elemental 01 - whirlwind by Larissa Ladd Read Free Book Online Page B

quickly; Aiden knew it took a great deal of focus. His brother could call up water by will, but he didn’t have the focus or strength to coalesce the water in the air into rain.
    Dylan gave Aiden a sharp look, and Aiden knew it was just as much his responsibility to apologize as it was Aira’s. He took a deep breath, pushing down his distaste for being soaking wet, and approached the old woman. Aira bristled as he came close, giving him a baleful look and shifting away from him. Lorene had softened slightly, and the rain was beginning to level off from a torrential downpour into something more manageable.
    “I take responsibility for what happened.” Aiden said, pushing down his pride. “Aira and I got into an argument because I misspoke, and she became angry.”
    The old woman raised an eyebrow at him, staring into his eyes as if to read his soul. Aiden bit his tongue against the retort that sprang into his mind and turned toward Aira, managing to conquer his pride for a moment longer. “I’m sorry I said what I said.” He told her. “I still think you need help defending yourself, but I didn’t mean to imply you were helpless.”
    Aira’s lips tightened and she glanced at him, her dark eyes sharp for a moment longer before she subsided under her grandmother’s stern demeanor.
    “I am sorry I didn’t give you time to explain your stupid remark,” she said. Aiden bit his lip against replying, knowing it would only spark another fight if he gave into the temptation. The rain was beginning to abate completely.
    “Both of you come inside and get out of your wet clothes.” Lorene said, satisfied with their apologies if not happy. “And if I have to break up another fight, there will be real consequences.” Aira nodded, and her grandmother gave Aiden a lingering look until he, too, nodded his understanding. Without another word, the old woman turned on her heel and walked back towards the house with Dylan, Aira, and Aiden in her wake.
     

Chapter 5
    Aira was relieved when it was finally time to travel back to the city and to her own home. The few days she had spent with the two men had been interesting, but she was glad to get out from under her grandmother’s vigilant gaze. Things had not gotten any less tense between her and Aiden, though she had developed a rapport with his younger brother Dylan. On the few occasions she had been forced to spend time with Aiden alone, Aira had been as silent as possible, not wanting to either get into another argument with him or allow him to irritate her into another exhibition of her abilities. It frustrated her to no end that her grandmother had sent her on numerous errands with the older brother, for groceries or to pick up an antique a friend had put aside for her. Dylan seemed entirely at home in her grandmother’s house, and when Aira had taken him with her to retrieve plants her grandmother had ordered from a nursery, they’d had a good time on the drive to the next town over, comparing their taste in music.
    Dylan tried to reconcile the two of them, acting as a mediator when the three of them were together. “Guys…” He had said at one point, exasperation creeping into his voice. “We’re going to have to spend a lot of time together. You two need to sort out whatever is going on between you, because it’s only going to be worse without Miss Lorene around.”
    Aira had doubted things would be worse. If her grandmother hadn’t interfered, then she could have easily finished off Aiden’s ambition to prove himself better than her. She realized it was dangerous to battle with another elemental, particularly when her abilities weren’t fully formed and available to her, but the idea she was some kind of helpless damsel, being protected by men, galled her indeed. Dylan kept telling Aira when they were alone together his brother really wasn’t that bad; he had a temper, and a slight tendency to speak before he thought, but he was genuinely a good person