Air {Elements of Power 3}

Chapter 52: Roxy

The meeting room was buzzing with energy. Everyone had an input, a brilliant idea or strategy that they had to get across. Everyone knew the best way to kill Cinaer.

I drummed my fingers against the table, bored out of my mind.

Brae looked across at me sympathetically. He was supposed to be in charge, but he couldn't get a word in edgeways. To think I had got up early for this. I should have stayed snuggled under the covers, out of the cold.

Sunlight streamed through the open window, accompanied by a chilled breeze. It seemed to be growing colder by the day. Brae said that it was starting to snow outside of the city. Snow! I had heard about it before, of course, but I had never experienced it. I had never encountered something so cold. I didn't know whether I was excited about it or not-it didn't sound very comfortable.

Jasmine hadn't even shown up to this morning's meeting. She had made a wise decision.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, the double doors to the room crashed open.

Jasmine stood in the entrance way, still in her pyjamas. Her hair was wild, her feet were bare. She had a crazed, frantic look in her eyes. I had never seen her like this before. She was always so careful, so cautious. Bits of violet stuck up everywhere; even more than yesterday if possible. What the flames had happened to her?

I stood up at the same time as Brae, but Queen Aurelia got to her first. She took her by the arm and guided her towards a chair which one of the Elders speedily vacated for her. "Jasmine, what's wrong?" Aurelia stroked her hair, looking at her in concern.

"Tristan," the word came out as a whimper. "Tris..." Jasmine was shaking. Her face had paled, her bottom lip was sore and bloody where she had bitten down on it.

"Tristan?" I asked, crouching down beside her. "What's wrong? Is he back?"

She shook her head frantically. "Cin," was the only word she could get out.

"Cin? Jasmine, what do you know? You have to tell us!" Brae was beside her too, his hand on her shoulder.

"I... I saw them." She swivelled round to look at him, her eyes an intense blue. "They were in the woods. Cin... Cin found Tris..."

"How do you know, Jasmine?" Brae asked, his eyebrows creased together.

"Sea Dreams." It was Rowan, the Brizan Protector, who spoke. "You had another dream, didn't you Jasmine?" He was standing on the other side of the table and Jasmine looked up, shocked, when he spoke. She glanced around the room jerkily, as if only just noticing how many people were there.

Her eyes locked on to Rowan's, she nodded.

Brae groaned. "So Cinaer has Tristan?"

She nodded again.

"Back to the drawing board then guys, and it looks like we're a man down too." He started to step away from Jasmine, his head in his hands.

"Hang on a second, Brae," I said, watching Jasmine. "I think there's more."

She nodded once again. "I... I know where they are."