Earth: Book One (Elemental Series) by Taeya Adams Page A

alone love her,” He snarled.
    Rayne really didn’t like the tone of voice he had used on her. “You have issues…”
    Zander’s head tilted to the side like a confused puppy but he wasn’t confused on why he had issues. “You would too,” Zander started and turned.
    Eleanor stared at the ink on his back that she hadn’t noticed before. He had dark, broken angel wings on his back with the saying in fancy dystopian letters, And on that day, she flew. She flew high in the sky like she said she would.
    Zander goes to a ring case, his feet now bleeding. His hands tighten around the bat. “If your life was as horrible as mine,” Zander lifted his bat and came down on the case.
    Austin stepped into the jewelry store, glass breaking under his boots; bat in hand, boots in the other. He had a grim look on his face and Zander thought he’d hit him but instead, Austin threw him the shoes.
    Zander looked at Austin and brushed the glass off his foot before putting on the shoes Austin gave him. Austin – ankle and arm feeling much better – swung at some cases. Taking their time, Austin and Zander bonded over breaking case, necklaces, and more and getting their anger out.
    Rayne watched Zander’s every movement. She watched his muscle tense up when he swung at the cases. She watched the way his shoulder blades pop out of his back. She watched all of him.
     
    *****
     
    Day One: March 27 th , 2020; 8:57 pm
    Chyler stepped behind Sargent unable to watch anymore. She turned, sniffing and leaving. Sargent didn’t want her to be in the mall alone so a minute after she left, he goes to find her. As he patrolled the halls, he heard crying from a record store nearby.
    “Chyler?” Sargent asked to the cases of records.
    The crying stopped and was replaced by sniffing.
    “Are you okay?” He asked. He knelt beside her, behind a record case. She turned away from him, embarrassed. He reached back and grabbed a record. “Do you know who the Beatles are?” Chyler turned back, thinking he’d say something smart but instead he said, “No? I don’t either. I was hoping you did.”
    She laughed a little, and then looked down.
    “Her death wasn’t your fault…”
    “I could’ve helped her. Instead, I froze. I watched her go down and black out. I was responsible for her. Her blood is on my hands…”
    Sargent sighed. “You’re only a kid – what fourteen or thirteen – you shouldn’t have been responsible for an even littler kid.”
    “I was trusted to watch her,” Warm tears formed in her blue eyes.
    “You know, when I was fourteen, whenever Bex, Forres or I got in trouble, we’d be blaming it on the real person’s fault. The adult. They shouldn’t put their responsibility on us because we were kids.”
    “It’s not Eleanor’s fault, its Rayne’s.”
    Sargent chuckled as if it was a joke. “Why is it Rayne’s fault?”
    “She’s the one who murdered Jezabel…”
    Sargent looked at her with a confusing looks as Chyler decided to trust him. 
     
    *****
     
    Day One: March 27 th , 2020; 9:08 pm
    Zander bended down and picked up a ring. Chest heaving, he spoke, “Honestly, I wanted to get married. Find the perfect girl and propose…”
    Rayne perked up. “You have time to find the perfect girl. Maybe she’s right in front of you.”
    Zander looked up and saw Austin in front of him. Zander gave a weak smile and handed the ring to Austin. Austin let out a laugh, took the ring and hit it away from him with his bat. “Uh, no thank you,” Austin chuckled.
    Zander walked out of the store through the window. He stopped by Eleanor, back to the others. “I told you to stay with Forres.”
    “Forres is fine… Are you?” Eleanor asked. She shuttered away the feeling of reaching up and touching him.
    “Will I ever be?” He glanced over at Eleanor then walked off.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Twenty-Two
     
    Day Two: March 28 th , 2020; 10:10 am
    Forres woke up in no pain.
    She sat up, touching her shoulder