Page 37 of Fire Touched
Moira’s eyes snap wide. ‘O…kay. Katie. Honey, it’s just water.’
‘No!’ I shout. No more water. No more. No. No. Please.
Moira gently pries my hands away and holds me close, her fire heating us both. For a short while, we stay that way until my breathing evens out.
I drift off into a restless sleep, half-awake. Only partially aware, I feel Moira move, get up off the bed. The door creaks. Elijah’s familiar voice. ‘Is she okay?’
‘No, she’s certainly not,’ Moira whispers back. ‘This is more than what happened last night. I think… she and Carter are somehow suffering from the same thing.’
A pause.
‘What is it?’ Moira says, voice low.
‘I think….’ A sigh. ‘Damn it. I think Killian did something. I think it’s their bond. Something’s happened to it.’
‘What makes you say that?’ Sharp inhale. ‘Eli, are those burns? What happened?’
‘Killian did. He’s not himself,’ Elijah whispers. ‘I hate to say it, but I think he’s responsible for this, somehow.’ Pause. ‘Is she… going to be okay to create the wave? The Water wolves will be here soon.’
‘No,’ Moira says. ‘She’s not. In fact, I don’t think she’ll be using that power again. Not anytime soon.’
‘Then we’re screwed.’ Elijah pauses. ‘Can I talk to her? We need to know what’s going on.’
‘You can try. Just… be careful.’
Soft footfalls cross the room. I try to burrow into the darkness, the sweet oblivion of sleep, but weight shifts on the bed. A gentle brush of fingertips on my forearm. ‘Hey, Katie, are you awake?’
My eyes flutter open, everything a daze. My heart aches terribly. Tears well in my eyes. ‘Something… hurts.’ I’ve come to look on Elijah as an older brother. He’s always known me and understood what I needed.
His green eyes are soft as he takes me in. ‘I know, I’m sorry.’ He shuffles closer to me on the bed, Moira looking at us with concern behind him. ‘Can you tell me more about it?’ His hand slides into mine and gives a squeeze. ‘It’s okay, you’re safe in here, sweetie.’
I glance at the shattered glass, the spilled water on the floor.
‘I’ll get it,’ Moira murmurs. She starts cleaning it up.
Elijah squeezes my hand again. ‘Look at me.’ His voice is soft. ‘Talk to me. What are you feeling?’
Too many things. I feel too wet. Too moist. The slight greasiness of my hair. The sweat still clinging to my skin. The moisture on my lips. My heart. God, the pain. I press my free hand to my chest, a sob wracking through me. ‘It hurts.’ I lift my gaze, Moira’s words from earlier sinking in. ‘Is Carter…?’
‘The same.’ Elijah’s eyes are dark with worry. ‘I think… something’s happened to your bond. But one thing at a time. Katie, honey, what happened to you last night?’
‘In the river?’ My voice is small. Elijah is one of the most down to earth people I have ever known. Always easy to talk to. Not over protective or overbearing. Just… there.
‘In the river,’ he says gently.
‘I was… called there.’ A shiver passes over me at the memory. ‘Like… a trance. I didn’t know what I was doing. I kept hearing voices, telling me to go deeper, and I couldn’t… it’s like I wanted to, even though I knew it was too much.’ I nearly gag, remembering the water pushing into my mouth. I shake my head.
‘Okay.’ Elijah squeezes my hand once more. ‘You know what we’re going to do? We’re going to get you something to eat, maybe a coffee. Get you moving. Perhaps being near Carter will help you both.’
A sudden thought jams into me. I yank my hand away. ‘No. No Water.’
Moira raises her head, having cleaned up. ‘No, you don’t have to have water—’
I lean back. ‘No.’
‘Oh.’ Elijah exchanges a look with Moira. ‘Water. She means him. Ella, too. They’re Water.’
No. I sidle back on the bed, trying to get away.