Caution to the Wind: Book One of the Elementals Series by F. R. Southerland Page A

rush of dizziness but managed to keep her footing. Her feet were steady enough to walk to the door. Callum met her there and escorted her from the room.
    They followed the path leading to the secret door but moved beyond it.
    “Is everything to your liking?” Callum asked.
    “Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Everything’s great. The room is great. And everything is…” She trailed off, sighing softly.
    “Great?” he supplied. She glimpsed at him to see the small touch of a grin.
    She fought her blush. “I sound like a broken record, don’t I?”
    “You’re fine. I understand what you mean. I suppose sometimes I take it all for granted.”
    “Well, it is great.”
    Callum smiled warmly at her and entered another hallway. There was a beat of silence before he looked ahead. “About earlier, I apologize for forcing you to display your abilities. I realize now how stressed you were.”
    “Yeah. I uh never had to show people. I mean, I’ve shown people, but not under the same circumstances. And it was a lot of pressure. I was trying to keep it under control. I really was.” She had begun to ramble. She closed her mouth, lips pursing to keep from saying another embarrassing word.
    “I know. Having our abilities is difficult. We’ve all been there.” He exhaled softly. “Some more than others.”
    She took a few seconds to look about. Multiple windows lined the hallway but remained closed off by thick, blue curtains. The opposite wall displayed photographs and paintings. Loren viewed a couple of them as they passed. “I’ve never known anyone who could do what I could do. When Avery told me there were others and showed me his powers, I couldn’t believe it. A part of me still doesn’t. It’s kind of like a dream.”
    “A good dream or a bad dream?” Callum looked at her.
    Loren bit her lip. “Not a bad one. Most of the time.”
    “What about the rest of the time?”
    She hesitated and her gaze dropped to study the polished floor. “A nightmare. I… would rather not talk about it.” She thought of Levi and his accurate perceptions of her. She didn't feel comfortable discussing her insecurities and faults twice in one day.
    Callum nodded. “Fair enough.” The conversation stopped there and Loren exhaled a soft breath, relieved.
    They walked in an uncomfortable silence for a time. She occupied herself with watching Callum. She soon stopped, fearing he would catch her stare. Instead, she looked at the paintings and photographs on the wall.
    As they neared the end of the hall and it split off into two directions, Callum spoke again. “I’ll show you to the sunroom.” Callum made a gesture to the left. “This corridor takes you there, and from the sunroom you can reach the backyard.”
    Loren nodded as she made note of it. Her gaze lingered on the photographs for one last look.
    When she saw a familiar face smile down at her from a frame on the wall, she stopped. Her breath hitched. She took a step closer.
    Callum paused with her. “Ah, that’s Fredrick Castle.”
    The name didn’t ring any bells, but she knew that man. She knew his face, his kind eyes, and the gentle genuinely happy smile.
    “You recognize him,” Callum stated. It wasn’t a question.
                  Loren nodded again, not looking away from the photograph.
    “I do. I know him.” She wanted to touch it, but she refrained. “That’s the man. That’s the man who gave me my powers.”

Chapter Seven
     
    Loren was seven years old when the strange old man had given her superpowers.
    Eighteen years ago. To Loren, it was as if it had been yesterday. The bigger kids were mean, teasing her. They'd taken her backpack and as she tried to chase them, they'd laughed. Her desperate pleas went unheeded and they threw her bag into the bushes and fled.
    When she couldn’t breathe, she stopped running. She sat on the ground and gasped. Her chest constricted. Her face burned. Her inhaler was in the bag and she couldn't breathe without it.
    Through