Rayna's Sacrifice (The Katori Chronicles Book 3) by A. Lombardo (intellectual books to read .TXT) 📗

eyes. “We need to continue east, but slowly move north. Let’s go, I’ll explain along the way.”

After securing his supply pack, he pushed his thoughts to Smoke. Obediently his wolf darted off between the trees. Concerned, Rayna tilted her head. “Where is Smoke going?” she twisted her neck to watch for Smoke.

“All this time, we foolishly relied on the trail to guide us, relying on our eyes. We both tried to glean, but it was a futile attempt to survey our surroundings. As you said, they’ve had time to prepare this place.”

Rayna nodded. “I see your point, but how does this help us?”

Kai smiled. He knew even the Katori had limits. “You said it earlier, we need to change our perspective. Smoke can hear the waterfall, even though we are several miles away.”

“So he could lead us back to the falls.” Rayna stroked Smoke’s back.

“Well, yes, but that is not what I had in mind. There is a wolf pack that lives north of Albey and they hunt the land between here and Chenowith. Each summer, they find me. If they are near, Smoke can find them.”

Rayna squinted her eyes. “I suppose it is worth a try. I can only imagine the Beastmasters will attack us at some point. It would be good to have reinforcements.”

A howl echoed through the hills. No return call. “We need to climb. In my mind, I can see the third waterfall. The Guardians do not hide it yet. We must walk that way. It means we must climb those rocks. I must simply hold tight in my mind the angle of the river to each waterfall.”

Thankful for the bond between him and his wolf, Kai hopped up onto the rocks and pulled Rayna along. He leaped to the next spot and offered her a hand. They climbed up two more boulders and found a small crevasse, a deep open crack in the rocks. From their view, the crack widened and led into a narrow passage between two rock walls.

“This looks like an easy way to get back on track.” Kai pointed along the route ahead.

“How will Smoke be able to follow us?” Rayna questioned.

“He knows we are going to the third waterfall. Animals have a much better sense of direction. Our scent is not only on the ground but in the air—that is how they hunt. He will find us,” he assured her.

“See there, the stone begins to open up wider and wider.” Rayna pointed the way. “The ground down there is even and smooth. Plus, that is northeast.”

Pleased with the new course selected, Rayna insisted on going first. Twisted sideways, they squeezed between the rocks and climbed down. The confined space was barely large enough for Kai’s muscular chest. When he slid through the opening, he took in a deep breath. They were out and headed in the right direction.

Ahead on the path, Rayna pointed; sunlight streaked through the trees above. Kai was happy to see the blue sky again. It was the first opening in the trees they had seen in a while. The opening above continued to expand as they walked, as did the space around them. The rock walls rose up on either side and eventually widened enough for them to walk side by side. Kai took stock of the area.

The air had a metallic earthy smell. Dim, filtered sunlight hardly reached down into the canyon. Even though the area where they walked was nearly fifteen feet wide, the rising cliffs kept the sun from reaching the soil.

The more Kai looked, the more it seemed like the dirt was freshly brushed. Bewildered, he also noticed there were no pine needles, no acorns, even though pine and oak trees towered above them. There were no decaying leaves, except for those close to the wall’s edge. Upon further study, he noticed that no moss covered the rocky walls around them. They had not walked downhill, but the walls were getting taller.

He wasn’t sure if this should worry him. Interrupting his thought, off in the distance he heard a wolf howl. It was barely auditable. With bated breath, he paused and waited for a return call. Still, nothing.

With Smoke running in the opposite direction, Kai felt divided trying to keep them on track. He let go of the connection to Smoke’s location. Finding the alpha and his pack was a long shot, but they could make all the difference when the Beastmasters came to challenge them.

Kai heard a faint rustling in the trees, followed by a high-pitch whistle. He knew that sound, an eagle’s call. Again the trees rustled. A large looming shadow streaked across the tree canopy into the open sky above, confirming his assumption. The eagle circled twice, then flew off. “We are being watched,” Kai whispered.

“Well, that’s not creepy at all. Are you sure this is the way we should be going?” She glanced left and right at the rock walls.

To be honest, he wasn’t sure. What if there was another way? Without being able to glean the forest, he had no idea about anything. “We are going in the right direction, though I cannot say if this is the easiest path.”

Kai felt the hollowness in his response. It was his responsibility to protect them and get them through this, but he did not feel confident at all right now.

Monitoring the edge of the blackout, he noticed a shift in the border. The circle now encompassed the third waterfall. “They are on the move. The Lumens have shifted their locations. The circle they create has now encompassed our destination. ” Gutted, he tossed up his hands. “I should have foreseen this and been prepared.”

Rayna arched her neck. “Don’t worry, I know in general where we are going.” She pointed up into the trees. “Do you see those dark purplish leaves? They grow on a Poni-euca tree, known for its dark foliage and rainbow bark. I noticed them before we climbed down. All we need to do is keep them in