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Be safe, Nephews.The ground settled as Life withdrew from our links. My grip on the steering wheel relaxed, and Sylee threw herself against the seat back with a groan.
“That was terrifying. There are cracks in the road back there.” She pointed a thumb behind us. “I’m still not Marcus’ number one fan. This did not help that opinion.”
I gave a chuckle filled with sarcasm and agreement. Marcus would never be my favorite person, but Leo, Leo I hated. Lord Fire had placed Dalton and me in the middle of difficult situations for a long time after he’d almost burned my Air Elemental brother to death. Dalt might not have feared me as much as Leo, but my element had terrified him for the longest time as kids. Sometimes he’d even feared the Fire element as an adult.
“So what’s the plan?” My eyes darted to Cal, who studied Drew’s truck in front of us. Dalton drove the SUV behind mine.
“The Council is putting out a warning to all Light and Neutrals via the radio and televisions. Any way they can spread the word about the Mindolin and the downfall of Rusolo, they’re using. Even though it’s night, people will be evacuating this area. We’ll hit more traffic in a few minutes, but the closer we come to the city, the fewer people will be on the road. We’ll want to do the same. Park the vehicles a few miles out at the least, and then we’ll walk in. My Life element and our Earth Elementals will keep us apprised of bad guys as we walk in.” Cal rubbed at his temples. “Who do we look for first?”
With a gusty sigh, I adjusted myself in my seat. The traffic had begun to pick up as we turned onto the main road, but everyone headed the opposite direction from us and the city. With luck, we’d make good time.
“We know where Jeff and Tessa are. It only makes sense we go to their aid first,” Sylee said from behind me. I hated the idea of not searching for Brynn right away, but we also needed our Healing and Love Elementals. However, we also had a problem with that plan.
“Yeah, but the Mindolin knows where they are too.” That would be the hard part of this whole thing. “We’d be better off looking for Brynn and Archer before finding Jeff and Tessa.”
“He’s going to know we’re coming for them. He’ll be ready. I only hope we’re capable of not dying during round one.” Cal sounded resigned to our bitter fate, and the mood in the vehicle plummeted.
My heart both rejoiced and squeezed tight the closer we drove to Mount Pickett. I hadn’t been with Brynn in months. My wife was a beauty among women. I’d missed her terribly. My arms itched to hold her again. Her smile was radiant.
How did you manage to stay married and yet be gone all the time?Carmon asked from beside me.
It’s never been easy. Ever. Brynn and I would find any opportunity we could to be together. I’d call her when we weren’t on a job, but I feared if I texted then you guys would find out about us. So, she called me when she could from a number not programmed into my phone.
I’m so sorry, Adam.Carmon looked over at me, sorrow filling his eyes. We’d been a mess as children and teenagers. The fault for my marriage being hidden didn’t rest on my brothers but on the shoulders of my mom and uncles.
Looking back, we’d all do things differently, Cal. Going forward, things will be different. Brynn and I won’t have to hide. We can share our lives with the rest of you.That was my wish, anyway.
I look forward to it.
We were five miles from the city when we pulled off the road and parked in a grove of trees. Carmon lit an electric lantern since the girls wouldn’t be able to see in the darkness.
The last few miles had been tense in my car, and I could almost feel the tension emanating from the other vehicles while on the road. The tension still hung in the air between us as we gathered around Cal and his lantern.
“Are we splitting up or staying together?” Dalton held Grace’s hand as Cal explained our less than detailed or thought-out plan. Really, though, until we had any idea what the city looked like, we couldn’t plan well.
“We’re staying together if we can.” Cal strapped knives to his thighs as Drew handed him the weapons. While my brothers and I normally didn’t carry weapons, this time we were going all out.
Chris was outfitting Sophie with weapons and giving the Dark healer quick instructions on how to use them. We’d worked with Sophie a little, but not much—we hadn’t had the time—and Chris’ face showed the stress even though he hid his emotions behind his mental wall. Jazz wasn’t any better off, but she had strength given to her by Marcus.
Sylee and Grace were more comfortable with the weapons, but their mates weren’t any happier than the other men about the girls being forced to use them.
I paced the length of our parking area and pulled out my phone while everyone else weaponed up.
The call rang through until Connor, my Neutral friend we’d left behind at the cabin, answered. “Hey, you guys didn’t make the Elementals happy.”
“We never do. Any luck?”
“She’s not answering, but Hazel keeps trying. Though, if Brynn could answer, she’d have done it by now. Find her, Adam. Hazel is a mess with worry.” Connor didn’t need to say that he was as worried as his wife and I.
“We’ll find her, Connor. Just help keep those babies safe.”
“We will.”
The call ended, and I returned to my siblings to strap a couple small battle axes to my hips. Okay, they weren’t really that small, but compared to my broad six-and-a-half-foot frame, they looked like they fit me well. If Jazz held them—before Marcus had given her super strength—she’d not be able to lift them.
“How do Connor and Hazel know Brynn?” Grace eyed me upon my return. “They keep trying to contact her, which means they know her.”
I nodded. “Yeah, Connor and Hazel know Brynn.” I smiled. “Actually, I know those two because of Brynn. They were her friends, and I was pulled into the group when I met my wife. Connor and Hazel were the witnesses at our wedding.”
