Free Caution to the Wind: Book One of the Elementals Series by F. R. Southerland Page A

like this?”
    “Like what? Perceptive? I don’t know. Maybe it’s my superpower—in addition to the big brain and the good looks.” He gave her a cocky smirk.
    She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to talk to him, or even be in the same room with him. With a mild shake of her head, she turned her back to him and walked over to the infirmary.
                  “Yeah, ignore me, if it makes you feel better,” he called.
                  She did. It didn’t make her feel better, but it helped.
                  Seconds later, she heard the office chair slide back and the clack of the keyboard resumed. She exhaled a breath, thankful his attention had diverted from her.
    Loren looked up when Eva stepped out of the infirmary. Her face was ashen and her thin lips were set in a tight line. “Everything’s fine.”
    Loren drew her lip between her teeth and nodded. “Good,” she answered. “Good.”
    “You can see him if you like.” Eva pulled her long hair away from her neck, sighing tiredly.
    “You look exhausted.”
    Eva put on a smile. “I’ve been exhausted before. You don’t need to be concerned about me.”
    “You uh should get some rest.”
    “Oh, I will. Go on.” Her smile stayed in place. “I know you want to see him.”
    She flushed with a small smile of her own. She stepped up to the infirmary door and hesitated a moment before she entered.
    Avery appeared to be fine. He was shirtless and that didn’t help the redness in her cheeks go away. Callum stood at the sink. She cleared her throat to get their attention.
    Callum turned to her, but Avery kept his focus on the floor. She had a brief glimpse of his bare chest but saw no visible wounds.
    She sat down slowly in the seat next to the bed. “What happened?”
    “I had a bad fall.” Avery swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his shirt. When he picked it up, Loren could see the tears in it. The dark fabric appeared sticky and wet from the semi-dried blood.
    “You don’t strike me as the falling type.”
    “I’m usually not.”
    Callum grabbed a paper towel from a nearby dispenser to dry his hands. “There were factors to the fall.”
    “What factors?” Loren shifted her attention away. She felt sick.
    “I was attacked.” Avery tossed his ruined shirt aside and ran his fingers through loose hair.
    Loren’s eyes widened. “What? By who?”
    “I don’t know.” Avery glanced at Callum. “I’m careful. All the time. I don’t bring attention to myself. I’m quick. But this time, someone was waiting.”
    Callum remained silent, leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed. Loren had seen that disapproval before. It made her stomach tighten. “It’s always perilous when you go out,” he said to Avery. “Always. No matter how careful you are. One small slip up could mean disaster for all of us.”
    “I know.”
    “Which is why you need to stop this.”
    “I’m trying to help people.”
    “You’re being a sentimental idiot about it.”
    Avery set a glare on his brother. “I don’t need another lecture.”
    “I don’t know the details, and apparently you don’t get along but... can you not fight? Please?” Loren asked.
    Avery remained quiet, but Callum sighed. “My apologies.”
    More heat flooded to her face. Silence pervaded the room for some time before Avery spoke. “I went into the city and I was surveying the area from the rooftops. There wasn’t much happening, but it was still early. I continued to watch and wait, and then I was shot.”
    “You don’t have a wound,” Loren pointed out.
    “Not anymore. Cal took care of it.”
    “It’s one of my abilities,” Callum explained. “Along with the power to create water, I can heal. It takes time and effort, but I can do it.”
    “You can heal?”
    “It comes in handy.” His gaze shifted to Avery. “The wound was severe.”
    “Two inches to the right and you would’ve been crying at my