He nodded against my chest. “Yeah, I love you too, and a whole lot more than that, but I don’t have words for it.”
I kissed his forehead. “Yeah, that’s how I feel too. Shall we go deal with the troops?” I asked.
“You might want to put some clothes on. I mean, I don’t mind the view, but I don’t really wanna share that part of you.”
“Yeah, I agree. I’ll get dressed. You tell them I’ll be right back.”
I rushed past the freaked-out crew into the hut where my clothes were and quickly got dressed. I looked at my nails, and they still hadn’t grown back. When I looked in the mirror I was shocked to see what I looked like with no hair. “Damn, I hope this isn’t a permanent situation,” I said, concerned because I looked pretty creepy with no hair or eyebrows.
When I came out, there was a loud cheer from the beach to my left. I looked over to see the villagers had built huge fires and were all chanting, “Gedi, Gedi, Gedi.”
Confused, I walked toward the group of still freaked-out team members.
Lysander quickly came over and stood next to me, forcing me to put my arm around his shoulder. “So, that happened,” I said, hoping for levity.
No one moved. Lysander looked at me, and said, “Too soon, honey.”
I laughed. “Okay, stop being so freaked out. You wanted me to come and get control of my powers. That’s what’s happened.”
“You built an island,” Elana said. “A really big island.”
“Well, not exactly. The elements built the island. They wanted to, and they were going to do it anyway. I just allowed them to do it faster.”
Dr. Fagan shook his head. “What do you meantheywanted to?”
I took a deep breath. “While I was helping the elements build the island, I was the elements. I still had my own personality, I wasn’t completely dissolved, but I wasn’t just myself either. I was… them. Does that make sense?” I asked, hoping they would understand.
They all shook their heads. “Son, we’re all elementals here. Each of us has a unique skill or ability with the four elements, but no, none of us commune with them. They are not corporeal or sentient beings to us.”
I took another deep breath, knowing I couldn’t share my thoughts and communicate what I’d experienced.
“Kaden is different from the rest of you and the rest of humanity, I guess. He isn’t just an elemental who can control the different elements. He is them. Kaden is the Earth, the universe itself,” Lysander said.
I looked at him strangely. He’d described it perfectly in a way I knew I never could. I didn’t have the words or the ability to communicate that well.
“How did you know?” I asked.
Lysander chuckled. “I told you I was there with you. Not at first, I was afraid. The water, then the pyroclastic cloud, then when I saw you’d forced them both to leave us alone, I knew it was you. You were the elements building the island. Once that realization hit me, I was with you. Like I was at the center of the process as you went through it.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Dr. Fagan asked.
“Because that wasn’t my place. I’m Kaden’s polarity, not his spokesperson. I knew when he came back, he’d explain to you, and it’s his power to explain. I’m just his, his… support system,” he said, finally finding the words he wanted to describe his part.
Of course, I didn’t think support system even remotely explained it, but it would do for now. They didn’t need to understand just how intense my love and connection to Lysander was. That was private and very intimate.
“Gedi, Gedi, Gedi.” The chants were getting louder.
“What’s Gedi?” I asked the group, confused about what the islanders were saying.
Elana chuckled. “Gedi is the Fire God in this region.” She looked over at Lysander and winked before saying, “He’s also their fertility god.”
“Oh, that’s appropriate,” I said before I could censure myself. My full-on blush must’ve helped alleviate the seriousness of the situation, because they all chuckled.
“You’ll need to go over there, Kaden,” Lysander said. “They need to see you. I guess this group will benefit the most from what you just created. They need to be able to thank you.”
I nodded and led Lysander over to the celebration.
The islanders partied for three full days and nights. Other islanders from miles around came to celebrate as well, the party growing more and more by the day. I was sure they celebrated even after we left, but even though the island-building process didn’t wear me out, the parties sure did.
