I remained silent, not giving him anything to work with as a true test of his knowledge.
“Just as you are the son of King Jonas and Amethyst, she is the daughter of King Forest and Queen Lilliana. True heirs to both kingdoms. Both races.”
The more Orion spoke, the more I wondered about Valik and how he knew this information. Where was he even from? And how had this secret been kept quiet for so long amongst Kinetics if it seemed to be common knowledge everywhere else?
Orion’s shoulders relaxed. “We’re just here to try to get you home to where you belong.”
“Excuse me?” I asked, caught off-guard.
Not again.
“We know what the king has turned you into by evidence of the deaths of our people.Yourpeople that you’re meant to rule. It’s time to get you out and bring you home where you’ll be safe, as well as the princess…”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I said, looking at the three Elementals closing in. I knew the move. It was meant to show solidarity, that I didn’t have a choice even though they tried to appear as if I did. My fists tightened around my daggers as I assessed the threat.
Orion visibly swallowed. “It’s time, Chrome. It’s time to put an end to the killing. To the impending war that Forest is laying the groundwork for. He wants the world destabilized—you have to see that.”
“So what? I’ll be a show pony for you, instead? No, thanks. I’ll stay here where I know my enemies.”
“We’re not your enemies, Griffin—”
“Don’t fucking call me that!” My words ricocheted off the surrounding buildings in the dying sky.
“Chrome. We’re not your enemies—”
I snorted. “So you say,” I said, calling on my element of metal to launch a dagger at the Regent King.
He deflected it with the element of his own as he stepped aside with ease, withdrawing his own daggers that glowed orange with the rounded Elemental sigils engraved into the blade.
The large one on the right took quick steps toward me, while the quieter one stalked toward Slate, leaving Orion standing there motionless and somber. “I didn’t want it to come to violence, nephew, but if it’s the only way to get you home…”
I summoned my lost dagger, holding my free hand out, but it wouldn’t come. With a glance at Orion, I saw him stuff it in his weapons belt without using his hands.
Did he have the metal element, too?
Fuck it. I didn’t need two daggers; just one would be fine.
Or perhaps three more would suffice?
Facing the larger Elemental, I focused on his daggers and sent my magic after them. It latched on, and with success, I plucked them from his grip. Catching them by the hilts, I stashed all but one in my weapons belt in haste. Behind me, metal clanged as Slate and his opponent jumped into action.
With one Kinetic dagger glowing blue and one Elemental dagger glowing orange, I lunged at the large male before me, who didn’t seem bothered by my advantage.
The tip of my Kinetic blade came millimeters from piercing the man’s chest, only for both my weapons to be yanked from my grasp. I hesitated, confusion running through me, until it clicked that Orion had used the same magic to control the blades moments ago.
I reached for the hilts in my weapons belt and found them gone as well. “What the fuck?”
My opponent didn’t falter, firing a heavy punch to my jaw. I whirled but caught myself, the blow jarring my mind. My vision blurred. Shaking it off, I stalked toward him with calculation. I kicked the side of his knee. He gave just a bit, which allowed me to take advantage of the momentary weakness. Thrusting forward, I struck his throat.
With a grunt, he coughed and stumbled back. Rocks, pebbles, and dirt floated from the flat roof to levitate at his side. Earth Elemental.
Weaponless and with no accessible metal around, I resorted to my Kinetic power. Electricity gathered within my veins as I pulled from the electromagnetic energy being emitted from the plentiful technology in the busy Atlanta cityscape.
The energy grew strong, suffocating within my body. My power rippled to the surface, and I expelled a pulse at the large Elemental. Before it struck him, the levitating dirt, pebbles, anddust gathered, forming into a tight wall around him to create a stone shield.
With a deafening boom, my blast shattered the earthen wall. Dirt and stones crumbled to the ground, revealing the warrior standing tense, bracing for impact. However, despite the blast, the Elemental remained unharmed. Sweat beaded down his face. I suspected he’d drained his power by maintaining the shield.
“Stop!” Orion ordered.
