CHAPTER 21

 

WE SET OUT FROM KAI’S VILLAGE early in the morning, after enjoying a quick breakfast of kookiya fruit. Each of us has found room in our packs for one or two more of the delicious fruit. They’re not all that big or heavy, and they’ll provide a very nice change from our canned rations.

The size of our company has increased by one—Raj is coming with us. Whether it’s to help his brother on the quest or to give himself the chance to get to know Doc better, I’m not sure. Judging by the way he and Doc smile whenever they’re near each other, I’m guessing it’s probably some of both. I find myself wondering if Kai and I smile that much when we’re together—I’m pretty sure I do, but I’m going to have to start checking whether he does.

Raj and Kai take turns leading us through the tangled, vine-infested woods, so I get more time with Kai than usual, which is just fine with me. And he does seem to be smiling a lot as we talk, which makes me smile even more.

It takes us almost half a day of steady hiking to reach the end of what was beginning to seem like a never ending forest. If the portal hadn’t deposited us on the rocky hillside the other day, I might have started thinking that this entire world was covered by gnarled trees and poisonous vines.

We stop while we’re still concealed from above by the thin canopy of the trees. Stretched out before us is the most rugged landscape I have ever seen. It reminds me of pictures of the moon or Mars that I’ve seen in books, only this place looks even rougher and more desolate. The ground appears to be made entirely of dark brown rock—rock that seems to have been broken and tossed about by some kind of giant underground cataclysm. It’s a mass of pillars and slanted slabs of stone. There doesn’t seem to be a level spot anywhere I can see.

“We’re going to cross THAT?” Sneak asks, echoing my concern as he stares out across the jumbled piles of rock.

“It won’t be the easiest passage,” Kai acknowledges, “but it will be the safest. This land is crisscrossed by crevices and ravines. We’ll make our way across along the bottom of a couple of them. They’ll shelter us from any view except directly overhead. Raj and I have done it many times before.”

That Kai and Raj have crossed through here before is not all that comforting. They’re both far more agile and nimble than any of the rest of us.

“The shadows cast by the walls of the fissures will help conceal us even from things flying overhead,” Raj adds.

That part’s comforting, at least. Flying creatures are always a worry out in the open, especially in this place.

Meanwhile, Dad has been studying the terrain from a military viewpoint.

“Sounds good,” he says, nodding. “But if I’ve learned anything about this world, it’s that few places here are completely safe. Other than the rugged terrain, what are the dangers we might face?”

“Fewer than you might think,” Kai replies. “The only real threats native to this area are snakes and scorpions.”

“Snakes I get,” Radar says. “But scorpions? I’ve seen scorpions before. They’re no big deal—a good sturdy boot squishes them flat every time.”

Kai and Raj exchange smiles. “I’m afraid these scorpions are a bit different from what you might be used to,” Raj says. “They’re quite a bit bigger, for one thing.” He holds his hand up, palm downward, in front of his chest. I hope he’s not indicating the height of the scorpions, but I’m pretty sure he is. “A boot will not squish them, believe me.”

“Their venom is extremely lethal,” Kai adds. “And their thick shells make them difficult to kill.” He looks at my dad. “Your weapons could probably do the trick, but I can’t promise that for sure.” Kai now glances toward me. “If we run into any, Leah’s fire is our best bet. Besides, anything that hints at the presence of a lava dragon will keep other creatures away for a good bit.”

I smile. It’s good to finally be counted on for things after being the only Miracle without a Power for so long.

“I’ll be ready,” I promise.

“What about the snakes?” Plush asks. Clearly, she’s not a fan of snakes. Neither am I, for that matter.

“Oh, they’re quite deadly, too,” Kai says. “Fortunately, they’re very sensitive to vibrations in the ground. The footpads of our company will be like thunder to them. They won’t mess with anything capable of creating so much vibration. Any snakes will be long gone before we get close.”

“That’s good to know,” Plush says. “I hate snakes.”

“We’ll take a short break here before heading out,” Kai says. “Sit down and grab something to eat. You’ve all got a tough hike ahead of you.”

Still sheltered somewhat by the trees, we sit down and munch on some energy bars. After the delicious kookiya, my bar seems kind of dry and tasteless, but we’re not eating them as treats. They’re a source of fuel to provide energy, and I’ve learned over the past few weeks they do a pretty good job of that.

Kai and Raj remain standing at the very edge of the woods, looking out over the landscape we’re soon to cross. They’re conversing in low tones, and I can’t hear what they’re saying to one another. Maybe it’s just brotherly chat—talking about how much they like me and Doc, I hope. I trust Kai enough to know that if they’re discussing anything truly important they’ll tell us before we head out. Not that how much he likes me isn’t important—it’s just not that important to our mission.

After fifteen minutes or so of rest and a snack, we’re back on our way.

Kai immediately leads us down into a narrow rift whose steep walls are more than head high. Loose rocks fill the shadowy bottom, forcing us to tread carefully. One wrong step could result in a badly twisted ankle—or worse. In these tight confines, any danger will almost certainly come at us from in front, so Kai has positioned me directly behind him, where I can quickly bring my fire to bear if we have the misfortune to run into any scorpions. My dad follows so close behind me I can hear his breathing. He may be impressed with my newfound Power, but that doesn’t mean he won’t want to have his rifle ready to protect me if necessary.

Radar comes next, followed by Jordy, of course. The rest of my friends fill the middle of our line, with Sergeant Moss and then Raj bringing up the rear. The single file formation doesn’t allow for much talking, so we trudge along in silence, the only sound coming from our soft footsteps on the hard ground or the occasional turning over of a loose rock. The tight quarters feel a bit claustrophobic, with the rough, rock walls looming so close beside us and only the thinnest ribbon of gray sky visible above. I don’t know how much it rains in this world, but these narrow fissures seem like they would be a death trap from a flash flood if a downpour did occur. Kai doesn’t seem worried though, so I push those thoughts aside.

Instead, I find myself looking for scorpions on every ledge and behind every rock, but I soon recognize the foolishness of my concern. If the creatures are as big as Kai and Raj say, they couldn’t conceal themselves in this narrow passage any more than we could. If we’re going to be attacked, it’s pretty clear the scorpions will have to come at us from the front or the back, and I’m confident that with Kai or Raj manning those two spots, we’re safe from any surprises.

In the first hour, Kai makes three turns into branching ravines. How he knows which of the many crevices that cut through this harsh land to follow, when he can’t see anything but the steep sides of the rifts, I have no idea, but he never hesitates. He obviously knows where he’s going, following markers that are invisible to me.

The route we’re traversing is seldom flat. Sometimes we descend until the cracked stone walls tower thirty or forty feet above us and shroud us in deep shadows, while other times we climb until the rocky sides are barely higher than our heads. We never fully emerge out into the open, though, which is just fine with me.

We’re filing along one of the deeper cuts when our first mishap strikes.