Fire and Wind: The Element Tree, #1

By Bonnie White

Are some of us fated for dark destinies? Or do choices change our path?

 A runaway girl, from a broken home, who discovers she can travel through time.

A curious, lonely boy who welcomes her into his Native American home.

When Vanessa meets Lianaca, she thinks her broken past has disappeared, that she can build a fresh identity, a whole family, that she'll be safe forever... but powers beyond her control threaten to raze her new world to ash. Will Vanessa be able to smother the flames in time? Or will she be the one who ignites the fire?

This moving, family drama will make you laugh, cry, and sigh as you ride along on this romantic, time travel adventure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bonnie White
• Release date: Oct 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386835141

Book preview

PRELUDE

Blackness. Smothering pressure.

Lianaca’s consciousness thrust hard against the deep, dark void. One finger twitched. He began to wake up. He tried to move his head from side to side, but a dense load forced him down. He lay, face down, and crinkled on his side. Something was on top of him. Lianaca groaned and pushed himself up. The thing on top of him flopped over. He gasped in air gratefully, as he gained coherence. He shoved the thing off of him, finally, and sat up blinking.

He screamed in horror, and scrambled backward. The soft, old body of his grandmother lay discarded, so broken, it looked unnatural. Lian trembled, and his eyes zoomed everywhere as he took in his surroundings. Most of the village was on fire; thick smoke choked him. The only people around, were the dead bodies of friends and family. Weapons and food were scattered in the grass. A familiar piece of cloth. He crawled over, and lifted his mother to his chest, sobbing, and hugged her tight. Mother... what happened?

Lian dropped her limp body, and shuddered. He rose, and scrubbed at his face and eyes, though he knew he’d never be able to erase this wretched sight as long as he lived. Vanessa. he cried, his voice hoarse. Lian coughed and cleared his throat. He yelled louder. Vanessa, Talia, where are you? Tears streamed down his face. Where are you? he whispered. He didn’t see his wife or daughter among the dead.

He moved, staggering at first, until he gained his feet. Only one purpose blazed in Lianaca’s heart and mind: to find his wife and daughter, and bring his family back together.

CHAPTER 1

It was a sticky night; so warm that even the crickets were quiet. A hot breeze waved its fingers through a cracked window, over a sleeping girl. One arm was thrown back, her little hand tangled in a mat of dirty blonde curls. She was glazed with a sweaty sheen. Her eyes fluttered under the lids.

Heavy feet clumped down the hallway outside her door and into the hall bath. Vanessa rolled over. She slept in a sparse bedroom, in an old, run down mill house, but it was hers. At school one day, she’d drawn her name in bubble letters on a piece of construction paper, then carefully filled in the letters with paste, and finally a layer of sparkling blue glitter. Vanessa. She proudly attached her art work to her bedroom door that same day.

Vanessa, and her brother Alan, had been through several foster homes; sometimes together, sometimes not. They'd lived with their parents, Bill and Allie, off and on, but each time their parents had failed, leaving Alan and Vanessa to fend for themselves. This time it was different. They were all together again. All four of them. Bill and Allie had both kept jobs for over a year. They'd paid rent and bills when due, for several months. This time they were in a house. This time she had her own room.

Another set of feet shuffled down the hall. There was a loud thud as someone lost their balance, and fell into Vanessa’s closed door. Vanessa barely heard her father, Bill, huff out of the bathroom, swinging the door wide on its old hinges.

Jesus Allie! What are you doing? You're gonna wake up the kids!

There was a muffled retort, then a loud smack, that sent Allie banging back onto Vanessa’s door, again. A glittery piece of paper, now torn on one corner, drifted to the floor.

Vanessa woke with a gasp and scrambled backward in her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. She tried to pull the frayed blanket she used over herself but it wasn't there. She looked around, mouth agape, unsure what to think or do. Her bedroom was gone. She was sitting on the ground in the center of a small meadow, surrounded by dark evergreens. Tall grasses and weeds waved in the milky moonlight. It was the middle of the night. Vanessa shivered; the air was cool, and damp seeped into her nightgown.

Tentative, she got to her bare feet and brushed the dirt off her hands. She stopped in the center of the meadow, near bright as day, and turned around and around, looking everywhere. She laughed as a light wind picked up discarded leaves from the ground and swirled them around her.

When Vanessa woke in her bed the next morning, she smiled remembering her dream. She could have sworn that it had been real, that she’d heard little whispers in the air, rushing through the boughs, calling her name and saying things she couldn't understand.

CHAPTER 2

Vanessa sang a little tune to herself, some of the words coming and some going. She splashed her feet in the cool water and dug her toes into the soft silt at the edge of a stream. She paused, thinking she heard a twig snap, and looked over her shoulder. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary in the woods behind her, so she shrugged and turned back to the water, continuing her play.

Lianaca slouched in the brush, several feet back, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He sighed in relief, and scratched a couple of errant pieces of bark from his knee. The boy scowled; he was surprised he'd lost his footing on a dumb, fallen branch. Lucky for him, the river was loud. He knew the girl had heard something, but she hadn't given the noise more than a second thought.

He peered at her from between the tall grasses, trying to be still like he'd seen the hunters do. She looked different from the girls in his village; her clothing was strange, and he’d never seen hair with gold in it. Lian wondered what kind of bark her clothes were made from. Wait a minute. Where did she go?

Hey! he yelped in surprise and scrambled around. Somehow, the girl had snuck up behind him, and jabbed him in the back with a stick.

Vanessa stood with one hand on her hip and the other gripped the stick, pointing it at him. Her mouth was set in a determined frown.

Were you spying on me?

No. Lianaca spluttered, defensive. Wait, what's spying?

Vanessa rolled her eyes and pulled the stick up, casually resting it over her shoulder. You know, spying... like peeking on someone when they don't know you're there. Only I did know you were there. My big brother tries to sneak up on me all the time and he doesn't do a good job either.

Vanessa reached out her hand to Lianaca and helped pull him up. He brushed off his loin covering. Vanessa giggled, then turned bright red.

Liananca scowled again. What's so funny?

What are you wearing? she asked.

What are you wearing? he repeated.

Hmm. This is a weird dream. Vanessa said.

Lianaca snorted. This isn't a dream.

Oh yeah, then how come you're dressed up in Indian clothes and I can understand you? Vanessa wagged her eyebrows up and down.

Lianaca was stumped. Half of what she said didn't make any sense, and yet, he could understand her, too. He sighed. I don't know, but it's not a dream. I live here! he insisted.

Vanessa eyed him warily. She crossed her arms over her chest, and scoffed. You don’t live here.

Yes, I do. Lian insisted.

Uh huh. Where’s your house then, smarty pants? she asked, grinning.

Come on. Lianaca waved, and started walking away.

Wait.

He paused and looked back. What is it?

First, tell me your name. She pointed the stick at him again.

He pushed the stick out of his face, and said, Lianaca.

Cool name. I'm Vanessa.

He tried to say her name. Anessa.

Vanessa. she corrected.

Lianaca copied her. VAHnessa.

They stared at each other, silent, judging.

Come on. Lianaca said again, and let go a dramatic sigh.

Vanessa followed Lianaca up the bank and through a stand of trees. On occasion, the boy would glance back at her, then forward again. He led her on for a few miles, past giant trees, and over green hills. They passed through a field of weeds higher than their heads; Vanessa gazed in wonder as cotton white puffs detached, and danced above them.

After a while, Lianaca slowed his pace, and then drew short under an oak. Vanessa stopped beside him, and sucked in her breath. Several hundred yards away, was the tallest fence Vanessa had ever seen. It stretched on as far as she could see, in either direction. Just visible, thatched roofs peeking over the pointed fence stakes, and pale smoke. Vanessa smelled meat roasting. She heard voices, and laughter, coming and going.

Vanessa began to feel scared. She took a step back, then another.

Want to come in? Lianaca looked at his new friend, now backing away. What’s wrong?

Vanessa’s throat was dry. I...I.

Yeah?

I need to go. Vanessa was panicked. She began to scramble down the hill, back the way they’d come.

Wait. Lianaca slid after her.

No. I need to go home.

Well, maybe I can help. Who are your people? Where are you from? Lian asked.

I’m a Miller, from Silverbell, North Carolina. 

I’ve never heard of the Millers. Lian said, puzzled.

Vanessa laughed. "This has to be a dream."

Lianaca followed Vanessa all the way back to the river. He kept asking where she was