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

his armpit. Crossing through the jungle was slow, but Ryker found a gap in the rocky cliffs. The tunnel was dark at first, so Rayna gleaned the maze until moonlight revealed the exit.

Black cliffs loom overhead as they passed through, then they found themselves in a narrow canyon. Bathed by the moon, Ryker, Kai and Rayna stumbled over the rocky terrain. A mile into the canyon the walls opened into a clearing, and towering palm trees decorated the landscape. The moonlight illuminated the curve of the stone walls. Around the next bend, Ryker stopped.

“It is a dead-end,” he growled.

Overhead two eagles circled and screeched before disappearing back toward the entrance they had just walked through. Fear swirled in Rayna’s stomach, and her heart began to race. “They’ve spotted us and there is no way out.” She eased around Kai. “You must go up.” She touched his face then looked skyward. “Keegan is hunting us. In Kai’s weakened state, he is unable to help fight.”

Ryker eased Kai to the ground and grabbed Rayna’s shoulders. “There must be another way. We cannot give up. Maybe I can lure them away again,” he insisted.

“You tried, but there are simply too many of them.” Rayna looked forlorn. “Even my own parents still help Keegan. Just because she did not kill me when she had the chance, does not mean my mother will not kill you or Kai.”

“You are right. We’ve nowhere to run.” Ryker shook his head. “I should have seen its end before we entered.”

Holding his head, Kai tried to stand but collapsed. “What are you considering, Rayna?”

She did not answer—she couldn’t. If she tried to speak, she might change her mind. There was no other choice. This was up to her now. She might be able to save them, or at least by them time.

“There’s no use.” Rayna kissed his cheek. “I must hide you, high on the ledge above. You should be able to climb around the canyon and get away.” Her tone was resolute.

“Are you sure about this, Rayna?” Ryker begged.

There was no hesitation in her response. “You know the answer. We must save Kai. Hold him tight.” Her heart ached, but she knew this was right.

Ryker grabbed Kai around the waist. Standing next to them, Rayna closed her eyes and summoned nature. The wind stirred and kissed her cheeks. Stars and moonlight danced on her shoulders. Even the ground accepted her call for power. Her green teardrop crystal glowed, and she grabbed for the golden thread of creation.

◆◆◆

Kai reached for her. His heart swelled with emotion. He did not understand what was about to happen. Is she staying behind? “Please, Rayna, don’t do this.” The pain in Kai’s head persisted. He wanted to stop Rayna, but the lack of strength eluded him. His legs felt shaky. No matter how much he wanted to, he could not stand on his own. He was helpless. All he could do was watch.

He watched Rayna’s slender form transformed into craggy bark. Her arm stretched outward. Kai felt Ryker’s grip tighten. Even with his blurry vision, and throbbing head, he knew what was happening. A branch scooped them off the ground and lifted them skyward. Higher and higher they went. He watched as her face disappeared into the folds of the trunk.

Looking skyward Kai watched the cliff walls pass by. Pinpricks of light sharpened into individual stars overhead. To his relief his vision started to clear, but his arms felt heavy and his legs would not hold him.

“Higher, Rayna, higher!” Ryker shouted.

Below, Kai saw the dirt under Rayna’s might oak tree heave. The extra earth propped her higher. Roots bulged, her trunk expanded, and up they went. Green moss hung over the black lip. Ryker jumped, taking Kai with him. Unable to make his legs support him, they stumbled.

Kai’s throat was dry. “What of Rayna?” his voice rasped. “We cannot leave her behind.”

“She will hide in her tree and follow when they’ve gone,” Ryker tried to assure him.

Guilt welled in the pit of Kai’s stomach. Why were they sacrificing for him? “What is happening?”

Kai stepped along the wide canyon’s ledge with one arm around his friend’s waist. Still weak, Kai relied on his friend’s strength to hold him upright. That’s when he noticed his hand felt wet. No. Ryker’s shirt was wet. There was a gash in Ryker’s side. Looking back, he could now see the full breadth of Rayna’s beautiful tree. “Ryker, please. You’re bleeding.” He tried to dig in his heels to stop them. “Why are we running? We cannot leave her.”

“We are being hunted,” Ryker responded but did not stop. “Keegan and his men followed us here. After you crashed landed, we removed the bolt. Rayna healed your wound. Besides being weak from your transformation, you lost a lot of blood. We could not wait for you to wake up. We were exposed in the clearing, and we had no choice but to move. Rayna spotted eagles following us. I found a place to hide you and I tried to lure them away. I heard them—Caroco men. Katori warriors. I saw Keegan here on the island.”

Kai rubbed his sore ribs. “You were a shuk carrying Rayna and me.”

“We needed go fast. She is a very brave woman.” Ryker finally stopped.

Tall palm trees now blocked their view of Rayna’s tree. Kai stepped to the left to bring her back in view. From this distance, she seemed small against the black stone backdrop. He pushed his foot down and took a step then a second step back in her direction. On his fourth step he collapsed. “We must not leave her behind.” He craned his neck to see around another treetop.

“We cannot go back,” Ryker responded, although he followed Kai without resistance.

This didn’t feel right to Kai. She should not sacrifice herself for him. More than ever he wanted to go back. This was all his fault. If only he’d stayed in the glade this morning. He felt sad seeing her standing all