A Time to Die (Elemental Rage Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

couldn’t let myself go numb.”
    “I’m glad you
didn’t stay.  The cops showed and busted the party,”
    As Jade started
the car and pulled away, Raven realized that she couldn’t feel Air.  When she
talked about going numb before, that had always happened with alcohol and
medicine.  But she skipped the drinking today.  Where was Air?
    She called a few
times in her mind.  Then Raven spoke aloud, “What I said about being numb…since
the Void thing touched me, I can’t feel Air.”
    Jade reached out
for Fire. Tinkling laughter was the reply.  Fire was delighted with the fun
they’d had.  Jade then reached out for Air.  Air answered in a whispering voice. They took her from me.
    “That’s weird,”
Jade said. She was on the highway now with both hands on the steering wheel and
looking straight ahead.  If she had watched Raven, she would have noticed that
Raven was shaking from cold.
    It came out in
Raven’s voice, “What?”
    “Air just told me
that they took you from her,” Jade said.  She flipped on the heat for Raven. 
Touching the void hadn’t exactly been a warming experience for her, either.
    “Tell her I’m
here.” Raven said.
    Jade was quiet for
a moment before replying, “Air says she can see and hear you, but that you
can’t experience her in any way.”
    Raven remembered
the little girl’s wish that Air would leave her alone forever. That was so very
long ago when she remembered the burst of Air that pushed fire toward her
father.  Raven knew even as a little girl that her actions had caused her
Daddy’s death.
    Now when she had
finally reconciled with Air, Raven felt the loss of her Element keenly, more so
than her father who had been gone now for seven years.

 
     
     
    Chapter 3
     
    ~~ Claire ~~
     
    Saturday morning,
Claire and Mindy played at the kitchen table with art supplies strewn
everywhere.  Aunt Bertha sat in her rocker in the living room crocheting a
blanket. Yawning from the night’s exertions, Jade grabbed her volleyball gear. 
She leaned down to kiss Aunt Bertha on the cheek. Her skin seemed soft, but so thin.
    “Kick their butts,
Dear,” Aunt Bertha smiled, and there was a hint of fire in her eyes.
    “Thanks,” Jade dropped
her voice to a low murmur.  Claire straightened up and turned her head,
straining to hear, but missed Jade’s warning to Aunt Bertha, “We ran into the
Void creatures last night.  Raven can’t talk to Air.”
    Aunt Bertha nodded,
her mouth pressed into a firm line, “I’ll deal with it.  Go to your game. It’s
important that we keep things as normal as possible.”
    Nothing would be
normal until Mom was home.   Jade just said, “Thanks. I have to go. The team is
counting on me.”
    Claire and Mindy
waved goodbye to Jade and then returned to their drawing. If Claire couldn’t
get the information she wanted by eavesdropping, she never hesitated to ask. 
She said, “What did Jade say?”
    Aunt Bertha was
deep in thought.  Claire almost started to repeat herself when Aunt Bertha
replied, “We’re going to go on a spirit quest next week.  Jade has a home game
next weekend, so it will be a better time. We need to embrace our Elements.”
    Claire smirked. 
She was a bit of a know-it-all.  She not only embraced her element but could
become it, turning into Water at a whim.  It was a dangerous practice that only
the most advanced of the Elementals could do.  “Water and I are very close,”
Claire said proudly.
    Aunt Bertha peered
at Claire over her glasses and with a sharp tongue said, “Yes, well, you could
do with a bit of Earth.  See what you can conjure with that element.”
    Mindy giggled.
    Claire’s initial
reaction was to flare up with annoyance, but then Mindy said, “Mud.”
    Claire started
giggling, too. Maybe she could be friends with Earth.  She would try.
     
    ~~ Raven ~~
     
    Raven dressed
slowly and carefully.  She couldn’t place this strangeness inside herself. 
Something was different, but it