Chris quietened. “You’ve forced your son to be a mute all his life, Chris,” he said. “For once, let him speak.” He looked past Chris to Aaron. “How about it?” he asked. “Do you want to hear me out?”
Aaron looked from his parents to his uncle before meeting Neriah’s gaze. He knew what they wanted him to say, but that was the direct opposite of what he wanted. He took in a breath and met Neriah’s waiting gaze.
“Yeah,” he said. “I do.”
***
Aaron sat on the sofa in the living room, facing Neriah while his dad hovered in the corner, watching them like a hawk. His mum and Michael hadn’t been allowed to come in. It was a strange sight for Aaron to witness, for a guest to tell the owner of the house they weren’t allowed in their own room.
Aaron tried his best not to fidget as Neriah’s eyes stayed glued on him. It had been almost two minutes but Neriah hadn’t spoken a word.
Aaron cleared his throat. “So, what is it you came here to talk to me about?” he asked.
In the hallway, Neriah had looked angry. Now, sitting across from him, he was a lot more relaxed. A small smile even tugged at his lips. “You look very much like your father,” he said.
Chris glowered at him from behind but didn’t speak.
Neriah turned his head to the side. “Let’s hope your heart isn’t anything like his.”
Chris took a step forward, fists curled, but he stopped, restraining himself.
“You came all the way from Salvador to insult my dad?” Aaron asked. “Wow, that’s some dedication.”
Neriah was the leader of the mages. He was the oldest Elemental. His very presence demanded respect and Aaron was happy to give it, but not when he was taking digs at his dad.
But Neriah didn’t get mad. He didn’t even get upset. Instead, he smiled. Then chuckled. “I came to see you, Aaron,” he said. “I never got the chance to speak much to you in Salvador.”
“With all due respect,” Aaron started, “I hardly think now is the time to make social visits.”
“I never said the visit was social.” Neriah’s gaze hardened. The smile fell from his lips. “I spoke with Ella and she told me about your...” he paused, turning his head to the side again, “lack of knowledge about all things mage.”
Chris’s angry gaze was so sharp, it could have pierced holes into Neriah’s back. Aaron shrugged, even though a flash of anger went through him. He knew why his mum and dad kept him away from the mage realm, but that didn’t mean he didn’t resent them for keeping secrets.
“I got the basics,” he said.
“But the basics are not enough.” Neriah shifted in his seat, pulling himself to the edge so he could lean towards Aaron. “You understand that you are an Earth Elemental?”
“Yes,” Aaron replied.
“Do you understand that’s not all you are?”
Aaron frowned. His palms became clammy and he felt his heart rate pick up. “What do you mean?”
Neriah held his gaze, his unusual violet eyes glinted with anger, or was it annoyance?
“I mean, you are the only Earth Elemental of your generation,” he said. “And that makes you the legacy holder for Earth.”
Aaron was confused. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Of course you don’t,” Neriah said and his voice steeled. “That’s why I came here. I had very little faith that your parents would explain any of this to you.”
Chris was now pacing by the door, looking like he would explode if he stayed still.
“You understand where Elementals come from?” Neriah asked.
Aaron nodded. “Aric’s bloodline.”
Neriah looked momentarily surprised. “There can be many Elementals,” he started, “but for each element, there is only one mage who carries its legacy. If there is more than one of each Elemental in a generation, the legacy chooses the one with the stronger core. It’s passed from one generation to the next, from parent to child.” His head inclined to the fretting Chris behind him.
Aaron looked from his parents to his uncle before meeting Neriah’s gaze. He knew what they wanted him to say, but that was the direct opposite of what he wanted. He took in a breath and met Neriah’s waiting gaze.
“Yeah,” he said. “I do.”
***
Aaron sat on the sofa in the living room, facing Neriah while his dad hovered in the corner, watching them like a hawk. His mum and Michael hadn’t been allowed to come in. It was a strange sight for Aaron to witness, for a guest to tell the owner of the house they weren’t allowed in their own room.
Aaron tried his best not to fidget as Neriah’s eyes stayed glued on him. It had been almost two minutes but Neriah hadn’t spoken a word.
Aaron cleared his throat. “So, what is it you came here to talk to me about?” he asked.
In the hallway, Neriah had looked angry. Now, sitting across from him, he was a lot more relaxed. A small smile even tugged at his lips. “You look very much like your father,” he said.
Chris glowered at him from behind but didn’t speak.
Neriah turned his head to the side. “Let’s hope your heart isn’t anything like his.”
Chris took a step forward, fists curled, but he stopped, restraining himself.
“You came all the way from Salvador to insult my dad?” Aaron asked. “Wow, that’s some dedication.”
Neriah was the leader of the mages. He was the oldest Elemental. His very presence demanded respect and Aaron was happy to give it, but not when he was taking digs at his dad.
But Neriah didn’t get mad. He didn’t even get upset. Instead, he smiled. Then chuckled. “I came to see you, Aaron,” he said. “I never got the chance to speak much to you in Salvador.”
“With all due respect,” Aaron started, “I hardly think now is the time to make social visits.”
“I never said the visit was social.” Neriah’s gaze hardened. The smile fell from his lips. “I spoke with Ella and she told me about your...” he paused, turning his head to the side again, “lack of knowledge about all things mage.”
Chris’s angry gaze was so sharp, it could have pierced holes into Neriah’s back. Aaron shrugged, even though a flash of anger went through him. He knew why his mum and dad kept him away from the mage realm, but that didn’t mean he didn’t resent them for keeping secrets.
“I got the basics,” he said.
“But the basics are not enough.” Neriah shifted in his seat, pulling himself to the edge so he could lean towards Aaron. “You understand that you are an Earth Elemental?”
“Yes,” Aaron replied.
“Do you understand that’s not all you are?”
Aaron frowned. His palms became clammy and he felt his heart rate pick up. “What do you mean?”
Neriah held his gaze, his unusual violet eyes glinted with anger, or was it annoyance?
“I mean, you are the only Earth Elemental of your generation,” he said. “And that makes you the legacy holder for Earth.”
Aaron was confused. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Of course you don’t,” Neriah said and his voice steeled. “That’s why I came here. I had very little faith that your parents would explain any of this to you.”
Chris was now pacing by the door, looking like he would explode if he stayed still.
“You understand where Elementals come from?” Neriah asked.
Aaron nodded. “Aric’s bloodline.”
Neriah looked momentarily surprised. “There can be many Elementals,” he started, “but for each element, there is only one mage who carries its legacy. If there is more than one of each Elemental in a generation, the legacy chooses the one with the stronger core. It’s passed from one generation to the next, from parent to child.” His head inclined to the fretting Chris behind him.
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