“So…” Layla glanced around. “What…what were they all again? Fire, water…”
“Fire, water, earth, air, like here on Terra,” I answered.
“Then complimenting non-physical elements such as magic, knowledge, order, and chaos,” Rod said.
“And you’re…” Layla looked at me. “...you’re fire.” I nodded. “How do you…how did you know?”
“I found the sash in a cave,” I answered. “And the owner of the sash, Alma, spoke to me. I was named Guardian of her flame.”
Layla shook her head. “But I’m not…I don’t…There’s been no vision or…”
“That’s not the only way to tell,” Rod said. He considered for a moment. “Usually you’re element is something that synchs up with you or, more often, whatever powers said element.” She stared at him. He gave a sigh. “Alright, look, it’s not solid but…legends and my own research agree. The elements don’t just run on like and like. Olyvia over there doesn’t have to light a match in order to use her keystone. She’s said so much already; the fire is fueled by truth. The closer to the truth she gets, the stronger she becomes.”
I shook my head. “Sort of. The truth has to be mine. Not anything universal or high-minded.”
“Right. So as long as you realize and own that you’re a pain in the neck, the fire works for you.” I gave him a look, ears flat as I sighed. But it was an accurate assumption. “So…either we figure out what element we’re closest to, or we figure out what quality seems to be our strongest.”
“Or.” I looked at Layla. “Think about your father. Bring him to the forefront of your mind, the last time you saw him before he was killed. Remember every little thing about him, paint the picture in your mind.”
She closed her eyes and worked on doing just that. Her energy shifted, just enough. Elewnai are very good about sensing magic through any of the senses we choose. I prefer sniffing it out, but this time I opened up all my senses. Focused them on Layla. Summoned just enough of Alma’s fire to push, to bring about the truth again.
And there. I smelled…confidence. The sound was of shuffling trees and whispered secrets. She glowed with a dull brown light, and I could taste the very edges of ink in her magic. I reached out my nose and touched her with it. The shock through my system was one of calm resolve. Defiance, even. I wrinkled my nose and withdrew, letting it all go for a moment. Breathing it out.
“Pama,” I breathed. “Pama is your guide. Your father passed down the Keystone of Knowledge.”
Layla stared at me. I let her digest it for a moment, turning to Rod. “You’re turn?”
He heaved a short sigh. “Fine, do your woo-woo thing. Rob me of the fun.”
I snorted and trotted over. “You know the drill. Close your eyes.”
He rolled his eyes before closing them. I summoned Alma’s fire once more, just enough to cause the symbols to surface, and then reached out and bit him on the leg. Rod yelped and scuttled away as I began laughing deep in my throat, but it was enough. He tasted like a cold fire, smelled like sulfur and acid. A deep purple and blue surrounded him as he glared, and I heard nothing but the sound of buzzing in my ears. The touch of his flesh against my tongue was bare, cold, like trying to lick the mists of a cold lake.
All of it coalesced in my mind, Alma’s whispers echoing in the back of my mind. I snuffed at him, motioning. “Come on,” I grunted. “Let me lick that before it starts to turn on you.” He grumbled but came over, allowed me a few good licks over the wound. “Esama,” I said when done. “Magic. You’ve got the Keystone of Magic.”
“You…had to bite him?” Layla asked. “Why…”
I shook my head. “Didn’t have to,” I answered with a grin. “Wanted to.”
“Why?”
“Because it was funny.”
“It’ll be less funny if your little trick doesn’t work,” Rod grunted, looking at his leg with a grimace.
“What little trick?”
We both looked at her for a moment. “Oh,” I grunted. “I guess we never…”
“She’s Elewnai,” Rod said, as if that was supposed to explain everything.
Layla gave him a blank look. “...and?”
“Elewnai have a…poisonous bite,” I said. “We’re…well. When someone or something that isn’t a part of the planet gets bitten by us, they start to turn into us.”
She stared. “So…you guys…are like werewolves?”
I did my best replication of a shrug. Shook my head. “No. Same category, though. Wandering creatures that spread their like through bite or touch.”
Layla looked back and forth between us, frown deepening. “So…is Rod going to…?”
I shook my head. “Spit or blood used on the wound or consumed within a certain amount of time is said to be the antidote.”
“Yeah,” Rod grunted. “Said to be. If I start growing wings though, it’ll be on your head, missy.”
I let out a short laugh, flexing my leather-covered arms. “Like you’ve never wanted my wings.”
Layla slapped her hands on the table. “Okay, okay. So…Keystones. How do they…I mean what do I…” she looked between us for a moment. Rested her chin on the table with a sigh.
I walked over and rested my head on her shoulder for a moment. She looked at me but still looked miserable. “We’ll figure it all out,” I said gently. “This is…a lot of information to process. You want to take a break? Actually rest without worrying that someone is going to hunt us down?”
Layla glanced around at the ship. “Sure about that?”
Rod snorted. “No. We could still be–” I stared at him, ears lowering just slightly. “I mean…sure. No one really knows we’re here. We should be good for a minute. Enough for a snack and a nap, anyway.”
Layla shuffled a little but didn’t move. “One or the other, kiddo,” I said. “I don’t think I’ve seen you actually eat anything since you sniffed at canned peaches.”
“That was a few hours ago.”
“Try a few days,” Rod corrected. She stared at him. Then shook her head and looked at me.
“No,” she said. “I want to keep going. If this is something I’m…If this is…”
I nodded. “You don’t need to explain it to me. Just…get something to eat first.”
“Think I’ll join you…” Rod said, heaving up with a sigh. He pointed at me. “You too, she-wolf.”
I growled at him. My stomach growled at me. He grinned and I let out a sigh, the three of us converging on the kitchen and cabinets.
