Free Igniting Spirit (Gathering Water Book 3) by Regan Claire Page B

digging a mite faster than a human would be able to, and seemed to know exactly where to dig even though the only light came from the stars and the heat lightning in the distance.
    Derek and I took a walk at that point, and the things we talked about! I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to hide what I knew about him at first (what does one talk about with an Elfennol?) but by the end of the night, it was the farthest thing from my mind. We talked about normal everyday things, about growing up and knowing your place in the world. We have that in common — I’ve always known my place. My calling. It’s something I’m proud of, and excited for, and know that I was meant to stay in the Outer Banks and be Duxa.
    I didn’t exactly tell him that since I didn’t want to spoil the night by admitting who I was.  But I did tell him about how people — my dad, really — are worried that I’m not taking my future seriously enough. I know my future. I know my role in this world. I don’t see how finishing college, or getting some boring day job is going to help me with those responsibilities. I don’t want or need any of the things those bring me. Derek really seemed to understand. He said he comes from a very traditional family who doesn’t understand his approach to things. They also don’t think he’s taking life seriously enough, just like my family. I’m not surprised his family has a hard time understanding him. The Elfennol are supposed to be very big on control, structure, and respect. Derek’s relaxed approach to life would drive them crazy — at least that’s what dad always says about my behavior, and how it wouldn’t do much to instill our allies’ faith in us.
    It’s bizarre that an Elfennol understands me so much better than anyone else I know. We just approach life a little differently than the people around us, I guess.
    So there we were, two misunderstood misfits, watching the sunrise over the water. We were holding hands, and I still can’t pin down when that happened. It was natural for me to lift my face to his and kiss him. And when he wrapped his arms around me and returned that kiss — and more —  it felt more than natural (supernatural? haha). It felt like a promise for something huge; like a domino had just been knocked over and the world spun from the potential of it all.
    Afterwards, with the sand still clinging to our bodies, we said our goodbyes. Neither of us said anything about meeting again.
    I know a relationship with him isn’t possible, but I can’t regret our time together. I’ll forever be haunted by the beauty of it — because whatever was between us last night was very real. Just because it was temporary doesn’t mean it didn’t leave a permanent mark on my soul. Somehow, I know it did for him too.
    Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.
     
    *****
     
    Since it was December and only a couple days after the Nor’easter that Cash and I had fought the Clades in, the beach was mostly empty when we finally stepped onto shore. I suppose if we’d come with the tides, we’d have run into a few surfers, but we didn’t. I purposely directed us close to where the Nags Head Pier was — or once was, since I’d mostly destroyed it the other day during our fight. The Nags Head Pier was always being destroyed by some force of nature, according to Cash — I just never considered that I would be one of those forces. But I knew Cash’s Jeep should still be parked nearby, and because we couldn’t run at warp speed to the hospital in the middle of the day, the vehicle would help. Ignoring the memories trying to choke their way out of my head, I walked past the broken pier to the vehicle. Cash was one of those supremely trustworthy people — most of the island’s population were — and he never worried about locking his car doors unless it was tourist season. According to him, tourists were basically piranhas in disguise.
    I looked for a spare key while Ian and