A Time to Die (Elemental Rage Book 2) by Jeanette Raleigh

Keepers.  For them, it was power over something.  One thing
the Elementals learned early was that working with Elements was a compromise. 
The Elements weren’t bound as slaves to an Elemental.  They were partners. 
They were friends.
       “Either way,
it’s done. I couldn’t change it even if I wanted to, and I don’t,” Aunt Bertha
said.  She sounded tired.
    “Three months to
live isn’t a long time,” Harold said. “If you cheated us out of our Gift, we’ll
know shortly”
    Three months? Jade
gasped, “What?”
    Raven sat up,
“Why? What did you hear?”
    Jade said,
“Shhh…I’m listening.”
    Aunt Bertha walked
out of the circle, leaning on the arm of the silver-haired fellow.  She said, “They
say six months, but I’m tough.”
     Harold gave a
deep sigh, all a pretense at caring.  It was obvious he secretly relished Aunt
Bertha’s downfall.  He said, “We’re Death Keepers, Bertha.  Three months.
Better get your affairs in order.”
    Jade pulled away
from Air, shocked at the jarring sensation of experiencing the world through
Air’s strange senses and then suddenly returning to her own.
    Tears filled
Jade’s eyes.  She couldn’t do this without Aunt Bertha.  It was hard enough
without Mom.  She said, “I’m not sure if I should tell you, but I can’t keep it
to myself.  Harold told Aunt Bertha she only had three months to live.  She
knows something, too.”
    Claire knocked on
the door to the bedroom, “Are you guys almost done?  It’s nine o’clock.”
    Raven put a finger
to her mouth, “We keep this between us.  Aunt Bertha will tell us when she’s
ready.”
    Jade agreed. 
Standing up, she felt unsteady on her feet.  “We need Mom. At least we know
without a doubt that the Keepers have her.  I wish we could kidnap one of them
and trade.”
    It wasn’t a bad
idea , Raven thought.  But that would mean one of the Gray sisters would
have to be a psycho kidnapper like the Keepers.  Raven’s opinion of the Keepers
dropped every time she had dealings with them. 
    Raven thought of
the Void.  She had been so close.  Hatching a plan, Raven decided that on their
Spirit-Walk, she would face the Void head-on, and demand clear instructions on
how to rescue her Mom.  Maybe the Void would help.  One thing Raven and the
Void Master could agree on. 
    Neither one liked
the Keepers.

Chapter 7
     
     
    ~~ Jade ~~
     
    It was the kind of
week that dragged on and on.  Jade had a Precalculus test on Tuesday that went
horribly wrong.  For Jade that meant a B-. Between volleyball and taking care
of Mindy and worrying about Bertha and Raven, Jade couldn’t focus on studying.
    Finally Saturday
arrived. 
    She played a
decent game on Saturday, her serves sailing to the back of the court, and she
slammed an ace at the front of the net. Jade loved the games, but she was
nervous for her date and eager for the game to be over.  They won in four
rounds.
    Jade scanned the
bleachers for Zach.  He waved from the top. Blushing, Jade waved back.  She
followed the team into the locker room.  Most of them would head home without
changing. 
    Jade didn’t feel
good about herself when she looked in the mirror.  She wore a green silk blouse
and jeans. The blouse belonged to Raven.  Jade brushed her hair and put on
mascara and lip gloss.  She hardly ever wore makeup. Staring at herself in the
mirror, she felt ugly. 
    With a sigh, Jade
threw the mascara into her bag.  She thought about hiding in the locker room
for another ten minutes. Feeling a bundle of nerves, Jade left through the
inner door back into the gym.  It had cleared out quickly with only a few
parents and teachers staying to chat. 
    Zach stood, an
easy grin welcoming her.
    “Good game,” he
said, reaching for her bag, “Here, let me take that.”
    Jade felt a little
odd handing him her gym bag.  She always felt like the loner girl who didn’t
need anyone, but she wanted him to like her, so much. She handed over her