Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

AQUA

I stay close to River as we all follow Aether to the living room. Perry's at his side, hissing something I can't hear, but Aether doesn't seem fazed at all by his soul mate's urgency. Nothing much fazes Aether. I admire that about him. Even if I have no clue what's going on right now.

The last time we "told a story" in the living room, it was when he brought Perry home and we had to fill him in on who he really is so his memories of his past lives would be triggered. The time before that was exactly the same thing, but it was in another incarnation. The only time we ever gather together to tell this story is when Perry comes back to us—though this is the first time his name's been Perry. It's the first time my name's been Aqua, too. The best thing about living a lot of lives is getting to choose my name every time.

River leans close as we go through the door into the living room. "I don't understand what's happening," he murmurs. "Aether wants to tell a story?"

I shrug. "Guess so. You like us, right? And you're committed to saving the environment?" Better check on that first. If he's just being polite and plans to never see us again—or worse, go work for an oil company—then I can save Perry from the ulcer he's developing right now.

What would a marine biologist do at an oil company, though? I guess they have those nasty offshore drilling platforms. They probably need someone who knows stuff about the ocean… I think.

The ocean does not like those drilling platforms. Almost as much as rivers hate mines. Actual rivers, I mean, not my River. Though maybe he doesn't like them either.

"What's your opinion of mining?" I ask as I fold up and sit on the floor, and he stares down at me blankly.

"What?"

"Ignore him," Flame calls. "Come and sit by me and George." He pats the middle cushion on the sofa, and River eyes it cautiously before going over to sit there. I immediately scoot closer so I'm almost touching his legs.

"Are you sure about this?" George asks Aether, who's sitting in one of the armchairs. Perry, shaking his head and muttering, is perched on the arm.

"It's never happened before," Aether says. His smile is wide. "It's a wonderful thing."

River looks around at us all, then half-raises his hand. "Um… what is?"

Aether looks ready to burst with excitement. "You belong with us."

River… does not seem excited by this. "Sorry?"

"Why don't I tell this?" Flame suggests. "It might sound less like a cult that way."

Perry snorts. "Good luck."

I frown. Huh? "We're not a cult," I point out. "Why would River think we're a cult?" Looking up at him, I promise, "We're not a cult."

"I didn't think you were," he assures me. "Before, anyway. Can someone just tell me what's going on?"

"You're a scientist," Flame begins. "Some of this is going to sound super weird, but just stick with me until…" He trails off and looks over at George. "Until what? Perry always remembered. We just had to keep talking until then."

George shrugs. "I have no fucking clue."

"I think I might just go home," River says, starting to get up. "Thanks for dinner and ever?—"

"Sit," Aether orders, using his in-charge voice. I straighten. He doesn't use that voice often.

River sits.

"Zeph," Aether continues, "Close the door, would you?"

It's a request we make a lot when we're feeling lazy, but it's only when I see the alarm on Perry's face that I remember we're not supposed to do it in front of humans.

"Zeph, no," Flame starts, but it's too late. A breeze wafts across the room and delicately closes the living room door.

River stares at it. "Is there a draft in here?"

George snickers. "You could say that. Look, this is going to sound weird. You know what the elements are? Not the periodic table of elements, but like the four elements of nature."

"Earth, wind, fire, and water? Um… sure. Doesn't everyone?" River's barely paying attention, still looking around the room for the source of the breeze. His gaze skims over Zephyr, then snaps back. "Zephyr."

Zephyr smiles distantly. "Hi."

"Zephyr," he says again. "That means… breeze."

"Hmm." Zephyr's gaze unfocuses. That happens a lot—the air is always whispering to him. I'm probably the same underwater, but none of the others can really come there to see it. Except Aether, and he hasn't had time since he joined us.

I glance over at him. "You should come into the water with me one day soon."

"I should," he agrees. "I've missed it."

"Oh my god… Flame, give me the vodka," Perry huffs.

Flame's eyes are on River, who seems to be trying to solve a tricky mathematical problem, if his expression is anything to go by. "No… I think we're gonna need it in a minute."

"Okay," River says, on cue. "Okay… I get it. The names, the hair colors. You're all hinting that you're the four elements… though Aether doesn't mean earth, and I don't know who George and Perry are supposed to be. But whatever mystical stuff you're trying to sell, I'm not your guy. The only thing that interests me is my research." He holds up his hands when George opens his mouth. "I don't care what you're into. Literally zero care factor. The trick with the door was cute, but seriously, it's wasted on me. How about we agree that you'll do your thing, but there's no need to keep it up when I'm around. Okay?"

Flame sighs. "So close," he mutters.

"I'm earth," George tells River. "Aether is the fifth element—life itself. Perry's human… kind of. We'll leave that for another time. We're not actually selling anything, anyway, so it's fine that you're not interested. But if you're going to hang around, you'll probably see some stuff, since we're not good at maintaining company manners for very long."

"I'll see some stuff, huh?" River's smiling, but it's a little condescending, and I don't think I like it. "What kind of stuff?"

That almost sounds like a dare. I don't think I like this story time. It was more fun when we were talking about the ocean. I lie down on my back and stare at the ceiling, remembering the feeling of the water surrounding me. Almost without thinking, I lift my hands and let them drift in the imaginary currents.

"That kind of stuff," Flame says. "In fact, the whole Aqua thing. It didn't surprise you that he can breathe underwater?"

"Not to mention diving without gear to keep him warm," Perry adds. "He'd go in nude if we let him."

"The water feels better that way," I murmur, only partly listening.

"Maybe he's… Cutting-edge technology is being developed all the time," River protests. "My latest dive computer does things my last one could only dream of."

"Wouldn't someone like you, who's so involved in the diving community, have heard about tech like that coming onto the market?" George counters. "What would it even be , anyway? You touched Aqua, right? He wasn't wearing a transparent dive suit. There was no mask, no air tanks. What kind of tech would do that?"

I frown and sit up. River's anxiety is palpable, and it's making it hard to hold on to the feeling of the ocean. I scoot over to lean against his legs. Hopefully he'll sense the water through me, and that will help him to calm down.

"Maybe it's something top secret," River snaps, but he doesn't sound like he believes it. "Maybe… maybe you're all government agents or something."

There's a pause, and I lean my head against his knee. His hand comes to rest there, his fingers toying with my hair, and I sigh happily.

"Just making sure I understand," Perry says slowly, "you think it's more likely that we're all government agents with access to the kind of top-secret technology that only appears in sci-fi movies than that what we've told you is true?"

"Ugh. Not really. I think it's more likely that I'm slowly dying of oxygen deprivation in the middle of the La Jolla ravine and this is some kind of hallucination or dream."

"You're not," I murmur. "There aren't any people in the ravine right now."

"How would you— Never mind. Water. Oceans talk to you and all that."

My poor River seems overwhelmed, so I pat his foot. "It's going to be okay. We've never told anyone this except Perry, and he already knew, kinda. But there's gotta be a reason you get to know. Aether says it's wonderful, and I believe him."

"Good point, Aqua," Flame says. "Aether, wanna share with the rest of us? Why, exactly, are we overloading poor River's science brain?"

"It's so exciting," Aether says. "This has never happened before."

I smile happily. If Aether says it's exciting, it must be true! "That's so cool, bro!"

" What is?" George demands. " What has never happened before?"

Aether frowns. "A lot of things, George. We can't know what they are, because they've never happened."

The growl that rips from George's throat almost drowns out River's sigh. "Yeah, I think I'm gonna head home. Philosophy makes my head hurt."

I clutch his legs. "Staaaaay. Aether's gonna explain. And you shouldn't drive if your head hurts—you're human and you might die."

"Oh my god," Perry mutters. "Why? Why can't I just have a normal life?"

We ignore him. He does this sometimes—Perry's always been dramatic, in all his lives. It makes him happy. He's all drama, and Aether's all chill. They're perfect together.

"Aether," Flame says calmly, "what's so exciting that's happening right now with River that's never happened before?"

Aether grins wide. "Oh! We're getting help. We don't have to fight all by ourselves this time—River's going to join our team."

"I am?" River asks weakly. "Really? Is this… mandatory?"

"Not mandatory, exactly," Aether says thoughtfully. "But I think you don't really have much choice."

Perry throws up his hands in exasperation. "Babe, that's literally what mandatory means." He looks over at River. "I swear, this isn't a cult, and you can absolutely go at any time. But I'd really appreciate it, just so I don't need to listen to Aether whining later, if you'd let us tell you the rest of it."

River's fingers tighten slightly in my hair. "I guess."

"Let's start with the short version," Flame suggests. "Then you can ask some questions and we'll fill in the details. We're elementals, and we only incarnate as the dominant species of the time when our element is out of balance. Our job is to work with the element to restore it to the level the world needs at that time to allow the majority of species to remain alive." He pauses, and I tip my head back to look at River's face.

It's pale, but he swallows. "Okay."

Flame smiles approvingly. "When more than one of us incarnates at the same time, it means things are going pretty badly, and when all four of us are here, well… that's really not good. But things have to be close to disaster for Aether to incarnate."

River whimpers, then says, "Humans have done a lot of damage to the planet." His voice is shaky.

"That's why we're here," I assure him. "We're working as hard as we can to fix it and educate humans, and Aether's helping too. Him being here means things are bad, but it also gives the rest of us a power boost."

"So… when you said you were conservationists, you weren't kidding." He laughs, but it's lacking humor. "What—What happens if you can't fix it?"

I wince. This part isn't going to make him happy and calm.

"That's where I come in," Perry says resignedly. "Unlike the others, I'm not an elemental. I'm born in the dominant species at the time, I live a normal life, and if Aether's not incarnated, I die in the normal way."

River lets go of my hair and sits up straight. "What happens when Aether does incarnate?"

Perry takes a deep breath. "We're fated mates—two halves of the same soul. He's the essence of life, and he incarnates when life is seriously endangered. But he's still an elemental, and he can't fully understand the needs and ways of mortal species.

"I'm born mortal and live a mortal life. I have the knowledge of my past lives, understand the capabilities of these guys… and I know what my species can bear. What we can live through. If we can change. I'm the one who decides when it's time to stop trying.

"If we can't fix it, I'm the one who'll say it's time for humans to become extinct."