of his eye. And flash me a smile—he knew I'd be there. That I'd always be there.

Light, and heat, are blinding. I roll over, and over—

. . . there's another flash of darkness. . .

And the light and the heat—and even Singavere itself—are gone.

*

'Rai? Rai. . .'

Someone's shaking me. My eyelids flicker.

I don't want to wake up. No, thank you. Go away. Please go away. . .

'Rai, come on. Wake up. . .'

But I like that voice. I love that voice. I open my eyes, the sting of the air making me want to close them again immediately. But how can I—it's Kass. And Sammi. Their heads bow together, leaning over me with the same tortured expressions. The back of Sammi's head is bleeding all down her neck, and Kass is covered in soot, clean tracks streaked down his cheeks.

'Dove was in there.'

My lips are moving, but it doesn't really feel like me talking.