Read Online elemental 08 - elements of war by Larissa Ladd - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Larissa Ladd
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started up from the mingling of their energies.
“Time to go,” she said, feeling the tingling numbness that came along with the spike of adrenaline, the knowledge that they were about to head into a fight that they couldn’t entirely predict the outcome of.
The same adrenaline that made Aira jumpy seemed to invigorate her husband; Aiden’s bright eyes almost glowed, his skin dancing with a flicker of orange-red. She could feel his energy increasing, the fiery nature of his essence rising to meet the occasion. Aira could fight—she had become quite good at it—but she would never revel in it the way that Aiden did. Particularly when she wasn’t sure what was coming, it was difficult for her to be excited more than she was anxious.
“Fly us up there, she-hawk,” Aiden said. He closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her waist, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. Aira took a deep breath and summoned the wind, pulling it around her, under her, lifting them into the air. They would have to take a shallow trajectory—they would be barely above the trees—but by flight they would be far faster than even Leigh was on the ground. Aira felt the exhilarating thrill of their lift into the air and smiled to herself, closing her eyes for just a moment to focus her energies. She had to keep them aloft, keep them in the direction of the safe house, but she also needed to call on the local flying wildlife to provide their cover—to keep them secure. She let out a shriek, calling on the hawks in the area that she had sensed as they came onto the road. She whistled and warbled, calling on more reinforcements. Soon their progress was marked by birds of different sizes, flitting amongst the trees, responding to her call.
Aira felt a frisson of apprehension as she landed them less than a mile away from the safe house—far enough to make their approach, but near enough to catch up to where Dylan and Leigh would be. Ahead of them, as she touched down lightly on her feet, Aira heard the first sounds of alarm coming from the house—shouts and rumbles. She and Aiden jogged forward, depending on the directions and map that Leigh had made for them. The ground rolled and tumbled underfoot, and Aira felt—for a moment—as if she might not actually make it. There was the roar and crack of rocks tumbling and breaking, and she heard the gush of water—though she couldn’t determine what or where or how it was being directed.
“Come on,” Aiden gasped, keeping pace with her.
Aira put on more speed, dodging the flying rocks and debris that fell across their path. She could see the fortified house up ahead, but not where Dylan and Leigh were stationed; it was impossible to tell where to direct her attacks.
“Where the hell are they?” she asked Aiden in a hoarse voice as she panted.
“Ahead!” Aiden yelled.
Aira ceased looking for the other half of their team and spotted the group of elementals coming out from behind the ramparts directly ahead. The earth-aligned members of the group began chanting, reaching down towards the mountain itself; Aira stopped in the midst of her run and raised her hands up, calling the wind to her direction and channeling a gust to knock them down. Aiden moved a few feet away from her and formed a ball of fire in his hands, throwing it at the renegades. Aira struggled to catch her breath and focus, evaluating the growing cadre of earth and fire elementals arranging themselves against her and Aiden; there were easily a dozen pouring out from behind the rampart.
“Dylan! Leigh! Where the hell are you?” Aira formed a bow between her hands, focusing her energy on the strength of it, the span perfect to her height. She reached into the air and directed her energy into creating an arrow, and then another, letting them fly at the elementals in front of them. Aiden formed and threw fireballs, cursing under his breath and grabbing at the ones that the fire element in
“Time to go,” she said, feeling the tingling numbness that came along with the spike of adrenaline, the knowledge that they were about to head into a fight that they couldn’t entirely predict the outcome of.
The same adrenaline that made Aira jumpy seemed to invigorate her husband; Aiden’s bright eyes almost glowed, his skin dancing with a flicker of orange-red. She could feel his energy increasing, the fiery nature of his essence rising to meet the occasion. Aira could fight—she had become quite good at it—but she would never revel in it the way that Aiden did. Particularly when she wasn’t sure what was coming, it was difficult for her to be excited more than she was anxious.
“Fly us up there, she-hawk,” Aiden said. He closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her waist, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. Aira took a deep breath and summoned the wind, pulling it around her, under her, lifting them into the air. They would have to take a shallow trajectory—they would be barely above the trees—but by flight they would be far faster than even Leigh was on the ground. Aira felt the exhilarating thrill of their lift into the air and smiled to herself, closing her eyes for just a moment to focus her energies. She had to keep them aloft, keep them in the direction of the safe house, but she also needed to call on the local flying wildlife to provide their cover—to keep them secure. She let out a shriek, calling on the hawks in the area that she had sensed as they came onto the road. She whistled and warbled, calling on more reinforcements. Soon their progress was marked by birds of different sizes, flitting amongst the trees, responding to her call.
Aira felt a frisson of apprehension as she landed them less than a mile away from the safe house—far enough to make their approach, but near enough to catch up to where Dylan and Leigh would be. Ahead of them, as she touched down lightly on her feet, Aira heard the first sounds of alarm coming from the house—shouts and rumbles. She and Aiden jogged forward, depending on the directions and map that Leigh had made for them. The ground rolled and tumbled underfoot, and Aira felt—for a moment—as if she might not actually make it. There was the roar and crack of rocks tumbling and breaking, and she heard the gush of water—though she couldn’t determine what or where or how it was being directed.
“Come on,” Aiden gasped, keeping pace with her.
Aira put on more speed, dodging the flying rocks and debris that fell across their path. She could see the fortified house up ahead, but not where Dylan and Leigh were stationed; it was impossible to tell where to direct her attacks.
“Where the hell are they?” she asked Aiden in a hoarse voice as she panted.
“Ahead!” Aiden yelled.
Aira ceased looking for the other half of their team and spotted the group of elementals coming out from behind the ramparts directly ahead. The earth-aligned members of the group began chanting, reaching down towards the mountain itself; Aira stopped in the midst of her run and raised her hands up, calling the wind to her direction and channeling a gust to knock them down. Aiden moved a few feet away from her and formed a ball of fire in his hands, throwing it at the renegades. Aira struggled to catch her breath and focus, evaluating the growing cadre of earth and fire elementals arranging themselves against her and Aiden; there were easily a dozen pouring out from behind the rampart.
“Dylan! Leigh! Where the hell are you?” Aira formed a bow between her hands, focusing her energy on the strength of it, the span perfect to her height. She reached into the air and directed her energy into creating an arrow, and then another, letting them fly at the elementals in front of them. Aiden formed and threw fireballs, cursing under his breath and grabbing at the ones that the fire element in
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