Free Sudden Storm [Tales of the Cidatel 21] by Viola Grace Page A

her fingers along the document. “It has the feel of age.”
    “It is nine centuries old. There was no way to deliver the news that you were free of obligation without landing here, and your orders were to keep Ki free of living creatures, so no message could reach you. It was quite the tangle.”
    She smiled absently as she read the document. “Well, this is in order. Where do they want to send me?”
    He slowly withdrew another document. “They are giving you your freedom. It is now up to you to decide what to do with it.”
    Her hand trembled as she discarded the first document and took the one he offered. “Freedom?”
    He noted the ache in his chest as her face ran through a myriad of expressions. He was feeling sympathy for this woman even though she had tried to kill him when he was topside. She was a designed being with enough power to kill a planet, but he still wanted to sooth the lost little girl that freedom had created in her.
    Burn straightened. “You are free to do as you choose, but I am offering you a life where you can pursue education, be with others who have powers that can rock the world they stand on and help those in need.”
    She looked at him, the document held carefully in her hands. “Are you telling the truth?”
    “Of course.”
    “I can have a free life with the ability to help others?”
    He nodded. “Yes.”
    She leaned forward, looked around and whispered, “Can I travel?”
    He blinked in shock. “Of course. Citadel Arcani has a working agreement with the Sector Guard. We go where they need us to go and help those who have asked for help.”
    She backed up slightly. “How much do they have to pay for this help?”
    “Only what they choose to. A world in need has to recover its infrastructure before it can offer anything to the Alliance, so they wait. The many fund the aid to the few. If they need to move a city or dig a new river, the established worlds pay the holding company for the Sector Guard. Those funds pay for the Citadel students who assist the Guard.”
    “All of it?”
    “No, the Sector Guard also has talents who design and create new engines, shuttles and tech to make the worlds out there a better place or, at least, a more convenient one. The funds earned from those designs and equipment are funnelled back into the Guard and used to support the bases and their personnel.”
    He blinked at her considering look, and he felt the air around him stir as she began to pace, muttering to herself.
    He stood and held still as the wind ruffled his hair and stroked his cheeks. She was agitated, and he watched her pace back and forth.
    She raised her hands and gestured, each shake of her hands caused a gust of wind. Finally, she turned and faced him. “I will do it. I will come with you.”
    He inclined his head. “Then, we shall leave immediately. Bring anything you wish to take with you. Ki will be closed to you after this.”
    She paused and nodded. The Elemental clutched the documents to her and scurried out of the room with the fountain. She returned with a duffel clutched in one hand, and she stood in front of him. “I am ready to leave now.”
    The words rang with finality, and as she took long strides to the hall he had entered through, the water ceased to flow and the air stopped moving.
    Burn followed the woman with the strangely hypnotic walk out the door and once more into the light.
     
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
     
    The Elemental looked at the side of the skimmer, and she winced. “I apologise for the damage.”
    Burn grinned at her. “I was expecting it. There are myths and legends about you, Elemental. It was only recently that one of your kind remembered your existence, so we came in search of you the moment we had confirmation.”
    She cocked her head in surprise. “One of my kind?”
    Burn smiled. “I will show you in the shuttle. The Destroyer was dug out, and she is now free.”
    The woman sat back with a thud. “They finished her