Chapter 55 Jake & The Girls
THE FIFTH ELEMENT 🔥🌪️🌊⛰️🌀
CASSIE'S POV
I was completely lost. I didn’t understand why he’d say something like that, until I remembered how cagey and secretive the Elementals had been about my parents. The more I thought about it, the more I wondered if this strange man might actually be telling the truth.
“Everything,” he said. “They’re the ones who poisoned your mother’s mind against your father. They planted so much hate in her that it broke her… and in the end, she killed him. The Elementals are just as much to blame as your mother is.”
“I still can’t believe this,” I whispered.
“I know it’s a lot to take in,” he said. “But trust me, Cassie. The Elementals are the real enemies. We have to get rid of them.”
“Trust you?” I spat, folding my arms. “I don’t even know who you are.”
“Then get to know me,” he said. “Your father would’ve wanted you to.”
“I don’t know,” I said, shaking my head. “How am I supposed to trust you? You do realize he’s been taking my blood for experiments, right? And now you expect me to believe you? How do I even know you’re not making all of this up?”
“I’m sorry about the blood,” he said quickly. “It won’t happen again unless you say so. And I am telling you the truth, Cassie.”
“If you’re really telling the truth, then let me figure it out myself,” I said. “I’m capable of deciding whether you’re lying or not.”
He paused, glancing briefly at Mr. Ken before turning back to me.
“How exactly are you going to do that, Cassie?” he asked.
“Sorry, but I’m not telling you yet. Not until I know I can actually trust you,” I said.
“Of course,” he replied with a small smile. “Do what you have to do. You’ll see. I have nothing to hide.”
“Okay. But I can’t do anything right now because he injected me with something that blocks my magic,” I said, shooting Mr. Ken a glare.
“Yes. It’s just a precaution around here, especially with newcomers,” Mr. Ken said. “That won’t happen again either.”
“Fine,” I said, giving them both a tight smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “I’ll wait it out. After that, I’ll find out everything I need to know.”
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JAKE'S POV
I couldn’t believe Cassie had been kidnapped.
How did I not sense something was wrong the moment I realized she wasn’t at the training center today.
I had to do something.
“Jake, we’re only telling you this because we trust you,” the principal said. “But don’t say a word to anyone else until we figure out what to do.”
“Figure out what to do?” I snapped. “How about we go find her? Sitting here talking won’t do anything except waste time.”
“Calm down, boy,” Mr. Winchester said.
“Right. I should calm down while Cassie’s out there suffering,” I shot back.
“We don’t even know for sure that she’s suffering,” Mrs. Stone said. “Let’s try to stay positive.”
What was wrong with these people?
How could they be so calm like this wasn’t a crisis?
We needed to act. Now.
“This is insane,” I said, pacing away from them. “Cassie’s been kidnapped and all you do is sit here and chat like it’s a board meeting. You’re all crazy.” I grabbed the chair farthest from them and dropped into it.
I needed to think. I needed a plan to get Cassie back. Now.
The three of them kept talking quietly when Mr. Winchester suddenly turned toward the door. He grabbed the knob, held it for a second, then swung it open, revealing a few people who almost fell inside the office. Evesdroppers.
He exchanged a few words with them before letting them in.
It was Phoebe, Sage, and Cara.
What the hell was Cara doing here?
I told her to stay at home, especially at this hour. Guess she didn’t listen. Stubborn as always.
The principal kept talking about how Cassie’s kidnappers were the enemy and how they’d probably use her as leverage. That just made me more certain we couldn’t sit around waiting.
“All of you here today, this can’t leave this room, at least not yet,” the principal said. “Don’t worry. We, the Elementals, will come up with a plan to get Cassie back. In the meantime, you all need to focus on your training. More than ever. They invaded our school right under our noses. We have to be more careful now.”
I let out a quiet chuckle.
“For now, you’re all dismissed. Return to your dorms,” she said, waving us off.
Cara rolled her eyes and walked out without a word. Phoebe followed. Sage hesitated for a second before going too.
“And you too, Jake,” the principal said.
“Seriously? But we haven’t even made a plan yet,” I said.
“You’ll be informed when we do,” she said without even looking at me. “You’re still a student, so follow the rules. Go back to your dorm. It’s late.”
The other Elementals stayed silent, busying themselves with paperwork like nothing had happened.
“Fine. Whatever,” I muttered and stormed out, anger boiling in my chest.
How could they act like this?
Just because Cassie isn’t one of their own children?
I was heading toward the abandoned building to clear my head when Cara, Sage, and Phoebe cornered me in the hallway.
“What is this? Aren’t you all supposed to be in your dorms by now?” I said. “You’re breaking curfew.”
“Right. Spare us, Mr. Rule Abider,” Cara said with a smirk.
“Whatever. I don’t have time for this,” I said, trying to push past them, but Sage stepped in my way.
I chuckled.
“What are you doing? Like your brother isn’t enough trouble for me,” I said to her, and she glared.
“Cara, tell your friend to get out of my way,” I said. “Oh wait, I forgot. You two aren’t friends anymore. So remind me why you’re standing together now, acting like you don’t hate each other?”
“Can you stop being an ass and just listen for once?” Sage snapped.
“Jake, please,” Cara cut in.
“We want to find Cassie,” Sage said. “But we can’t do it without your help.”
That got my full attention. I stayed quiet, processing what she’d just said.
“So what do you say, Jakey?” Cara asked, smirking. “Are you going to help us find Cassie or not?”
She already knew the answer.
“Do you guys even have a plan?” I asked.
“I guess that means yes,” Sage said with a small smirk of her own.
“We don’t have one yet,” Phoebe admitted, and I stared at her blankly.
“The plan,” Phoebe continued, “we don’t have one. Not yet. That’s why we need you. You’ve spent more time outside this school than any of us.”
They weren’t wrong.
I had seen more of the world beyond the Academy than any of them.
“Okay,” I said. “Then we better come up with something.”
“The sooner, the better,” Sage said. “How about we start now?”
“I’m sorry, but I thought you didn’t like Cassie,” I said, turning to her. “How come you’re acting like her best friend now?”
“That’s none of your business,” Sage said coldly.
“Right. I see. I’m just surprised, that’s all,” I said.
I hadn’t heard Sage string more than five words together in months, not since she turned into this ice-cold version of herself. I guess Cassie was bringing the old Sage back to the surface.
“So… are we doing this or not?” Cara asked.
“We are,” I said. “But not out here in the open. Let’s go somewhere we can actually talk. Follow me.”
I headed for the abandoned building, and the three of them followed close behind.
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