Druidess Found (Druidess Trilogy Book 1)

to watch Shimani's foolish attempt he knew would fail. He paced to the edge of Crystal Lake and back and paced again the same path. Shimani didn't look up once. Moto begrudgingly admitted to himself that Shimani had better focus than he did at the moment. He paced back to the water's edge and stayed there staring at the waterfall without seeing it. His mind and thoughts focused inward. He was being foolish. He should just leave it alone. She meant nothing to him. He shouldn't pry into her life.

"Found her."

Moto ran back to Shimani. "How?" He should be grateful, but he felt irritated Shimani succeeded where he failed.

"Concentrated," Shimani said. "I know where she is."

Moto accepted the bowl Shimani handed him as he stood. Moto stared in the bowl and felt his mouth drop open before he could stop it. He shut it fast and clenched his jaw. In the water of the looking bowl her image shimmered. She stood in a place he'd not seen her at before, and one not familiar to him. "Where is she?"

Shimani smiled. "On Ki."

"How would she be on Ki? She possesses no ability to touch what little energy flows through her world let alone open the Gateway." Moto did growl at Shimani. It was not possible. There was no way she was on Ki, his world.

Shimani shrugged. "Not only is she on Ki, but I know where." He pointed at the image in the bowl. "That's the Agenors stronghold."

Moto glared at Shimani who grinned like a young boy who just landed his first blow on his opponent during training. "Wipe the grin off your face. How do you know that's where she is?"

"Remember when you first told me about the night terrors, and I suggested we do some looking around on the Agenors isle?"

"Yes," Moto frowned at Shimani, "and I remember we discarded that idea as being too dangerous."

"You discarded the idea. Anyway, she seems to be alone now and sleeping, so she won't notice us."

Moto looked to the sky. The last vestiges of daylight faded. The dark settled, but not long ago. The evening repast would continue on for a while longer than usual since all the Shanees attended. If he and Shimani hurried they could make the repast without being too late and take their places by the Queen's side as expected. Duty first, it's what the Queen and people expected. He should forget his futile quest and return to his place as one of the Queen's Chosen. He emptied the bowl and handed it back to Shimani. "You know I don't want you to come with me, right?"

"Yes," Shimani said. "You wouldn't deny me after I found her, would you?"

"Yes."

"Seriously?"

Moto said nothing and looked a long while at Shimani. He obviously begged to go with him. Moto let out an exasperated breath. "Fine!"

"Yes!"

"Don't make me regret giving in to you."

"Of course not." Shimani said.

Moto rolled his eyes. He knew he would regret taking Shimani with him. In reality, he didn't have a choice. He couldn't or shouldn't open a portal to a place he'd never before been. Unlike the open ruins he first found the girl, she stood in a building. Opening a portal in a building he never visited could be dangerous. He could not use the Gateway for destinations on the same world. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed Shimani. "Let's go. When we are away from Crystal Lake, open a portal to where she is." Moto hated the time it would take to get to where Shimani could open a portal. Only the specific paths created long ago could be used to get in and out of the meadow surrounding Crystal Lake.

Shimani gave him a partial bow, bending at his waist.

Moto refrained from knocking Shimani to the ground for his insolence.

Both made their way out of the valley of Crystal Lake. They slipped in and out without being spotted. Usually, its disturbed Moto the lack of Kahoali visiting the Lake. Not at the moment.

Once they cleared the path leading from Crystal Lake, Moto turned towards Shimani. He already began opening a portal.

"See you on the other side." Shimani said and stepped into his portal.

Moto shook his head. He stepped into the portal. Once on the other side, Moto looked around with a frown. He and Shimani stood in a room with a sparse amount of furniture and far too many books for the tiny space. Again, he felt a pang at the lack of proper record keeping of his people. The Agenors didn't possess nearly the amount of knowledge the Kahoali did and yet they possessed so much permanently recorded, not that Moto knew what knowledge those books held. It bothered him. "She isn't here." He said to Shimani, forcing his attention back to the task at hand.

Shimani ran his hand over the surface of the desk as he walked around it. "She was."

"How do you know?" Moto asked without turning to face Shimani. He studied the doorway. It looked like a similar version of the Gateway on the girl's world, and both smaller versions of the Ancestral Gateway.

"Can't you feel her energy?"

Moto didn't answer. She addled him so much he couldn't feel anyone's energy lately, let alone hers.

"Look at this."

Moto turned to look to where Shimani stood. He held back a wall covering which exposed an open doorway. Moto's frown deepened.

"Shall we see what's up there?"

Moto could hear the excitement in Shimani's voice. He should have left him in the village, despite the help Shimani gave so far. He didn't like the idea of exploring a place which made him feel uneasy. Something about the place didn't sit well with him, and he couldn't quite put a finger on what caused his unease. He looked around the room and at both doorway options. They could go through a closed door or an open doorway, both led to who knows where. He needed to find the girl. He would not rest until