Page 20 of Interlude

“Whoops, sorry,” he says a little sheepishly, running a hand over the spikes on top of his head. I’m curious how they feel. They seem to bend when he touches them, but I’m not curious enough to reach out and have a go myself… yet.

“Aren’t we worried that if you go like that, they will be too scared to hire you?” John is looking a little better today, but he’s still a little too pale for my liking.

Xavier shakes his head. “I don’t think they will. In fact, I got the feeling they would probably hire him on the spot, even if it’s for protection. They lost too many harvesters on the last trip and are feeling a little jumpy.”

“The shrouded figure isn’t instilling much confidence in his workers. That’s not good for business,” Eric points out.

“I get the feeling he isn’t actually the boss, just someone else who is being paid to be there. He never speaks or interacts with any of the crew, nor does he help harvest. There is no sign of them ever seeing what he looks like either—or at least this guy didn’t anyway.” He points to his glamoured form. “It’s only assumed he’s there to keep the inhabitants of the planet away. I hate not having all the information. If someone had only seen what he looks like under the cowl, we’d have a better idea. For all we know, he’s a Seiomann, and we’re all going to be screwed.”

That sounds familiar, but I can’t quite remember what it is. “What’s a Seiomann?” I ask, and it’s Brannock who replies.

“A race of aliens that can make it so a being can’t access their powers. They also have the ability to freeze a person in stasis.”

“Ugly fuckers,” Eric chimes in. “They appear like they are floating, draped in a dark cloak, with their only discernible features being three red eyes.”

I shiver, but Xavier shakes his head. “No, this being doesn’t float, and there is no sign of red eyes, so I’m hoping we will be okay.”

“Do you think one of them was used to put Grandma in stasis?” I ask, and William nods.

“Probably. They aren’t exactly the most welcomed race, so people tend to avoid them, worried their own powers will be nullified. Though I’m under the impression that being in their vicinity doesn’t do it. They have to actively use their powers to nullify, but it’s made them pariahs and, in turn, bitter. They will do anything if the price is right.”

“And without any visible cues, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the overseer might be. I may be able to feel more when we are within his vicinity.” Xavier sounds frustrated, and I know it’s mostly because he’s worried about me.

“Okay, Lila, we need you to take your elemental form, and then you are good to go,” Bubby announces as the teleporter hums its readiness.

I nod. “Okay, turn around, because I’m about to get naked,” I announce, untying the belt to my robe as the men in the room whirl around. The only one left looking at me is Xavier, and I raise an eyebrow at him, nodding toward his new form.

“You aren’t going to explode into kernels of popcorn if I get naked, are you?” I ask, and he chuckles, shaking his head.

“I may look like the corn man, but it is still a glamour. I don’t have his abilities or anything.”

I drop my robe, the fabric pooling at my feet, and wink at my corncob husband before picturing the earth elemental form in my mind. My mimic powers sparkle with excitement, and I’m enveloped in the shimmery haze. I feel my body start to change, getting smaller and lighter, as I try to hold onto my personality, allowing it to meld with the elemental nature that attempts to take over. I’ve gotten better at it, but it’s still a struggle sometimes. Thankfully, the earth elemental is less volatile than the fire one, so the fight isn’t as difficult.

The haze clears, and I find myself looking up at the corn man, but the smirk on his face is so Xavier. I’m about waist height, and I know whatever is about to come out of his mouth is going to be dirty.

“Look at you, so tiny and dainty and the perfect height for me to?—”

“Xavier!” William snaps, cutting my dirty warlock off. He doesn’t look repentant at all as he hands me a little elemental dress to pull on over my naked form.

I flutter my wings and lift into the air. Thankfully I managed to master flying in both elemental forms, but I don’t get very high before my body starts to feel heavy, and I sink to the ground, groaning as a wave of nausea washes over my new body. I wrap my arms around myself and squeeze my eyes closed, laying my cheek on the cold floor as my head starts to throb.

“Lila!” Xavier reaches for me, but in the form he’s in, he can’t bend over. Brannock scoops me up into his arms as everyone else gathers around me.

“What’s wrong with her?” I hate the worry I hear in John’s voice, but I’m in too much pain to reassure him.

“Rick, call Link to get his ass here,” Eric demands, but before Bubby can react, Xavier reaches out to stop him, groaning and rubbing a hand across his own head.

“Don’t, I can feel what’s wrong. She’s an earth elemental who hasn’t had any contact with her element in a long time.”

“But isn’t metal an earth element?” William argues. My eyes are squeezed closed against the light, so I can’t see anybody. I only listen to them discuss me. Brannock’s body is soothing against mine, his skin slightly cold, and surprisingly, none of his ridges or spikes hurt me. It’s like everything smoothed out when he held me against his body.

“It is, but it’s been sustaining her for so long that it’s starting to become ineffective. I scanned both elementals’ minds before I let them go so I would have all the knowledge I needed to train Lila. The earth elemental she mimicked had been in space for an extended period of time and was waiting for a transport to a planet so they could refuel their power stores.”

“But they were radiating off her when you guys walked in,” John argues. “Where did it all go?”

I almost feel Xavier shrug. “That power fuels her mimic abilities, allowing her to change and hold this form, but she will still be susceptible to the form’s weaknesses, like her need for blood like a Vilaxian or emotions like a warlock.”

“But that’s different, she’s mated to both of you, which essentially changed her DNA. This isn’t like that,” Eric protests.

---