Overhead a shadow rippled across the sky. High above a massive eagle flew, and Kai knew by its size it was a Katori Beastmaster. Whom, he did not know. But its trajectory meant it had come from Diu City. Moments later, another great eagle passed overhead. Based on its course and the golden tipped wings, Kai knew it was Sabastian, his friend and ally. The second bird flew on an intercept course after the first.
Sabastian swooped higher. In midair, the lower bird rolled, and Sabastian collided, locking talons with the first bird. The pair spiraled downward. Kai feared for Sabastian. Neither bird let go. Nervous, Kai tightened his grip on Rayna’s hand.
“What’s happening?” Rayna asked, squeezing Kai’s hand in concern.
“The golden tipped eagle is Sabastian,” Kai said heavily, watching the aerial battle unfold. “Kendra’s husband.”
Locked together, the eagles plummeted. Then, perilously close to the water, they broke free. Each bird struggled to regain height over the other. Sabastian, the larger of the two, pulled a few feet higher and dove. His sharp talons latched onto the other bird’s wings. Screeches echoed on the wind.
Everyone on the Dragaron eagerly watched the fight unfold. The crew insisted it was a territory dispute—Kai knew differently. Still, the men cheered. It wasn’t every day they saw such a spectacle. The first bird flipped its claws upward, desperate to grab Sabastian. Kai kept a keen eye on Sabastian's wingtips—it was the only way to tell friend from foe.
Golden feathers ripped from Sabastian’s outstretched wing, and Rayna gasped. Sabastian struggled to fly. The pair dropped. Sabastian pecked at the other bird's head. His talons ripped out feathers, and he let go of the other bird. In a blur of blood and feathers, it crashed into the distant waves. Helpless, it flapped and sunk beneath the whitecaps of Baden Lake.
Kai almost felt bad—then he saw two more eagles pass overhead. Sabastian flew after them in pursuit, and all three disappeared into the bright sky.
Yulia whispered into his ear. “If those two make it, they would surely warn the elders you're coming. They aim to stop you.” Her fierce look reminded Kai of Riome.
The elders’ desperation to keep him away was puzzling. Power and fear. One or the other. His birth father, Keegan, was said to be power-hungry and cruel. Did they judge him for his father’s actions, a man Kai had never known? Mariana, his mother, was kind and loving. Would they not give him a chance to show his own nature based on her? What of his grandfather, Chief Lucca? Did he also want to keep Kai away?
Either way, Kai knew Yulia was correct. The Katori people meant to stop him from completing the Conhaspriga, his right of passage. They intended to keep him from his birthright and his power. For that alone, he would see this through. He meant to prove he was his own man—he would not be defined by their fears of Keegan.
What mattered most was saving his mother, and he believed finding her would take magic. If he did not make it to Katori in time, he would lose everything—both his power and a chance to return her to her natural form.
Around his neck, his mother’s necklace reminded him that he had the one element the others never had during their search. With her crystal, he was sure to track his mother and bring her home before her mind was lost forever.
Hours of pleasant winds and smooth sailing lulled everyone into finding a comfortable corner to relax. The graceful movement from Yulia generated a low-level wind to enhance their progress. The crew remained steadfast at their stations. Smoke, his beloved wolf, sat at attention near the mast. Kempery-men Redmon and Albey leaned against the railing while Drew and Dresnor stood conversing at the stern of the vessel. Kai hated lying to his men. They believed they were on a quest for a cure for him and Rayna. He had convinced them Rayna discovered a plant that grows in the Katori Mountains that would stave off their fevers.
Yulia noticed it first—looming black clouds rolled in their direction. Thunder rumbled and lightning charged across the sky. The hair on Kai’s arms and neck tingled with energy. Power rolled on the wind. The unnatural storm aimed straight for them.
Rayna’s keen eyes focused on the developing thunderclouds. “Should we turn back?” she asked, gripping his arm. “Or take cover on one of the islands?”
“You know we cannot.” Kai pulled her close. “We’ve come too far. The captain has two choices. Moor the ship against one of those islands and wait this out, or charge ahead and keep us in open waters.”
The captain quickly shouted orders, and the crew rushed to change the large sails to sleek ones ideal in windy weather. Instantly, Kai knew the strategy was to survive the storm. “We will be fine. The captain is making preparations. Smaller sails will give him more control. The thicker material has less risk of tearing. Even now, he steers us into the waves. Trust the captain, he will keep the ship away from danger. He knows we are already too far out to turn around. Our only option is to sail through the storm. Dante’s ship can take it.”
Wind gusts stirred the waves and whipped the men changing the sails. Engorged waves surged all around, and the ominous storm charged towards them. Twenty-foot swells pounded the ship. Rain began to pour from the black clouds. Lightning ripped open the sky, a momentary flash of light. Hail bombarded the ship deck. Kai sent Smoke for cover, and Dresnor quickly ushered everyone below. Only the captain and his crew stayed above.
Below decks, everyone grabbed timbers to secure their footing and keep from being tossed about the ship’s hull. Kai ushered Rayna into the captain’s cabin. He steadied her
