Earth's Embrace, page 1
Earth’s Embrace
A Telesā World Novel
Lani Wendt Young
Nafanua Press
Earth’s Embrace
Published by Nafanua Press, Samoa.
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Copyright © Lani Young, 2022
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The moral right of the author has been asserted.
All rights reserved.
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All characters and events in this publication, other than those in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
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Cover – Damonza Designs
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Also by Lani Wendt Young
About the Author
Chapter One
Now that there were no elemental guardians out to kill them, Leila couldn’t put off her responsibilities any longer. Her mother had made her the sole heir to an obscene fortune and the controlling shareholder in all her companies. It was the kind of gift that kept giving in a double-edged sword kind of way, because it required skills and knowledge that Leila didn’t have. Which meant she would have to study, research and work her butt off to keep the companies from going under. Of course, she had dabbled with the idea of not doing a damn thing about them and just washing her hands of the entire miserable inheritance, walking away and never looking back.
But that was before.
That was something the old Leila would have done. This Leila faced up to her responsibilities. And today, that included three hours spent at the lawyer’s office going through files and being briefed on the different companies she was in charge of. It made for a long, tiring morning and by midday she was grateful to escape and be out in the fresh air and sunlight. But she wasn’t done. Far from it. Next stop was the Women’s shelter, which had been renamed the Nafanua Center after her mother’s death.
The Director, Mrs. Amani greeted her warmly. “Leila! You’re back.” Her welcome turned to concern when she saw Leila’s arm in its sling. “What happened? Are you alright?”
Leila waved away her questions. “It’s a straight forward break and the doctor said I can get it out of this cast soon. Still finding my way around Daniel’s workshop. I tripped and fell on it. I’m fine. Really.” The practiced lie came easily now. She had a twinge of guilt about it but she couldn’t very well tell Mrs. Amani the real reason why her arm was broken.
My mother-in-law, who we thought was dead but is sort of alive, but not really, because she’s an ocean aitu warrior guardian – tried to kill me. Then I slit the throat of her bodyguard (and by the way, it felt so very good to do it but that’s a whole other messy tangle of stuff I don’t want to get into right now). But don’t worry, the bodyguard didn’t die, because my #notDead #notAlive mother-in-law used her ocean aitu powers and healed her. Plus she healed Daniel’s wounds too. She didn’t want to fix ME though, since she still thinks the world would be a better place without me in it. And she sure doesn’t want her son to be married to me either. Happy families yay!
No, she definitely could NOT tell Mrs. Amani how her arm broke. Better that everyone think she was a clumsy twit.
“I hope you and Daniel had a lovely holiday before you broke your arm dear,” said Mrs. Amani.
Leila tried not to think about just how lovely her ‘holiday’ with Daniel had been. Because then she would get all flustered and red-faced. It didn’t matter that she was a married woman, it still felt weird to be ‘allowed’ to have sex with Daniel whenever and wherever she wanted to. And to have other people knowing that’s what you’d been doing for two weeks away on your honeymoon, was excruciatingly embarrassing.
“All good.” A quick subject change was needed. “I thought maybe we could talk about the Center and anything you need? I’m sorry I haven’t been very involved.”
The older woman waved away her apology. “No, you’ve had a lot on your plate, what with school and funerals and weddings. And broken arms! How is Daniel coping with the loss of his grandmother? Such a sad business.”
“He’s keeping busy with work,” said Leila, in a rush to change the subject because she knew very well that her husband was NOT coping with his grandmother’s murder. How does one even deal with that? At least his grandfather had died somewhat peacefully, if cancer could even be called that. Salamasina had been brutally tortured and killed by a pack of rabid Telesā and Leila knew that her husband carried a stone of guilt alongside his grief, that he hadn’t been able to keep his grandmother safe.
She knew it was wrong but it still gave Leila a grim satisfaction that Pele had killed so many of the renegade Telesā on that fateful day. Which meant she Leila had their blood on her literal hands. Sometimes it worried her that she didn’t feel bad about it. She bore no regrets about the killing of the Telesā who had not only murdered Salamasina, but also wreaked havoc on Telesā sisterhoods all over Oceania. Sometimes she asked herself what’s wrong with me that I don’t carry as much guilt as Daniel does about all those lives lost? But those moments were fleeting. There was no point looking back and regretting the past.
Besides, didn’t those Telesa deserve their deaths? They attacked your family and hurt your friends. It’s not murder when it’s justified. No. It’s justice. And when you have the power of a god, the usual rules don’t apply to you anyway.
When she started talking to herself in third person like that, Leila knew she needed to get out of her thoughts. Just keep busy and keep focused on the present. It was dangerous to let her mind wander. A brisk smile for Mrs. Amani. “Shall we move into your office?”
An hour later and Leila’s head was spinning with the info dump. She shut the folder she was reading through with a sigh. “I don’t know how you do it!”
Mrs. Amani smiled sympathetically from her desk. “You don’t need to learn everything in a single day. I’ve been working at this job for fifteen years. Take it slow.”
“I’m glad I’ve got time to get familiar with it all before the next Board meeting. I suspect there will be a few people who aren’t happy that a nineteen year old is in charge.”
“Nafanua knew what she was doing when she named you as her replacement. Besides, she may have given me the reins here at the Center, but we all knew that Nafanua was in charge. The only reason we can operate at all is because of her funding. In this situation, money is power. Remember that when you walk into the Board meeting, because when it comes to power, you’re holding all of it,” said Mrs. Amani.
Leila knew the older woman had meant to be helpful, but her reassurances about money and absolute power, only made her feel queasy. She didn’t like being reminded that she was in charge. Because what if I can’t do it? What if I mess up? Ruin everything? A sudden worry occurred to her. “You’re not going anywhere, right? You’re happy to keep doing everything that you do here at the Center?”
The apprehension in her voice was obvious and Mrs. Amani reached out to place a reassuring hand on Leila’s. “Of course. My contract is up in another month, and it will be up to you – and the Board – to decide whether to renew it. I meant what I said though Leila, you’re the one calling the shots for the Nafanua Center. If there’s things you want to change, ways you can see for us to improve? I’m open to that. And if you decide it’s time for someone else to take over as the Center Director? Then I will step aside.”
“No, absolutely not,” rushed Leila. “I want you to stay. The Center needs you. The students here need you. And more selfishly, I need you to help me not make a mess of things! Please stay on and keep doing what you’re doing.”
“Of course,” said Mrs. Amani.
With that out of the way, Leila moved on to the next order of business on her list. “Is school out for the kids? I wanted to see if I could catch up with Teuila. Would that be alright?”
“The students break in another ten minutes.” Mrs. Amani hesitated with a frown. “I’ve been hoping we could talk about Teuila’s situation. I’m worried about her.” She went on to explain that Teuila’s mother was pressuring her daughter again to come home and live with her. “She’s back with the same partner she had who put her in hospital. The one that abused Teuila. Unfortunately, there’s very little I can do to keep Teuila here because she’s underage and Samoa doesn’t have a foster-care system so that I can petition to get Teuila taken away from her mother legally. My worry is that she’ll run away again because she’s afraid of living with her mother.”
“And there’s nothing else we can do? Can’t we get the mother’s partner arrested?”
“Not without someone who’s willing to testify against him. Neither Teuila nor her mother are going to do that.” The school bell sounded. “That will be the signal for break. Do you want to try and catch Teuila now?”
Mrs. Amani walked Leila to the door. “I hope you can talk to her. She looks up to you, she trusts you.”
She found Teuila in the courtyard at a table eating lunch. But the sight of the person sitting with her, made Leila hesitate. Keahi. They hadn’t seen her yet and she paused for a moment to watch them and consider her options. She didn’t want to see Keahi. Not right now. A mental groan.
Dammit. I’ll come back later.
Too late. Teuila looked up in her direction. A smile of recognition as she leapt up to greet her. “Leila! You’re back.” A quick hug. Over her shoulder, Leila saw Keahi’s face when he realized who it was. An inscrutable expression of combined hurt and happy that was quickly replaced with the usual mocking grin.
“Ahh, Mrs. Daniel Tahi. Have you come looking for a real man?” he drawled.
“If I were, I wouldn’t be looking at you,” Leila bantered lightly. She sat down at the table opposite Keahi, so that Teuila had to sit beside him instead. She felt more secure with a wooden divider between them. Keahi made her uneasy because he knew her in ways she didn’t know herself.
No, he knows Pele – not you. Remember that.
A light smile. “So how are you two? What have I missed?”
Teuila was excited. “We’ve been practicing with our Gifts and how they can work together.” She launched into a lengthy explanation of their sessions at the abandoned quarry, with her increased control of her unique earth Gift and then acting as the lightning spark for Keahi’s flame power. She talked of summoning flora and fauna, the techniques she and Keahi were mastering as a team, how with her help – he was gaining more effective control of his Gift. “He still can’t summon fire without a trigger spark, but I bet if he keeps practicing, he will one day! Right Keahi?”
The young man shook his head. He didn’t share Teuila’s confidence. But he tried to play it down. Nonchalant. “Doubt it. I’m malfunctioned. Aint nuthin’ gonna change that.”
“You have to think positive Keahi. We’ve made heaps of progress together and it’s so much fun too,” said Teuila. She added with eagerness, “You should see him with his Fire now Leila. Come with us to our practice tomorrow.”
All this talk of Fire and Earth was making Leila’s head ache. She gave Teuila a pained smile. “I’ll see if I can.”
Which is when Keahi cut in smoothly. “Nah, I’m sure Leila’s got better things to do with her time, especially now that she’s a married woman, right Leila? Shouldn’t you be at home in the kitchen, or the bedroom? Waiting for your man?”
Teuila scolded him. “Keahi, that’s nasty. Why do you keep making out you’re a chauvinist pig when I know you aren’t?”
Leila was grateful for the distraction. She didn’t want to talk about elemental Gifts. Especially not Fire. And she didn’t want to attend any of their training sessions either. She rubbed at her throbbing forehead.
I need some aspirin. What a loser. Only half a day ‘at work’ and already I’m exhausted.
“You alright?” asked Keahi.
“Yeah, just a headache,” said Leila. “I better get going. Teuila can I get directions to your mother’s place?”
“Why?” asked Teuila, suddenly looking hunted.
“I’ve got some paperwork from Mrs. Amani that I told her I’d drop off on my way home. Nothing important,” reassured Leila.
Teuila was still wary, but she went ahead and described how to get there. “You’re not going to talk to her are you? Her boyfriend might be there. It’s not safe to talk to them.”
“No, don’t worry, I’ll chuck the papers out the window as I drive past,” said Leila with a strained attempt at a smile. Her head was killing her now. “I’ll be back tomorrow. See you at lunch?”
Teuila nodded eagerly, “Sure!”
Keahi stood as Leila did. “I’ll walk you out.” It wasn’t a question but Leila’s headache was annoying her too much for her to try arguing with him.
They walked out to the parking lot together. Again, Keahi asked. Quietly. “You okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” said Leila as she went to open her car door.
“I don’t think you are,” said Keahi as he held the door firmly so she couldn’t open it.
“I don’t care what you think,” snapped Leila.
“Hey, truce, I’m not trying to make you mad.” He gazed intently at her face and she backed away from the scrutiny so she was pressed up against the car. “I apologize for back there. Teuila wasn’t thinking.”
“What do you mean?”
“Going on like that about our training and Fire and Gifts. You don’t need to be hearing all that. It was insensitive,” said Keahi.
Leila gaped at him. “Keahi Meredith, did you just use the words insensitive and apologize?!”
A sheepish grin. “Yeah, so?”
She laughed. “So I didn’t think chauvinist pigs cared about feelings and emotions and being sensitive.”
Keahi was sulky now. “I can do feelings and emotions just fine, okay! I just like to keep ‘em under wraps, that’s all. Anyways, don’t change the subject.” He went on the attack. “Do you miss it?”
She didn’t need to ask what he was talking about. He was Fire. And once upon a time, she had been too. She knew exactly what he was talking about. A quiet pause as she considered all the platitudes and lies she should use to fill this space, this moment. And rejected all of them. Because who else could she tell? Who else would understand?
“Yes. I miss it.” Saying the words was like a load lightening from her soul. She paused to look out over the distant grove of frangipani trees swaying softly in the breeze. White pink flowers fell in spinning spirals to the grass below and she closed her eyes for a moment, imagining for herself the freedom and lightness of being of a frangipani in the wind. Then a shake back to reality. She brought her hand to her chest. “It’s an emptiness right here. This spot of deadness in the midst of all the happiness. Most days I don’t even hear it because the joy drowns it out, fills it up. But I know it’s always there. And I know it’s wrong to miss it. To want it. Because that would be admitting I liked being a destroyer, and so I feel guilty.” Her voice faded to a whisper in the afternoon sun. “But yeah, I miss it. And I find myself wondering, does Fanua Afi, my earth mother, does she miss me?”
“Fire is a creator too,” said Keahi quietly.
Leila shook her head. Confusion. “What?”
“Fire is a creator,” repeated Keahi. “Something you said – I mean – Pele said. I am the creator and the destroyer. As Fanua Afi, you held great power in your hands, capable of mass destruction. But you were also a bringer of life, new lands, a nurturer of earth. And I think you should remember that. Your Fire wasn’t all bad. It linked you to the earth and made it possible for you to create and do beautiful things. Good things. You saved lives with that power. And you shouldn’t beat yourself up for missing it. For a part of you still wanting it.”
No-one had ever explained it to her like that before and his words were a healing balm to the scars she thought she would carry inside her forever.
“Thank you.” Leila gave him a grateful smile. She nodded in Teuila’s direction. “How is she? Mrs. Amani is worried about her.”
“She’d be a lot better if her piece of shit mother didn’t keep coming round here.”
He didn’t apologize for his bad language and in this instance Leila had to agree with him. Teuila’s mother was bad news. “It’s frustrating there’s so little we can do about it.”
“Being friends with you hasn’t helped.”
