The Elementals: The Last Crimson (1st in the Elementals Series)

Chapter Eight: Heat

September 27th, 2015

Lyria finds she has too much free time around the large house. Luckily Shaye is going to brighten her day with a surprise. She got almost everyone to sign a card and also pooled her money with Dartanian, Bastion and even Fleur to get her a gift. Shaye knocks on the girl's door and Lyria asks her to come in.

"Hey," Shaye says, "all of us got you something." Lyria looks up and smiles when Shaye sits on the bed and hands her a present. Lyria notices the other three teens in the doorway and takes the card in her hands, opening it so she can read it.

Lyria takes the present and opens it slowly. She smiles when she sees it's a camera. "Thank you guys," she says and Shaye gives her a hug before she goes to thank the others. She takes pictures of all of them. Fleur was especially loving the attention, however brief it was. "Thank you," she repeats before receiving hugs from them, except Dartanian. He sighs before allowing her to take his picture, but she makes him pose just a little. She takes the picture, then shows him. "I can delete it if you want me to," she tells him and he shakes his head.

"No, it's your camera," he says and she smiles a little before he smiles at her, "you're good at taking pictures," he compliments her and she smiles even wider.

"Thank you Dartanian," Lyria murmurs and the raven-haired boy nibbles on his lower lip before pushing Lyria's hair behind her ear. She blinks, completely stunned by his gesture. Then he leaves, just as suddenly as he always does.

Lyria groans before setting her camera down and sitting down on her bed with Shaye. "Give him time. He's beginning to open up and trust you. He may not be speaking to you, but his gestures are," Shaye tells her and Lyria smiles before sighing a little.

"How do I get him to open up?" Lyria asks her and Shaye smiles.

"It isn't easy, but I'll tell you how to get him to at least speak to you."

Dartanian walks down the stairs and heads straight into the kitchen to grab some water. Then he heads down a long hallway, straight to the library. He goes straight to the History of Elementals book, taking it out and flipping through it until finding the page he needs. He sits down at a long table and begins to read, finally finding what he was looking for. He's unsettled with Lyria here, but he won't tell her that. She makes him happy, and he smiles. He hasn't smiled since his brother left.

Then she walks in and smiles when she sees Dartanian reading. He doesn't look up until she's sitting beside him. He shuts the book immediately and she raises an eyebrow at him. "What were you reading?" She asks him. "Nothing...I'm just researching something," he lies easily before looking at her again, "why did-"

"Why did I follow you? Well, I was wondering what happened upstairs. You were being kind to me, then you walked away," she says before he looks into her eyes, "why do you do that?"

He takes a deep breath before answering her. "When I was eight, my parents left us in Delilah's care," he tells her and she looks at him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"That's why you don't trust anyone," she says in realization, "Dartanian...I'm so-"

"Don't," he says before getting up and looking at her, "nine tomorrow. We're training so you can learn the full extent of your powers."

"Really?" She asks in surprise and he nods before exiting the library.

Tomorrow is another day.

~

The next morning he wakes early so he can go downstairs and teach Lyria how to use her newfound power. He dresses in sweatpants and a sweatshirt before heading downstairs. He sees Lyria is already awake, in tight-fitting workout attire.