Island Shifters: Book 01 - An Oath of the Blood (45 page)

He wondered why the Gems, a coven of witches by all accounts, would kidnap Kiernan. He asked Bajan to try to reach her again, but the Draca was unsuccessful. For reasons Beck did not want to contemplate, she was unable to telepathically respond to her lifelong friend.

“Beck Atlan?” Beck turned to a clean-shaven, sinewy man walking toward him with his hand extended. Beck shook the man’s hand of corded muscle and grimaced. Despite his own strength, this was one powerful man. The kind of man you would want at your back in a skirmish.

“I take it you will be our Captain to Elloree,” stated Beck.

The man laughed good-naturedly. “Well, I will be navigating the ferry if you can call that a Captain, lad. The name is Rafe Wilden, but just Rafe is fine.”

Beck smiled. “Rafe it is. When do we leave? I am very anxious to be on my way.”

“Now.” He pointed to an open sided, flat-bottomed boat with sloping square bow and stern. “There she is, the Blue Lady. Make yourselves comfortable, and I will be along in a moment.”

Beck and Bajan walked over to the boat and boarded, apparently the only passengers on the Blue Lady that afternoon. A cool breeze ruffled his hair as he grasped one of the vertical beams that supported the canvas roof of the ferry and gazed out over the Illian River. The sun was sitting brilliantly in a red-orange ball right above the western horizon. His father always told him that the redder the sun at sunset, the warmer it would be the following day. He did not know if it was true or not since almost every day on the island was hot and sunny, but he liked to believe it so. It would be one more reminder of his father and a small tidbit of lore that he could hold close until he passed it on to his own son.

The ferry lurched when Rafe jumped aboard with his crew of two young oarsmen. The three men worked in tandem to push the ferry away from the dock and steer her in a westerly direction out of Lake Traverse and onto the Illian. Beck’s thoughts were a jumbled array of hopes for his fellow
Savitars
as they set out. He hoped that Rogan was able to retrieve his pendant and discover word of his birth family. He hoped that Airron survived his ordeal in Havenport and was awaiting them in Sarphia. And, he hoped more than anything else in this world that very soon he would be able to hold Kiernan in his arms again. That particularly incredible wish was his last conscious thought as he slid down the rail against his back and fell fast asleep.

He awoke reluctantly to what felt like a large file being dragged along his cheek. He waved the affectionate Draca Cat away and opened his eyes. “I’m up, I’m up,” he said groggily and realized it was afternoon—of the following day! The soft swaying motion of the ferry was all that was needed to lull him into a much overdue deep sleep, and he stretched contentedly for the first time in over a month.

“Good afternoon to you, lad,” said Rafe. The short oars of yesterday replaced now by long poles as the three oarsmen navigated the shallower waters near Elloree.

Beck stood, sore from sleeping up against the boat’s rails the entire night. “Good afternoon. How much longer to Elloree?”

Rafe pointed forward with a jerk of his chin. “Right around the next bend. Rope!”

One of the men put down his long pole to retrieve the mooring line with a noose on one end. When the Blue Lady steered around the next curve in the river, a lone dock with two wooden pilings came into view. As they neared, the man with the rope tossed it over the side and looped it expertly over one of the pilings.

“Welcome to Elloree, lad,” said Rafe.

Elloree?
There was nothing within sight except the dock, a small pebbled beach, and a dirt trail that led into a heavily-wooded forest. Bajan was the first out of the boat in an impressively long leap that caused Rafe to whistle in appreciation. Beck followed hesitantly.

“The witches live somewhere along that trail,” said Rafe. “Never been there myself, so not sure how far. Good luck to you, lad.” Rafe gestured for Beck to unhook the rope and throw it back to him.

“Wait! When will you be back? I will need to travel back to Iserport as soon as I locate my friend.”

Rafe shook his head. “Not going to be back.”

Beck stood at the end of the dock with the rope in his hand. “You must have heard the stories, man,” he growled in panic. “I must get back to Iserport!”

Rafe’s features were unapologetic. “Of course I have heard the stories, lad, and that is why
I
have to get back,” he shouted. “I have a wife and children to see after! This island can go to demons hell and back if anything happens to my family!”

The pebbled beach under the dock began to stir with Beck’s frustration. “You would doom the island to destruction, then?”

The ferryman glanced with unease at the beach. “I am no hero, lad, out to save the world. I only wish to protect my family.”

Beck glared at Rafe, then reluctantly threw the rope back onto the ferry, and watched as the oarsmen hastily swung the Blue Lady around to head back east. Rafe looked back once more, and this time Beck detected remorse from him. Beck sighed. In Rafe’s position, he might have felt the same way. The man was looking after his family in the only way he knew how.

Turning away from the river, he gestured to Bajan and they walked along the beach toward the forest, the name of which escaped him. He should have known it with all of the time he spent studying Gage’s maps, but he did not.

Doubt plagued him as he gazed into the woods. Even if he found Kiernan this very day, how were they to travel to Sarphia? Short of sprouting wings, it was entirely impossible. All he had left was five days.
Five days!

The thought sent his heart and legs pumping.

“Let’s go, Bajan!” He ran toward the opening in the forest and onto the faded trail, the thick boughs overhead immediately blotting out the sunlight, and the long line of trees along the path reminding him of shadowed sentinels rigidly keeping watch and ready to engage in battle at the slightest provocation.

They ran for a full hour before Beck stopped.

“Bajan, can you try to reach Kiernan again?” It was request he made often and one in which the Draca Cat always obliged without complaint. Beck watched as Bajan sat back and attempted to connect with Kiernan.

Princess? Princess, I am in Elloree! Can you hear me?

Nothing.

Enough of this silence, Princess Kiernan Everard! I know you can hear me. As your friend and protector, I demand that you answer me!

Nothing. Then…

Go away, Bajan.

The large cat’s composure shattered and his body convulsed.
Thank the Highworld you are unharmed! Where are you?

Bajan, you must go. I am happy here with the Gems.

Gems? What are the Gems?

The witches of Elloree. I have learned much since I have been here, my friend. About my mother, her last wishes, and the ancient bond between our ancestors, the Kenleys and the Draca Cats.

I understand how you must feel as you have longed for your mother ever since. I have known you. But, Princess, have you forgotten your duty? We must go to Callyn-Rhe. All of our lives depend on it!

Pause.

I do not believe that Bajan. It was the half-mad mutterings of a dying man. That is all.

That is not true, Princess! I have been fighting Ravener’s demons for weeks. They are very real and we are teetering on the brink of war!

Silence.

Beck is with me.

Silence.

We are coming, Princess. We are coming to get you.

Silence.

Princess! We are coming!

The connection severed.

Beck darted impatiently around the Draca like a hummingbird. He could tell by Bajan’s posture and black eyes that he had finally made contact.

Bajan closed his eyes and when he opened them once again, the icy green orbs were furious.

“Well? What did she say?” The Draca turned his back on him. “Is she still here in Elloree?”

Bajan nodded his head in the affirmative.

“Ah, Bajan! This is the best news we have had in a long time! Come!” Beck strode forward onto the path, anxious to be closer to Kiernan. The two alternately walked and ran until nightfall when they emerged from the forest into an inviting moonlit valley dotted with wildflowers. Beck was not sure how much farther they would have to travel before reaching Elloree, so he called Bajan to a halt for a meal and rest. He did not want to take the time to build a fire so contented himself instead with dried beef and cheese from his pack.

“Feel free to hunt,” said Beck to Bajan, waving him back toward the forest. “But do not be too long.”

As he ate, Beck languidly reached out to the landscape with his magic, and as before he was amazed by the teeming life forms he encountered. He quickly found what he was looking for and waved his hand over the earth between his feet, beckoning the seed of a pink dendrobium orchid to life. The reed-like stem pushed through the soil, the short leaves and dormant buds blossoming with life. He picked the rare flower with great care as a gift he intended to present to Kiernan when he saw her again. As he was wrapping the orchid carefully to put into his pack, he heard Bajan whine. Alert, he quickly turned and saw that Bajan was a few paces away digging at the ground.

He walked over to the cat. “What is it, Bajan?” he asked, and looked in amazement at the same black grate he had seen previously in southern Pyraan when they were fleeing to Iserlohn. The only difference was that this one was built vertically into a small hillock instead of flat on the ground.

Peering through the bars, he could see nothing but inky darkness. Grabbing the iron bars of the grate, he gave them a sturdy pull, but even with his strength, it did not budge. He heaved and pounded for several more moments with no effect. The grate was simply not moving.

Annoyed, he sat back against the black iron bars and slammed his fist on the ground. Suddenly, there was a rasping sound and the grate opened. He quickly scrambled out of the way and looked at Bajan. They simply did not have time for idle explorations, but this was the second grate he had encountered, and he was curious to see where it led.

Bajan nodded and with silent consent, the pair stepped into the black hole.

Beck immediately felt around with his hands and his magic, but it was not fast enough. He had only taken two steps when the ground disappeared from under his feet, and he plummeted downward into oblivion.

Chapter 26

A F
AMILY FOR
R
OGAN