had heard other Elitions describe portals as subtle ripples or distortions in the air. That’s not how he saw them. To him, portals were as clear and visible as any other part of the environment, whether leaf, branch, or pond. Maybe that’s why he could see this portal whereas Terra could not. At least he had seen it. Jason looked at the spot where they had come through, but there was no longer any portal he could see. He reached forward but felt nothing but a residual tingle of energy.
“It’s gone,” he said. “The portal is gone.”
“Maybe it only goes one way,” Terra suggested.
“Is there such a thing?”
“I once read something about that sort of thing, but I can’t remember the details.”
Since Jason didn’t do the reading at school, he was of no help there. He’d never expected to actually need anything in those books. When this was all over, perhaps he would rethink that habit.
“We should get to higher ground. The tide is coming in fast,” he said and set off in the only direction they could walk.
They made it only two steps before the portal behind them spread open and shot out eight Elitions. Jason didn’t wait for them to start throwing knives. He grabbed Terra’s hand and took off running.
“Where are Orchid and Mystery?” one said.
“They lost a grip as we went through. I think they’re still back on the other side.”
“We’ll pick them up at the end of the portal loop.”
Jason and Terra ran into a narrow passageway between the cliffs, the high rock walls cutting off the rest of the assailants’ conversation.
“Jason, they know something about that portal,” Terra said as they stepped and slid between rocks as sharp as the edge of a Serenity blade.
“The big one is a Phantom,” he replied. “So it does take a Phantom to see the portal. And it would seem it takes one to bring others through.”
“How will we get away from them?” Her voice shook.
“First, we’re going to get to higher ground.” He held up the throwing knife he’d caught back at Ribbon Falls. “Then, I’m going to put this knife right through that Phantom’s head.”
“Jason…you can’t do that.”
“Watch me.”
“But—”
“I can hit just about anything.”
“I know. But those are just things. We’re talking about a person. You’re planning to kill a person.”
“They said this is a portal loop, which means there’s another portal here somewhere. If we can get rid of the Phantom, they won’t be able to follow us. And we have to get away, Terra. You know what they’ll do to us if they catch us. I think they’re Siennan.”
“How do you know?” she asked.
He tapped his nose. “They smell Siennan. And that means Avans. That’s even worse than the Selpes. Our families won’t even have a treaty to wave around to try to get us out.”
She set her hands on his cheeks. “Yes, Jason. But you’re planning to kill a person. It will change you.”
“The little princess is right, you know,” the big Phantom boomed out. His words echoed against the walls, gaining in intensity. The sound was deafening.
Jason pushed himself in front of Terra as the Phantom and his seven comrades closed in.
“Don’t be stupid, boy. They may call you the future Elite Phantom, but I’m over four hundred years old and a whole lot stronger than a pup like you,” he said, pulling out his sword. It was taller than Jason and Terra—combined. And it gleamed with something that looked a lot like fresh blood.
A woman with long white hair and cerulean eyes stepped forward, arms extended. “Come with us, children. We’ll protect you,” she said, smiling.
Jason felt a warmth spread through his body, encompassing him like a soft down blanket. He’d taken two steps toward her before he realized what he was doing and backtracked to Terra. He slammed down his mental wall, and a frigid cold pushed out the deceptive warmth of the woman’s enchantment.
“An Enchanter,” Jason told Terra.
The
“It’s gone,” he said. “The portal is gone.”
“Maybe it only goes one way,” Terra suggested.
“Is there such a thing?”
“I once read something about that sort of thing, but I can’t remember the details.”
Since Jason didn’t do the reading at school, he was of no help there. He’d never expected to actually need anything in those books. When this was all over, perhaps he would rethink that habit.
“We should get to higher ground. The tide is coming in fast,” he said and set off in the only direction they could walk.
They made it only two steps before the portal behind them spread open and shot out eight Elitions. Jason didn’t wait for them to start throwing knives. He grabbed Terra’s hand and took off running.
“Where are Orchid and Mystery?” one said.
“They lost a grip as we went through. I think they’re still back on the other side.”
“We’ll pick them up at the end of the portal loop.”
Jason and Terra ran into a narrow passageway between the cliffs, the high rock walls cutting off the rest of the assailants’ conversation.
“Jason, they know something about that portal,” Terra said as they stepped and slid between rocks as sharp as the edge of a Serenity blade.
“The big one is a Phantom,” he replied. “So it does take a Phantom to see the portal. And it would seem it takes one to bring others through.”
“How will we get away from them?” Her voice shook.
“First, we’re going to get to higher ground.” He held up the throwing knife he’d caught back at Ribbon Falls. “Then, I’m going to put this knife right through that Phantom’s head.”
“Jason…you can’t do that.”
“Watch me.”
“But—”
“I can hit just about anything.”
“I know. But those are just things. We’re talking about a person. You’re planning to kill a person.”
“They said this is a portal loop, which means there’s another portal here somewhere. If we can get rid of the Phantom, they won’t be able to follow us. And we have to get away, Terra. You know what they’ll do to us if they catch us. I think they’re Siennan.”
“How do you know?” she asked.
He tapped his nose. “They smell Siennan. And that means Avans. That’s even worse than the Selpes. Our families won’t even have a treaty to wave around to try to get us out.”
She set her hands on his cheeks. “Yes, Jason. But you’re planning to kill a person. It will change you.”
“The little princess is right, you know,” the big Phantom boomed out. His words echoed against the walls, gaining in intensity. The sound was deafening.
Jason pushed himself in front of Terra as the Phantom and his seven comrades closed in.
“Don’t be stupid, boy. They may call you the future Elite Phantom, but I’m over four hundred years old and a whole lot stronger than a pup like you,” he said, pulling out his sword. It was taller than Jason and Terra—combined. And it gleamed with something that looked a lot like fresh blood.
A woman with long white hair and cerulean eyes stepped forward, arms extended. “Come with us, children. We’ll protect you,” she said, smiling.
Jason felt a warmth spread through his body, encompassing him like a soft down blanket. He’d taken two steps toward her before he realized what he was doing and backtracked to Terra. He slammed down his mental wall, and a frigid cold pushed out the deceptive warmth of the woman’s enchantment.
“An Enchanter,” Jason told Terra.
The
Similar Books
