Clash of the Otherworlds: Book 1, After the Fall Read Online Free PDF Page B

you know of her?"
    "She and I go way back," I said, laughing to myself about the irony of that statement.  This wasn't one of those figurative things, since she really was an ancestor of my mother's.  "I could talk to her if you want."
    Maléna looked to Dardennes who nodded.  She turned back to me and said, "Yes.  It's worth it to try at least.  What's the worst that could happen, right?"  She smiled, but there was no warmth there, almost as if she were hoping Maggie would unleash on me.
    "Well, she could turn me into a toad.  Spell me to throw myself into a fire.  Root my feet into the ground, making me stand in the forest until I starved to death."
    Maléna just smiled, lifting an eyebrow briefly before continuing.  "Anton, please let her know what exactly she should be discussing with the witch.  I don't want her going off-plan and revealing things she shouldn't."
    I tried not to let Maléna's tone or words make me feel small and stupid, but it was difficult.  But then Ben's hand touched mine, and a shot of heat came through and rushed into my chest, making me feel strong and ... fiery.  A quick glance in his direction told me he'd pulled some of his Fire element into himself and shared it with me.  His cloak was glowing a little with it.  I wondered if he even knew.
    "I think we need to have a rule at the meetings," said a green elf at the end of the table.  "No bringing Elements into the room."
    I felt like I'd been caught being bad or breaking the rules.  I looked guiltily over at Dardennes and Céline, ready to apologize and swear I'd never let it happen again.  It hadn't even been me doing it, but it just as easily could have been; I didn't have the best control in the world.
    Ben startled me by speaking first, and loudly.  "Neither you nor this council is in any position to tell me what I can and cannot do with the Elements I command.  And the same goes for Jayne.  We do not answer to you ."  The rest of his statement remained unsaid, but that didn't matter.  It was floating in the air above all our heads:  You answer to us.
    I stared at his face.  It was dark with anger and power, the likes of which I hadn't seen there since we took down the demon at my mom's house and sent its soul back to the Underworld.  I was both afraid and intrigued by Ben's reaction.  He seemed to have a much stronger opinion than I did about what our place in this world was.
    I expected the fae around the table to start yelling and protesting Ben's show of arrogance and power, but none of them said a word.  Some of them shrugged it off, a couple looked down at the table hiding their expressions, and others seemed slightly surprised.  The only one who looked angry was Maléna.  Her sister, Céline, stared up at her with trepidation.
    Maléna spoke first.  "You answer to this council, just as everyone else here."  Her voice held a note of authority that matched Ben's.
    Dardennes looked as if he were about to step in, with his hands held up and his best peace-maker grin on, but he was cut off by Ben's sharp response.
    "You are mistaken, Maléna.  Jayne and I answer to no one but one another.  This council answers to us .  Spirit has recognized our union; our positions as the Mother and Father have been recognized in the Overworld and the Underworld.  Your recognition is of no consequence to who and what we are."
    "You have been in contact with the Underworld?  Well, isn't that interesting," she responded, acting as if he'd just revealed some big secret he shouldn't have.
    "As have Céline and Jayne and several other Light Fae who met the demon called Torrie."
    "What does he mean?" asked a green elf.  "What has the Underworld done to acknowledge our elementals' positions?"
    Céline responded calmly.  "Torrie was very clear that Jayne was to be the Mother to the creature that would somehow make it possible to open the Here and Now to the other realms."  She looked at me apologetically, pity in her eyes.