Elements (Tear of God Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

to do? We’re not prepared for this.”
    “We should investigate,” he replied adamantly. “If it is what I think it is, we can’t let the Machinists know about it.”
    Nyam had sprinted up to where Mink indicated within just a few seconds while the other two huffed to catch up. She crouched and peered over the edge. Backing up, she signaled for her boys to approach quietly. She became impatient and sat, flicking small stones across the plateau, while she waited for them to bridge the distance she had managed to cross in no time.
    “Still there?” Juré asked in a hushed voice once they had arrived.
    Nyam leaned over to check and nodded. “The vehicle is. I don’t see the scout though. He may not have reached it yet.”
    Juré turned to Mink. “Is he alone?”
    “As far as I could tell. And it was like I was seeing all over the place, even through things.”
    “Juré, you should report this. We can’t do anything else about it.”
    Juré peered over the cliff and got a good look at the vehicle. He scooted back and looked west toward Freeland.
    “I’ll go inside his mind once he appears. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find out what he knows and what he plans to do. Maybe he didn’t see the crystal, just ore deposits.”
    “Well then,” Nyam said. “You better get the chant ready. He could come out at any time.”

 

     
     
    M INK GAZED with growing fascination upon the vehicle. A few hundred yards below, it clung vertically to the cliffside by way of anchors at each wheel dug into the rock. He imagined that operating such a contraption would be fun. Elementalists ridiculed the need to use machines, but without an Element to use, he hardly felt superior. It wasn’t unheard of for Elementalists to abandon their abilities and defect to Freeland. In fact, part of Juré’s job was to identify and facilitate dissenters. Still, Mink’s unique perspective helped him see the beauty of the vehicle and he felt like his life could be easier if machines were allowed back home.
    The scout was taking forever to emerge from inside Rift Ridge. Of course he didn’t know that people were waiting for him and, had he known, he might not even come out. Waiting was not one of Mink’s strong suits. He got that from his mom. It actually crossed his mind that he might be able to see how close the Machinist was if his parents killed him again. He obviously needed a distraction.
    Juré couldn’t say anything until the scout emerged lest he have to recite his chant over. By then, the risk of the Machinist getting out of Juré’s sight was too high. If his parents weren’t so serious, Mink thought to entertain himself with trying to get his dad to make a sound and ruin his effect. Nyam entertained herself by throwing rocks at a tree a couple miles down the slope of the ridge. By the way the tree shook, Mink could tell when she landed a direct hit.
    “Do you think he decided to camp inside for the night?” Mink asked.
    “Shh!” Nyam warned. “We can’t give away our position.”
    Mink’s restlessness got the better of his tongue. “Hey, Dad,” he whispered. “When you’re in his head, see if you can make him drive his vehicle up here and let me take it for a spin.”
    At that, Juré became cross and almost uttered a sound. Instead, he gave Mink a knock on the head with his knuckle.
    “Mink,” Nyam whispered, face contorted into a scowl. “Don’t ever say things like that! Machines are evil!”
    “All right, all right. Sorry,” Mink said. “Just bored with all this waiting.”
    “Well, get over it. You can borrow my music crystal.”
    “No thanks, Mom.”
    “It’s your own fault for forgetting yours.”
    Mink didn’t exactly forget his. He opted not to bring it to avoid one of his parents picking it up and lecturing him about his musical tastes. It’d been so hard for him to fit in with young adults his age, listening to music his parents approved of would only make things worse. He had to admit some of