Rayna's Sacrifice (The Katori Chronicles Book 3) A. Lombardo (best smutty novels txt) 📖

Kai could hardly believe what he was hearing. Were they still worried about his destiny? He had been here for months; they should know his spirit by now. Had he not proven his ability to keep their secrets even before he came to Katori?

“You don’t know the boy,” Haygan argued back. “He has grown into a good man.”

“Kai will be just like his father. Arrogant and willful. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The boy will be our downfall. His father will come for him and bend his ear. Together they will force us into the open. Keegan wanted nothing more than to use his Alenga-given powers to subjugate the entire world. It was Keegan’s wish then, and I doubt he has changed. We need to stand united in this, Haygan. Mark my words. Keegan is coming. Kai will either bend willingly or become a weapon. Either way, I will not let Keegan have what he desires.”

It was difficult to stomach the conversation between Haygan and Lucca. No matter what, Lucca had made up his mind. He was never being kind to Kai in the hopes of mending the past. His grandfather only wanted to keep a closer eye on him. Unwilling to listen anymore, Kai stormed back to Haygan’s home and collapsed onto the bed in his pod.

◆◆◆

Dawn's early morning rays tiptoed into Kai’s pod. The oval-shaped window cast a warm glow over Kai and bathed him in sunshine. Feeling rested, Kai wiped the remainders of sleep from his eyes. He shifted in his bed to gaze out over the Hiowind village below.

The smell of wet earth lingered in the air. Down below, people busily worked the area. Weathervanes whipped up funnel-shaped rotating wind. Their small air collectors scooped up the debris along the path. As it gathered more and more sticks and leaves, the swirling mass grew. Once the mass was a few feet wide, the funnel spiked upward and shot over the massive garden to a composting pile.

In another area, one large limb had struck a small statue, knocking it into another. Both now lay broken in a heap. Kai watched a man transform into a black gorilla and pick up the massive tree limb and carry it away. The next two men, Stonekings with dark red crystals, reset the main section of the two statues upright. To Kai’s amazement, both began reassembling the broken pieces. Their hands held the rock in place, and their fingers pressed around the seams. Within minutes they had remolded the pieces like sculpting clay.

Even with scattered tree limbs and vines, the place was magnificent. Kai was amazed at the open display of magic. Through the trees, he could see the top of the Agora, and he felt the thrum of magic pull at him. He closed his eyes and focused on the Agora. Connected to his sight, he drew his mind near the pool. With one hand, he touched his crystal.

Alenga’s spirit spoke to him. There is no time to waste. You must hurry. A flash of his mother’s face broke his connection. Anxious about his experience, he grabbed for his pants, laying across the chair, and shoved his hand into the pocket. His mother’s necklace was not there. He tossed the room upside down and found nothing.

When he reached Rayna’s pod, he found it empty. Voices echoed up from the main family room, and Kai bounded down the stairs to join everyone. Simone handed Kai a cup of tea and sat down next to Haygan. “Good morning, sleepyhead. We had a terrible storm last night. Would you mind helping Haygan repair our windmill? The storm damaged several of them, and ours helps move water around the community.”

“Happy to help, Simone.”

Rayna smiled and pulled her hair to one side of her face. Kai bent to whisper in her ear. “Rayna, have you seen my mother’s necklace?”

She arched her back to look at him. “I am sorry, Kai, I have not. You usually keep it in your pocket.”

“Haygan, by chance, do you know where my mother’s necklace is?”

“Hmmm, no.” Haygan crinkled his brow. “You always keep it in your pocket, do you not?” Haygan swung around and tugged on his boots.

Fear welled in the pit of Kai’s stomach. He darted back upstairs to his pod to look again. No necklace. He had it just a few hours ago. Held it in his hand listening to uncle Haygan and Lucca argue. Kai held his breath, and anger clamped around his heart. Frantic, Kai stuffed his hands inside both his pockets one last time to be sure—the crystal was gone. His one hope of tracking his mother was lost to him. His father Iver had entrusted the valuable possession to Kai, and he’d lost it.

“NO! Not lost—stolen.”

Hearing the commotion, Haygan stepped into Kai’s pod. “What’s wrong?” He surveyed the disarray. “Kai?”

“It’s gone. My mother’s necklace is gone. I had it with me last night, and now it is gone.”

The look on Haygan’s face was eye-opening. Before Kai could respond, Haygan motioned for him to hurry. “Get your boots, Kai. We need to see my father.”

There was little Kai could do but trust his uncle. This was Haygan’s country; these were not Kai’s people. Along the way, he glared at each person, wondering who he could trust. Was their day-to-day sincerity real? Kai no longer knew what to believe.

Hot on the heels of his uncle’s fast pace, it dawned on Kai. Chief Lucca—only he would care to take the necklace. He knew its value; they had argued over the fact only hours ago. Haygan would never steal from Kai, not even to help Lucca.

“Haygan, do you think Lucca took the necklace?” Kai asked, choosing to keep quiet about the argument he’d witnessed.

His uncle would not look at him. Focused on the way ahead, Haygan marched down the pristine walkway. Kai noticed the clenched jaw, the white-knuckled fists. Haygan was angry. When they turned down the path toward a