Kilenya Series Books One, Two, and Three by Andrea Pearson Page A

south.
    “Don’t let the small distance between here and there fool you,” Kenji said. “Even though it’s just a portion of the map, it will still take a long time to get there. Three or four days, as we said.”
    Kenji then showed Jacob the way to the Lorkon castle. It was fairly simple. The only thing Jacob had to remember was to head through the forest, then stick to the path that led them closest to the mountains. It was the only one that would lead to the Lorkon castle.
    Kenji pointed out two cabins on the map. One of them was just outside the forest, not too far from the entrance to Taga. The other was quite close to where the Lorkon lived. Each cabin belonged to a friend of the Makalos, and Jacob and Akeno could go there for help and information.
    “Remember,” Kenji said, “don’t spend time in the forest outside our village. Stick to the path. It’ll lead you out of the woods and to Aldo’s cabin. Stop and talk to him—he’s our friend and will give you additional information.”
    “I thought you said you couldn’t get hold of him last time you tried.”
    “We hope he’s still there. He’s the only person we trust who is within a day’s travel. We don’t know anything about the Land of Gevkan anymore. It might have changed drastically since we last lived there. If he’s not around, let us know.”
    Jacob took a deep breath, feeling overwhelmed at what he had to accomplish in only a few days. “How do you know the Key is at the castle?”
    “We don’t know for sure,” Kenji said. “But it’s a starting point.”
    “And what happens if it’s not there?”
    “We’ll look into other locations—and send you back home.”
    Jacob nodded in relief. He felt like a wimp, but was really scared of what he might have to go through to get the Key.
    A frantic knock sounded on the door. Akeno jumped to answer it and a Makalo rushed in, addressing Kenji.
    “The wolves have left. They guarded the path to Jacob’s town for a while, then disappeared. We waited five minutes, but they haven’t returned. Now might be the best time . . .” He shot a glance at Jacob.
    Kenji quickly stood. “Thank you. Continue to keep watch and let us know if anything changes.” He held the door as the Makalo left. “We’ll need two bags prepared—Ebony, you and Akeno do that. Gather whatever they’ll need for the trip. I’ll summon Early and September.” He stepped out of the house.
    “I’ll get a Minya box,” Akeno said, going into a back room.
    “Grab that jerky while you’re at it,” Ebony called after him, then yanked open cupboards and drawers, stuffing things into one of the bags.
    Jacob, not knowing what to do, stood awkwardly by the table. Kenji came back, and seconds later, Akeno raced back into the room, still shoving things into a knapsack.
    “Jacob, you and Akeno will leave immediately,” Kenji said. “September and Early will meet you in the morning. Send them back with updates as often as you feel is necessary. You should always have one of them with you for emergencies. Don’t worry about sending messages to your family, Jacob—we’ll take care of it for you. I wish we had more time to tell you everything you need to know, but we’ll fill you in as you need more information.”
    “How’re we going to keep the wolves from attacking us?” Jacob asked.
    “Akeno is able to make Rezend-strengthened shelters that will keep predators out. You’ll be safe while you’re sleeping. And as long as you stay on the move during the day, the wolves won’t harm you. But don’t provoke them or stay in one place for too long.”
    Jacob nodded, feeling panic start to well up within him. This was seriously the craziest thing he’d ever done. Why’d he agree to it? He found himself wishing again that Matt were there. Jacob took another deep breath, put away his thoughts, and tuned in again to what Kenji was saying.
    “The entrance to Taga is up the canyon from here. Akeno will lead the way, using