The Last Elementalist

Chapter 28

Throat burning and unfocused, Evie, Lei, Samantha and Caleb balanced on the edge of the ledge where Lielle's cousins had plummeted to their deaths. Her words slurred as she talked. She had only had a shot glass or two of the fiery alcohol, but her small body could not manage it and took her straight to the place that Connor had warned her against. She wondered if this was how Lei got up the courage to do his crazy stunts, but he looked much soberer than her and the others, calmer even.

Samantha, drunk as anything mumbled, "Would you jump for one hundred dollars, Caleb?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head vigorously.

"Would you, Evie?"

"Not for one hundred, maybe a thousand," she counter offered.

"Okay," she agreed.

Evie stood and inched closer to the edge. She took a quick look back and bent her knees to jump. Lei, who had been watching all of this boredly suddenly but firmly called, "No, Evie."

"Why?" she asked sillily.

"Because that's just stupid."

"No it's not. It's only a short way down and there's no pain involved!" she laughed.

"Ya, that's because you'll be dead," he droned.

"Well that's mean," she pouted, dropping a foot over and leaning forward with it. There was a split second of falling before she was jerked upward. "This is why nine-year-olds don't drink," he breathed. "Connor didn't want you near me, did he?" Lei asked emotionlessly.

After a moment of no answers, he continued in a whisper, "I can't let you get hurt on my watch. I'm not going to lose someone else from my stupidity." He pulled her up and let out a short breath, allowing her to smell the bitter alcohol on his tongue. "I'll help you because the others want to, but after that, don't expect to see me again."

She stared confused at him as he climbed down, practically dragging the others after him. Once she was safely on the ground, Lei personally saw that she made it to bed, and sat with her until she fell asleep, stroking her hair and mumbling when he thought she had drifted off, "I once had a sister like you. I miss her and I can't lose you too. You understand?"

* * * * *

When she woke up, Evie gave a long stretch and heard a small "oof." With a start, she jumped out of her bed to find Lei laying down beside her, now clutching his nose.

"What are you doing here Lei?" she yelped. "Are you okay?"

"Lay back down, Evie," he ordered.

She sat back on the small cot and tersely refused, but Lei pleaded for a second before she fell backward onto the bed from the pain of her splitting headache.

"No more alcohol for you," Lei laughed.

"I'm fine Lei, but you shouldn't be in here. Why didn't you leave?"

"Doesn't matter," he snapped. "Lay down and I'll get you a drink. Juice to be specific."

After a few minutes, Lei came back holding two cups and explaining, "I wasn't sure if you liked passion fruit or pineapple so I brought both."

"Either is fine," she promised.

He sat back down and said, "I shouldn't have let you hang with me last night. You could have gotten seriously hurt."

"I almost died. You gave me alcohol. I'm nine. That's against the law. People are going to be mad. It's your fault Lei. What do I do? I could go to jail."