Earth(67)

We both turned as someone cried out behind us. An older man held his hand aloft, a pair of blood-smeared shears on the ground next to him.

"It's ok." Kassandra glanced at my outstretched hand. "I'll go help."

She rushed away, looking back at me once. It wasn't until I glanced down that I realized I had automatically called the elements. They were just beginning to merge above my palm. I released them before Akasha could take shape. Did she know? If she was an Earth, that would be the only element she would recognize.

I watched as she helped the man wrap his hand, then lead him away.

Should I follow?

I just sat there, full of indecision. In the end, I stayed. Most likely because of her tattoos – acceptance of fate and karma. Something bad might happen if I did follow.

Besides, I turned back to the last crown of broccoli, I have one element left to recover; earth.





Chapter 43





Stalkers





I ignored the sounds of workers around me. Soon the heavy clunk of spades hitting dirt, idle chatter, grunts, and laughter dulled into background noise. Vibrating clacks, high whistles, and low tweaks echoed in my head. These were the sounds of the Earth.

I smiled, letting the music guide me until first molecules, then atoms revealed themselves within the individual grains of dirt. I expanded my own energy field out from my hands as they speared through the soft ground. A small hole formed with perfect depth for my broccoli, and I didn't even get dirt underneath my fingernails.

I set down the plant and pushed the dirt back in around it. My hands fell to my side, brushing a pile of broccoli heads that had gone to flower. Bright yellow petals sprouted from many of them. As I peered closer, one of the leaves dropped off. Tiny seed pods hung underneath. I scooped up a pile of fresh dirt and attempted to pick off one of the seeds with my other hand. My fingers still refused to cooperate. A quick look around to ensure no one was looking, and I used a gust of air to detach the seed from the rest of the crown. It landed square on my pile of dirt.

I squeezed the dirt, concentrating on burying the seed in the deepest part. It was like I was back in the Chakra's walk-in freezer, forcing a seed to grow before I froze to death. This time, it was far easier. Inside, water from the soil rushed toward seed. I squeezed tighter; warmth from my hand soaked through. I felt the seed unfolding, revealing roots and leaves.

I opened my hand, palm up. A few flakes of dirt fell from the sides. The shoot emerged from the surface of the soil until it formed a tiny, budding plant. I touched one of the leaves with my fingertip. The vegetable quivered. Movement drew my eye down the long line of each of the broccoli I had just planted. Leaves were spread wide, and I could swear they were greener. They were all definitely quivering with energy.

My eyes darted to the right and left. So far, no one had noticed. "Stop!" I hissed at the vibrating plants. They didn't, not until I consciously drew back the energy I hadn't realized I was spreading – at least not on such a wide scale.

I took a deep breath, and risked a glance over my shoulder. All backs were turned, except one. Micah's eyes were as green as the broccoli leaves, staring me down from across the lot.

My heart leapt into my throat. He glanced down at my hand. I still held the new seedling.

"Damn it," I huffed to myself. I buried the plant in the row of broccoli, allowing my heart rate to return to normal, then scooped up a few of the overripe, flowering crowns. I walked to the compost bin halfway in between me and Micah and waited for him to join me.

He was wearing an oversized sweatshirt, with a hood pulled up over his head.

"Is this what you call a disguise?" I flicked off his hood as soon as he came close enough.

"Is that what you call a low profile?" He gestured to my patch of broccoli.

"I am an Earth, so that is perfectly explainable."

"And what about the water, or the air that you used?" He dropped his own stash of vegetables in the compost bin.

Someone came up behind Micah for their turn to dump. We both turned and walked away. I grabbed another few handfuls of flowering broccoli.

"Is your wrist okay?" He asked when we both returned. Fruit flies buzzed up from the bin.

I swatted at them. "Yeah, just a few stitches."

"Good," he said, lips pressed tightly together. "We need to get you out of here. It’s too dangerous."

I shook my head. "I don't think I should leave. I could get more intel while we come up with a plan."

He leaned forward. "You're not going to get any intel playing around with broccoli!"

"I'm not, am I?" I dropped the broccoli down in the bin and put my hands to my hips. "I'll get a hell of lot more than you."