Free elemental 04 - cyclone by Larissa Ladd Page B

she had been locked in iron cuffs and shackles, the victim of a kidnapping masterminded by an earth elemental who had wanted her to join his family. She saw with relief that the iron trapping Alex, zapping away his elemental abilities and probably causing him pain was at least not pressed directly to his skin. 
    For a long moment, Aira simply stared at him in shock. She had known the situation Alex’s family was in. Her own grandmother had explained it to her. The family was known to be unstable, to be a risk to the community. Aira’s grandmother had abstained to vote on whether or not the family should be eliminated or whether particular members should be executed while the rest of the family was left to survive. She had put off the decision, knowing Aira might be the one to have to make the choice herself, if she became the ruler of her element. Aira felt a flash of resentment towards her grandmother. It apparently would not even matter whether or not she became the ruler of her element—she was apparently going to be responsible for Alex’s fate no matter what. The resentment burned away Aira’s shock and she turned to face the elders once more. 
    “I am sorry,” she said, looking particularly at the elders’ spokesman. “But I do not believe that this is a good idea for a test.” She swallowed against the knot in her throat remembering her sense of betrayal. Even knowing in advance that he had an ulterior motive in pursuing her, when she found out that he specifically had wanted to seduce her and impregnate her, to force her to marry him and therefore preserve his family, she had still been bitterly angry. 
    “Why is that?” the elder asked in a mild voice. Aira felt her face flooding with heat as she blushed deeply.
    “Because,” she said, feeling her heart pounding. “I have been romantically involved with this man. I have a history with him. I do not think I could judge impartially.” 
    The elder smiled slightly. “Aira, as ruler of your element, it would be rare for you to be in a position of complete impartiality. We are perfectly aware of your history with Alex—and we want you to judge him anyway.” 
    Aira shivered slightly. “Am I required to make my judgment right now, with no additional information?” 
    The elder shook his head. “You will take Alex in with you for three days, and you will make your decision upon the end of that time. You are responsible for keeping him from escaping while you are gathering information to make your choice. He may only be freed if and when you inform us that you have decided he should be, in this chamber in three days’ time.” 
    Aira glanced at Alex.
    “I need to know what additional crimes he has committed to make this such an urgent matter,” she said firmly. “I know for a fact that I cannot count on Alex to necessarily be forthright with me.” The elders chuckled as if they knew exactly the degree to which Aira’s statement was a wry understatement of fact—and probably, she thought, they did know.
    “He has been using his abilities unethically, particularly his abilities of persuasion, among regular humans,” the elder spokesperson said. “He has demonstrated an increasing instability that we feel endangers the elemental community as a whole—but if you determine that he is able to achieve stability, that he can learn to control his abilities and adhere to the ethics of your element, then he can be released with certain safeguards. If you determine that he cannot, then he must be put to death, and the question will arise whether other members of his family are an equal risk.” 
    Aira’s throat constricted and she decided for her own sanity in the moment, that she would have to get the meeting done as quickly as possible.
    “I understand,” she said simply. “I will take him into my house for the three days and return with my decision.” Aira felt almost numb from the combination of shock and dismay, as the elders concluded the