Free Sparks and Flames by CS Patra

ways, growing up in the Velt was a good thing. He was awake and aware of what no one else knew. He had been taught early to avoid Elementals.
     
    Getting up, he dug the toe of his boot into the dirt and made a little mark. This was where he was going to be right now. He needed to wait till the party had died down a little before going in. There were so many guests in there that his only option was to get into the pool room. There would be no one guarding that and no one was planning to take a swim here. He could waltz in and no one would know. Yes, that was the plan. He had to go in through that room. Breaking into to it would be no problem. He had cracked locks before and he could do it many more times. He kneeled by the door and slowly unlocked it, stepping into the pool room. There was no one around so he was in the clear. He thought about getting up to the bedroom and slitting Oda’s throat. He could do it while no one was watching.
     
    The one thing that Kian didn’t realize was that he wasn’t alone in this room. If he had turned on the lights, he would have seen the person lying in one of the chairs. Not only that, he would have recognized her.
     
    He would have known who she was simply by the shape of her body and the blue streaks in her hair.

Chapter 9
     
    Rukia hated the fact that she had to go to another party. Oda had invited everyone from Calensa to this one and she was now bored. It was the same affair. All the rich people would be hanging around and trying to mingle with each other. She was tired of mingling with the same old people and wished that Midori was here. At least her sister was someone that she could talk to.
     
    Her mind was on Kian. The poor thing was probably back in the Velt and struggling to do something tonight. However, he still had some freedom to go out and do something different. She was stuck over here. Oda was throwing yet another party and she was the only one who had been invited to it. Midori had a cricket match to play and her parents had no interest in this party. Still, they didn’t want to appear rude so they sent Rukia over.
     
    She didn’t mind the party so much, but it got boring from time to time. She wanted to be alone for the next few minutes so she excused herself. There were too many people around and she wanted some quiet. Some of the party guests asked her to stay behind, but she took her drink and left the room. The party was becoming too much for her. She needed a place where she could stay and clear her mind.
     
    Rukia had decided to retire into the pool room and rest in one of the chairs. The noise was a little too much out there. She wanted some time to think about Kian and wonder what he was up to tonight. She hoped that he didn’t have another run in like the one with Oda. Midori had given Oda a beating to last him a lifetime. He would know better than to try and cross paths with her again.
     
    Being at another party was not what she wanted. The worst part was that a sober Oda was there tonight. She didn’t see Kian and hoped that he wouldn’t be around. The poor thing didn’t get to go to parties like this often. She could figure that the people living in the Velt probably didn’t know what it meant to have a party. They were too busy trying to put their lives together. It was no different for him.
     
    I wish I could have brought him here tonight. She thought, looking through the glass roof in the pool room. This was a perfect place for them to escape and talk about their dreams. She could see in his eyes that he had so much he wanted to accomplish. He wanted to do a lot yet didn’t have the chance. If she could take him out of the Velt for a few days, she could give him the experience he never would get. Even a day would have been good enough for them. She sighed and rolled over on her side.
     
    That was when she first heard the sound. It was coming from outside but it didn’t sound like any animal. Confused, she rolled off her chair and