Air {Elements of Power 3}

Chapter 23: Roxy

Jasmine was off before anyone could say anything. All we could do was follow in her wake. Brae overtook me almost immediately, his feet flying across the pavement. By the time I had turned the corner, he was ahead of Jasmine too.

The most recent burst of flames had signalled the end of the current Helian assault and had proven that they definitely had more than one drakon patrolling the skies. When I reached the site of the latest attack, Brae was bending over a figure on the ground. A girl with hair of shimmering silver.

"Devon!" Jasmine screamed beside me, rushing to her side. I moved forwards, but another Arcan blocked my path. He wasn't a Protector; he was just a boy. But his eyes were rimmed red and his hands were balled into fists.

"She's been hurt. Your people hit her in the attack."

I looked over his shoulder, towards the others, but Brae and Jasmine were both bent over the motionless figure, their attention completely diverted.

"My people? What the flames is that supposed to mean? I'm not the one doing this. I'm not up there attacking you with drakons. In case your head was too full of air for you to notice, they're after me just as much as you. I'm standing here helping you!" A small part of me realised that I shouldn't have let myself get so angry with him; he was upset and wasn't thinking clearly. But I couldn't help it. The attack, the destruction, the drakon and now this; it was just too much.

Flames threatened to spill from my fingers but I fought to control them. Not now. Fire wouldn't help. It would only make him think of the attacks, of the destruction.

"No, you're not." He came closer, eyes blazing, fists poised ready for a fight. I relaxed back into a fighting stance. If he was so keen for things to get physical, I was ready too.

"There's only one thing you could do to help us-to help her-and you haven't done it. If you had any shred of decency, any sense of morals, you would hand yourself over to them. That would stop the attacks, the fighting, the death. All of this is because of you. All of it is your fault."

"Who the flames do you think you are anyway?" He was only a foot away now, but I kept the flames back-he didn't have any powers, so it would be unfair-and unnecessary-to use mine on him.

"Brody Jones. And Devon," he said, swinging the first punch, which I dodged with ease, "is my girlfriend."

"Brody. Calm down," Brae said. He had finally noticed that something was wrong. His face was grim.

"I won't calm down! Didn't you see her over there! She's so still, Brae, she's barely breathing! The burns, oh Air, the burns!" He dissolved into tears but still went in for another hit, which I parried, gripping his wrist in my hand and twisting his arm behind his back, jerking it up just enough to bring him down to the floor.

"It's not my fault they hurt your girlfriend. You want to get angry with someone? Then go out there and find Cinaer."

He got to his feet rubbing his arm. His face was even redder than before. I had hurt his pride more than his arm.

He looked over at Brae, his eyes alight with fury. "Are you going to pick her over your own people? This isn't the last you'll hear of this, Your Highness." He sneered the last two words, causing Cameron, who was walking towards us, to tense. Brae himself remained emotionless, drained. "I will take my grievance to the Elders. This has gone on long enough. The Helian has to go." With that, he stalked back over to Devon, pushing Jasmine out of the way.

"How is she?" Brae asked as Jazz approached, rubbing her own arm where Brody had lashed out against her.

She shook her head. "She's alive, but it's not good. She must have taken the full brunt of that last blast of flames. I've never seen burns so bad. The medics are almost here though. They'll fix her up in no time." She tried to smile, but the tears brimming her eyes gave her true fears away.

"We were doing so well." She started to sob, losing control. "The lightning-we brought one down-we found out what they were doing. We were winning!" Tears flowed down her cheeks, making her eyes seem to glow electric blue.

Brae went to her side at once, wrapping her in his arms and holding her close. My stomach constricted at the sight, but I forced myself to remain calm. They were friends, they had always been close. It made sense for him to comfort her, it didn't mean that they...

Stupid, Roxy. You had your chance. You blew it.

No. This had been exactly why I couldn't let him kiss me. He had to kiss me because he wanted to kiss me. Not because he and Jazz were fighting and he couldn't kiss her. I was worth more than that. I had done the right thing.

So why did it suddenly feel so wrong?

Brae was stroking Jasmine's hair softly, whispering comforting words into her ear.

I needed to get away; now, before I exploded.

"Fancy walking back up to the castle together?" Tris said at my side, offering me his arm. His own face was curiously dark.

I nodded mutely and let him lead me away.

{Short chapter to tide you over until Friday. Did Roxy make the right choice? Or is this attack going to bring Jasmine and Brae back together? Please vote/comment to let me know what you think.}