Free Fire's Flame [Elements Book 1] by C. L. Scholey Page B

job.”
    “You need to return to dry land.”
    “I don’t understand why you can’t just board the vessel, if you’re so worried, and agree to stay out of my way.”
    “I need a portal of fire, without one it’s trickier. To open a dimension that borders both worlds I need a major disruption. Your fireplace holds a fire large enough that can take me anywhere there will be certain flames; I can travel on lightning but I’m guessing you wouldn’t want a bolt to hit the vessel. There are those of my brothers who work better together. The sky, as I mentioned, has lightning; my brother, Fulgor, when the lightning strikes, he can open me a portal and the volcano is well—a volcano. You are on water, Nimbus’s domain. Each element is sacred, we must not interfere; we may ask, but ultimately this is water. Nimbus cannot open me a portal, nor can I open one for him. Ventus can lend a hand because he may push vessels through the water with wind. As long as it remains above the water. I have asked my brother’s help to keep an eye on you.”
    “But what about Melinda Barkley and her children?”
    “Fumus is watching them.”
    “Fumus?” To say she was skeptical would be putting it mildly.
    “Fumus is an element and is very eager to please our mother at this time. You are in more danger than the Barkley woman.”
    “Ignis, I can take care of myself. Plus, I thought not all of you got along.”
    “We coexist. To coexist we must respect each other’s element, it is necessary. Mother incorporated the law because when we fight there is an ice age. The first occurred as children—the damage was horrific and Terra suffered the most; I will not hurt my brother again. He loved the dinosaurs, and it was millions of years before Mother allowed us humans. Again we fought, but the damage wasn’t near as bad because most of the brothers matured before too much damage was done. Humans adapted. And as annoying as they are, we are all fond of them. Some more than others.
    “I am the oldest and most powerful, but Mother Nature tempered us all with some humility. Water can put fire out, yet I can boil water. To mix us will cause smoke and trust me—you do not want Fumus here, he is better on land where our mother can keep an eye on him. I don’t have time to put up with him.”
    “Why don’t you and Nimbus get along?” Flame asked as she placed more paper on the fire.
    “We get along fine, but in our early years we were all headstrong. I would make fire and Nimbus would douse me. I would scald the water, boil the fish with volcanic eruption and infuriate Nimbus. We couldn’t find a way to work together and so our annoyance turned to tolerance and our tolerance turned to acceptance. When we fight, things die. If we were to fight all the time, everything would die.”
    “Fire, I need to get aboard Barkley’s vessel. This is important to me. You are always asking that I trust you, now it’s your turn to trust me. I’ve made love in a volcano; this should be a walk in the park.”
    She could hear him grumbling from the ashtray that she was important to him. “I have no way to protect you or come to you without causing the destruction of everyone else on board. You know what will happen if I feel you are in danger—consider yourself warned.”
    His words made her shudder, Flame had no doubt he would sacrifice any and all for her. “Will Nimbus help?”
    “Yes.”
    “Then why are you so worried?”
    “You are mine to protect.”
    “Part of protecting someone is knowing when someone else can do a better job…for the moment.”
    “Nimbus will take your raft safely to Barkley, but make no mistake, any threat to you and I will incinerate the vessel. Once you reach dry land, the bastard is mine.”
    “But, Fire…”
    The contents of the ashtray burnt out on a popping sizzle and poof. He was gone. Flame felt a shiver run up her spine. There was no doubt her element was deadly when pissed; for Barkley’s sake, he had better