Claire

I stared at the gray floor beneath me. It was smooth concrete, unlike the wood floors that filled most buildings on Rein. They didn’t want the prisoners having any chance of using the materials around them for escape. You’re a prisoner, my mind reminded me. I closed my eyes.

It had been some time since Jayden left with Seraphine. My mind told me it might be morning now, but there were no windows to confirm my suspicion. Your fault you’re here, thief, the cruel voice in my head echoed. Despite the sleepless night in jail and what was surely a terrible fate awaiting me, I still wanted to escape and return to the Elementorium.

Voices drifted into the room, and I looked up at the heavy wooden door. It creaked open, a small strip of daylight entering the dark room followed by the outline of a shoe. The lights on either end of the room flickered to life, waking several prisoners up. The first one into the room was Detective Smoke, a man I had grown to detest the more he questioned me. He was followed by one of the nameless town guards, then finally the face I had been expecting.

Jackson looked well rested, though lines had begun to form between his eyebrows. His eyes scanned first the cells on the left wall, then moved to the right and found me. I glared at him, despite being glad to see him. Not that I wanted him to confirm that I was the one who stole the Elementorium, but it had been a while since I had seen the boy I had grown up with, and I had missed him.

To my surprise, another familiar face stepped through the door; my mother. Her eyes were red and puffy--she had obviously been doing nothing but crying since I had left. Those sad eyes seemed to light up when she saw me, and she let out a little squeak before rushing over to me. I stood and met her embrace between the bars, tears threatening to escape for the first time since my dad died.

“Please don’t touch the prisoner, ma’am,” Smoke’s gruff voice warned. My mother let out a small sob before pulling away, quickly wiping her eyes.

“Claire,” Jackson greeted me, glaring. I matched his glare once again.

“Jackson.” My brother closed his eyes and shook his head, sighing.

“Ah, so your name is Claire!” Smoke said, sounding triumphant. “That was quick, wasn’t it?” I moved my glare to him. He squirmed under my gaze, which made me grin. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and turned to Jackson, whose attention was still locked onto me.

“So, Mr. Tethers? Is this the thief who took the Elementorium?” Jackson said nothing for a moment.

“Yes,” He said finally. Smoke grinned.

“Could you please state her full name for the record?”

“Claire Diane Tethers. She’s my sister, age eighteen.” Well. This was it. Any hope I had of Jackson letting me go free was dead.

“Thank you, Mr. Tethers. Now if you would please follow me back into the office, we’ll take your statement and begin filling out the paperwork necessary for her trial.” Smoke turned on his heel and headed to the door, his guard following close behind.

“No, Mr. Smoke.” Jackson’s voice seemed to reverberate off the walls.

“I’m… sorry?” Smoke’s triumphant expression faltered.

“I won’t be pressing charges against her.” My eyes grew wide. He what? The rest of the room seemed to share my surprise. “I’m not pressing charges,” Jackson repeated, his voice level and his stare unfaltering.

“B-but sir, this girl, she…” Smoke seemed to have run out of words.

“I’m aware of what she did. I told you, I’m not pressing charges. Once the Elementorium is returned to me, I want her released immediately.”

Nobody spoke while Jackson’s words sunk in. My mother seemed ready to burst, her sparkling eyes moving from me to Jackson, then back to me. I’m going free, my mind spoke over and over. But why? He should hate me. I tried to ruin his chances of earning the Elementorium at the Ceremony of Elements, and when that had failed I stole the most powerful object on the planet straight from is neck. He should hate me.

But… wait. He still wanted the Elementorium. I would only be released if I told them where it was. My mind flicked back to the image of myself handing Jayden the Elementorium, then to his hand in his pocket, tracing the outline of the necklace. Was there any way to give them its location without getting Jayden arrested in the process? Was there any way to keep it for myself? The question I had been trying to bury found its way to the forefront of my mind. Even if it meant my freedom, I didn’t want to give Jackson the Elementorium.

“Well, Claire?” Jackson’s voice broke my thoughts. “Are you going to tell me where you hid it?” I opened my mouth, then closed it. Jackson stared at me for a moment longer before his face twisted in disgust and he turned to leave.

The heavy wooden door closed with a slam behind them. What was I doing? Jackson had just promised my freedom with the return of the Elementorium, and I had stayed silent. He won it, my mind reminded me, it’s rightfully his, not yours. Perhaps I should just let him have it. What good is being the Elementorium’s bearer if I’m imprisoned because of it? If only the people of Rein could see that I don’t have to be a certain age just to control its power…

“Fear not, child,” a voice echoed in my mind. I had heard this voice only once before, but recognized it immediately.

“Torium?” I thought back. Strangely, I could feel Torium’s nod of confirmation somewhere in the depths of my consciousness.

“Your conviction wavers, child. Do you think your friends would abandon you so quickly?”

“How can you still reach me?” I asked, not wanting to answer Torium’s question.

“You are the last vessel to use Torium’s powers, therefore you are still connected, even when so far apart.” Its words settled in my mind. The last time I had talked to Torium, it had been a couple days since I had fled Rune. I was lost and afraid in the forests, and assumed Torium’s voice was some kind of hallucination from dehydration. Torium’s voice directed me to a nearby spring, and eventually to the city of Kiso to find Jayden. I had taken to calling Torium an “it”, since the only reference I had was it’s voice--which was neither male or female.

“You think Seraphine and Jayden are coming to rescue me, then?” I thought back, returning my thoughts to the task at hand.

“Torium is certain of it. Elysium and Usarium work amidst their own struggles to retrieve you.”

“What struggles?” I thought back, my curiosity piqued. Torium didn’t answer. I waited for several minutes, but there was no reply. Torium’s visit had accomplished what it had intended, though. I couldn’t give the Elementorium over to Jackson, even if it would guarantee my freedom. Jayden was on his way to break me out, I just needed to bide my time.

What will that change, though? My mind questioned. I pushed the thought from my head. Jayden would help me clear my name, I was sure of it.