Earths touch her element.., p.1
Earth's Touch (Her Elementals Book 1), page 1
Earth’s Touch
HER ELEMENTALS
BOOK ONE
IVY JACK
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
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Touch the earth, love the earth, honour the earth, her plains, her valleys, her hills, and her seas; rest your spirit in her solitary places.
~ Henry Boston
Chapter
One
~ AVANI ~
Cold air. A slight breeze. A wisp of material flapping against my naked skin. All things I shouldn’t be feeling this time of night.
I reluctantly opened my eyes and caught an unfamiliar dark world around me. Silver light streaming through the tops of tall trees was all that cut through the heavy darkness... I closed my eyes tightly.
I’m dreaming. I must be, for my last memory was staring at the red canopy hanging above my bed, wondering why I felt so different from others.
Another chilly breeze blew, lifting my thin nightgown and twisting the delicate material around my legs. It made me aware of the hard ground beneath my bare feet. A sharp twig, broken leaves, a thin layer of frost.
I inhaled a shaky breath and smelled wet soil, rich earth. At the same time, the sounds of the forest tickled my ears. Crickets, an owl hooting in the distance, the rustling of nearby bushes.
Fear gripped me.
This must be a dream, for I would never go into the forest at night and barely in the day, and that would only be if I had the King’s guard escorting me. It was far too dangerous, especially with Sodon’s attacks growing closer and closer to my father’s kingdom.
I pinched my arm hard, hoping to wake myself from this nightmare, but I only felt the sharp sting of my actions. Shit. If, by some strange circumstance, I really was outside the walls of Loreen, then I better get the hell out of here.
I opened my eyes, and my heart dropped into my stomach, along with a wave of apprehension. I was still standing deep within the bowels of the forest, surrounded by trees and shadows of the night. I spun around, hoping to spot something familiar, but with little moonlight, I didn’t know where I was or how far I’d traveled from the castle.
I’d been known to sleepwalk over the last couple of years, but I’d never traveled this far! Besides, how could I have passed the guards without being spotted? If my father found out, someone might lose their head.
This thought startled me into action. I didn’t want anyone hurt because of my seemingly careless actions.
Sucking in a deep breath, I chose the path most lit up by moonlight and hoped it would lead me to the castle. I didn’t want my father, King Eric, to find out about this as he worried way too much about me, but I feared someone may already have noticed my absence.
Walking quickly with my arms folded to my chest, I tried to be light-footed along dry autumn leaves, but it was near impossible. I thought about shifting into my fox, as she would tread more quietly, but then I might also be mistaken for prey by one of the many wild animals who stalked this forest.
I swallowed hard and tried to ignore the nagging thought at the back of my mind. If I remained in my human form, one of Sodon’s beasts might find me. I only hoped I was close enough to the castle to be safe from their evil grasp.
I rubbed at my arms, trying to warm darkness’s cool embrace, and hurried faster. My gown provided little warmth, more evidence that I’d sleepwalked. A brief thought crossed my mind. Magic. Someone could’ve spelled me, but that was highly unlikely as magic hadn’t been used for decades, at least not that I was aware of.
A twig snapped behind me. I froze and glanced over my shoulder, narrowing my eyes. I scanned the darkness for threats but saw nothing. However, the rising hairs on my arms told me otherwise.
Trusting my gut, I turned and ran across cold and rugged earth, ignoring the sharp stings of the occasional rock cutting into the soles of my feet.
Another twig cracked, followed by a rush of movement behind me, almost as if a gust of wind had driven through several bushes at once, but I had felt no such breeze.
I ran faster, praying to the Gods that I was heading toward the castle and not further away. What I needed to do was climb a tree until I could see across the tops of them to gain my bearings. From there, I’d surely see the castle as it had been built partially upon a mountainside where it could overlook the valley.
As a bonus, if I could get myself into a tree, whatever was pursuing me might be fooled by my disappearance and find something else in the forest to stalk.
Up ahead, I spotted a low-hanging limb. Just before I reached it, I leapt into the air and took hold of it with a sure grip. I used my momentum to swing my legs until I had circled the branch with my hips. From there, I pushed upward and landed with the grace of a fox. I continued upward, climbing each limb with ease, an easy task thanks to Saul’s training, which had made me both agile and strong.
I ignored the branches’ pointed fingers as they tore into my gown and scraped across my exposed flesh. All that mattered was surviving, for I had made a promise long ago and wouldn’t break it.
Within seconds, I nearly reached the top but had to stop, fearing the tree’s branches would no longer support my weight. I sucked in several breaths and forced my racing heart to slow so I could listen for whatever monster had been stalking me moments ago.
I peered down through the many branches and listened closely. A faint breeze whispered through the trees, but the pattern in which it blew made my heart thunder again. It seemed to circle my tree, and with it, the sound of the wind became more focused, taking on a more distinctly human sound. I gripped the tree harder and bit my lip to avoid making any noise.
“Avaaaaannnniiiii,” the creature hissed in a deep, unnatural voice.
My chest heaved, and my mind spun at hearing my name pass the lips of what was undoubtedly one of Sodon’s demons. It created a kind of fear I’d never felt before, not even on my mother’s deathbed.
Whatever was down there, I couldn’t fight it. No one knew how, not even Saul, who was considered the greatest warrior Loreen had ever seen. My best chance at survival was to stay hidden.
I glanced up and around, searching for help. To my relief, the castle’s tall towers rose high into the night sky, not more than a ten-minute jog away.
“Avaaanniii,” the creature whined again.
An enormous shadow moved beneath me, its claws digging past leaves and slicing into hard earth. I could hear each step so clearly, my mouth went dry. Sometimes having special hearing could be a curse.
Time moved deathly slow as my predator continued to circle the tree time and time again. At least it couldn’t climb, unless... maybe it didn’t want me dead. As the King’s only child, I was very valuable. At five years old, I’d been taken by the Brackhillians, who lived just beyond the Glass Sea. My father had paid them a hefty sum to have me returned. War had nearly broken out.
Now that I’m of marrying age and have been for a few years, my life has become even more valuable. Many had heard of my rare abilities even though the King had tried hard to keep them secret. Powerful men would pay good money to bed and impregnate me. This thought might scare most women, but Saul and my maid Rose had taught me well about protecting myself.
Several minutes passed in silence, but every now and then, the creature would move again, then pause. Maybe he didn’t know where I was hiding. I stretched my back, which had grown stiff in my tight position against the tree trunk, then stretched my legs. The beast moved again, but his heavy footfalls retreated deeper into the forest this time. He snorted and grunted in frustration.
I released a great breath, my chest heaving for much-needed air. I glanced back at the castle. Now to get home.
I waited another several minutes before I dared to descend. Carefully, I took my time, ensuring each step was as quiet as possible. I paused upon the final limb and focused my hearing. All that returned were the usual sounds of the forest: animals scurrying, crickets chirping, branches swaying in the wind. As far as I knew, I was alone again.
I leapt to the ground with a hard thud. The impact shot a sharp sting up my leg. I lifted my gown and frowned. Blood trickled down to my foot in a tiny river from a long cut just below my knee. I couldn’t remember when it had happened, but I sure felt it now.
On closer inspection, I realized it wasn’t that deep and wouldn’t need to be wrapped before I returned to the castle. Focusing my thoughts on my deceased mother, the strongest woman I knew, I ran, ignoring the pain in my leg and the chill in the air.
I’d barely made it twenty steps when a roar thundered through the forest, shaking the ground beneath my feet. I almost stopped to cover my ears, but it was followed by the heavy sound of something massive racin
My heart beat so fast that I feared I might have a heart attack and die before the beast could reach me. My eyes darted around the forest, searching for anyone or anything who could help me, but I was alone. Nobody would be crazy enough to be here this time of night. They were safely behind the castle walls, so they wouldn’t hear my cries even if I screamed.
Realization dawned on me then that I wouldn’t be able to outrun this creature from hell nor climb a tree again, which left me with one option: fight. Not far away, I spotted a fallen limb, its end jagged and pointed. It would have to do.
I glanced backward in time to see the beast leaping toward me. In a move Saul would’ve been proud of, I dropped and slid along the ground, stopping right in front of my new weapon at the last second. I grabbed it and came up to my feet in one fluid motion.
The beast had abruptly stopped, making its wispy, fiery tendrils sway wildly in the air. It snorted and dug its clawed foot into the ground.
I gripped the wooden rod with both hands tightly and swung it expertly and hopefully menacingly in front of me. “Get back, demon, or I will run you through!”
It chuckled with a voice of a human, a sound that sent an icy chill crawling up my spine. “You can’t fight me, girl.”
Stand your ground. Show them you’re not afraid. Use words. Use your stance and facial expressions. Saul’s voice echoed in my head.
“Do you know how many times I’ve heard that in my life? Plenty. And each time, I knocked the jackasses to the ground, bleeding and writhing in pain. You will not fare any better.” I infused as much rage as possible into my words, which wasn’t difficult, but it didn’t erase the fear I felt burning through my veins.
“I will fare better,” the beast’s deep and throaty voice said, “for soon you will be mine to claim.”
I extended the rustic spear in front of me, the pointed end facing his skull. “I will be claimed by no one.”
He took a threatening step toward me. “I will not allow you to wear clothing. Your body will be mine to do as I please every second of every day until I grow bored, then I’ll—”
An arrow whistled out of the darkness and slammed into the beast. He squealed and whipped his head around to get at it, but his bull-like body had already dissipated into the air.
Anger still coursing through me, I ran at it and stabbed my spiked branch right through it, but it was too late as only puffs of smoke remained of the strange creature. I screamed in frustration and waved my stick back and forth to strike at any remaining parts.
“The air feels your wrath, my lady,” a deep and silky voice said with a hint of humor.
I dropped the branch and gasped for air. A man emerged from the forest, tall and built like a mountain. He wore a long leather coat that barely fit his muscular frame and boots that reached the bottom of his knees. His long brown hair hung to his stubbled chin, and his blue eyes practically glowed beneath his bushy eyebrows. Moonlight fell upon his countenance, making his appearance seem even more exotic.
His whole appearance was like nothing I’d ever seen before. Men in Loreen were typically clean-shaven and wore much lighter clothing. The man striding toward me, however, looked like he’d just woken from a long nap that had started in a much earlier century.
I raised my hand in a stopping gesture, unsure of this man who didn’t belong in this forest like the monster before him. “Don’t come any closer.”
“But you’re hurt.” His gaze lowered to my leg as he continued to approach me.
“It’s just a scratch.” I backed up, my chest heaving at his dominating presence. “I appreciate what you’ve done for me, but I must be on my way.”
“Not alone. The forest is full of spirits tonight.” He continued toward me while I continued backward.
“Is that what you killed? A spirit?” My back hit a tree trunk, stopping me cold.
He came into my space and stared down at me as if it were the most natural thing in the world. At the same time, I also sensed an innocence in his strange behavior, as if he didn’t know our social customs.
“I didn’t kill it,” he said. “I simply made it go away. For now.”
He was so close, his warm breath reached my lips, making them tingle with... with what? Anticipation? That’s what it felt like, but that was madness. Just then, the scent of pine, earth, and cinnamon filled my nostrils. My heartbeat stuttered as a wave of desire like nothing I’d ever felt before rocked me to the core.
“What were you doing in the forest at this time of night?”
His question cleared my mind enough to push through my poorly timed, lustful feelings. I side-stepped him to create some space between us, giving me a chance to breathe and think even more clearly. “I know this may sound crazy, but I honestly don’t know how I got here. The last thing I remember is falling asleep in my bed, then I woke up here.”
His brows furrowed in thought, and he glanced back to where the beast had disappeared. “Did it speak to you?”
I nodded and moved even further away.
“What did it say?”
I opened my mouth, about to say how the monster had said my name but thought better of it. I didn’t know who this man was. He might try to take me if he discovered my true identity.
“Nothing I could understand,” I lied.
He pursed his lips and took two steps toward me. His strides were so long that I barely had a chance to move backward, but once again, my back hit a tree. “Why do you keep doing that?”
“Doing what?”
I squirmed under his intense stare. “Trapping me.”
As if he hadn’t heard me, he said, “You were stupid to face that monster.”
I lifted my chin a little. “Some might say I was brave.”
“Then you’re surrounded by fools, which explains why you’re one as well.”
I lifted my hand to slap him, but he caught it before I was even halfway there. He frowned and stared at my hand as if he’d never seen one before, then his vibrant gaze snapped to mine with such intensity that I held my breath. Another wave of desire slammed into me.
It was a strange feeling, so much stronger than the faint butterflies I’d felt for a few of Loreen’s soldiers or even the stable boy I’d had a crush on throughout my teenage years. No, this felt different, like being in the center of a storm or riding on the back of an uncontrollable stallion. It was both exhilarating and terrifying, but only terrifying because I knew this man could shatter me in so many ways.
His eyes wandered over my face, then settled upon my lips, which parted open. My tongue came next, darting out to wet them. I didn’t mean to do the action, but it was as if my body was no longer mine.
He growled, the sound vibrating in his throat, and dropped his gaze even lower. He moaned and gripped my hand tighter. I lowered my eyes to see what held his attention. My gown had been torn in front enough to give him a full view of one of my breasts. My nipple hardened under his heated gaze.
He lifted his free hand and brushed across the side of my swollen flesh. “You have spelled me...”
