elemental 06 - the best man Read Online Free PDF

getting pregnant, the trip had intensified the bond between his brother and the woman he loved; that much was plain to see, and it gave Dylan both satisfaction and a kind of sadness. One afternoon, while Aiden was supposed to be taking Aira sight-seeing in town, he and his mother had had time to sit and talk—both as parent and child, and as one elemental to another. “I can feel you getting stronger,” she had said, smiling. “I will always be grateful to Lorene for giving you more tutelage—much more than I could have taught you.” Dylan had smiled, shrugging.
    “She didn’t have time to impart much to me directly, but I’ve had access to her books and notes, thanks to Aira.” Jessica had nodded, looking at her own collection of elemental lore. 
    “When your grandmother and I agreed to send you to Lorene, I had almost hoped that you would bond with Aira—bring our two families together. But of course, that’s been the result anyway, through your brother. Are you okay, Dylan?” Jessica’s face had clouded slightly. “I can normally read you very easily, but since you’ve been here you’ve been murkier than usual.” Dylan had shrugged again, looking away for a moment. He had never hesitated to confide in his mother before—they had a unique understanding, sharing an alignment as they did.
    “Just feeling a little lonely, I guess.” Jessica took his hand, and Dylan opened his mind to his mother, feeling the cool, soothing comfort of her energy washing through him. 
    “The unfortunate problem of our alignment is that we’re often lonely,” his mother told him gently. “Air and fire elementals are social by nature, and earth elementals can be happy spending their entire lives with their families…we tend to be a little more reserved, a little less trusting. I know you’ll find a mate soon—I’ve seen it in my dreams, though I can’t see the woman herself.” Dylan had taken comfort in that idea. “But there’s a lot of strife ahead for you—and for Aiden and Aira, of course,” Jessica had chuckled. “It seems as though both of them are destined for continual drama.” Dylan had echoed her laugh.
    “You know, if I didn’t know better,” he said, shaking his head, “by the way they fight and bicker I would think those two would be the last two people to make a happy couple.” 
    “Their needs are not the same as yours, Dylan,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze. “You need someone who you can understand, who can understand you—you need a restful companion, not someone who fires you up. Of course, you’ll find passion with the right woman, but you’d quickly get tired of the kind of pyrotechnics that Aiden and Aira create.” 
    “I know that,” Dylan said, thinking deeply for a moment. His mind always seemed clearer when he was in contact with his mother. “I just…I envy them the intensity of their feelings for each other. I shouldn’t. I should just be happy that Aiden isn’t moping around or trying to nail every attractive woman he sees. But I’m…I’m hungry for more than what I have.” Jessica had given his hand another squeeze; the depth of her cool calmness flowing into him.
    “You’ll find it. I promise you, son, you’ll find the woman who makes you happy. You’re not far from it now; just make sure you’re ready to fight for her, and to recognize her when you see her.”
    Dylan loaded the last of the bags into the trunk. They would be leaving soon; Dylan wanted to get back to work as much as Aiden or Aira possibly could. For him, it was a question of filling his hours with something useful—giving himself as little time as possible to nurse his feelings of loneliness. Dylan was a generally cheerful person, but he knew that his watery essence lent itself to melancholy easily. The last thing he wanted to do was dampen Aiden and Aira’s essences by projecting his lonely hunger onto them. His mother had looked into his future and seen him happy, seen him with