The Elementals by Annalynne Thorne Page A

phone call. There was little that could be hiding from her thought. She would have to come home and she would feel the despair and worry. The turmoil of emotions that was raging in Terra.
                "I don't think that this is something you can plan out." Era smoothed Marissa's hair, combing it between her long fingers.
                Bryne concurred. "There's no planning with Hadrian but that is not relevant because none of you are going."
                "Yes, we are." Terra insisted.
                "Look, plays - with - dirt , this is my battle, my war…”
                "Your beliefs on this matter are a moot point," Terra responded calmly but firmly. She shouldn't have gotten attached to the sweet side that Bryne had been showing. He was fire... She continued, "We’re in this together. The four of us are going to that school and the four of us are going to fight. We have to remember what the prophet said. Together, we cannot be broken."
                "We don't know this prophet. She could be crazy." Bryan stated.
                "She's been right so far, hasn't she?"
                He grunted without a proper argument, and Terra went back to her erratic pacing, from the back of the couch to the edge of the linoleum of the kitchen floor. Back and forth... Back and forth...
                "I think that Bryne is right," Era said. "There' can't be a way to plan this."
                "What else can we do? Wait like sitting ducks until two?"
                " Yes ," Bryne emphasized. "This wasn't a plan on his part, he saw Ian leave here and he saw an opportunity. He doesn't know what to expect from us either. We're on even ground."
                "They have Ian! This isn't even ground!" Terra screamed.
                He waved his hand dismissively. "Aside from that." He patted a space between him and the arm of the sofa. "Sit down, relax. You're doing nothing for your lover by pacing like a mad woman."
                Terra felt some urge inside of her to slap him, but she gave in to the other part of her that was begging to listen to him, and took the space, her arms cross over her chest like a tempered child. She could almost feel the furious pounding of her heart against her rib cage, as if it hoped to break its confinements and leap out of her chest. It would have probably tried to come out of her throat, but that was occupied by her stomach.
                Nervously, her leg shook, jerking like a twitch. Forcefully, Bryne slammed his hand down on her thigh. She didn't miss the inquisitive look that Era and Marissa threw to each other. Terra nudged his hand off.
                "Sorry. Thanks."
                "You should sleep."
                "I want to be awake."
                With his hands on his knees he heaved himself up, the couch jostling slightly from the release of the weight. She didn't look but heard him rummaging in the kitchen, clinking glasses and the fridge closing with a shush.
                She stared at the floor, how the grain moved, the knots, and darker pieces. Like when cloud gazing she was able to see pictures. She saw a lion ready to pounce on a defenseless lamb, a pointed hat, a necklace with thirteen links. The pictures were then blocked by legs and a shadowy hand holding a glass of milk under her head. There was a reddish glow that exceeded out from the hand but quickly receded.
                She took the warm glass and a sip. It was warm. "So you can warm things up."
                "I can do more than that. That's small but quite handy. At home we didn't have a stove or a microwave.”
                “Why,” Era asked airily.
                “ I was the stove and microwave.” He tipped his head at her interestingly. “I thought you were smart.”