Note: Oh, my gosh! Do you see that picture up there? Yes, my dear friend JonaDaylight  drew it for this book. She is a super talented artist and writer, also an amazing friend I made on Wattpad. I cannot thank her enough for this art. Do check her profile out. She has an amazing fantasy book where all the humans are extinct. Heartfelt thank you for this, Jo!
P.S. Look at Amelia lol. I died laughing. 

~Happy Reading❤✨~

***

"So, do you want me to take you to the Liberan embassy or to the ball?" Una enquired at us when we reached closer the spot where the tree had befallen. It was just a couple of hours short of sunrise, the sky covered in a golden-bluish haze. I wasn't sure whether Violette and the rest would be waiting for us or not, and even if they weren't, the Libra Embassy was just a short walk away from the Gemini's.

"Ball," We both chorused together, Serena in the middle of a yawn.

"Ball, it is."

We passed the newly resuscitated birch tree, and I saw Una gazing at it, her head turned in its direction. My eyes met Serena's and she pursed her lips, her brown eyes scheming.

Serena asked in what seemed like a rather unnecessary attempt of distracting the Lady, "Una, were most of the Defensors trained together at Terraskee? You all seem like good friends."

Una answered craning back her neck slightly towards Serena, "Well, not all. I was a few years ahead of Orella, Eaton's brother Angus, and Adrian's sister Arlette. But I knew them nevertheless. But I was good friends with Nigel, Terran, Gareth, Adrian, the Gemini twins, and also Eaton. For a while. I was mostly trained with the girls so I never really could hang out with them."

"And what about the Summer's Defensors?" I asked suddenly intrigued.

She snorted before she answered, "Well, since the Summer Realm does not send their fire babies over to train at our establishment, no one really knows them," she shook her head and added, "But we do know now, that the King of their Realm is an oaf." We all burst out laughing at her words, heartily agreeing.

We reached the Gemini embassy's palace and entered hastily inside. Searching for our team, I instructed Serena, "I will check out the grounds once, you look around the other card-rooms. If we don't find them, let's just go back to our chambers." She nodded in response and moved past me to enter another room.

"I'll come with you, come on." Una said and in a stride was ahead of me. The ballroom was scarce of people, most of them lazing on the couches. I heard snores from a corner and couldn't help but chuckle. As I stepped out in the open ground again, I felt a sense of déjà vu encircling me. We walked past a group of people huddled around a bonfire, and turned around, finding ourselves in the backyard of the palace. It was a wide-open space, teeming with huge trees on one side and some wooden chairs and tables neatly arranged near the back-door.

"I think they left," I shrugged and turned to look at Una. Her dark eyes glowing in the faint blackness of the surroundings. What caught my eye, was the glowing red-ruby of her wand, stuck to her side pocket.

"Why do you have a red-ruby wand?" I asked silently.

"Because I'm from the House of Virgo, silly," she huffed.

"Oh, right."

So, the woman who was being held captive the other day must also be from Virgous, if the wand that I had found discarded on the ground, truly belonged to her. Should I inform Una? But what if it was the black soldier's wand? I dismissed the idea instantly.

I had also missed the opportunity to inform Prince Nova about the conspiring mystery man, I had heard talking on the staircase. My face must have given away my awry thoughts as she asked, "What's wrong, Eleni?"

"Nothing. I was just..." My sentence was stopped short as I saw a tall figure from over her shoulders, approaching us. My heart thumped loudly, with a feeling of delight mingled with dread.

Una turned too following my gaze, and I felt her body go stiff, similar to the intruder's.

"Hey, Doran," I waved awkwardly and cursed myself for the dumbness.

"I thought you left," he said with a rough voice and a wary glance at the Defensor at my side.

Una looked between us; her face genuinely twisted with confusion. Awkward.

"So," Una spoke finally, "you friends?"

Doran's eyes met mine, the intensity in them made me blink, and before I could answer, he did, "Of course. But it seems like Eleni maintains a balance of good and bad friends." He was sporting a clear smirk now.

I could sense the cutting tension in the air, as both the royals were eyeing each other with blazing eyes.

"Oh, clearly. We all know who the bad one is, Fire Prince." She spat the last words like one throws a dagger well-aimed.

She had made it very clear, in the short span of time that I knew her, that she, like the entire Autumn Realm, hated the sight of any Fire Elemental, and I was getting a burning demonstration of it. The feeling was mutual for them, as I clearly understood.

Doran stood higher looking at her with deadly eyes, his lips quivering with anger, I had never seen before.

I knew I had to intervene and moved forward to stand between them, my arms opened wide, "If it helps, you're both my good friends." I laughed awkwardly.

But their eyes were still affixed onto each other, tensed and suspicious. The feud was serious.

"This doesn't concern you, Eleni, step back," Una commanded and I pursed my lips taking a step back, hesitantly.

"Oh, it does concern her, alright, earthling," uttered Doran, with a scowl, "She clearly doesn't know who to make friends with."

I raised a brow at him slightly offended, but he didn't even spare me a glance.

"And what are you, her guardian?" Una took a step closer to him, her scowl matching Doran's.

"Uh, folks, I am standing right here," I raised my voice a bit, frowning involuntarily, and that got their fickle attention.

He said looking at me, "Eleni's smart enough to take care of herself, but I'd suggest her," he turned his gaze to Una, "being mindful of freaks."

"Well, if you're so perfect," Una tilted her head faking innocence, "why have we never met in the ring of the Conquest yet?" She batted her eyelashes at him coyly.

I froze on the spot, staring at Una with open mouth. She had stung him with the most venomous arrow in her arsenal. This was going downhill faster than any ship that had sunken in the Arborika. I slowly moved my head to look at Doran. 

My heart sank as I saw his face, it was void of any expression, but his eyes betrayed his feelings. I opened my mouth to speak to him, but closed it, not wanting to fuel his already flaming fire. This was getting scary.

"Er, Una, can you take me to my embassy?" I stuttered in a desperate attempt to stop this disaster of a meet-cute. She didn't answer. Heavens knew how much I needed Serena here, she would have known the right thing to say.

Doran suddenly took a step forward and with an uncompromising calm he blurted, "Let's. Bring. That. Ring. Here."

Una smirked, coming closer to him, shoulder-to-shoulder and drawled, "Feeling brave, are we?"

"Less words, more action, islander." His gaze not wavering from hers, he took a few steps back and raised his hands. Tilting his chin up, he gestured her to get ready.

Una smirked wider, and I screamed, "What is wrong with you two? Stop, right now."

They both looked at my pleading, horrified eyes, and Doran spoke, his face a tad gentler, "If I were you, I'd not stay to watch."

I felt anger bubbling over me, "And if I were you, I wouldn't be creating a scene in the middle of nowhere," I glanced at Una too, "about a centuries old feud that doesn't even matter anymore."

"It does matter, Eleni," Una said with gritted teeth.

"That I agree with," Doran gave a smug smile to Una, and right then, they both blasted off their elements.

I was forced to move backwards, as a flaming burst of fire swung over to Una and she absorbed it on her rock-hard back. She had turned all spiky again. But that hadn't stopped the flames from burning her at places.

She turned with vicious glare at him, patting at her waist that had been lightly blistered.

"Stop. Please." I beseeched yet again, but it fell on deaf ears. They didn't even have any armors on. 

Una swirled her fingers and a ring formed around Doran; it was the same trick that she had performed on Prince Nova in the duel. Tiny-pointed stones flew out of the soil and pierced Doran's skin. I saw blood oozing out of his temple, and felt him holding in a scream of agony. There was nothing that I could do to stop them, they were overpowering each other full-fledged. Relief flooded me, as he put the circle on fire, and the onslaught of stones stopped.

The image of him standing in a blazing circle of fire, his hands flaming with heat and eyes as red as burning coal, would never leave my mind. His powers were swirling in the air, dancing around me. He matched Una, element to element. I could sense the strength of his Elementation and couldn't help but be in awe.

Why wasn't he in the Conquest?

He snapped his hands in a quick movement, and the warmth of his fire reached to where I was standing, like a massive swooshing wave. I feared for Una, but I knew she was capable of fending for herself. Nevertheless, this was going too far.

I badly wanted to make this stop. An impulse came over me.

"Eleni, No." A feminine scream fell over my ears from a distance, but I didn't pay any heed.

I raised my hands and focused on the trees behind me, without turning back. I could feel them humming, willing to power me up. I took control of two sturdy branches and whispered in the back of my head, "Seize!"

The strong, wooden branches of the cedar trees stretched ahead, their length multiplying and as they passed from my side, I made them diverge to reach both Una and Doran. I swirled my fingers and clasped them in a tight fist; the branches obeying my command, curled themselves around both the fighters' waists. I sent the branches an image of getting clasped around both their hands. And they followed suit.

They both were now unable to move, and I huffed with what felt like pride.

I raised my eyes to Una, as she struggled under the grasp of the branches, and then at Doran, who wasn't moving at all. I blinked suddenly, getting out of my trance.

Doran was staring at me with shock in his eyes, the look was of pure terror. I heard footsteps approaching me, it was Serena. Her words rang around me, but I couldn't comprehend anything.

He kept looking at me unblinking, and I could hear the thoughts bubbling over in his head. This is not what he had expected. I was not what he had expected.

I commanded the branches to let him loose, and as the branches drooped lower, he slowly looked at them fall to the ground. When he raised his head to look at me again, an understanding clicked in me. In both of us.

I saw him attempting to speak, and close his lips.

But when he finally whispered, "You're an Earth Elemental," it was enough to shake the ground beneath me.

I was one of his enemies now. Of the Autumn Realm.

"Eleni. Eleni. Are you listening?" I finally registered Serena's voice and turned reluctantly to look at her. Her eyes shone with concern and fear, simultaneously. She shook her head and muttered softly, "What have you done?"

I turned to look behind me, the long, elongated branches of the cedar tree, that had obeyed my commands, were now curled around both the royals' feet. I had done that!

As my body glowed from the Elementation, in that moment, I was not afraid of myself. For the first time, a sense of acceptance seeped in – I am powerful.

I felt my body trembling as I looked over to Una's face. She had her fist covered over her mouth, and surprise blazing allover her face.

"What in the name of Heaven are you, Eleni?" she swaggered a little taking a step towards me.

Serena stood in front of me and pleaded on my behalf, "We can explain."

At her words something in me shifted.

The magic, my magic, was beautiful and thriving. I felt lively all of a sudden. No amount of alcohol could make me this high, this content. I moved past Serena, realizing my feelings, ready to accept what I had become.

"I am done explaining," I found myself speaking with unrelentless calm, and looked at the still frozen faces of Una and Doran, and continued, "Yes. I am an Earth Elemental. What are you going to do about that? Fight me, too?"

Pregnant silence hung in the air. No one dared to utter a single word.

Doran gave me a final look of apprehension and turned away from the scene. His strides wider. Apparently, he couldn't get away from me any faster. I forced myself to not be bothered by his departure. I should have seen this coming.

Serena took my hand in hers, as though hearing my thoughts. I squeezed her hand in return. We both glanced at Una who was peering at the distant cedar tree, deep in thought. She took a few steps back where she had been grasped by the branches, and put her hands over her hips.

To our surprise, she spoke finally with a hint of amusement dripping in her words, "Well, if anyone asks, this little show with the branches here, was done by me." She raised both her eyebrows at me. "Got it?"

I nodded, with gratitude and relief, hiding the burning sensation at my right ankle. A few moments passed and we all stood rooted to our positions, unable to form the right words, or actions.

But a strong, clear voice boomed out in the silence suddenly-

"Am I late to the afterparty?"

Prince Nova stood leaning in the backdoor, arms crossed, eyebrows raised, but a playful smile adoring his perfect lips. 

*** 

Curious Question: Do you think Prince Nova knows Eleni's not-so-little-secret now?