Air: Elementalist Book 1 by Rebecca Wolf (christmas read aloud .TXT) 📗

“No sir, it’s a clean through and through.”

“Great. I’m going to cauterize it, but don’t worry,” he said, looking at me reassuringly, “I have excellent thermal precision. It’s more like using a laser then a heated blade.” He took his index finger and thumb and placed them over the entry and exit points. There was a smell of burning flesh and when he took his fingers away, the bleeding had stopped. Adam continued talking to me as if people cauterizing wounds with their bare hands was an everyday occurrence. For him, maybe it was.

“I’m going to bandage you up and put your arm in a sling.” Said Adam, “you’re going to need to re-bandage it daily, and I’m going to give you a pack of antibiotics. It will probably take about two weeks to heal. Clean it gently. You got all that?”

“Yup,” I said, my mind starting to clear now that the painkiller was kicking in, and I was no longer losing blood.

“I was talking to Penny," he clarified.

“Yes I got that,” said Penny.

“There’s no need for Penny to understand this, Zephyr is coming back with me.” Aiden said peremptorily.

“The hell I am!” I said shrilly.

“Your house is not safe and Penny can hardly protect you when she is the reason your life is in danger.”

“Penny is my best friend and I will not abandon her.”

“Him,” said Penny, who had apparently switched back to her male form.

“Oh, pick a gender already and stick with it for more than two seconds!” I snapped, losing patience with everyone at that point.

“Maybe you should go with him, Zephy. He’s right, I’m not safe to be around right now.”

“Shut up Penny. There is no way I’m leaving you when someone clearly has it out for you.”

Aiden, apparently done with the conversation, made a circular motion with one finger in the air. “Let’s wrap it up!” He called out, as he headed out towards the back exit. I felt the stretcher move as two guards grabbed each end, preparing to take me with them.

“Wait, I’m not coming with you!” I exclaimed stubbornly, as I tried to sit up on the stretcher to hop down. Didn’t we just have this conversation?!

“Tranq, Adam.” Aiden commanded over his shoulder.

“Don’t you dare, Adam!” I said right before I felt a prick in my neck.

“Sorry ma’am, Boss’s orders.”

“Your boss is a jerk,” I managed to slur right before I lost consciousness.

Chapter 16

I woke up in a large white room in a queen sized four-poster bed. God, could I GET more femme fatale right now?? I thought self-deprecatingly as I blinked everything into focus and noticed all the pink frills. Penny leaned over noticing that I was awake.

“Let me guess, were at Aiden’s,” I said dryly.

“Good morning, how are you feeling?” Penny asked tentatively.

I harrumphed a reply.

“Look Zephy, I know your mad, but I think it makes sense you should stay here until we figure out who is after me.”

“You mean, us, Penny.”

“No. I mean me, Zephyr,” Penny said in a tone that brooked no argument. “And for the record, Aiden said that I could stay here too if it makes you feel better.”

“It doesn’t. We’re fine on our own.” I implored her, “seriously, before Aiden came around we were handling things just fine. Now suddenly an elementalist shows up and we need his help? Penny!” I said urgently as an alarming thought formed in my head, “what if Aiden is even the one who is setting this whole thing up?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Zephy,” Penny started before I interrupted her.

“No seriously, I know I sound paranoid, but think about it. I meet Aiden in a field, soon after someone starts harassing you, Aiden tries to get in my good graces, I decline his advances once I find out who he is and suddenly the harassment escalates? In addition, suddenly my half-brother tries to blackmail me into an alliance? What if Aiden and Jonathan are in cahoots? What if Aiden is trying to destabilize our lives so he can act as the knight in shining armor? What if my father’s family already knows who I am and wants me to marry Aiden to strengthen family ties? Maybe Jonathan blackmailed me to CAUSE me to turn to Aiden??” Penny hesitated as she thought about it.

“Wow Zephyr, if that’s the case that would be really messed up.”

“That’s how these elementalists ARE Penny, you know that. They’re all manipulative bastards at the end of the day.”

“Lets not jump to conclusions,” said Penny slowly, “if we are going to figure this out we’re going to have to be super careful how we go about this.”

“We're going to have to act completely normal like we suspect nothing.”

“Yeah, ok. That could be a problem. Aiden is talking about armed detail wherever you go. I would not be surprised if those guards  double as spies, if what you’re saying is the case.”

There was a knock on the door. Both of us went still.

“Yes?” I called out.

“It’s Ms. Dona ma’am, I have your breakfast, may I come in?”

“Ok,” I said. Ms. Dona opened the door, and came in with a tray bearing an assortment of breakfast items. All of them were depressingly healthy. Penny stifled a laugh. She knew what I was thinking.

“Shall I leave it on the nightstand?” She asked politely.

“That will be fine,  Thank you.” I said equally polite. She put the tray down and curtsied before leaving. “Did she just curtsy to me?” I asked incredulously, Penny nodded, snickering.

“Ok, that’s the final straw. We need to get out of here!” I said as I struggled out of bed, careful not to use my left arm. Thankfully, there was coffee on the tray and I gulped down a cup before staggering to the bathroom. I used the toilet, then splashed some water on my face from the sink using my good hand. Out of habit, I looked into the mirror. That was a huge mistake.