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Zeff wished he had a better idea, but they were already short on time. And by the strained look on Lawrence’s face, the man had probably hoped Zeff would volunteer Gema’s whereabouts and thereby avoid a confrontation. Zeff certainly didn’t want to fight, either, but he wasn’t seeing much choice.

If nothing else, he was sure that Mariana would keep their children safe. That woman was prepared for everything. How he wished that he had stayed in Aguarey with her. At least then, they could have faced this together. “Perhaps I should call my wife,” said Zeff. “We can hear what she thinks of the situation.” He reached for the cellphone in his inner coat pocket.

‘I would not advise that,’ said Dergoz. ‘Lawrence will be forced to stop you.’

“Why? Is she not in Lagemoor like you said?”

Again, Dergoz did not respond.

“Fine. We will tell you what you wish to know. But not here. There are too many people around who could overhear.”

Dergoz wasn’t buying it. ‘I think we will risk it. Tell us where Gema is now.’

Zeff sighed and nodded. He relaxed his grip on his chair and shifted his feet.

The ability to materialize more than a single element was a tremendously rare thing, to be sure. There was no learning it. A person could either do it, or they couldn’t. It was hardly a coincidence, however, that Zeff ended up with the ability to materialize hydrogen and oxygen together. His was a historic power, one that cropped up every few generations among Rainlords. The Redwater Twins famously both had it at once.

Zeff flexed both arms where they lay, making minimal movement, and immediately, a white cloud materialized all around him, filling the room in a blink. He leapt from his chair and bolted for the exit, all the while pressing his soul into the cloud. Axiolis latched onto him as he ran.

In front of the door, a sudden wall appeared, brilliantly white and massive. Solid radium, it was. Lawrence’s deadly ability. Its pearly surface began to blacken with air exposure, creating an outer layer of radium nitride.