“I don't know. Yes, you're making sense. It all seems right. But in my chest, something feels off.” I chewed at my lower lip. “I think he took his time on purpose. I think Death let me tear apart his cage.”
“Why would he do that?” Vex asked.
“There's only one reason I can think of—to learn. He was studying me. What I was doing. Trying to see what I knew.” I blinked. “He knows.” I slammed my hand down on the blanket. “He fucking knows!”
“Easy now, Ember.” Vex stroked my back. “He knows what?”
“About the Elements. He knows they're helping me.”
Vex shrugged. “He was bound to find out.”
“No, you don't understand. When Death engages mentally with me, we get drawn to another plane of existence.”
“The astral plane,” Air said. “Where magic begins and takes root before growing into the physical.”
I flinched and growled, “Damn it, Air! Warn us before you join a conversation.”
“Sorry. But I agree with you, Ember.”
“About what?” Vex asked. “I still don't understand what you're saying.”
“I can see Ara as he truly is on the astral plane,” I said. “I see him caged in bones.”
“Death is bones on that plane?” Vexen grimaced. “How unoriginal.”
“You expect Death to take another form?” Fire snorted. “That would be like asking me to show up as an unattractive woman.”
“Oh, sweet Goddess,” I muttered. “That's how he knew. Death must have seen all of you in the astral plane.”
“No, Ember,” Earth said. “Only you could see us. If Death saw anything, it would have been your lovers.”
“Why my lovers?”
“Because we were hidden in their power,” Air said. “Our magic flowed with theirs. Where we stood in the astral, they stood in the physical plane.”
“And yet, Death knows,” I said softly.
“I don't think he does,” Water said. “He may think you've been training again, but I never felt his attention on us.”
“That's true,” Air admitted. “Perhaps we're being overly sensitive.”
“You see?” Vex stroked my cheek. “You're worrying too much about this. Focus on what you can do. We need to start training.”
I gaped at him. “Shit, you're right. I forgot that we need you to strengthen us. We need to get—”
“Wait,” Vex interrupted, a soft smile on his face. “You forgot that you needed me?”
“For that, yes.” I frowned at him. “I'm sorry. I got wrapped up in you. And then I had to fight. And then—”
“Ember!” he cut me off again. “I'm pleased.”
“You are?”
Vexen snorted. “Have you also forgotten that I felt as if the only reason you wanted me was to strengthen your team?”
I blinked. Then I grinned. “I guess I did. So, you know for certain now that you're wanted for you.”
“Well, I learned that when we bonded, but it's still nice to hear that you were so distracted by me that you forgot about the war.” He leaned forward and kissed me.
