Free B00JX4CVBU EBOK by Peter Joison

Skye.
    ‘Well, your names do kind of give it away,’ said Turner. ‘You’re air.’ He turned to Brooke. ‘And you’d have to be water.’
    ‘So clever,’ said Brooke. Turner noticed the sharp look her sisters gave her.
    Turner continued, ‘And that leaves …’
    ‘Spirit and earth,’ said Ember.
    ‘Celeste would have to be spirit, and that leaves Chloe, is it? She has to be earth. So, you have powers based on those elements?’
    Turner watched open mouthed as his glass of water frosted over. Lines of tiny icicles formed like tiny branches over the outside. The water in the glass turned to ice in an instant. After what he had seen at the park and last night’s happenings, this shouldn’t have surprised him, but Turner was nonetheless awed at the seemingly casual enchantment.
    ‘And for her next trick …’ said Skye.
    Brooke cocked her head. ‘I was just giving him an example.’
    ‘Be thankful she didn’t make your nose gush like a fire hose,’ said Skye.
    Brooke’s grin was all teeth. ‘I only did that once, Skye. You have to let it go.’
    Celeste rose from the table. ‘Enough, you two. Although it is nice to hear the old Skye again,’ she said smiling at her sister. ‘I’m getting a cup of tea. Anyone else want one?’
    Four hands were raised. ‘I’ll help you, Celeste,’ said Skye.
    After the two had left the room Turner said, ‘Another question. If you’re not witches, what is a Vordene? Are you gods, or aliens or something?’
    Neither Brooke nor Ember smiled. ‘We were born from other Vordene women,’ said Ember, ‘who were also born of Vordene women and so on, back through time. There’s never a man involved in our births, so some would consider us goddesses—like the old Greek gods.’
    ‘Better than gods,’ said a new voice.
    ‘Turner,’ said Ember, ‘this is Chloe. Chloe, this is Turner.’
    ‘So you do have a name,’ said Chloe as she bent to give Turner an awkward hug. ‘Welcome, Mr Ring.’
    ‘How’s Aunt Lani?’ said Brooke.
    Chloe sat down and poured herself a glass of milk. ‘I’ve done all I can with my healing. She woke before. A bit groggy, but I think she’s going to be alright. She’s a toughie. Give her a couple of hours more sleep before going out, OK?’
    ‘We were just telling Turner about the history of the Vordene, Chloe,’ said Ember.
    ‘Oh yeah, like Ember said, some would consider us god-like, but gods are really human constructs; whereas, we are more than that. We are the Earth itself.’
    Turner frowned. The Earth itself? He was confused. He was still trying to get his head around the whole ‘no male was used in the making of this Vordene’ thing.
    Chloe continued. ‘There are Vordene all over the world. At least fifty groups of sisters in Britain alone. We fight the evilness which threatens to take over the Earth. We are the Earth’s guardians.’
    ‘So dramatic,’ said Brooke, rolling her eyes.
    ‘Or,’ continued Chloe, ‘to put it another way, we are the Earth protecting itself. Elemental forces in human form created to fight the evil from the Grimshade.’
    ‘Grimshade?’ Turner asked around a mouthful of toast.
    ‘Sort of like Hell,’ said Ember. ‘It’s where those nasties came from last night.’
    Celeste and Skye returned with a tray of cups of tea. ‘Have you told him about the Ring yet?’ asked Celeste, holding the tray as Skye gave everyone a cup.
    ‘Not yet,’ said Ember. ‘Hmm, OK Turner, picture that pentagram again, but this time with a circle around it. That’s the Ring: the protective ring which a Vordene needs to guard it and keep it safe, especially in battle. Usually it’s a spirit animal—a force from nature that presents itself to a Vordene in animal form, like a cat, a snake or a bird.’
    ‘Or a stallion,’ said Brooke quietly.
    Turner’s head was swimming with all this new information, but there was one last thing he needed to know. ‘So I am your Ring? Skye called me that a couple of