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Ideas?Dalton’s fists tightened.I’m not a leader.
You’re doing great. I’ve got your back.I did that job well.
Protect Grace, please. I have a feeling this isn’t ending well for me.Dalton took a step forward, and Grace shook.
I’ve got her.No, this wouldn’t end well for any of us. However, the Mindolin didn’t seem intent on killing us like we’d been told. Would that end when we continued to decline his offer?
“Stand down, Mindolin.” Dalton gave the order, and the creature laughed.
“You think that’s my name, don’t you? That’s all you’ve ever been told.” He shook his head. “I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“What are you talking about?” Dalton asked, and the Mindolin’s smile faded.
“Time to act, Dalton. Join with me and rule, or be punished.” Dalton shook his head at the offer. “Fine.”
I leaped forward to my brother’s aid, but the other man acted too quickly, faster than he should have been able to. Fast like Chris.
Blades flew through the air, striking Dalton in the chest and abdomen. They exited my brother, and I couldn’t stop them as they hit me. The sting wasn’t as bad as I’d thought, but as I caught Dalton and Grace screamed, I realized why I hadn’t been hurt. He’d thrown ice knives. My skin had melted them.
A half-dozen injuries oozed blood as Dalton gripped my shirt in his hand. The Mindolin laughed.
“What about you, Adam? What do you say about helping me?”
A dark twinkle shone in the monster’s eyes. We were missing something. Something big. A feeling deep in my gut told me Mom and her siblings had a lot they hadn’t shared yet.
I didn’t answer the man’s question. “We were given the impression you wanted me dead. That’s what you told Tessa and Jeff.”
The Mindolin shrugged his shoulders like he hadn’t threatened my life. “I’d planned to take your life the moment I saw you. However, I’ve discovered how in the dark your mother and her bratty siblings have kept you and your brothers. It’s this reason you, Jeff, Carmon, and Dalton are not dead. Go home. Talk to Clara. I’ll be here when you want to repent of your decision to not work with me.”
He smiled, and in the next blink, we were at the tree line outside the city. Dalton groaned in my arms, and Grace moved to his side as I looked around.
Those who’d gone through the door ahead of us were also present. Chris and Sophie ran to each other when Cal was laid on the ground. Drew also laid Jeff down, and Tessa checked on him.
“Sophie!” I called to the healer, the only one we had on hand.
Her and Chris’ reunion came to a halt as the sun began to rise. She hurried to Dalton and began healing him as I laid him down.
Brynn’s friend, tears streaming down her face, was back by Brynn’s side. “I thought I was going to lose you. I thought he’d kill you all. Why didn’t you follow us? You should have. You’re not a fighter, Brynn. You’re Neutral, and I don’t mean that as an insult. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to get after you. You just scared me.”
Cal was still down. Jeff was out. Dalton lay on the grass groaning in pain.
I had Drew and Chris to work with along with the ladies, who all seemed whole. Plus, there was the group of kids we’d saved along with Brynn and Archer.
My eyes locked with Drew, and he began walking my way. I turned to Brynn where she was holding her upset friend. Her hazel eyes were confused, worried, and afraid.
“I have to talk with Drew. Carmon’s down, which means I’m in charge and Drew’s my second in command. Are you okay?” She wouldn’t be okay, not really, but I needed to know she wasn’t hurt.
“Go do your thing. I’ll hold it together until you’re done.” Her smile was weak, but I appreciated her effort.
Drew and I walked a few feet from the group and turned back to survey them all.
“Why didn’t he kill us?” Drew asked. “He could have. The power coming off him was like nothing I’ve felt outside of Life’s power.”
“I didn’t notice. What I did notice was his use of our elements. He used Air to close the door and Water to injure Dalt. I’m not sure what he did to Cal. All I do know is Cal tried to kill the Mindolin with his Life element.” I ran a hand through my nearly black hair. “He knows us, Drew. He knows Mom and the Elementals.”
“How?” Drew kept a close eye on his mate, who was helping Sophie and Grace with Dalton. There was nothing Drew and I could do to help the healer, so we stayed out of her way. She’d saved Chris from worse than this, so we’d allow her space.
“I don’t know, but he didn’t destroy us because we’re out of the loop on information. Probably how he knows our family.”
