Element Restraint

Chapter 26: Erik

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"Erik," Acantha kneels in front of me. Hair clings to her forehead from having the helmet on all day. She has scratches and dirt on her face. Yet she still gives me a small smile. Her voice comes out kind and soft when she says my name. Sympathy and worry are in her meadow green eyes. "Maybe you, and Aella should sit down together in the back of the jet. It is quieter back there. It will give you guys some privacy from" she looks around at the rest of the crew. "Everyone."

"Okay," I say quietly. She pats me on the shoulder and walks to the front of the ship where her brother and Paxon talk. Raleigh seems to be talking about something very passionate. He waves his hands around and uses his whole body to gesture. Paxon just nods his head and looks straight as his friend goes on.

I get up and walk to the back of the ship. Aella sits down reading Acantha's book.

I drop down next to her and lean my head back. Aella's clothes have changed again. She now wears a dark black shirt, pants, and boots. The clothes fit her perfectly.

Her hair has also changed. Instead of it being down in her usual brown waves, it is braided back. Her face, dirty with ash from the explosions.

"Where did you get those clothes?" I ask her. She looks up from the book and turns to me with a small smile.

"Acantha," She says. "She also let me borrow her book." Aella holds it up.

I take the book from Aella and smile. I have seen this book so many times now, but I have never taken the time to really look at it. I run my fingers over the threads on the end of the leather, and the white pages that have become yellow with age.

I open it up and read the first page:

"To my daughter Acantha"

So this is the book she was reading the night I met her.

"Is it a good book?" I ask Aella.

"I think it is, and I think Acantha does too." Aella winks.

"That is not what I meant." I nudge her a little.

"You know," She ignores me and looks over at the front of the ship. "Acantha is really one of a kind."

I look at the front of the jet. Acantha sits next to Paxon. Her brother stands behind them still talking. Every once in a while Acantha will cut him off and say something, making him frown and Paxon laugh.

"I think you and her would be a good match," Aella whispers to me.

"I do not think so for many reasons."

"And they are?"

"First I do not know her as well as you do. I have only talked to her a few times until a few weeks ago."

"But I am sure you have spent a lot of time with her since," Aella smirks.

"Second," I say a bit louder. Amora and Galen look over at us, and then back to each other. "She has a boyfriend."

"Is that him flying the jet?" Aella points to Paxon. I let out a snort. The boy can let alone hold a conversation, not to mention a relationship. It seems the only reason Paxon and Raleigh are so close is that Raleigh does all the talking.

"No, he is the rebel from the throne room."

"Oh my stars, Erik." Aella brings a hand to her foreheads. "You have not engaged anymore, so you are just making up more excuses of why not to do something."

I feel my cheeks grow hot. Since when does my sister know so much?

"How is Elizabeth doing?" I ask to change the subject.

"If you must know, she is supposedly engaged to Casimir now. Did not even skip a beat after you left."

I chuckle to myself.

"Sounds about right," I say. Elizabeth never wanted to be married to me, but to marry into power. A life of luxury and glamor. The thrill of being watched with flashing cameras. A fashion show starring her.

"But back to Acantha," Aella circles back around. I feel myself break into a sweat. What is she going to say next? I do not like this.

"She chose to come here with you to save me, instead of staying with her boyfriend."

"It just sounds like she really loves you to me," I say with a smile.

Aella lets out an exasperated sigh. She snatches the book from my hands and hits me upside the head.

"You are impossible to reason with Erik Aither Boreas Aetos IIII!" She exclaims. I laugh at the sound of my full name. It is definitely a mouthful, but somehow she is very good at saying it very fast.

"Did you just say Boreas!" Gale speaks up from the row beside us. He quickly gags and bends his head back down over a bucket with his face green. Amora rubs his back as he pukes a little.

"You already knew that was my name," I reply. Amora chuckles a little before returning back to Gale.

"Yes, but that does not stop me from laughing" Gale stops mid-sentence and begins puking more. Aella gags at the sight of it.

"Stop talking Gale," Amora commands him. He gives up and nods his head.

"If you do not mind me asking, but who are you?" Aella asks Amora.

"Sorry I forgot to introduce myself," Amora gets up from her chair and approaches us. "I am Amora Tram." She extends her hand over me to Aella. My sister shakes it and smiles.

"Nice to meet you."