The Traitor A. Lombardo (best thriller novels to read TXT) 📖

him with open arms and concealed his entry. His crystal already was aglow as he sank into the blackness. His last view was of Sabastian circling, waiting.

Transformation always began the same way, with the thread of creation locked within his soul. Blended with the design of another, he could become any beast he knew. Focused on the creatures he’d studied and the animals he knew, Kai imagined a serpent-like creature. It was bigger than any dragon with scales black as night, with a body able to glide through the water and eyes capable of seeing even in the dimmest of light.

The waves provided an abundance of energy. Kai pulled every ounce he could from their crashing. They gave freely. As if with a pen, Kai drew the serpent in his mind: the dark red eyes, spine-frilled neck, ridged spine, black diamond-shaped scales. Wings to serve as fins and a broad tail to help him slip through the water, and a sharp, menacing horn.

Inspired by his design, the golden braid coalesced into a spiraling coiled ladder. Magic-infused light swirled around Kai’s body. His arms stretched and flowed into long wing-like fins, legs pressed tight they grew together as his body became longer and his tail unfurled. Taking a breath, he sucked water in over his new gills, and he felt the expanse of his head and the change of his eyes.

As he slithered from the deep, his head rose out of the water. Higher and higher he went, up into the sky. Still pulling from nature, the wind died with the waves. Studying his reflection in the dark waves, he beheld his creation, down to every detail. The beast was just as he hoped. The one surprise was his serpent tongue, pointy and forked, but it felt right.

His elongated body rolled out behind him. Elegant wing-like fins fluttered at his sides, and a fin-like tail swooshed through the water. Feeling complete, he stretched and recoiled. His new form slithered through the water, leaving little trace he was ever there. The sounds of an eagle’s cry rang in his ears, and the gold tips of an eagle flashed by his eyes.

He watched the bird swoop and dive and transform into a man landing on his third protruding hump.

“Kai!” the man shouted. “Remember who you are, your mission—save Rayna!”

Kai slithered and bobbed in the water. Pictures of a girl flashed in his mind. He repeated her name in his head—Rayna—Rayna—Rayna. He remembered everything, his feelings for her, her predicament, and his mission to save her.

Thank you, he said in his mind. Return to Kendra.

Sabastian bathed in moonlight to regain his power and Kai sensed a shift in magic as his friend reverted to his eagle form and disappeared into the night.

Concentrating ahead, he held his head high while his body slithered through the water. With his massive size and speed, he was within view of the Dragaron in less than an hour. Easing his pace, he slowed, letting his body sink below the surface; the tip of his black horn just missed the hull of the Dragaron.

Kai’s glowing red eyes watched the ship pass. He could not speak to Rayna in this beastly form, but he had to get her attention. His horn rose from the depths, piercing the wake behind the Dragaron. His winged head, nearly as large as the entire vessel, made a new wake. He watched from a distance, searching for a way to get her attention.

Two guards approached her. One was rail-thin, and Kai saw him pointing. Rayna shook her head in disagreement, and the other heavyset guard grabbed her arm. Rage boiled in his stomach, and he felt an uncontrollable instinct take over. His rolling body propelled him from the water as he lunged at the ship. Water drenched the deck as he passed over the top. Using his wing-like fin, Kai snatched the man from the boat and plunged back into the darkness. Rage consumed his mind as he swam in a downward spiral. Air bubbles poured out the guard’s mouth, and his eyes bulged in fear.

Realizing the man was suffocating, Kai swam for the surface and flung him into the air. He landed on deck in a fit of coughs as Kai rose high above the ship. The white sails were soaked in water. Men shouted, drawing their swords. The captain pulled a crossbow and aimed at Kai’s writhing form. Rayna screamed, her hands held out to the captain. “Don’t shoot!” she begged.

Kai did not want to hurt the men on the Dragaron, but he wanted Rayna. A roar rolled up his throat, and he blasted the ship with the frightful sound. Men screamed in fear, and the captain let loose his arrow. It struck Kai’s diamond black scales and bounced off without a scratch. Rayna ran to the rail and dove into the water.

Dumfounded, the crew watched as the leviathan sank beneath the surface. Rayna floated beneath the water, basking in the glow of Kai’s red eyes. Kai nudged her with his horn, and she took hold. Anxious to put distance between them, he swam away from the Dragaron, rising from the depths so she could breathe.

The Dragaron bobbed motionless in the middle of the lake. Kai imagined it would not take long before the crew came to their senses and sail for Diu. They would arrive emptied-handed, with no bait to lure Kai back into captivity. He thought about Nola’s anger and the added intrigue behind a mythical monster spotted in Baden Lake.

Rayna perched behind his horn between his winglike ears as he swam into the darkness. Dawn’s rays cut through the fog, and the shoreline unfolded before them.

Kai eased into the sandy shore. Rayna slipped from his head, and he transformed. Standing in knee-deep water, he looked at her, wondering how furious she might be.

Her eyes held no anger; only a small tear