Element Restraint

Chapter 26: Erik

He reaches Acantha and takes Gale from her. Acantha runs up to me and grabs Aella.

Everyone is already on the jet when I reach them. I follow Amora as she hops in. As soon as I am in, Paxon takes off.

An arrow flies into the door and stabs into the wall. I slam the door shut and drop to the floor.

"We did it!" Gale shouts. I turn to him as he lays on the row of seats. Amora is already kneeling in front of him with a first aid kit. Acantha stands in the back hugging her brother.

I turn to the seats next to me. Aella takes a breath. She looks at me and drops down on her knees. I pull her into a hug.

"I am so sorry I left you," I tell her.

"It is okay," she cries.

Part of my mind is at ease now that I know she is with me.

"So," Acantha speaks up from the back of the ship. "Can you please explain what just happened back there with the rebellion?"

"The rebellion was there?" Raleigh asks beside her.

Acantha walks over and hugs Aella.

"Can someone tell me also where I am going?" Paxon asks.

"Ice Realm," Amora says, looking up from Gale's bandages.

"Okay," Paxon says.

"I suddenly have more questions," Raleigh says.

"Let us focus on one thing at a time," Acantha says from beside Aella.

"The rebellion ambushed the festival back there. They began attacking the citizens and everything. But the strangest thing was that we saw some shapeshifting or something." Acantha tells her brother and Paxon.

"I have never heard of a rebel who can morph into someone else," Gale says.

"I have, but not a rebel." I speak up."They were Waterlings." Everyone turns to me.

"I am half Waterling and I can say that I am not capable of doing that," Gale says.

"I know that genius." I roll my eyes. I am not in the mood for Gale's humor.

"There is an ability in the Water Realm called Water Illusion." I begin to explain. "The capabilities are being able to use water reflections to cause color and shape changes. I wonder what was happening back there."

"So you are saying they were all Waterlings?" Acantha asks.

"Yes!"

"How come the Water Illusion failed?"

"After the bomb dropped, the fire dried up the spilled water. Without water, the illusion drops."

"Is that why there were so many fountains in the street?" Gale asks. "Because I recall there never being so many before."

"Precisely," I snap to Gale. "the more water, the better the illusion looks."

"So I was right," Acantha speak up. "Casimir really is making an alliance with the Water Realm."

"What did Imir do?" Aella asks fearfully. Acantha puts her arm around her and whispers something to her.

"But why would he do an ambush like that?" Raleigh asks.

"I am not sure," I say ashamed.

I thought I knew my brother, but I do not. I do not know who he is, or what he is planning. How could he want to kill me? How could he want to kill Aella?