Rayna's Sacrifice (The Katori Chronicles Book 3)

by A D Lombardo

  Smoke barked in confusion. Dizziness made Kai’s hand swim. He felt Rayna’s wild emotions. Ryker pulled the other two crying sisters back. Rayna seethed with anger. “You did this to me.” Rayna continued. “It wasn’t a ritual to join you and your sisters. You wanted me out of the way because you want Kai!”

  Unsure what else to do, Kai grabbed his crystal and turned into a dragon. His massive form blocked out the sun. He loomed over the girls. Senina’s eyes bulged. Her trembling finger pointed at Kai. Kai roared and screeched. Flames billowed out his mouth. Smoke curled out his nostrils.

  ◆◆◆

  Rayna turned and sank to the ground at the sight of him. The massive silver dragon towered over her, and her heart raced. She wasn’t sure if she should be afraid or astonished. Never in her life had she seen a dragon outside of a storybook or a distant blur in the sky over Baden Lake. With shaking hands, she reached out. “Kai? Is that you?”

  When Kai shrank back into his natural form, his body wobbled and collapsed in a heap. Rayna watched Imani run to his side. “He should not be rushing his change like this. His mind could get damaged.”

  Imani took Rayna’s hands. “Help me wake him. Sense his dehydration and weakened state. Dig your fingers into the soil. Pull only a little from the ground. Use your magic to convert the energy into power for him.”

  Rayna did as Imani instructed. Her hand plunged into the ground up to her wrist. The rich soil felt warm to her hand. Harnessing the power within the ground, she pulled it through her heart to bloom with the light her magic possessed. Her green crystal came to life and warmed her chest. Gently she let the energy flow through her other hand into Kai’s chest.

  Kai blinked and looked up at her. She smiled. “There you are.”

  “Transforming so swiftly multiple times in one day is unwise,” Imani scolded. “I would advise not changing form again for a day or two. And you need to practice more. You let go of your magic instead of pulling it back inside your core.”

  “Rayna, I hope I did not frighten you.” Kai looked to Senina, her mouth still covered in moss, her eyes wide with fear and filled with tears. “Senina knows what she did was wrong. If you want her apology, you will have to give her back her mouth. Revenge will not change what happened, nor will it bring you peace. Forgiveness is your only way forward.”

  Rayna turned to face her Kodama sister. The remorse in the girl’s face panged at her heart. Mortified at what she had done, Rayna ran her fingers over Senina’s mouth. The moss faded. Senina wrapped her arms around Rayna’s neck. “I am truly sorry. I had no idea what it was like to turn into a tree. I have never tried it. I never wanted to hurt you, not really. Please forgive me.”

  Stunned, Rayna hugged her back. “My own pride got the better of me. I wanted so desperately to show you I could do it. To be like you… No, I wanted to be better than you and your sisters. I was jealous.”

  The two girls sat in a tangled heap. Senina fiddled with her fingers. “I have never seen anyone do what you did. Turn your arm into a block of wood. Swing it like a weapon. Turn another’s flesh into moss without their approval.”

  The realization that Rayna had struck Kai caught up to her. “Kai. I am so sorry.” She scrambled to reach him. “I hope I did not hurt you. I was so angry. I couldn’t see clearly.” Her hands patted him to search for damage.

  “I am fine, really,” Kai assured her.

  “Wait. You were a dragon. I saw you transform.” She muttered with the excitement of a little girl.

  Imani interrupted. “We should all get back before it gets late. Sisters, I am sure you know the way home. Make haste. And take note, I must speak to the elders—all four of you broke Katori law, working against a fellow sister. There must be consequences, I will leave it to them to decide.” She shooed the sisters away.

  All three girls scurried out of the meadow. Imani looped her arm with Rayna’s. “They needed to be humbled,” Imani stated. “Those three have been high and mighty since they were toddlers. I am sorry you had to pay such a price. I hope it will not frighten you away from trying again.”

  “I heard the chanting and the humming. It was very soothing.” Rayna reached back to Kai and pulled him forward. “Walk with me. I saw flashes of our time together. They were such happy moments. I am guessing that came from you. Tell me where you’ve been all this time.”

  Rayna spent the walk to Imani’s home listening to Kai. He told her the news from Diu. Of his trek up the mountain to find Benmar, his grandfather. Riding a dragon. Becoming a dragon for the first time. His first flight. And finally, his vision of her.

  Imani led them toward her home with the Matoku Katori. “I will ask, but I am sure you can stay with us tonight.”

  Ryker stopped. “I have my own place in the hills. You need not worry about me. Spend time with your family, Rayna. I am happy that you are alright. Kai, congratulations on becoming a dragon. If you want help practicing, let me know.”

  The two men shook hands. Smoke hopped between them, eager to get Kai’s attention. “Smoke, I’ve missed you.” Kai knelt and let his wolf come in close. Then he stood to catch up with Rayna.

  Imani led them up into her tree home. “Aunt Mina, Uncle Taner. I have someone I would like you to meet.”

  The couple stood to greet Rayna. Her Aunt Mina had long brown hair braided down her back. Her soft expression verged on tears. Uncle Taner towered over Mina. With one hand on her shoulder, he stroked his auburn beard with the other. Rayna felt their eyes on her. “They are your aunt and uncle? These are not…” She stopped and took a breath.

  Imani didn’t seem to hear. “Can they stay with us, Aunt Mina?” Imani’s eyes dance with anticipation.

  Mina approached Rayna. “You look so much like your mother, Rayna.”

  Rayna looked between Imani and Mina, confused. “So you are not my mother, not Imani’s mother?”

  “No, honey, I wish I were. I am sorry my sister is not a better person.” Mina stepped out of their hug to look at Rayna. “When I received word she’d dumped you on a ship, I wanted to kill my sister. Her letter said her travels with Keegan were not conducive for a baby. You were meant to end up here. When you did not arrive, I am sorry to say, we did not search for you. We had no idea where to look. A baby lost at sea. I figured you…” Tears ran down Mina’s already damp face. Again, she wrapped her arms around Rayna. “Dear Rayna, you are always welcome in this home.”

  Kai saw fresh tears spill down Rayna’s cheeks. She returned the hug. Imani joined them and squeezed Rayna tight. “I always wanted a sister,” Imani whispered.

  Kai was happy to see the three women bond, and he was glad that Rayna had found family. People who wanted her even if her parents did not.

  “I was four when my parents left,” Imani shared. “Our parents decided to join Keegan, chase after him, and his ‘rule the world’ cause. Our parents are from the Gemidi Tribe, and we hail from the Mystic Islands.”

  “How did you come to live here?” Rayna interrupted.

  Imani's lips quivered. “They did not bring me here. After about six months, aunt Mina received word I was alone and came for me. I’ve not the heart to go back, to claim our home as my own.” She paused to swallow the pain welling into her eyes.

  “When I was seven, my…our parents,” Imani corrected herself, “returned but did not stay more than a day. I have lived among the Matoku tribe ever since. This is uncle Taner’s tribe. That was twenty years ago.” Saddened, Imani fell silent.

  Mina smoothed Imani’s long hair. “Your parents wanted adventure, and Keegan was inspiring at first. But like I said, my sister was not a good parent. She was selfish, as was your father. They had no business having children. If they dumped you on a ship, without the care to know if you made it safely here, means they are no different than when they abandoned Imani.”

  Taner leaned into the conversation. “We are sorry, Rayna. Enough talk of the past. We have two beautiful girls now,” he beamed. “And if I am not mistaken, a soon
to be son-in-law.”

  A warm hand sank onto Kai’s shoulder. He looked at Taner. The man eyed his white crystal and leaned a little closer. “The rumors are true. You are Keegan’s son?”

  With a bit of pride, Kai puffed up his chest. “I am Iver and Mariana’s son.”

  “Mariana, I have heard the name. Iver? King of Diu?”

  Kai nodded. “King Iver raised me as his own. It is with him I learned honor, respect, and accountability. My mother, as you may know, loved all life. She was a good woman.”

  Taner glared at Kai and furrowed his brow. “Still, you are Keegan’s son.”

  “If I am unwelcome, I will leave,” Kai said, “but do not judge me for a man I have never met. His blood may run through my veins, but my heart is my own. I am my own man, and I love Rayna very much.”

  The tension mounted, and Kai felt compelled to leave. Rayna wrapped her hand around his. “Please,” she begged. “Do not make me choose. Like Kai, my parents did not raise me, so I am not them, but I love Kai and I will stand with him. Consider getting to know him before you decide what makes a man.”

  Everyone looked at Rayna. Kai felt the passion in her words and a smile lit up his face. Taner leaned back and looked to his wife, Mina. “It is up to you. She was your sister. I never cared for Keegan, and it is hard to separate the pain he has caused my heart.”

  Kai nodded. “I do not mean to spoil your reunion.”

  Taner seemed like a man who was slow to trust, but he no longer seemed inclined to throw Kai out of the house. “It is late,” Rayna’s uncle said curtly. “We should turn in for the night. Morning meditation will be here before we know it. Kai, we have an extra pod where you can sleep. Rayna, you can sleep with your sister.” He led everyone up the winding staircase of their tree.

  Kai watched the word sister brighten Rayna’s eyes. She had a family. “Goodnight…Aunt Mina, Uncle Taner.”

  Like all the other homes, this one was nested high inside the canopy of a Bodhima tree strengthened by the Cosmos vine. Kai ran his fingers over the vine tendrils. All the flowers along the vine bloomed brighter.

  “Goodnight, dear.” Mina stopped and kissed Rayna on the cheek.

  ◆◆◆

  Sunshine danced through the dew-covered trees. From a distance, Kai watched the newly reunited sisters. Imani closed her eyes and took several slow breaths. Her face began to change colors; green and yellow on one side and brown, and gray on the other. The texture also evolved. The green and yellow became soft moss. The brown and gray turned rough and craggy like bark.

  Rayna followed her sister’s example. Kai looked on with amazement as the bark and moss flowed down their clothes. “How is this possible?” Kai asked.

  Imani opened her eyes. “We become nature itself. Our power starts as a golden thread, same as you. Only we are connected with the plants, where you embrace the nature of animals. What is important for all of us is to know how to let go and embrace the light. The light of our crystal is our touchstone. Without it, we are lost.” She shuttered her shoulders and shook her face. The plant growth stopped and receded.

  Imani coaxed vines out of the ground. Each one wrapped around Rayna, pulling her downward. Interested in seeing the use of energy, Kai gleaned their interaction. The magic flowing around the two girls was mesmerizing. It seeped out of the soil, plants, and air to mingle with the power radiating from their skin.

  Rayna emanated a small surge of light, and the vines released her. With a wave of Rayna’s hand, the tall grasses picked up Imani and passed her around the glade. Kai had never seen anything like it, and his imagination burst with the possibilities. All day the two girls giggled and played. Imani delighted in Rayna’s development, teaching her how to borrow energy to run faster, create structures out of nature, and blend into the environment.

  When Mina approached, Kai eased closer. He knew what they planned to try today. After weeks of learning the basics, Rayna’s aunt hoped to teach Rayna how to become a tree without fear. The pressure on Kai’s heartfelt unbearable. He wanted to watch, but he feared losing her again. For days, Mina spoke of the risks. There was no way to know if Rayna was ready for this transformation.

  Clear of the others, Mina stood firm on a small knoll. “Each of you take a spot on one of the other mounds. It takes a gentle spirit to guide someone and not lose them. Focus on my voice, glean to see the flow of magic. We Kodama have the advantage of drawing power from the ground and from plant life. Our anchor to the earth strengthens us in a different way. The very sun on your face gives you energy. Young Beastmasters pull from their internal core, and for one like Kai, it often results in passing out when he transforms back. Learn to let the sun and nature empower your shift, and you too will get a better result.”

  Kai shook his head. “Thank you for the advice.”

  Imani took her place and spoke to Rayna. “Now that you can understand your connection, and know how to reverse it, you can become one with nature. Remember to maintain the border between yourself and nature. Or, like weeds, they will take over. Plants do not have minds like animals; they are more free-spirited life elements.”

  “Let’s begin.” Mina waved her arms around her body, and roots began to snake through the green grass. Her once green dress morphed into craggy brown bark, climbing halfway up her body, and stopped.

  “Rayna, my dear, this is just like transforming your skin, only you must go deeper. In your mind, see the golden thread of creation. Wrap your mind around it while keeping a grasp on the light of your crystal. Push your roots deep into the ground and pull energy from the soil, not too fast. Borrow—don’t steal. Remember, you are in control. Do not let the magic overwhelm you.”

  Both Imani and Rayna mimicked Mina. Kai wondered what it felt like to be a plant. He knew he enjoyed being a dragon. The thought of his mother all these years without her crystal worried him. He knew well enough the light grounded his mind. It was essential in letting go of the dragon form. Without her crystal, how would she ever be able to return to her human form? Would she stay a manta ray forever?

  He sighed. There was nothing he could do until the manta rays migrated closer to the Mystic Isles. For now, he tried to put the thoughts out of his mind. All afternoon he watched them. He was most amazed when the branches of Mina’s tree moved without wind. Her limbs creaked and groaned. Just as quickly as she became a tree, her branches receded, her trunk shrank, and her roots curled back into the ground. Mina dropped to the ground and walked around Rayna’s tree.

  “Very good, my dear. Hear my voice. See the glade in your mind. Feel the life here. Use it to sense Kai’s location.” Mina glanced over her shoulder.

  Without warning, roots burst from the dirt beneath Kai and propelled him upward. The root basket cupped around him, and the exhilaration thrilled him. Rayna was getting stronger.

  “Well done, Rayna. Now come back to us, nice and slow. Ease out of the change. The more you practice, the quicker you will become.”

  The root-basket holding Kai dropped downward in a staccato motion. Jolted, Kai hopped to the ground and stepped away. Ever so slowly, Rayna’s wooden exterior softened into cream-colored skin. Transforming back into her true form, she ran her hands over her body, arms, and face.

  “That was a much better experience.” Rayna moved to Kai’s side. “Sorry, Kai, still getting a handle on my magic. Seeing the world as a tree is nothing like seeing as a person. Every part of me was able to see, from the tips of my leaves to bark on my back. But it was more shades of light. Not sure I can put it into words.”

  Happy to be part of her experience, Kai pulled her in close. “Mina, I want to thank you for taking Rayna into your family. I know it means a great deal to her. I should also thank you for allowing me to stay with you these many weeks.”

  Imani edged around her aunt. “You’re not leaving already, are you?”

  “Within a day or two.” Rayna nodded. “Kai wants to be near the coast to travel to the Mystic Islands to find his mother.”
<
br />   Kai pulled his mother’s necklace from his pocket. “I believe her crystal will help me find her, and from what I’ve learned, she will need it to transform and remain a human.”

  The expression on Mina’s face was not hopeful. “I don’t know if that will be enough, Kai. She has spent too long intertwined with her animal spirits. I fear she has lost her mind.”

  “I will not give up trying,” Kai insisted. “After I save my mother, I need to return to Diu. I promised to attend the winter festival, and I worry about my father’s health.” Looking to Rayna, “I assume you will want to visit your parents in Diu.”

  Rayna shook her head in agreement. “I miss them, and I owe them for the love they gave me.”

  Chapter 21

  Lucca’s Betrayal

  Returning to Haygan’s home felt comforting. After weeks on the mountain with Benmar and then weeks with Rayna’s new family, Kai was anxious for autumn. He knew it would soon be time to search for his mother. The anticipation kept him up most nights. But when they arrived, they found more than his aunt and uncle.

  Simone’s parents, Freia and Pedmar had come for a visit. They were pleasant, polite people: cheerful, sun-soaked Weathervanes who loved their daughter. Freia doted over Simone and her pregnancy. Her hands rubbed Simone’s tiny bulge. Her skin tone was more of a reddish-brown hue, but her eyes were dark like Simone’s. “We should have come earlier, my dear. I have missed you so much. But we hate to intrude.”

  Simone rolled her eyes back at Haygan. “You are always welcome at my house in Hiowind, mother,” she said with the tone a little heavy on the word mother.

  “Well, my dear, we are here now. Come. Let’s get you out of the sun.” Freia motioned to the Bodhima tree-home.

  “Simone, Kai and I should pack for my trip to the coast. We leave within a few days.”

  Pedmar was a rather tall man with strong features. His complexion matched Simone’s caramel hue to perfection, though his eyes were a brilliant blue. He swept his arm around Simone. “Still helping the outsiders. Hmmm. He should be here with you. Will he even be around to raise his own child?” Pedmar scoffed.