Fire {Elements of Power 1}

Chapter Six: Jasmine

"Actually, it's the fact that he finds it impossible to say anything more than a single sentence that's the problem," Devon responded, looking after him almost thoughtfully. Imogen and I laughed.

"That's only when he's around you, Dev. I've had plenty of conversations with him," I replied, but she pulled a face at me in response.

"Whatever. Anyway, since you brought up dancing, how about we get to it?" She dragged Imogen and I further onto the dance floor.

"What time's Brae arriving?" Imogen asked, swaying in time to the music rather than dancing since her stunning silver dress was too restricting to do anything else in.

"Not long now, I think. Your Aunt and Uncle were going to tell him they were all going out for dinner. So, they can't be leaving too late."

"Brilliant! I can't wait to see the look on his face!"

"Less talking, more dancing!" Devon protested, grabbing hold of my hands and spinning me round. I laughed and let her lead me around the dance floor. Devon's hair danced with her, twisting and shimmying in time to the music, following the beat much better than Imogen, who was still waddling across the floor trying to look dignified.

A hushed silence fell across the centre and someone turned off the music, as one of the servants from the palace raced on to the dance floor. "They're on their way," he gasped, trying to catch his breath. "Everybody get ready."

It had been decided in advance that, given how many of us there were in the city centre, there really wasn't much point in us all trying to hide. Instead we gathered in a mass on the dance floor, facing the street that we knew Brae and his parents would be approaching from.

"Excuse me. Make room!" Imogen ordered as we pushed our way to the front of the dance floor, arms linked so that we wouldn't lose each other.

"Devon! Over here!" Brody signalled to the free space in front of him. He was right on the edge of the floor, in perfect view of the entrance.

"Aw, how sweet is that!" Imogen whispered in my ear as we wove our way towards Brody. "Don't forget to play nice now, Dev," she added more loudly, so that Devon could hear her. She scowled at the two of us, sending us into a fit of giggles.

"Hi, Devon. Imogen, Jazz, what's so funny?"

"Ignore them - they're suffering from over active imaginations and very, very dull love lives," she snapped, facing straight ahead and refusing to make eye contact with either of us.

"Ooo, I think we touched a nerve, Jazzy."

"Or maybe we hit too close to the truth for her to handle." We both laughed again, causing Devon's scowl to deepen.

"Aw, come on, Dev, you know we're only playing," I said, not wanting her to hate us - tonight was supposed to be a celebration.

She was prevented from answering by Brae, who turned the corner that led into the city centre to a tumult of applause and "Welcome homes". It perhaps wasn't quite as organised and uniform as we would have liked, but Brae still looked overwhelmed by crowd.

Devon and Imogen rushed forward to greet him and Cameron. I stayed where I was for a moment, wary of getting too close to Brae again so soon. But it would look strange if I didn't welcome Cameron, so, after a moment's hesitation, I started forward towards them.

But Brae, side stepping the others, made it to me before I could get to Cam. "Jazz!" he cried, closing me in his arms. "So this is why you were in such a weird mood this afternoon! You never have been very good at keeping secrets you know."