Destiny Series Boxed Set

by Bronwyn Leroux

  “What’s wrong?”

  Han had picked up on the change in his mood. Jaden used one hand to turn his comm off while the other rubbed the side of Han’s neck. “Nothing bad. I believe we may have some welcome company soon.”

  Jaden mentally saw the eye roll he was sure Han made. “Care to elaborate? And why are you turning your comm off?”

  “Because I don’t want to get the others riled up—either excited or anxious.”

  “Well, now that you’ve made me both, spill.”

  Jaden ginned. “I think Markov and the others may be on their way to Terratalunga too.”

  Han bucked under him. “What makes you say that?”

  “I didn’t notice it earlier, but when Markov sent that transmission, he wasn’t at Sven’s. I just assumed he was. But the sky in the background wasn’t Sven’s starry blanket. It was a hazy orange, as though the lights of a compound were near.”

  “What do you think it means?”

  “I’m not sure. Could be Kayla’s mom raised the alarm when she didn’t find Kayla in her room. Or that Sadie asked them to go to Terratalunga to find Vicken. Or both.”

  “Perhaps Tarise’s escape prompted this?”

  “No, I don’t think so. I think Markov and the others had already left when they discovered that little gem.”

  “Then why didn’t Sven say something when you called him? And why did he send the information to Markov and not to you?”

  “Maybe because Sadie’s traveling with them and Sven wanted to update her first?” Jaden rubbed a hand over his face, finding the smooth material of his face mask there. It only irritated him further. “What’s with the questions?”

  “You’re all too quiet,” Han grumped.

  “Ah, friend, don’t worry about us.” Jaden rubbed him along his neck again. “We have you to scare off the big spooky monsters.” Han’s snort of laughter had Jaden grinning. “Seriously, though, how would we have gotten this far if it hadn’t been for you and Taz and the other gliders?”

  “Okay, enough already. I’ll try not to worry about you. Pipsqueak that you are.”

  Jaden laughed. It must’ve been loud enough for the others to hear even without his comm connected. When he saw their inquiring glances, he flipped his comm back on. “Han thinks I’m a pipsqueak.”

  General cackling over the comm. Even from Kayla. She caught him studying her and raised a hand, putting it under her chin and miming a lifting motion. Torn between pride at her optimism and worry for her struggle, Jaden gave her a thumbs-up signal. It wouldn’t be long now. Then they would find out for themselves what had happened to Vicken.

  Not quite an hour later, they reached the mountains that formed the outer rim of Terratalunga. Jaden stared, their starkness unexpected. Nothing like the Shadow Mountains. Where the mountains hunched over his home had snow and trees and shimmering lakes, these hills were black, barren, and boiling, coated with thousands upon thousands of tiny onyx pebbles. Heat pulsed up through them, wreathing the air with mist as the heat hit the cooler air above and steamed.

  Jaden had never seen a more severe landscape. After the light conversation following Han’s comment, the comm went silent again. Jaden wasn’t the only one stunned by the foreboding landscape before them.

  Jaden almost told Han to get a move on before he realized Han hadn’t stopped. These mountains were so open, Jaden didn’t feel movement the same way he did in the Shadow Mountains.

  They banked towards a ridge hiding the rest of the range from them. As they crested it, Jaden grinned when he saw the gathering ahead of them. “How in heck did you beat us here?”

  “We didn’t have to make a detour to Daxsos,” Markov replied. Jaden could hear the smile in his voice. Markov’s glider peeling away from the group and heading their way. The other gliders followed suit, circling toward them.

  “You knew Markov would be here?”

  Kayla’s question was quiet, but Jaden heard the unspoken recrimination. “I suspected they might join us. I never thought they would be here, waiting for us.”

  Before Kayla could reply, a glider sidled up to her. Alarmed, Jaden opened his mouth to warn her. Then he realized who it was. With that, he understood why Markov and the others had come.

  “Mom!” Kayla’s greeting rang out, her joy and relief tangible.

  Sadie’s glider settled as near to Kayla’s as their wingspans would permit.

  “I couldn’t wait anymore. It was killing me to sit around doing nothing. I had to come see what was keeping your father. He’s never been this late with a check-in before.”

  Well, that answers one of my questions.

  “I understand.” Kayla’s soft reply did nothing to dim her own distress. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Me too. Let’s go find your father.”

  As though the gliders heard the conversation, they formed up again, and the group plowed deeper into the hissing steam that was Terratalunga.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Kayla’s heart pounded. With every flap of Taz’s powerful wings, they were one step closer to finding her father. Her mother’s presence only increased her dread. Her father had never been gone this long before without checking in.

  Trying to keep her fear at a manageable level, Kayla caught glimpses of the landscape through the mist surrounding them. Not that there was anything to see. It was a lunar landscape: just rock, rock, and more rock.

  Taz banked so suddenly Kayla would’ve fallen, had her smart suit not corrected her position. “What was that?”

  Before Taz answered, a plume of water shot up next to Kayla. Then another, this one so close it sprayed Kayla with water. Hot water. Another spout gushed up. Then another, releasing from the smoldering earth below with a whoosh.

  Geysers? She never would’ve guessed there was enough water in this barren wasteland for such a phenomenon And yet Taz swerved again as another one shot up in front of them. Taz twisted and turned as she guided them through.

  Then it was silent again, the land below them asleep once more. No more fountains shooting up around them.

  Kayla wiped the spray from her eyes. While the water had been hot, it hadn’t been unbearable. Between the mist and steam now swirling around them, visibility was zero. “Can you even see where you’re going?”

  Taz snorted as though the question were ludicrous. “Do you think I’d be flying at this speed if we could crash into the mountain?”

  The uncharacteristically sharp comment made Kayla realize Taz was just as nervous as she was. Not about the perils that faced them, but about Kayla’s state of mind. About how Kayla would react if something had happened to her father.

  Reaching forward, Kayla massaged a soft spot just behind Taz’s ear. “I’ll be alright. As soon as we get there and find my father, I’ll be fine.” Kayla didn’t add not finding her father would be devastating. Although that possibility always lingered, along with something unthinkable.

  Shoving the dark thoughts aside before they formed fully, Kayla steeled herself. Whether or not they found her father, whatever state he was in, she and the other seekers had no choice but to press on. Delays would only increase the risk that the usurper’s invasion of their world would harm others they loved.

  Kayla gazed at her mother, flying next to her. She was thankful her mother had come. If Kayla had to leave before they found her dad, her mom would find him. Of that, she was sure. Sadie never failed when she put her mind to something. Her mother looked at her, and Kayla waved, trying to hide the dismal thoughts tracking through her mind.

  Needing to know the plan, Kayla asked, “Jaden, do you know our destination? Or are we just flying around until you get one of those feelings of yours?”

  “Yes, we have a plan.”

  Jaden’s voice was sour. Kayla smiled despite the heaviness in her heart. He didn’t like it when she referred to those feelings of his like they were something he controlled. “Care to share?”

  “I studied that map of the park we pr
inted at the library.”

  “When did you have time to do that?”

  “Flying here with nothing to do for hours, hello?”

  Kayla loved that he was trying to keep things light. She could do no less. “I thought you’d fallen asleep, leaving Han to do all the work!” Han’s laughter rumbled in the background.

  “Yeah, he says to say thanks for the support,” Jaden grunted.

  “Are you going to tell us where we’re going?” Sadie interrupted.

  Kayla glanced at her mother, who shrugged. Kayla supposed they had drifted off topic. And she could relate to her mother’s need to get an answer on something. Anything. Anything to make Sadie feel she was getting closer to finding her husband.

  As though Jaden realized it too, he answered, “We’re headed to the mountain with the kink.”

  “The kink? What does that mean?” Sadie asked.

  Realizing mother wouldn’t know the relevance of the spot, Kayla explained.

  Sadie was quiet for a moment. “Yes, that’s probably the best place to start.”

  Swift as the gliders were, it still took a while before Taz said, “This is the one.”

  Kayla peered into the mist. Since it had taken them so long to get here, the distance from the outskirts, where they’d met the rest of the gliders, was significant. That, or the gliders had been flying around in circles trying to pinpoint the location. “Are you sure?”

  Taz sighed. Instead of answering, she leaned to the right and slowed, turning toward the black mass of the mountain lurking under the mist.

  Kayla saw it. The kink they had been looking for. The place marked by the map in Awena’s book. Confirmed by the terrain overlay search at the library. Their final destination. It was almost surreal how accurately the kink mimicked the map’s.

  Taz growled. “We need to find a better place for your dismount. That space isn’t large enough.”

  Kayla had to agree. The kink was a jagged outcropping, only six feet by four feet, with empty air below if they missed the landing. A quick slip to a sure drop. Deadly if the gliders couldn’t get close enough to mountain side to catch them.

  Kayla studied the outcropping as Taz circled, scouting for a safer place. The swirling mists made it difficult to establish what the terrain around the ledge looked like. The ledge itself, from the glimpses Kayla managed, appeared to be a solid slab of stone. How odd. A slab of stone amid all this gravel.

  Then Kayla realized what she wasn’t seeing. “Taz, can you get us a little closer?”

  “Why? The winds that close are treacherous. If we’re not careful, they’ll slam us into the mountain.”

  “I can’t see my dad. If he’s not there, there’s no point trying to land.”

  “Hold on, I’ll get us as close as I can.”

  The moment they were within ten feet of the ledge, the winds battered them. Kayla tightened her grip on Taz, peering through the infernal mist. A gust of wind swept the ledge clear for an instant. Kayla’s hopes were dashed. No sign of her father.

  Trying to keep it together, she said, “We can go.”

  “No, I thought I saw something,” Taz said through gritted teeth. “Look beyond the ledge, to where it meets the mountain.”

  Kayla hung on, wondering how Taz wasn’t being flipped over as the wind continued its assault. Then another gust, and she could see the entire ledge this time, not just the part sticking out of the mountain like a thorn from a finger. This time, Kayla spotted what Taz had glimpsed. A cave yawned at the end of the ledge, its opening dark enough against the ebony trim of the mountain to make it invisible—unless you were this close and specifically looking for it.

  Taz suddenly tucked her wings and dove. Kayla’s breath burst out of her. Thankful for her smart suit, Kayla yelled, “What are you doing?”

  “Saving us from being smashed against the mountain,” Taz tossed back. “Hold on, I’m pulling out.”

  Kayla did. When Taz spread her wings, oxygen returned as the crazy dive ended and they swung away from the mountain.

  “That was too close,” Taz muttered.

  “What were you thinking?” Han growled, speeding in to take up a position next to them. “You can’t take those kinds of risks. That’s what I’m here for.”

  “My apologies, I didn’t know I had to ask you first,” Taz snapped.

  Kayla glanced at Jaden. What was it with their gliders? Jaden shrugged as though he had no clue either.

  Han huffed but said no more, following Taz until they were far enough from the mountain to be safe from the winds. The rest of the gliders followed, and when Taz began circling, the others did too, agitated twittering spiking the air. Kayla had had enough.

  “Okay, what’s with all the twittering? Speak to us.”

  Taz turned her head. “Sorry. We’re trying to figure out how to get you onto that mountain.”

  “Just drop us further up or down—it doesn’t matter,” Kayla answered.

  Taz cocked an eyebrow. “It seems you’re not considering all that loose gravel. If we drop you anywhere on that mountain, chances are you’ll slide all the way down.”

  Kayla hadn’t thought of that. If that was true, how had her father done it? Or had he?

  Jaden’s shocked voice cut in. “We’re supposed to land there? It’s nothing but a slab of rock. And a tiny one at that. If we miss the landing—”

  Kayla interrupted before he could continue. “There’s a cave behind it.”

  “Oh.”

  It was all Jaden said as the gliders continued their twittery conversation.

  “Did you see your father down there?”

  Sadie’s question had Kayla turning as her mother’s glider slid up alongside Taz. “No, he wasn’t on that ledge. But you might’ve heard via the comm there’s a cave behind it.”

  Neither of them wanted to voice the other option. That he had tried for the ledge and missed. Fallen all the way down the mountain.

  Kayla caught Jaden glancing between her and her mother, trying to interpret the underlying conversation. When she heard his sharp intake of breath, then saw him glance to her for confirmation, she nodded.

  Jaden’s voice was brittle when he spoke, his words going out over the comm. “Han, let’s do another circuit of the area.”

  Han’s complaint was loud enough for Kayla to hear it from where she and Taz hovered. Jaden’s hand went up to his comm. His lips moved under his mask, their words silent without the comm. Abruptly, Han turned, and he and Jaden disappeared into the eddying mists.

  Biting her lip, Kayla couldn’t decide between telling Taz to chase after them and staying to see what the verdict was. Then she realized that, without Taz, there would be no verdict. Her head ached. Kayla began rubbing her forehead, trying to ease the pain growing worse with each minute. She wasn’t thinking clearly. She couldn’t allow that. Her mind had to be clear.

  Rustling on her left prompted Kayla to open her eyes. Iri, her mask drawn back, smiled tentatively. “I hate to intrude on people’s private agonies, but I can’t stop my gift. I’m sorry. Forgive me for sharing your pain with Atu. He thought this might help.”

  Kayla ogled Iri. The words didn’t register at first. When they did, Kayla realized Iri was offering one of Atu’s ubiquitous tubes.

  Kayla smiled. “You don’t know how wonderful that looks. Thank you!”

  Iri’s smile was dazzling. “If it’s like any of the other things he gives us, it’ll take care of that pain in an instant.”

  Kayla grinned. “Are you going to just tease me with it or toss it over?”

  “Oh, sorry!”

  The tube sailed across the gap between the gliders, landing right were Kayla’s hand waited for it. “Nice throw.”

  “You didn’t think it would be?” Iri smirked. “What do you think I spent all my time on whilst I was in the forest?”

  “Reading.”

  “Touché,” Iri laughed, tipping a hand to her brow. “Come on, use the stuff that’s in there already so we can
roll as soon as Taz and her cohorts finish plotting.”

  A movement to Iri’s left drew Kayla’s attention. Jaden and Han were back. Already? Kayla’s courage faltered.

  Jaden touched his comm. “The cave it is.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Kayla steadied the mad beating of her heart. Her father wasn’t at the bottom of this mountain. He wasn’t on the slopes. There was still a chance he had survived this. Perhaps he was too deep inside the mountain for his comms to reach beyond the stone.

  Jaden flipped his comm switch again, this time pulling his mask off as he gazed at her. His concern made those little creases between his eyes she’d come to recognize. And hate.

  “Are you okay?” Jaden mouthed, a sidelong glance at Sadie telling Kayla why he hadn’t used his comm.

  Flipping her own mask up, she sent a weary smile his way. “I’ve been better.”

  Jaden nodded, letting the rubber of his mask snap back over his face. He touched the comm again. “Ready to go,” he announced to no one in particular. “Kayla, ask Taz when they’ll quit jabbering. We need to get into that cave.”

  Smiling at the thought of Taz’s reaction, Kayla conveyed the message. She wasn’t disappointed.

  “Unless you want to tear yourself to shreds on those sharp little crystals down there, you’ll have some patience,” Taz snapped.

  “But why would I want to be on the sides of the mountain when I can be on the ledge?” Jaden reached behind him and held up a hank of rope.

  Kayla saw Taz’s mouth open as though she would’ve sniped something else. Then Taz went still. “You think that’s how Vicken made it down there?”

  “I don’t see any other way.” Jaden’s voice was calm as he described how they could do it. Kayla wondered how long he’d been noodling the idea. “That is, of course, if it’s not too undignified for you to have us dangling from your talons,” Jaden concluded.