elemental 08 - elements of war Read Online Free PDF Page B

dismissing them all as he closed the door behind him.
    “You’re tied to our people through your husband,” Connor said. “But do not assume that that means we have any particular allegiance to you. I agree with you that many of my people need to be put to death for killing innocents—but I expect you to do your best for Oriel.” He turned on his heel and gave Aiden a scathing look before he followed Maralah out of the building.
    Dylan took a deep breath and exhaled. “So what did you hold over their heads?” he asked. Aira’s glowing energy began to subside and she smiled.
    “Maralah is definitely angry,” Aira said with an indolent shrug. “I took Leigh’s advice and dangled the carrot and showed her the stick as well. We need to track down your cousin, Leigh.”
    “She’s pretty easy to find. I know the method she’s using to avoid detection.” 
    Aiden nodded at Leigh and gestured for them to all head out of the building. 
    Dylan considered the problems they were facing as the four of them walked towards the car. They needed to track down the remaining members of the group committed to bringing Aira down, and they needed to specifically snatch up Orleanna Price, Leigh’s distant cousin who was attached to Maralah’s family. And most of all, Dylan thought wryly, they all needed to get Aiden and Aira off on their honeymoon. He glanced at his brother; there was a seething tension in Aiden, that had persisted since they had been interrupted in their first night together as man and wife. Even absorbed in his own need to rescue Leigh, Dylan had been concerned about his brother’s well-being. The three of them were living on caffeine, potions, and alcohol—it wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle, and before long, they’d have to rest for real.
    He realized, smiling to himself as he climbed into the back seat, that he’d felt more rested than ever since he’d been with Leigh. Dylan glanced at the earth elemental. They hadn’t achieved a full bond—it would take more time, particularly if he didn’t wait until he came into his full powers as an elemental, but he was starting to think that he very much wanted to. 
    “So what do we do first?” Leigh asked, reaching out and taking Dylan by the hand. Dylan could feel the solid, cool force of her energy flowing steadily through him, reinforcing his own watery strength. 
    “First thing we do is to figure out where the others are, how many of them are in the group,” Aira said, glancing at Aiden to see if he agreed. Dylan couldn’t imagine why his brother wouldn’t—it only made sense. “We track them down, we get some of the other bounty hunters to help us round them up, and we get them all locked up—Orleanna included.”
    “And then?” Leigh shot a dazed glance at Dylan. “I mean, that seems like it’s the entirety of the plan.” 
    Aiden laughed. “First we figure out how many we’re up against and where they are. Second we round them up. Third we take a very long vacation while they’re in custody and waiting to be tried for their crimes.”
    “A vacation?” Leigh glanced at Dylan again, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
    “Well, Aiden and I haven’t exactly had our honeymoon. We were going to be at least a month.” 
    “No wonder you’re so tense,” Leigh said. 
    Dylan shook his head. “Nah, they’re definitely taking plenty of opportunity even if they aren’t completely alone. Remember hearing thunder last night?” 
    Leigh laughed. “So then it’s true,” she said, her voice not quite questioning, looking at the other three in the car with her. “What they say about the mingling of elementals.”
    “Fire and air become lightning when the energies combine,” Dylan said, reciting from the snippet he had found in one of Lorene’s books. “It’s the secret weapon that Aiden and Aira have together—and what they used to help free you and round up the people at the compound.”
    “What do earth and water