Their arms and hands surged with light. The wolf’s fur emanated with a delicate pulse. Gashes and torn flesh mended, threads of energy knit the animal back together. Kai looked on in amazement. He could hardly believe what he was witnessing.
As the light ebbed, the animal began to stir. The women pulled back their hands. Rayna opened her eyes. Tears of joy ran down her face at the sight of the young wolf stretching to stand. Grateful, it licked Rayna’s face and playfully laid into her lap. Rayna hugged the animal against her chest. Tears streaked her cheeks.
The two Katori women stood and nodded to Ryker. Niahm spoke. “Our debt to you is repaid. We want no part of the Katori fight that is to come.” She turned to Kai and glanced at the dead wolf. “We are sorry for your loss. May we take the animal and return it to Alenga?”
Kai’s eyes welled once more. “You may,” he choked, holding back his sadness.
Niahm scooped up the wolf and departed, joining the tall man in the trees. The younger woman turned to leave but stopped. Head down, she turned to Rayna. “If you need a teacher, I am willing.” She let her dark brown eyes rise to meet Rayna’s. “We are family, you and me. I feel it in my soul.”
Their soft features were eerily similar. Without warning, she pulled Rayna into her arms and whispered, “My name is Imani. I wish I could stay, but you must finish your Conhaspriga. Find me, my little Kodama sister. I live with the Matoku Tribe, near Ryker’s home.”
Rayna squeezed tight her new-found connection. The two parted, a shared feeling of sisterly love swelled in their eyes. Imani nodded to Rayna, then she joined the others. The tall man’s stone began to glow. He lifted his face to the sky, raised his arms over his head. In a downward wave, a white fog fell over them, and they disappeared into the forest.
Kneeling on the ground, Kai thanked the wolf pack. He owed them a lot, and they had paid an unfortunate price. The alpha nuzzled Kai’s cheek. A sense of understanding passed between them, and the wolves darted into the forest, gone from view. Smoke watched them go, then came to stand between Rayna and Kai.
Kai shook Ryker’s hand. “Thank you for standing with us. I am not sure what would have happened without you and Sabastian.”
“You’re a brave man.” Ryker nodded. “It was an honor to fight with you. I will escort you back to the falls.”
“I feel so relieved the fight is over.” Rayna dusted off her hands to stand with Kai.
“Don’t be too surprised if the Stonekings are unwilling to let you enter,” Ryker countered. “They still have the final say. Whatever understanding you think you have with these Guardians here, does not apply to them.”
“What do you mean?” Kai creased his brow. “Don’t we go to the falls and enter Alenga’s mountain?”
The doubtful expression on Ryker’s face puzzled Kai, but before he could ask his question, Rayna spoke. “What can they do now? My vision showed a symbol carved in stone, the entrance to Alenga’s mountain. Do we not find it and enter?”
Kai had thought the same thing: make it to the third waterfall, and you are home free. Ryker motioned for them to follow him. “The outside of the mountain belongs to them—the elders. You must get into the part Alenga controls.”
This was news to Kai. His fear now was that they had come all this way, and now they would be turned away. It didn’t seem right. He stepped through the forest as Ryker continued. “Your wolf, Smoke, will not be able to enter the cave with you. Leave him with me, and I will see him safely to the other side of the mountain within a day or so.”
“Thank you, both of you.” Kai offered a hand to Sabastian. “We are most grateful for your assistance today. I hope this will not cause you too much trouble.”
Sabastian waved him off. “Being a rebel is much better than following the rules of the elders. Besides, I go where I wish, and I think their reasons are foolish. You are nothing like Keegan. I see it and I have spent very little time with you. Lucca is not even giving you a chance. By alienating you, they will only end up creating the very thing they fear most: division amongst our people. People were forced to choose Keegan or Lucca. Now they will be forced to choose you or Lucca.”
“How do I create division among the Katori?” Kai twisted to face Sabastian.
“There are many who agree with Keegan, not so much about dominating the world, but about not living in fear or hiding our powers from the outside world. Our people want the freedom to come and go as they please, to travel the world and meet with other cultures. Imagine being told you could never leave Diu. That your children could never leave, or they would not receive Alenga’s blessing. That is what Keegan initially wanted, to open our borders and expand our influence, but then he took it too far. Many wanted to follow him.”
This news shocked Kai. Had his father merely meant to start a revolution to give the Katori more freedom? Ryker interrupted his soul-searching. “Time to go, Kai.”
Together they stood below the roaring waterfall. Out of the mist, Liam approached. “Kai. It has been a long time. This must be Rayna. Welcome. I have come to open the passage.” Liam stepped toward the falls.
Kai took a breath, overwhelmed by how far they’d come. Doubt welled in the pit of his stomach. Did he really want this? The elders clearly did not want him. He would rather turn back and suffer through the pain of his powers burning themselves out—that is, if it were not for
