Elemental Read Free Page B

eyes shine,” Jonathan whispered in her ear.
     “You’re with me, so there’s nothing to worry about. The people in this village
     won’t bother you. They know better than to mess with my brother and me.”
    That
     last remark sounded rather cryptic, and left Mandy wondering what exactly it
     could mean. Were the villagers scared of the brothers? Why?
    “We’d
     better get going because it will be dark very soon. It’s not safe to be out
     after dark, Mandy,” he warned. “There are many wild animals in the surrounding
     woods that wouldn’t hesitate to make a meal out of anyone who was foolish
     enough to venture out into the night.”
    “Trying
     to tell me that there are monsters in the mountains?” she teased.
    Jonathan
     regarded her for a moment, as if considering his answer, before he replied.
     “There are many things in these woods, and monsters are only as dangerous as
     you allow them to be. We’ve been trying to keep the lands around the village
     safe for years, but it’s impossible to keep every dangerous creature at bay.”
    Mandy
     briefly wondered if he would consider her dangerous if he knew of her extra…talents.
     She had been fascinated by her ability to move objects with her mind as a
     child, and there was a reason why she studied the more mythical and magical
     aspects of literature. She was looking for more people with a talent like hers,
     but the only leads she’d been able to find had led her to magicians, folklore,
     and horror movies. Telekinesis was something that seemed to freak most people
     out. The movie Carrie, for instance, had become a widely popular horror film
     that featured a young girl with the gift of telekinesis who ended up killing
     most of the students in her school after being endlessly bullied.
    The
     fact that Mandy was certain people would look upon her with fear kept her from
     using her talent publicly. She still used it in the privacy of her own
     apartment, fine-tuning her skills and strengthening her talent, but she never
     let others know.
    Would
     Jonathan be able to handle the truth? Would his brother?
    “You’re
     awfully quiet over there. What’s wrong?”
    Startled
     out of her thoughts, Mandy looked over at Jonathan as he drove. “I’m fine. I
     just got lost in thought for a moment.”
    “More
     like the last ten minutes,” he teased. “We’re almost there.”
    Mandy
     focused her eyes ahead as they turned the corner, and gasped at the sight
     before her. “You live in a castle?”
    The
     dark gray stone walls rose before her, towers occupying both corners.
     Forbidding was the first thing that popped into her mind. This was no Disney
     Princess’ castle. This was more along the lines of Dracula. The landscaping was
     sparse at best, but it was winter, so maybe the grounds were more inviting in
     the summer months. Tall arching windows added to the gothic look, with only the
     beautiful colors of stained glass softening the feel of the structure. Just how
     big was this place? It appeared to have two stories, judging by the windows,
     but it was so high the ceilings inside must be over ten feet tall! And the towers? Yeah, those were cool, and definitely
     something to check out while she was here.
    “This
     is a joke, right? You’re just bringing me here to have a laugh before we head
     to your house.” She turned to Jonathan to see him blushing.
    Blushing!
    “I’ll
     admit it’s unusual for most people to discover that I live in a castle, but
     it’s been in our family for centuries.” Jonathan shrugged and climbed out of
     the SUV. “Here comes Garrett.”
    “Garrett?
     I thought your brother’s name was Nicolas?”
    “Garrett
     is our butler. He keeps this place running like a well-oiled machine,” he
     explained as the man approached them. “Hey, Garrett, it’s good to see you.”
    “It’s
     good to have you home, Jonathan. Nicolas has asked that you come to the study
     immediately, as he has an urgent matter he