The Elementalists

18.

The breath rushed out of me. I saw spots overtake my vision and had to close my eyes to regain my composure. My chest seemed to cave in on itself and my breath was a little short. I never knew them but I was still grieving for them apparently. I didn't like this feeling.

"They were dead." Mich repeated. "I stumbled upon their bodies. Your father died protecting your mother. He killed everyone who'd come after them, but he'd been shot. He bled out holding your mother. I... I cremated them. Couldn't take the chance of their bodies being discovered." He inhaled deeply, the telltale sound of a runny nose. "Because of the bullets... I couldn't trace it back to who'd come after your parents. It-it could have been a third party of mercenaries, one of the royal's own security detail, or even just police who'd had to hunt down the rebels. I've never known who was after you. I've always run whenever my gut told me”.

He smiled. It was a wobbly smile, a weak attempt to lighten the situation. "And hey! It worked. You haven't been caught yet." He didn’t like uncomfortable silences.

I tried too. A worse attempt than his at a watery smile. "No... No, I haven't. You've done a good job."

The smile was gone. The life seemed to have drained out of Mich. His skin had turned pale, the red bruise in sharp contrast to it. His grey eyes seemed to have lost their light and his posture seemed like that of a broken man. "I loved them." He whispered. "I loved them both and when they needed me... I failed them."

"No." Wafi whispered back. "No, you didn't fail them."

Mich looked up at him, tears blurred his vision. "What? No, it's my fault."

"It's not your fault." Wafi said in a stronger voice. "You helped them so much. The circumstances were out of your control. You couldn't have done anything or you would've been killed... and Fiera wouldn't have been found."

I nodded as I met his misty gaze. "I... I would've starved to death without you. I don't know how hard it must have been, raising your best friend's child without any help. Not being able to tell anyone. You've always told Mira you adopted me when I was four and I always thought that was because she wouldn't appreciate being told that you'd found me in a forest.” I swallowed softly and looked down at the grain of the table. "Now I know she would've made the connection."

I paused, something flashed through my mind, causing me to look up all of a sudden. "Wouldn't... Wouldn't Mira have recognized me? Wafi says I look like my mother."

Mich grimaced, like a kid caught lying. "Yes... I think she's had her suspicions for the past few years. Eric telling her your element would've made those suspicions clear. She's probably waiting for you to visit."

I groaned. "I can't imagine that making dinner over at Eric's any less awkward."

"Who's Eric?" Wafi piped up. "And how's he related to Mira? Answer who she is as well, while you're at it."

I started speaking up first so Mich wouldn't have to. He'd been through enough horrible memories for one day. "She was Mich's wife. They had a miscarriage, the marriage went south after and Mich gave her a divorce because she wasn't happy. She remarried a year later and had Eric, my childhood friend, an Earth user. We stay over—" I paused to correct myself, "—used to stay over at hers every year for around a week for their baby's death anniversary."

"Oh." Wafi looked at Mich. He gave a solitary nod. "I'm sorry about... everything."

Mich waved a hand dismissively and raised the packet of peas again. "That was a long time ago."

"But he's still not over it." I mumbled to myself.

Wafi seemed to have heard it but Mich narrowed his eyes at me. "What?"