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

Ryker leaned into the conversation. “But didn’t you say Muley Island has dragons?”

Liam rolled his eyes. “It does—but Muley has hornless dragons, they tend to be less aggressive. It would be safer if we travel around this way.”

Liam pushed them back up the path. “We hop to that one. There is a day’s travel to the next jump point over a wide gorge, a third jump to another island and one final hop to reach Muley Island.” Liam pointed in various directions like they should know where he was taking them. “Might take us two or three days, but if we catch a boat, we can raft the river to make up time.”

Kai nodded. “I have to trust you know where you’re going.”

The gap was nearly thirty feet wide. Unsure, Rayna insisted Liam jump first. The tall gangly man swung out of his hammock. His awkwardly large hunched stature towered over Kai. Faster and faster he rubbed his hands in a circle. The man’s hands cupped and ballooned outward. His movement resembled someone stretching and kneading dough. He rolled the wad of air around his hands and tossed it over the edge like an unwanted ball.

The man glanced at Rayna while he worked up another air ball with his hands. “Don’t worry, I’ve never dropped anyone. Not yet anyway,” he jested.

Wind whipped aggressively around the island’s edge. Liam peered close to the edge; his dark hair whipped straight up. He ran back into the trees. “Get ready, Liam. Your ride is coming back up!” the man shouted, scooping down and up.

Kai’s stomach felt tight. His eyes drifted from the Weathervane to Liam, who shook his hands and bounced on his toes to pump himself up. He bent slightly and waited.

“GO!” the tall man shouted.

Liam took off running. Faster and faster he went. When he neared the edge, he jumped into the air. The updraft lifted him high into the sky. He sailed over the distance and his feet bounded down on the other island. A small dirt funnel swirled at his feet and blew away.

Exhilarated, Kai got into position. The sound of his own heart pounded in his ears. He looked to Rayna. “You’re next,” he laughed.

The man repeated his movements, waited, and shouted, “GO!”

Kai sprinted toward the edge at full speed. The wind whipped around him as he neared the edge. He leaped into the air. A sphere of wind engulfed him. He felt the air lift him into the sky. “Woohoo!” he bellowed. His arms and legs remained in the motion of running, like that would somehow help him cross.

When he landed on the other side, the wind balloon dispersed. He turned to see Ryker up next. He landed with ease and Yulia took her place, making the jump like an expert. Rayna paced. She took a few extra steps back into the trees. “Come on!” Liam shouted as if she could even hear his words. “She cannot hesitate when she reaches the edge, she must jump,” Liam warned.

“She can do it. I know she can,” Kai assured him. “You can do it Rayna!” he shouted, even though there was no way she could hear him.

The gangly man motioned to the edge. His frustration with Rayna was evident by his erratic, insistent gestures. Finally, Rayna took her place. His arms flailed and stirred the air. One foot out in front, she bent over her knee. Kai watched with anticipation. “Come on Rayna, you can do this,” he whispered under his breath.

Suddenly Rayna took off running. Her legs went faster and faster. She leaped into the air as she neared the edge. The wind blew her long hair straight up. Her arms and legs continued to try and run. The cushion of air lifted her across the gap, and she landed softly on the other side. “Holy Alenga, that was amazing!” She grabbed at her heart. “I don’t know why I was so terrified,” she laughed.

Liam laughed. “Now who’s the thrill seeker?”

Elated, she offered a wave across the breach. The tall man waved and returned to his hammock. Together they ventured through the woods. Ryker transformed into a shuk and sniffed the ground. His beastly head shook in Kai’s direction. Lucca and Basil were here. He spoke to Kai.

“What was that, Kai?” Liam asked, his expression revealing his confusion.

“I can understand animals now,” Kai responded. “The ones that try to speak to me, anyway. Katori Beastmasters make the most sense, though, because they tend to speak in clear complete sentences.”

“How interesting,” he responded.

Everyone followed Ryker in shuk-form through the woods. He kept a fast pace, but with their Katori speed, none struggled to keep up. Through the trees the sounds of rushing river water confirmed their assumptions—Lucca was taking the same path to Muley. Three boats with men lay in wait. Liam paid them with food and wine, and they were underway.

The river moved fast. Short shallow rapids bumped their boat along. Although Yulia aided their vessel with a little wind magic, it still took the better part of a day to reach the next jump. The entire trip Kai was a mix of emotions—bouncing between anger over Lucca’s betrayal and his excitement over his mother’s recovery. He felt so close to the realization of his dream to save his mother. He would restore the missing part of his heart.

Around the next bend in the river, their raft slowed and ran ashore. Everyone climbed up the embankment and followed Ryker’s shuk form through the woods. When he led them to the gorge, he changed back, ready to jump. “We are still on Lucca’s trail.”

Liam nodded in agreement and approached three women standing near the edge. While he negotiated their transportation, everyone eyed their next jump. To their astonishment, the gorge was more of a canyon to nowhere. Ryker leaned between Kai and Yulia. “Nope. I don’t know about you, but this looks like a long drop to the