else could it be?”
Calloway placed his hand next to hers, but he, too, felt nothing. The surface was hard and solid; it wouldn’t move. “There must be a chapter about portals in the Kirin Book,” he said. “We might locate one after we read it.”
Easton shook her head. “I doubt it.” She dropped her hand from the wall. “They wouldn’t detail the positions of the portals—that would be stupid.”
“Your father didn’t tell you?” Breccan asked irritably. “Perhaps it’s in the trunk but you missed it.”
Calloway shook his head. “I read everything inside—it didn’t mention a portal.”
“We could just wait,” Breccan said.
“Wait for what?” Easton asked.
“For a Hara-Kir to appear,” he said. “Then we’ll know where it came from.”
“That’s dangerous,” Calloway said. “What if there are several?”
“And we haven’t seen one in a while,” Easton said. “They may have abandoned this portal because of our existence.”
“But how would they know that?” Calloway asked. “We killed them all.”
“You didn’t kill the two that followed you the night you stole the Kirin Book,” Easton said. “They may have told the others about your presence in the library.”
“Maybe,” Calloway said. “But I think that would encourage them to use it. They are looking for me, after all.”
Suddenly, Breccan sprinted towards the third wall and collided against the surface with a heavy thud. His body was pushed back and he fell to the floor, lifeless for several seconds before he rose to his feet. Calloway stared at him for a moment, amused by the amateur attempt.
“What the hell are you doing?” Easton snapped. “You could hurt yourself.”
“Too late,” Breccan groaned. He rubbed his arm then examined his leg for bruises. The lines around his mouth were tight in a grimace. Calloway cringed at the sight. It looked painful.
“You are so stupid,” she said.
“For the first time I’m going to agree with you.” He moaned. He leaned against the wall and caught his breath. “I thought you needed a running start to pass through.”
“Why did you think that?” Calloway asked.
Breccan shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said. “It sounded like a good idea.”
Easton rolled her eyes. “You’re the definition of stupidity.”
“Hey,” he snapped. “I tried, okay?”
“Stop,” Calloway said. He knew an infamous argument was approaching. “You guys can fight later.”
Easton sighed. “Well, the portal must be located in plain sight,” she said. “It must be hidden so someone won’t accidently pass through, but it needs to be easily identifiable to the seekers.”
Calloway nodded. “I agree.” He looked around the room and didn’t see anything identifiable. Every wall looked dull and solid, nothing that resembled a portal at all. “But I still don’t see anything.”
Breccan rubbed his arm, still massaging the pain from his limbs. “Maybe you need the portal key.”
“It’s in my pocket,” he said.
“But maybe you need to put it in the wall or something,” Breccan said.
“There’s nowhere to put it,” Easton snapped. She banged her first against the wall and the sound echoed in the room. “The wall is solid.”
“Just try it,” Breccan snapped.
Calloway pulled out the orb and held it against the wall—nothing happened. The glass was dull and lightless, blending with the shadows that stretched across the surface. He felt odd holding the glass orb against the wood—it clearly didn’t go there.
“Try the other wall,” Easton said.
Calloway placed the orb against the wood, but, just like before, nothing happened.
“How about the one I ran into?” Breccan said.
When Calloway pressed the orb against the surface there was no change. The wall was just as lifeless and dull as it had been a moment before and Calloway knew this wasn’t right—it certainly didn’t feel like it. He dropped his hand. “I feel stupid for doing
Calloway placed his hand next to hers, but he, too, felt nothing. The surface was hard and solid; it wouldn’t move. “There must be a chapter about portals in the Kirin Book,” he said. “We might locate one after we read it.”
Easton shook her head. “I doubt it.” She dropped her hand from the wall. “They wouldn’t detail the positions of the portals—that would be stupid.”
“Your father didn’t tell you?” Breccan asked irritably. “Perhaps it’s in the trunk but you missed it.”
Calloway shook his head. “I read everything inside—it didn’t mention a portal.”
“We could just wait,” Breccan said.
“Wait for what?” Easton asked.
“For a Hara-Kir to appear,” he said. “Then we’ll know where it came from.”
“That’s dangerous,” Calloway said. “What if there are several?”
“And we haven’t seen one in a while,” Easton said. “They may have abandoned this portal because of our existence.”
“But how would they know that?” Calloway asked. “We killed them all.”
“You didn’t kill the two that followed you the night you stole the Kirin Book,” Easton said. “They may have told the others about your presence in the library.”
“Maybe,” Calloway said. “But I think that would encourage them to use it. They are looking for me, after all.”
Suddenly, Breccan sprinted towards the third wall and collided against the surface with a heavy thud. His body was pushed back and he fell to the floor, lifeless for several seconds before he rose to his feet. Calloway stared at him for a moment, amused by the amateur attempt.
“What the hell are you doing?” Easton snapped. “You could hurt yourself.”
“Too late,” Breccan groaned. He rubbed his arm then examined his leg for bruises. The lines around his mouth were tight in a grimace. Calloway cringed at the sight. It looked painful.
“You are so stupid,” she said.
“For the first time I’m going to agree with you.” He moaned. He leaned against the wall and caught his breath. “I thought you needed a running start to pass through.”
“Why did you think that?” Calloway asked.
Breccan shrugged. “I don’t know,” he said. “It sounded like a good idea.”
Easton rolled her eyes. “You’re the definition of stupidity.”
“Hey,” he snapped. “I tried, okay?”
“Stop,” Calloway said. He knew an infamous argument was approaching. “You guys can fight later.”
Easton sighed. “Well, the portal must be located in plain sight,” she said. “It must be hidden so someone won’t accidently pass through, but it needs to be easily identifiable to the seekers.”
Calloway nodded. “I agree.” He looked around the room and didn’t see anything identifiable. Every wall looked dull and solid, nothing that resembled a portal at all. “But I still don’t see anything.”
Breccan rubbed his arm, still massaging the pain from his limbs. “Maybe you need the portal key.”
“It’s in my pocket,” he said.
“But maybe you need to put it in the wall or something,” Breccan said.
“There’s nowhere to put it,” Easton snapped. She banged her first against the wall and the sound echoed in the room. “The wall is solid.”
“Just try it,” Breccan snapped.
Calloway pulled out the orb and held it against the wall—nothing happened. The glass was dull and lightless, blending with the shadows that stretched across the surface. He felt odd holding the glass orb against the wood—it clearly didn’t go there.
“Try the other wall,” Easton said.
Calloway placed the orb against the wood, but, just like before, nothing happened.
“How about the one I ran into?” Breccan said.
When Calloway pressed the orb against the surface there was no change. The wall was just as lifeless and dull as it had been a moment before and Calloway knew this wasn’t right—it certainly didn’t feel like it. He dropped his hand. “I feel stupid for doing
Similar Books
