His Fire Maiden - Michelle M. Pillow Page 0,5
bad joke was Rick’s attempt to defuse the situation he’d created. An’s figure shuddered with light and her face tinted with pink. Furious, she pointed at him, “I will teach you respect, little man. You will bow in the presence of my greatness.”
Rick paled, apparently realizing that he’d played his asinine role too well. “Hey, now, I was just joking around. Things were getting a little tense, and I was just trying to save the captain from everyone’s anger. You know, lightening the mood with humor.”
“Do not make me curse you,” An warned.
“Rick, I’d listen to her and say no more,” Evan interjected.
“Easy, don’t get your, uh, gown in a twist,” Rick said, ignoring Evan’s sensible advice. Though he was great at causing trouble, he wasn’t the best at calming it. “No need to threaten us with whatever mojo power thing you have.”
Jackson hit Rick’s arm. “Shut your black hole.”
“Ah, so you think you are funny?” An’s eyes glazed with white. “Let’s see how humorous you and your friends think my power is.”
Jarek started to take a step forward to protect his men. Dev awaited his command. Mei pulled Jarek back, shaking her head. “She predicts their future. No physical harm will come to them.”
An’s voice took on an ominous quality. “Together you travel, and together you’ll remain. Tied and joined like the five elements of our people. The road to happiness is very rocky for all of you.”
“What does that mean?” Lochlann whispered. It was the first he’d spoken since they’d walked into the palace hall.
“Is she telling the truth?” Jackson questioned Evan, as if skeptical of the ghost’s powers.
“I don’t know,” Evan answered. “I can’t read spirits.”
“Great going, space cadet.” Jackson nudged Rick.
An’s eyes cleared, and she smiled vindictively, evidently knowing something they didn’t. “You will find your love hidden within the mystery of the five elements. One element for each of you.” She moved her eyes over Lochlann, Evan, Dev, Jackson, and Rick. “The corresponding element will hold the secret to your future happiness. But fate is not clear. If you do not recognize it, you will lose it and be forever alone.”
“Elements?” Lochlann repeated. “What elements?”
“Yes. The secret of your future is hidden in the five elements—metal, water, wood, earth, and fire.”
“Which one am I?” Jackson asked.
“And I?” Lochlann questioned.
“That is for you to figure out.” With that, An blew away on a sudden gust of wind. Dev watched her leave the hall. Seeing her ineloquently saunter away when she thought the living could no longer see her did take away some of her scary mystery vibe.
“How does predicting what will come curse us?” Rick frowned.
“She just gives us enough to consume our thoughts,” Evan said. “Trust me, knowing only a very small piece of something will drive you mad. The thought will creep into our heads and make us crazy.”
“Metal, wood...” Lochlann tried to recite.
“Water, earth, fire,” Evan finished.
“Dev’s got fire, that’s easy,” Rick said. “And I must be metal because my body is rock hard with muscles.”
“I think the elements refer to the ones we are meant for,” Evan said. “Not who we are.”
“She didn’t say that,” Rick protested. “I’m metal. I know it.”
Dev didn’t speak. There was nothing for him to say. It was as if she’d found the one secret weapon that could hurt him and stabbed him with it—the desire to be loved and accepted. A physical ache filled his chest, so he held himself rigid and waited for the pain to pass. He knew he was not meant to find love, but to have it dangled before him so unexpectedly was most brutal. His hand clenched. He wanted to punch Rick. He wanted to chase after An and make her tell him more. For if he had a chance at losing love, then that meant there was actually a chance he would someday find it. That hope was the cruelest part of all.
And maybe the whole curse thing was just a mean prank told by a cranky spirit, and nothing had really changed.
Chapter 3
Rifflen Federation Military Base, Several Months Later
“Back away. That is the general’s heart alarm. He’s dying.” Captain Violette pushed past the men who were rushing toward the general’s door. They couldn’t do anything for him, not if his heart alarm was already sounding. She hurried to be by her father’s side, hoping in vain to make it in those last seconds of his life. When she’d obeyed his order to escort the mysterious Josselyn safely onto the