The Last Elementalist

Chapter 32

"I know-"

"No you don't," he yelled.

"But I do," she whispered. "Alastair. Layla. Maybe it's just me but twins in DC seem to have horrible luck."

He let on a smirk. "No kidding."

A grunt from the Healer refocused them on their dying friend who still laid still as a statue. Connor did a once over, immediately spotting several gashes and blood spots dripping into her golden hair. Steel chunks laid next to her, covered in blood leaving cuts that were quickly on the mend due to her Healer. He stood up with Evie, just as life was breathed back into the teenage girl.

"Oh," Evie cried, jumping onto their friend. "You scared me to death. Don't do that again or I'll kill you myself."

The doctors tried to pull her off and practically had to pry her fingers from Lielle who now sat next to Eric, allowing him to inspect the sudden change in her features. He watched longingly as he tilted her chin up to look into her eyes and twirled her hair around his fingers. Why couldn't it be the two of them sitting back on that broken building near the entrance to the Agency, him in Eric's place?

After a few minutes, Eric instructed Lielle to find him back at the base for tests if she was willing and walked over to him. "Everyone knows now anyway," he said, lightly lifting Connor's arms and sending a soothing energy into him. Then, he pulled out his knife and sawed off the remains of the cast. "It'll be good as new in an hour."

He turned back around to be startled by Lielle an inch away from him, sending the girls into a fit of laughter. "Evie told me what you did," she admitted once she regained control. "Honestly, it might have been better if I hadn't survived. Callahan's people are still out there, including Cassidy, who can easily tell them all what our next move will be. Why did you risk yourself?"

Not a moment was how long he took to consider it before replying, "It was instinct. An animal would always protect one in their pack, and you are my sister. We have a closer type of bond than those in a pack, we have something more. Plus, your wind gave away so it was life or death either way."

For a moment, they only stared at each other, then slowly but surely, Lielle leaned down from upon her stone and lightly brushed her lips on his. "Thank you for telling the truth," she whispered.

Evie walked up behind them and easily threw her arms over both of their shoulders. "And now, we get a brief recess before the world of political excuses kicks in once more."

They laughed until no more breath came to them and they walked off back to the front of the White House where yet another surprise awaited.

* * * * *

Back in the front, the inevitable first thing to occur was being swarmed by reporters, asking America's First Son what he thinks about their current predicament, and some who saw more of the show, about him and his family's real history. He told them what he could along with Evie who was swarmed just as much, and then, of course, Lielle, who was just a common girl whom happened to have been with the president's son and a senator's daughter and saved their lives only a few months back. But they were all ushered back when the vice president, Billy Wence arrived, black limo and all, to be sworn in while President Travis made his recovery.

They all stepped back, Lielle looking as if a lightbulb had clicked in her head, and watched as the vice president placed his hand on the Bible and the other in the air, giving Connor deja vu as to when his father did this ritual. He narrated, "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."