In this excerpt from Windsinger, book one of my Elemental Destinies series, our male lead, Brad has to help his Windsinger girlfriend, Cecy do something incredibly dangerous – with a little help from a Seasinger named Kai…

They’d arrived at the water’s edge, and Sami and Cecy were hanging back, not even getting close to where the waves might wash up. Brad turned to look at them.

“You’re really afraid, aren’t you?”

“To go under the water or into the earth is a fate none of us would ever choose,” Cecy whispered. “It’s as close to death itself as one of my kind can get. For an Original, it would be far worse.”

“But don’t storms happen at sea? Wind, I mean?”

“Yes,” Cecy nodded. “But sea storms are a violent and fleeting thing, and left for the most powerful among the Originals. To risk yourself upon the water is not easily done.”

“So this guy – is he safe? I’m not letting you crawl into an underwater cave with some shark-finned psychopath.”

“I ditched the fins,” A powerful voice called out from behind him. “They make it hard to strike without warning.”

Brad froze, taking in Sami’s wide eyes and Cecy’s rapid breath.

“He’s behind me, isn’t he?” Brad groaned.

“He is,” Kai said. “And you need to learn a little respect for the forces of nature.”

Cecy stepped forward, as close to the water’s edge as she could bring herself to go.

“Please,” she said soothingly. “He meant no disrespect. He only thinks to protect me.”

“I’m her boyfriend,” Brad said, turning around. “And she’s right. Didn’t mean to bust on you, but she’s clearly not thrilled about this and I think she should just forget about it.”

The man was walking toward them through the surf, and as he came closer, Brad’s eyes widened. This guy was massive. The second-to-the-last thing he wanted to do was piss him off, and that was on the heels of the last thing he wanted to do: trust him to look after Cecy.

It didn’t help that the guy looked like a swimsuit model, all blonde hair and blue eyes and rippling muscle.

“Shit,” Brad said under his breath.

“She’ll be safe enough,” Kai said, “if you can keep her calm for the dozen or so feet she’ll need to swim underwater.”

Brad turned to look at a very pale Cecy. “Do you even know how to swim?” he asked her.

She shook her head mutely, hugging her arms around herself.

“She only has to hold her breath,” Kai continued. “You don’t have far to pull her through. The tide isn’t all the way in for another hour.”

“You’re sure about that?” Sami asked, giving the ocean a wary look.

Brad stepped over to Cecy, lowering his voice as he took her cold hands in his. “I meant what I said, Cecy. You don’t have to do this.”

She nodded. “I know. But I will.”

Find out about the looming mystery that sent Cecy into the water and pulled Kai in as well, in Windsinger (out now!) and the upcoming Seasinger, books one and two of The Elemental Destinies!