A Time to Die (Elemental Rage Book 2) (16 page)

Chapter 14

~~ Jade ~~

Raven was gone. 
They searched. They waited. They asked their Elements for help.

Mindy spent the
last half-hour crying.  She said, “Home. Home. Home.”

Even Claire
finally broke down.  With tears in her eyes, she said, “Jade, we’ve been trying
to reconnect for hours.  We should go home and get Aunt Bertha before it’s too
late.  Remember we can only do this on a full moon.”

It was as if
Claire had dashed a glass of ice water over Jade’s head. She said with slow
shock,  “You’re right.”

The pressure and
fear Jade felt when she realized how tight the timeframe was and how much time
they had wasted so far nearly immobilized her.  Zach put his arm across her
shoulders, “Jade, I’ll drive.  Let’s get to Aunt Bertha. She’ll know what to
do.”

She handed him the
keys, feeling a sense of distance from everything. Fire hadn’t been answering
for hours.  Neither had Air.  Earth and Water knew only that Raven had gone
through the portal, but not what happened to her.

Jade was
exhausted, drained.  She leaned against Zach, taking strength from his
embrace. 

“Thank you.”

Jade used all of her
energy in the attempt to reopen the portal. Now she just closed her eyes and
let Zach drive.  She felt defeated and drained. 

Hopeless.

The minute the
phones reconnected, Claire was playing with it.  She said, “I have a message.”

Claire listened, a
bright smile widening across her face, “It’s Mom!  It’s Mom and she’s okay. 
Raven’s going to the hospital because of a WOLF bite! Can you believe it?  She
said we should be careful because the wolves might still be out there.  Don’t
talk to Harold at all.  Run if we see him, and tell Aunt Bertha when we get the
message. But they’re both okay.  They’re here on Earth.”

Jade sat up,
pulling her phone out of her pocket.  She listened to Mom’s message.  It was
the same as Claire’s, but hearing Mom’s voice again felt so good.

Mindy chimed in
sleepily from the back, “Mom?”

Jade grinned,
“Yes, Cricket, Mom’s fine. Go back to sleep.  We’ll see her soon.”

The atmosphere in
the car changed instantly from a glum, hopeless oppression to joy and laughter
and joking.

Jade put her hand
on Zach’s knee for the first time, nearly resulting in a car wreck because he
was so surprised. 

When they arrived
home, Claire and Mindy immediately climbed out of the car.  Jade waited. She
said, “Do you want to come in?”

“Yes.” As Jade
turned to open the driver’s door, Zach grabbed her hand with an almost
desperate urgency, “I want us to keep dating. I am what I am, but I don’t think
that means being your enemy. Will that be enough?”

Green eyes met
grey. Jade realized that she didn’t just feel attraction for Zach, there was
something else, something deeper, an undercurrent of trust.  A Death Keeper who
worked with Elementals to save their mother.  A Death Keeper who gave up his
power to save her life. 

A man that she was
falling in love with.

Jade put her hand
on his cheek and leaned in to kiss his lips.  She longed for him in ways that
she could never have expected. Their lips touched. It was gentle and sweet at
the surface. Beyond that in deep undercurrents she felt passion and longing
slowly build inside.

He drew her
closer.

From outside the
car, Claire said in disgust, “Come on, Guys. Get a room.”

That dampened the
moment again, especially when Mindy echoed, “Room.”

Jade pulled away,
taking a deep breath.  She was home.

~~ Aunt Bertha ~~

The news of Amy’s
escape was certainly exciting, but Aunt Bertha worried over the release of
Petrodus.  Such evil could not be easily contained. The girls woke her up,
excitedly telling her about their experience on the mountain, how they had
spent hours trying to get Raven back and how on the long journey home, in
complete despair, they had checked their messages and found Mom.

From despair to
joy, the girls couldn’t get enough of repeating the story of their Mom’s
voicemail in their darkest hour.

Aunt Bertha hurt. 

Her body felt
heavy despite the good news. She was happy, relieved that Amy was safe, but the
cost was higher than anyone had guessed.  Bertha knew that Petrodus was evil in
a way that very few people are, a psychopath with the kind of power that
devastated entire peoples. He was not one to let loose on the world. Her girls
had done it.

Aunt Bertha’s back
was on fire.  The girls were already planning a trip to the hospital to see
Raven.  Bertha could have called them on their self-delusion. They cared for
Raven, yes, but they all really wanted their Mom. 

Bertha sat in her
arm chair, trying to be stoic.  It wouldn’t do to have Mindy see her curled up
in agony.  Mindy was so sensitive.   After everyone was settled, Zach drove
home. As the excitement died down, the girls yawned and one by one excused
themselves to their rooms.

Bertha was glad to
be alone, and then felt guilty for the depth of relief that she felt as Jade
closed the door to her room. Sometimes Bertha didn’t want to be strong.
Sometimes she just wanted to sob and sleep and take medications that conked her
out until it was over.  Her girls needed her.  Maybe with Amy back, she could
rest more.

Let’s get
through today.
Bertha said to herself.

She stayed awake
all night, listening for wolves, watching for danger.  She opened the blinds to
the huge picture windows and watched the sun lift itself over the mountains,
never tired, always joyfully golden and ready for morning.  Shards of pink and
orange blazed over the purple.  It was a good morning.  Bertha could almost
forget that she was dying.

The thing about
dying was that she kept wondering if it was her last.  This sunrise was so
beautiful, Bertha was determined to enjoy it. Yes, she did wonder if it was her
final sunrise.  It was a normal thing. 

Watching the
clouds change from pink to gold and the sky lighten, Bertha felt at peace.  No
matter what happened, she would be okay.

~~ Jade ~~

Jade crawled out
of bed at the crack of ridiculous.  She heard a thump.  Rubbing her eyes, she
made her way to the living room.  Aunt Bertha sat in her chair, staring out the
window.

“Aunt Bertha? Are
you okay?” Jade asked. 

Her great aunt
turned, and for a moment it seemed as if the sun was shining from her.  An
instant later the shine was gone and Jade wondered if she had imagined it. 
Aunt Bertha said, “I dropped my cane. I was going to wander outside and get
some fresh air, watch the back side of the sunrise.”

“We’ll go out
together.” Jade said.

Picking up
Bertha’s cane, Jade held her arm out.  It took a few tries for Bertha to get to
her feet.  She clung to Jade. The thought crossed Jade’s mind that Bertha had
grown more frail.  She tried to stomp it out of her mind. 
Aunt Bertha is
strong.  She’ll be here for many years to come.

Jade led Bertha
outside, carefully helping her down the three steps to the back yard. Aunt
Bertha hadn’t been in the back for almost a year.  It occurred to Jade when she
exclaimed over the diversion Claire had made of the creek.  The pond just
beyond the lawn was larger than it had been, the gurgling brook a thing of the
past.

The air was cold
and tasted like winter.

Aunt Bertha patted
Jade’s arm, “You’ve been through a lot this year.  I just want you to know how
much I love you and how proud that I am of you.  I’m proud of all you girls.”

Jade smiled, “I
love you, too.”

Aunt Bertha didn’t
stay outside long.  It was too cold and the beautiful colors in the sky were
already fading. Jade helped her climb the stairs and walk down the hall.  She
had a memory of Aunt Bertha playing Chutes and Ladders with her.  It didn’t
seem like that long ago.

“Would it be okay
if I skip school and borrow the car today?  I’d like to visit Raven.” Jade helped
Bertha sink back into the arm chair.

“Of course.  Drive
carefully, especially in the city. Pay attention to the one way streets and
left turns with two lanes.” Aunt Bertha said and then hesitated for a moment. 
She asked, “Before you leave, would you help me get changed into pajamas and
settled into bed?  I didn’t sleep well last night.  I’m not sure I’m strong
enough to get back there alone.”

It was a huge
admission.  Jade didn’t want to believe it.  This was the first time Aunt
Bertha had ever asked for help. Aunt Bertha, who cooked dinner when Mom worked
late at the flower shop, who helped Claire sew her costume on Halloween, whose
boundless energy kept Mindy entertained on Mindy’s tough days. 

Jade smiled softly
and nodded, “Whenever you’re ready,” she said.

Bertha said, “I’d
like to wait until Claire and Mindy are awake.  Just to say good morning. They
can miss school, too.  Just this once.”

Jade chuckled. 
They had missed school ‘just this once’ a lot since Mom’s disappearance.  Bertha
just wasn’t as strict as her Mom…or maybe Bertha cared more about the Elements than
school.

Jade scrambled
eggs and toasted English muffins for everyone.  Aunt Bertha ate in her arm
chair with Mindy and Claire on the sofa right on either side.  No one scolded
Mindy for the egg crumbs at her feet. The siblings were truly happy for the
first time since their Mom disappeared. Sure, Raven was hurt pretty bad.  She
had to get skin grafts and rabies shots and her leg was broken, but she was
alive, and a heroine. And Mom was HOME!

Jade collected the
dishes while Aunt Bertha spoke quietly to Claire and Mindy, giving them advice
and telling them how much she loved them.  Jade couldn’t help but think that it
sounded an awful lot like goodbye, especially when Aunt Bertha told Claire,
“Now, you tell Raven how dearly I love her and that I’m sorry I won’t be able
to see her in the hospital.  It’s a long drive for these old bones.”

“You’re not old,”
Claire chided.  Jade smiled from the kitchen. Only Claire could sound so
offended at such a true statement.

“Just you tell her
and don’t worry about my crickety self,” Aunt Bertha said.

“I’m Cricket.”
Mindy said proudly, holding her head high.

“I love you, too,
Cricket” Aunt Bertha said.  “Now Jade’s going to help me get to bed and you
girls are all going to the hospital to see Raven and your mother.”

“No…” Mindy
whined, “Stay.”

Jade sighed.  It
was too good a moment to last. She said, “Don’t you want to visit Mom and
Raven?”

Mindy shook her
head.

Jade looked from
Bertha to Mindy.  Bertha was no longer in any condition to baby-sit Mindy, and
even if she was seven, Mindy sometimes acted much younger.  She couldn’t be
left unsupervised. Swallowing her disappointment, Jade said, “Okay. Maybe we’ll
all stay home.”

“No.” Aunt Bertha
said, “Mindy. I hear Earth telling you to stay.  You tell Earth I’ll be fine. 
There’s nothing anyone can do to help me.  You wipe your tears and go with your
sisters to the hospital.”

Mindy went very
quiet for a minute.  Jade could almost hear Earth’s low, rumbling voice.  Pressing
her lips together and crossing her arms, Mindy said, “Not safe.”

“Honey, I’m
dying.  It’s not safe for me anywhere,” Aunt Bertha lifted her arms to Mindy.

Mindy crawled into
Aunt Bertha’s lap before Jade could stop her.  She knew Aunt Bertha hurt.  She
could tell by the way her smile had that grimacing edge at the corners of her
mouth. Mindy huddled on Bertha’s lap and said, “Not safe.”

“I know. You need
to go with Jade and Claire to see your Mom,” Aunt Bertha said gently.

Shaking her head,
Mindy said, “No. Stay.”

Jade
really
wanted to see Mom, needed to see her, but she wouldn’t leave Aunt Bertha alone
to take care of Mindy, not when she was feeling so poorly. She was just about
to change plans when Claire said, “I’ll stay home with her.  Aunt Bertha can
rest, and you can take Mom and Raven care packages from all of us.”

It was a huge
sacrifice for Claire.  Jade knew that. Claire loved Raven best of all her
sisters. Jade said,  “Thanks Claire.  That really means a lot.”

Jade helped Bertha
wash up and change into pajamas, and then got Claire and Mindy settled with the
latest Ice Age movie and fresh popcorn.  It was ten in the morning before she
was on the road to the hospital forty-five minutes away.  In the back seat she
had a box filled with snacks, books, and clothes.  The girls basically put
together anything Raven and Mom would need or want for an extended stay. 

“I’ll be back
before dinner.  Let Aunt Bertha sleep.  No arguments or you’ll suffer the Wrath
of Mom,” Jade hugged her sisters.  They had gotten a lot more huggy lately. She
drove away feeling a strange sense of disconsolation, and a bit torn in two. 
She wanted to stay home with Claire, Mindy, and Aunt Bertha.  But at the same
time, she really wanted, no, needed, to see Mom.    

~~ Raven ~~

The Universe hated
Raven.  She knew this as she waited in the Emergency room, a small private room
in the middle of the hall of a huge floor, because to add embarrassment to
injury, her chastity belt swimsuit, the metallic awesome block that kept
Petrodus from taking her virginity…could not be cut off.  No, it could not. 
Not for lack of trying. Maybe it was too awesome. Maybe Jade would have a laugh
with her about it later.  For now, she was humiliated.

The nurses and
orderlies left to find something a little more powerful.  Raven imagined them
coming back with a chain saw and decided she was going to take it off herself.
She made her Mom help her. The swimming suit had been a lot more flexible when
she put it on.  Raven would have to remember flexibility if she ever needed a
chastity belt again.  With her Mom’s help, she managed to remove it before the
nurses returned.