Air {Elements of Power 3}

Chapter 24: Jasmine

Brae was speaking to me again. I just wished that it was under better circumstances. I sighed as I picked at the worn grey blanket on my bed. It was comforting, at least, to be sat in my old room with Brae at my side. We had both desperately needed a break from the castle and its endless responsibilities. Caleb's house had seemed like the only place to go.

It was strange being back here though. How many times had I sat on this bed, dreaming about who my parents might be? How many times had I cried in front of the mirror when my purple streaks had first started to appear, terrified that I was becoming a monster?

It all felt so distant now. Like a bubble I couldn't quite penetrate. I could remember, but I couldn't recapture the feelings, the rationale. I was unusual, possibly unique, but I was not a monster. I had normal parents, who had loved each other and were torn apart by circumstances outside of their control.

In the space of a few months, I had also loved and lost. I had made some terrible decisions, but I had also made some good choices.

And, right now, it felt like perhaps I hadn't entirely lost my best friend. He was sitting right beside me on my bed, like we were kids again.

"I don't know what to do, Jazz, it's all such a mess." He sighed, looking up at my ceiling, as if hoping for some kind of divine inspiration.

"We can't give Roxy up," I said rationally. I was torn up by what had happened to Devon, but it wasn't Roxy's fault. Besides, nothing was certain. There was every chance that she would survive. I had to keep telling myself that. Devon was going to be fine. She would live. If I could believe in it strongly enough; if I prayed every night; if I killed Cinaer through the slowest, most painful means imaginable, Devon would live.

"I'm not sure that we're going to have a choice."

"Of course we do. You're the King, Brae. You can do whatever you want."

"Right now I feel like it's the opposite-I can't keep Roxy safe because it's what I want. A good King should put his people's needs before his own."

There was a pause. Brae was now staring out of the window, back towards the castle.

"You really care about her, don't you?" He turned to look at me, his eyes creased in pain.

"Jazz-"

"No, Brae, it's okay, really. I would rather you were honest with me. I think, deep down, I always knew that it would be her. That with me it was only... temporary."

He took my hand in his, squeezing it hard. "It wasn't like that at all, Jazz. I promise it wasn't. I care about you so, so much. You are my best friend in the whole world, and you've been like a sister to me my entire life. But the escape from the Helian Realm and everything that happened with Roxy have made me realise that I have been placing unrealistic expectations on you. I expected you to still be the same girl that I played with when I was three. But you're so much more than that now."

"You think I've changed?"

"Don't say it like that. It sounds negative. I think we've both grown up. You've learnt so much over the past few months and you've had to deal with such challenging situations and dilemmas, which you've managed to overcome by yourself. You don't need me, Jasmine. You amaze me in new ways every single day. I will always love you, but, I'm not in love with you, at least not romantically."

"But you were in love with the three year old version of me?" I asked, quizzically. He wasn't making sense.

"Not quite. But I was in love with a you that no longer exists. And that's not a bad thing. The real you, the one that exists now, is so much better. And, if you'll let me, I want to always be your best friend."

"Of course!" I smiled, even though my heart ached more and more as I listened. "And Roxy?"

"Air, I've got no idea. With Roxy, everything's so different, so new. I never have any expectations, because I barely feel as though I know her. She's constantly surprising me. But... I don't think it's going anywhere." He laughed, a dry, humourless laugh. "Air, how could it go anywhere? She's a Helian Princess-she's set to take the Helian throne. And I'm the Arcan king."

I wrapped my arm around his shoulders. "It could be the joining of the two Realms. The first move towards peace."

"I think I'd be ousted from the throne as a traitor."

"Not once we get to Cinaer. Roxy's going to be instrumental in that. The Arcans will see. They're a very accepting Realm." I smiled, looking round my room fondly and thinking of all the kindness I had encountered in this house. "The best Realm."

Brae smiled too, although he still looked sad. "What are we going to do, Jazz? We've been searching for days and there has been no sign of him. I'm not sure how much longer we have before someone makes me give her up."

"Brae!" I almost screamed, excited by the idea that had just come to me. "Perhaps that's exactly what we need to do!"

"Jasmine, have you gone insane? Have you not heard a word I have been telling you? I can't give Roxy up." He looked at me in despair, but I had a plan.

I rolled my eyes. "But you can pretend to. To lure Cinaer out. We can surround the area and attack him as soon as he appears." I could feel the corners of my mouth turning up with excitement.

"I don't know... That sounds a little risky. And surely Cinaer will be expecting something like that."

I smiled broadly. "Well we'll just have to make sure that we're strong enough to take him down, whether he's expecting us or not."

{I hope the Roxy fans find lots to like in this chapter! Please let me know what you think in the comments. As I am only SIX followers away from 2,000 - and very excited about that fact - if I can get to 2,000 before Friday, I will post the next chapter early!}