Alora: The Portal Read online

  “Yes, but your arrows wouldn’t come with us. Or else the arrowheads wouldn’t transport.”

  Mr. Franks screwed his mouth to the side. “Either way, we’d be up a proverbial creak without a paddle.”

  “Or up a proverbial roof without an arrow,” said Alora.

  “I guess we can just walk or, better yet, run.” Wesley tightened the strap on his quiver, preparing to follow the others. But his head jerked around at a blood-curdling shriek.

  She couldn’t tell if the dry heaves that hit her were caused by the wendt’s wicked aura or her own fear. How many of those awful creatures were out there? Was this a new one or the one she’d sent to Vindrake earlier?

  Wesley and Mr. Franks hurried to nock their arrows and take aim, firing in unison, while Alora attempted to lock onto the wendt with her consciousness.

  *****

  With the spectacular wendt on its way to Laegenshire, Vindrake turned his attention to more important matters… killing Kaevin BarGraely. Hanging the sightstone on the neck of his specially chosen guard, Zaester, Vindrake attempted to keep his excitement in check. Stone Clan, smaller and weaker than Water Clan, should have fallen to him twenty years ago when Vindrake killed Graely’s father, Stone Clan’s leader. Instead, Graely had rallied his people to fight with renewed vigor. I won’t make that mistake again. This time, the priority is to eliminate Kaevin, Graely’s son. Without a living heir Graely will lose hope, and Stone Clan will be mine. Of course, Graely’s death would be an additional boon.

  Electing to remain a safe distance away with a minimal protective force of twelve, Vindrake settled in to watch the proceedings through Zaester’s eyes. Fatigue was setting in from the creation of the three wendts and cloaking them with invisibility. Wielding his bondmark during battle also required great strength as most of his warriors fought without internal motivation. Only a few had the evil and bloodlust that required little manipulation. But none of his men were aware these tasks drained his energy, a secret he guarded closely.

  In the previous group, the two warriors with sightstones had been killed within the first half tenth.

  He gazed into the partner stone, watching Zaester’s progress, hoping he wouldn’t be killed before accomplishing his purpose. He’d given this guard strict instructions, along with his compulsion, to avoid battle at all costs. Even with invisibility cloaking, he was to hide in the shadows and search for Kaevin and Alora. This was his one and only goal.

  Soon he’d have his revenge, and Graely BarManasae would be defeated. He’d been so close to victory when he’d first captured Kaevin BarGraely, but he hadn’t realized Alora and the boy were soulmates. Now he knew their vulnerability. And unbelievably, Graely had been foolish enough to place the pair within his reach rather than keeping them safely hidden in the other realm.

  His plan was foolproof. The guard’s evil-imbued blade need only scratch the skin of Alora or Kaevin, and death would be inevitable. A fortnight earlier he’d tested the blade on an unwilling volunteer and was pleased with the results. It was a rather grotesque death and painfully slow. The man’s face had puffed up until his eyes could no longer open. He’d grabbed at his neck, his desperate wheezing persisting until the air could no longer pass through his swollen throat. After the unfortunate soul had collapsed to the floor, he’d continued to thrash until he lost consciousness. The entire process had been over in the span of the sun moving half a fist.

  The resultant corpse was so disgusting he determined to make Kaevin the target of the cursed sword. Alora’s face was quite beautiful, and he enjoyed that reflection on him as her father. It would be fitting for his daughter to retain her lovely visage in death.

  Had the poison sword not been so costly, he would have made dozens to utilize in battle. Unfortunately, he’d had to sacrifice twenty-five men to satisfy the requirements of the magick, resulting in a blade only effective for a single use. Had he learned of the deadly sword in any place other than the Scroll of Maladorn, it might have seemed a work of evil. But, knowing God had been responsible for placing the scroll in his hands, he knew he had God’s blessing in his efforts.

  To find Kaevin within the walls of Laegenshire should be a simple matter. Vindrake had returned to the scene of the last skirmish to retrieve anything of value. In the location where Graely’s son had been held captive for questioning, he pocketed several stones bloodied from Kaevin’s injuries. With a bit of dried blood, it was a simple matter to concoct a tracking potion. Now Vindrake’s warrior, having swallowed some of the brew, would move unerringly toward Kaevin, provided he was within a half-day travel.

  He smiled. Success was so close he could taste it on his tongue. And it was sweet indeed.

  *****

  “This wendt isn’t coming very close to us. I think it’s headed straight for the area where Jireo and Kaevin are fighting.” Alora’s heart pounded in her chest. “Can you shoot it from here?”

  “The moon has dimmed so much it’s hard to aim well,” said Wesley, looking at the sky. “I guess those clouds are blocking the light.”

  “I can’t move you any closer because you’ll lose your arrows. Hey! Maybe I can get Bardamen to do something. If he made the moon go dark, maybe he can make it brighter. Just a second.” Bracing her legs for an uncertain landing, Alora transported to Bardamen.

  *****

  “Hey Bardamen.”

  “Glare!” He almost jumped out of his skin. Alora tugged at his arm frantically.

  What’s she doing here? She’s supposed to be safe in the other realm.

  “Sorry, Bardamen, but we have an emergency. Can you give us more light? Wesley and his dad can’t see well enough to shoot this wendt.”

  “I’ve never tried to magnify the moonlight, but perhaps it can be done. It can’t be as difficult a task as cloaking the light.”

  He closed his eyes, muttering the words he thought were appropriate for the task. His eyes popped open when she threw her arms around him.

  “Thanks, Bardamen! That’s much better. Can you keep it that way for a little while? Just long enough for us to kill that wendt?”

  “Uhmm… certainly. But how long—”

  She was gone. He glanced up at the moon, and couldn’t help the pleased grin that rose to his face. He’d done well… The light seemed twice as bright as before. And he was delighted Alora had come to him with her problem instead of seeking out his father.

  Another wave of emotion descended on Laegenshire like a wet and heavy woolen blanket… despair. The last attack had been panic. Before that he’d battled exhaustion. He closed his eyes, working to dissipate the draining sensation sent by one of Vindrake’s shamans. Except for his concentrated efforts, all the Stone Clan warriors would be throwing themselves from the high walls to their deaths. Even with his father’s wards, the enemy shamans found ways to attack with their dark magick. I swear they won’t succeed on my watch.

  *****

  Alora didn’t wait to hear Bardamen’s question, transporting back to Wesley and his dad.

  “That’s awesome, Alora. We’ve wounded him. But this one seems bigger than the others. It’ll take a lot to kill him.” Wesley was nocking another arrow while his father took aim to shoot again.

  “Got him.” Brian’s voice was triumphant. “But this is kind of like killing a bear with a twenty-two.” The wendt screeched in pain. Though it continued on its path, it was losing altitude with an injured wing.

  “I know, right?” Wesley aimed and released another arrow, which flew true to the target. Still the monster only flinched and screamed but didn’t fall from his flight along the wall, which was on a collision course with Kaevin’s battle group. Brian’s next arrow missed the mark.

  “It’s getting so low, I’m afraid we’ll hit someone with a stray arrow,” said Wesley. “Alora, can you send him away since we’ve wounded him?” Wesley asked.

  “Not from here—I’m going closer.”

  Transporting to a spot along the wall in front of the wendt, she bra
ced herself for the onslaught of nausea, swallowing repeatedly against the sudden urge to vomit. She knew the moment it spotted her, its eyes riveting with hers. Ignoring her racing heart, she focused her thoughts. It was headed straight for her, and she couldn’t afford to panic this time. The link fell into place and she sent it to Vindrake only seconds before it reached her.

  Her breath rushed in… How long had she been holding it? Battling dizziness, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, sliding down to rest on the ground. She needed a moment for her head to stop spinning.

  But another queasy assault had her searching for additional wendts. With her neck craned up, she searched the skies in the moonlight, still extra bright from Bardamen’s work. She caught a motion in the shadows from the corner of her eye and turned her attention to ground level. A warrior. Radiating wickedness. But what’s he doing alone, slinking along in the shadows? Why isn’t he fighting like the others?

  If only she could send him back to Vindrake as she had the wendt. She attempted the transport, but he continued on his stealthy journey, undoubtedly anchored by an iron belt. His path put him on a collision course with Kaevin’s battle group. Should she follow him or go to warn Kaevin and the other warriors? She chose the latter.

  *****

  Kaevin’s shield arm grew fatigued. He groaned as he deflected another blow, his muscles screaming at the impact. He’d become soft during his extended stay in Montana. Had he not been gifted in dexterity and enhanced as a soulmate, he’d probably have been killed by now. He was wasting his time in the other realm, neglecting both his duty and his training. He should be practicing his fighting skills, not studying for a history test about a realm that was not his own.

  The Water Clan warrior edged past his sharpstop, the sword slicing his shoulder with a searing pain.

  “Glare!” shouted Kaevin, forcing himself to concentrate. With a surge of energy born of anger, he parried the next blow, countered with a punch of his sharpstop, and drove his sword into the man’s chest. To his great surprise, the young warrior’s stunned face transformed into a smile as he fell to the ground. Did Vindrake teach his people to enjoy pain and death?

  “Kaevin?”

  He turned at Alora’s voice, pushing her behind him without thought. “What are you doing here? It’s not safe.”

  In a blink, he was standing beside Alora atop the now-empty archer’s platform. And now of course, he’d lost his sword and sharpstop.

  “Alora, I’m in the midst of a battle. You can’t simply transport me away for a conversation. Now I’ve lost my weapons.” He didn’t attempt to hide his impatience.

  “But I saw this warrior heading toward you, and he was acting really weird. You know, he was sneaking around in the shadows. And he felt especially evil, too. He gave me a really bad feeling, and I just had to warn you.”

  “Very well, I’ll be on the lookout for an especially evil enemy warrior, as opposed to the slightly evil ones I’ve been fighting against.”

  Her lower lip trembled, and Kaevin regretted his harsh words. Pulling her against him, he wrapped her in his arms. “I’m sorry, Alora. But fighting… I was born for this. It’s where my gifting lies. And I have a duty to fulfill as the future chief of Stone Clan. So let me get back to my battle, and you can wait for me with Raelene and your uncle.”

  She swiped a grimy hand across her eyes, leaving a smear of dirt behind. Burying her face in his shirt, she spoke in a muffled voice. “I’m sorry. I guess I should’ve trusted you. It just seemed really important at the time. Are you mad at me?”

  He lifted her chin and rubbed away a tear with his thumb. “How could I be mad at you? You were only trying to do the right thing. This is as difficult for you as American History is for me.” He pressed his lips gently against hers, wishing he had time to enjoy the kiss.

  “Should I send you back?”

  He squinted toward the group of warriors he’d left at the wall. From this distance, he couldn’t even distinguish Water Clansmen from Stone Clansmen. If Alora sent him back, he’d probably break something when he landed. He might even slam into the wall.

  “No, I think you’d better take me over there and make certain I recover my sword and sharpstop before you leave me.”

  She nodded, forcing the corners of her mouth into a half-hearted smile. Then her face turned a ghastly white, and she clutched at her stomach. He heard the wendt’s screech before she recovered enough to point to the creature flying through the gate in the distance.

  “It’s the one I just sent to Vindrake—the really big one. I don’t know how I know, but I guess my wander-jewel recognizes it.” She squeezed his hand, staring at the flying monster until it disappeared.

  “It’s gone! Did you send it somewhere?”

  “I’ll probably get in trouble for this, but I sent it into our old root cellar in Montana. It’s mostly empty, and it should be wendt proof. I used to play in there all the time when I was a kid.” Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths.

  “Why didn’t you send it to Vindrake again?”

  “I did that last time, and it came right back. So this time I figured…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes rounding like saucers. “You know what this means? It means Vindrake is close by. We’ve got to get out of here.”

  Kaevin couldn’t run away in the midst of a battle. Already Jireo must wonder why he’d deserted him. “Quickly, Alora. Take me back. You can gather the others at the healing house, and we’ll return to Montana as soon as I help Father and Jireo defeat this small group of warriors.”

  “Are you sure we shouldn’t just go back now? I feel nervous being away from you. What if Vindrake kidnaps you again?”

  He held her face between his hands and leaned his forehead against hers. “I promise I’ll be careful. But I need to do this, Alora. It’s important.”

  “Okay.” Her voice was small.

  Another blink found them back at the wall, a short distance from where they departed. But a quick glance told him this particular fight had ended with the arrival of more Stone Clan warriors. He saw no more enemies standing, and the Stone Clansmen were tending to their dead and wounded. He searched anxiously, letting out a breath when he spotted his father and Jireo among the living.

  “It’s over. I’ve missed the battle.” He strode away from Alora, attempting to keep his temper in check.

  “Wait, Kaevin. Don’t go—I feel something evil.”

  He stopped in his tracks, pivoting to face her, speaking between clenched teeth. “Of course you feel something evil—we’re surrounded by it. Vindrake’s men, his bondmark, his shamans’ workings. That’s why I need to be able to fight, so I can use my gifting against his atrocities. And I can’t do that when I’m tethered to you all the time.”

  Turning away, he ignored the stunned expression on her face and tramped toward Jireo, recovering the sword and sharpstop on the way.

  “Where’d you go?” asked Jireo. “I thought you might’ve been killed when you disappeared.”

  “Alora transported me because she needed to talk.”

  “She wanted to talk in the midst of a battle?”

  “It wasn’t really a talk. It was more of a warning about some Water Clan warrior who was, in her words, sneaking around.”

  “It seems to me she did the right thing, letting you know what she saw. So what did you do? Yell at her? Is that why she’s crying?” Jireo nodded his chin in Alora’s direction.

  Kaevin groaned. What was wrong with him? He loved her. He loved being her soulmate, but he’d taken out his frustration on her when nothing was her fault. Now he wished he could take back his words. “Excuse me, Jireo. I’d best go back and apologize. Sometimes I can be a real idiot.”

  Alora’s voice screamed out in shrill terror. “Kaevin! Look out behind you.”

  Whipping around, Kaevin hefted his sword. He strained his eyes at the shadowy moonlight, but saw nothing.

  “He’s right there! Look out!”

  Alora’s panic
pulsed through his veins. His heart raced and his muscles trembled. Still seeing no one, he swung his sword from side to side at some imaginary enemy. He was surprised when his blade met resistance in mid air. Something stung his arm, and he noticed blood beading up. How did I cut my arm? As he stared at the dark red liquid, his vision blurred and the blade fell from his grasp. His chest cramped, and he clawed at his throat, attempting to breathe. The world turned sideways, and his body impacted the ground before he blacked out.

  Alora almost fell to her knees as she shared Kaevin’s excruciating pain. But as the burning sensation receded, she spotted the Water Clan warrior hiding in the nearby shadows. Could no one else see him? Was he like the wendt?

  She picked up a sword from the ground, surprised by its unwieldy weight. What am I doing with this thing? I don’t think I could ever stab anyone. But there’s nothing to keep him from attacking again, and I’m the only one who can see him. Unless… maybe the men from Montana can see him.

  She transported all three Montana men to her, along with Raelene who’d evidently been touching Uncle Charles’ arm. Speechless, they took in their surroundings, attempting to make sense of the sudden move.

  “Alora, what’s going on?” Wesley was the first to recover enough to speak. She jammed the hilt of the sword into his hand and pointed at the evil warrior.

  “Do you see him? He’s invisible, like the wendts, and he attacked Kaevin.”

  “I see him. Dad? Do you see him?”

  “Sure, I can see him, but what do we fight with? We lost our arrows.” Brian Franks scowled toward the warrior, whose eyes widened.

  “Grab another sword from someone and keep his attention. I’ll circle behind him,” murmured Charles as he retrieved two ceramic blades. The invisible warrior backed away as Wesley took a few steps in his direction. Then the warrior’s face distorted into a weird frozen smile. He turned his attention to Graely, kneeling beside Kaevin. The warrior moved.