Water {Elements of Power 2}

Chapter 5: Roxy

Excitement coursed through my veins. It may not have been a message from Brae, but it was help and Vincent was the best Helian ally I could hope for.

I rushed over to my wardrobe and flung the doors open. There were two rucksacks at the bottom, the first was my survival bag, which I had used during my Protector training and was mandatory to keep close by now that I was qualified, in case of an emergency. Next to it was a smaller, brighter, fashion rucksack.

My hand stretched out automatically to the survival pack, only to freeze halfway. I still had to get out of the palace and the survival pack was extremely recognisable. If I bumped into anyone on my way out it would raise questions. The other bag though... it would be less apt while I was on the run, but far less conspicuous during my escape.

I grabbed both bags and carried them over to my bed, where I quickly set about transferring the contents of the survival pack into the other: rations, water packs, emergency medical supplies and a basic tool kit. I filled up the remaining space at the top with clothes, my practical Protector gear rather than my everyday stuff. I changed what I was wearing too, putting on a pair of heavy duty combats, which I wouldn't look too out of place in, since I had worn them around the palace before. A plain black vest top went on top and I put a pair of worn black boots on my feet. I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail, so that it was out of my way. Once I had swung the bag onto my back, I was ready to go.

But when I unlocked the door to my room, I walked straight into my mother.

"Roxanne?" She looked at me closely, taking in my clothes and the bag on my shoulder. I was relieved that I hadn't gone with the survival pack. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Out," I said, playing the petulant child.

"Out where?"

"Only across to Ave's room," I replied, lying smoothly. "I'm taking some of my clothes across to her—she's grown out of hers and wants to try some of mine on for size before she orders more."

My excuse made no sense, but it didn't matter what I said. I knew that her interest switched off at the word 'clothes'; I'm not sure that my mother ever was a teenage girl... To perfect my part, I swung the bag off my shoulder and opened it. The top half was rammed with clothing.

She peered in, confirming my story, but snapped anyway. "I don't want you walking around the palace unsupervised. You and Avery can discuss clothes at some other point. I want you in your room tonight, where I know you can't get up to anything. Go back inside and stay there. If I see you out here again, I'll get Cin to Control you into staying put. Got it?" She hissed the last part, checking from side to side for witnesses before confessing her crime.

"Whatever." I pretended to sulk, before going back into my room and slamming the door in her face.

Glittering fragments of glass still coated much of the floor, so I locked the door just in case my mother decided to come in and interrogate me further. To kill time, I started to clean up.

When I was done, I crept back to the door. All seemed quiet, so I put my hand on the handle, ready to try again. Then I heard a cough; she was still out there—standing guard to make sure that I didn't try to leave. She and Cin seemed unusually twitchy tonight, which put me even more on edge. I needed to get out of the palace soon.

I wanted to burn something. Instead I had to settle for pacing up and down my room, listening at the door every few minutes to confirm that she was still there.

Twenty minutes passed and I knew that I needed to find another solution. I wasn't sure how long Vincent was going to wait around for me. I needed to get out.