Elizabeth Hunter
This Same Earth
An Elemental Mystery
For my Love
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to my friends and family, who make my writing possible.
To Kristy and Kelli, Sarah, Lindsay, Sandra, and Molly. Your input and advice is invaluable. Thank you for being fantastic readers and wonderful friends. I am blessed to have you all in my life.
Thanks to Amy, for her amazing work and enthusiasm.
To my sister, for being one of the strongest women I know.
To Corey, who gave me the best advice about sequels I’ve ever heard.
To Colin, for making my heart grow.
Thanks to God, for giving me my brain. Hope I’m not wasting it.
And to my readers, thank you for wanting more.
– Plato
Prologue
August 3, 2005
I’m here. Where are you?
And do you know it takes two days to get here from Los Angeles? I had to wait an extra day in Santiago so I could catch the plane to Puerto Montt. I thought you’d be the one meeting me at the trail, not Gustavo, but it was nice to catch up. Also, ouch. My legs are going to kill me tomorrow from all that riding.
So, where are you?
August 4, 2005
Isabel says you wrote her to say that
August 5, 2005
And now everyone is doing the whole vampire clam-up-and-not-tell-me-anything thing. Screw you all. If Isabel and Gustavo aren’t worried, then I’m not going to worry about you, either.
August 17, 2005
I’ve been here for two weeks now. Where the hell are you?
Ever since you came to my apartment (Do you know you always smell like smoke to me, by the way? I thought something was burning when I came home that night.) I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.
Is this you being pissed at me for leaving Houston?
You never once came to visit me in L.A. Not once. Except to break into my apartment and leave me the sonnets (which I brought by the way) and take one of my favorite pictures, of course. Would it have killed you to hang around for a while?
Haha. I just realized that was unintentionally funny.
August 20, 2005
Took a ride today.
You still aren’t here.
Think I might go rock-climbing tomorrow-with the Reverte’s oldest son. The really handsome one.
Why aren’t you here?
I’ve been sleeping in your room, and I discovered that without any light to wake me up in the morning, I sleep a
Is that what this was? Just a getaway for Beatrice so she could relax? Not saying I don’t appreciate it, but…
No, actually, I don’t appreciate it. I love this place, but I came here to see you, not ride horses, and hike, and eat Senora Reverte’s really excellent cooking.
So, where the hell are you?
I have a return ticket for the thirty-first. I’m not hanging out until you get here. If you even plan on getting here.
August 25, 2005
Why the hell am I even writing in this stupid journal? It was just lying open on the kitchen table when I got here. Did you know this whole place smells like you? It does. I kind of hate that at this point.
August 31, 2005
Go to hell. I never want to see you again.
August 2, 2006
So, since I’m here again (and I’m just assuming you’re going to be a no-show) I want to explain a few things.
1. I wasn’t going to come this year until Dez (that’s Desiree, my best friend, who you would know about if you communicated with me at all) convinced me that I should just take the free ticket because I love it here and I could use a vacation. So I’m here. That’s why, and that’s the only reason. Not because I wanted or expected to see you again.
2. I’m more than a little pissed that you seem to be able to communicate with everyone we know (Caspar, Carwyn, Tenzin-you even called my grandma on her birthday) but not me. Yay for you. You’re traveling the world and won’t tell anyone where you are. I don’t even give a shit anymore, but it’s just rude. I hope my grandma told you off. She probably didn’t.
3. If you have any illusions about me “waiting for you” or some romantic crap like that, don’t kid yourself. I’m
