Destiny Series Boxed Set

by Bronwyn Leroux

  “That’s why you have the paste?” Kayla guessed.

  “Yes. Amongst other things, it’s useful for healing both gliders and voyagers.” He studied them. “You really don’t know what you’re supposed to do?”

  “No, we don’t.” Jaden sighed. “And as much as we’ve tried to figure it out, we’re no closer to getting answers. It’s like assembling a puzzle with more than half the pieces missing.”

  The group contemplated the dilemma until Han flapped his injured wing, stunning them. To Jaden and Kayla’s extreme shock, Han rose to his feet and stretched the wing.

  “Feels as good as new,” Han said, beaming.

  Kayla dashed over, verifying his statement. Sure enough, the membranes showed no signs of damage. Astounded, she examined the wing again, confirming she wasn’t missing anything. “His wing is perfect. How did you do that?” She whirled around and stared at Atu.

  He winked. “Wouldn’t you like to know!”

  Jaden, doubting Kayla’s prognosis, inspected the wing for himself. Thrilled to prove it true, Han flexed and bent his wing. Incredulous, Jaden checked the rip on Han’s chest—the area Atu had not yet worked on. It still bore signs of the glue Kayla had used to stem the bleeding and close the wound. Whatever Atu had applied to the wing had healed faster and more effectively than Kayla’s glue. Jaden searched the wing for any lingering signs of the muddy paste but found none. For all intents and purposes, the wing was perfect. Jaden marveled. “I’d also like to know how you did that.”

  Atu smirked. “The magic medicine man never reveals his secrets.”

  “Thank you,” Jaden said, when it was evident Atu wouldn’t explain. “It’s wonderful to have Han whole again.”

  “You’re welcome. It’s been an honor to meet our esteemed guests and to assist with Han’s healing.”

  When Taz stood taller, Kayla smiled. Her glider liked the respectful manner in which their new friend treated the gliders.

  The group stood there for a while, watching Han flex and stretch his wings again and again, chuckling at his delight.

  That was, until Atu said, “Easy, big guy. It might feel great, but your wing needs time to heal completely. It would be better if you rested for a few hours before flying again. I know a safe place near here where we can spend the night. I’ll lead the way.”

  Jaden considered Atu’s words. “Why do we need a safe place? Surely we’re okay now that the Gaptor’s gone?”

  Atu looked at Jaden like he was joking. Realizing Jaden wasn’t, he sighed. “When we get to the cave, you’ll have your answer.”

  Jaden glanced at Kayla, but she shrugged. The boy was certainly peculiar. Nonetheless, it seemed he knew something they didn’t. They listened while Atu coached Han on which movements were permissible and which he should avoid. Then they followed without question as Atu collected his small pack and led them away from the open valley floor where Han had gone down.

  They traipsed toward the base of the cliffs they had been on top of only this morning. The sun was already kissing the horizon goodnight, streaking the creamy clouds with the blushing gold and mauve ribbons of its final embrace.

  Jaden was thankful for the little illumination they still had as they crossed the rocky terrain. What had looked flat while flying over it was, in fact, rutted with loose, eroded rock—the kind you needed to pay attention to or you’d end up with an injury.

  The going was tough, and after all the exertion earlier in the day, Jaden felt drained. The spike of adrenaline from the battle had long since passed, leaving him devoid of emotion. Although he was running on empty, Jaden stubbornly supported Han under his uninjured wing, aiding the bat as best as he could. He felt dwarfed by the magnificent creature and wished he could be of more help.

  Han must’ve sensed his thoughts because he said, “You’re not as puny as you look.”

  Jaden grinned. “Guess that’s a good thing for you.”

  Han chuckled. “Given time, we’ll get you as strong as I am.”

  “Yeah, wouldn’t that be something worth achieving? I could take Markov on physically for a change and come out the victor!”

  Chapter Nine

  Kayla glanced at Han and Jaden as they continued their banter. Or rather, she looked at Jaden. His face had caught the sun, as had his exposed arms and legs, bronzing his skin to a delicious nut brown. His deep blue eyes twinkled, more striking than ever now that they contrasted with his tan, and his laughter was infectious.

  If only she wasn’t drawn to him like a moth to a flame. The image of a moth going down in smoke had her grimacing. The same thing would happen to her if she ignored his actions, which had made it plain he wanted nothing more than friendship with her.

  Earlier, when Jaden had crashed down to ride with her and Taz, her mind had been too scrambled to think. The moment Jaden wrapped his arms around her, the rest of the world faded away. There was no more danger, no more uncertainty, no mission, and no one else. They were all that existed in the world. It was as if she had come home.

  Jaden was where he belonged. By her side. Protecting her, keeping her safe. She had forgotten where she was and relaxed back into him, only to lurch away when she felt him tense, cursing her lapse in judgment. Did I cross a line? She had waited for him to say something, but he’d kept quiet. His reaction was proof he saw her as only a friend, a partner in this venture. Holding herself erect, she did her best not to touch him again.

  But when Atu arrived, tall (although not as tall as Jaden) and with the well-muscled build of a person who spent a lot of time outdoors, she’d watched him make his way toward Han, then flicked a glance Jaden’s way. He’d been looking at her with the oddest expression.

  Desperate for the comfort having him near always brought, she’d itched to move closer. As if reading her mind, Jaden moved toward her instead. She hadn’t dared reach out to him, though. Again, he’d known what she needed and taken her hand. Her gratitude had her smiling up at him. They were in this together. And if friendship was all he offered, she would take it.

  Ironic, considering she’d finally figured out her feelings had everything to do with him and nothing to do with medallions or mutants or missions. Atu’s arrival allowed her to analyze every nuance of her actions toward the stranger, and she found no sentiments for him other than those of an associate.

  She’d gotten what she’d asked for—another male seeker to dispel her qualms about her overemotional state when it came to Jaden. And now it was too late. Much as it irked, Kayla would just have to keep things exclusively friendly with Jaden. She would direct her attention elsewhere. Like Taz, she would focus on the mission and hope that would keep her mind off less fruitful options.

  Attempting to break the strand linking her to Jaden, Kayla looked away and realized they’d passed the base of the cliffs and were heading toward a large, elevated, flat exposed area, like some open-air arena. Leading up to it and carved into the side of the cliffs was a set of precise stone stairs.

  Kayla gaped. Who did this and how was it done? Then she remembered they were in the general area of the cave dwellings this area was renowned for. But Atu lived here? That was almost more incredible than the dwellings themselves.

  Atu led them up the stairs, across the open space and toward an opening that accommodated the gliders’ enormous frames. Once inside, they lost the negligible amount of light they’d used to get this far.

  Kayla paused in the dark interior, waiting for her eyes to adjust. She heard a scratching sound. Tensing for some unseen attacker, she relaxed when the match flared to life. Atu coaxed a flame from a torch hidden in a well-disguised wall sconce. Catching, the flame danced on the torch, exuding light and exposing the vastness of the cave.

  Atu approached another bulge on the cave wall and removed a second hidden torch. He carried it back to the first and lit it. “This way.” He pointed out one of the larger passageways off the main room.

  They followed, all the while gazing in awe at the absurd effort it must�
�ve taken to carve the home out of the solid cliff rock. But they had barely gone forty paces when they reached a dead end.

  “Nice,” Jaden commented, making Kayla giggle. “I suppose we’re walking through this wall?”

  Atu grinned. “We are.” He pressed against one of the countless small extrusions high on the lumpy wall. With barely a hiss, a section of the wall slid back, revealing a large tunnel, higher and wider than their passageway. “After you,” he offered, laughing at their shocked expressions.

  They crossed into the tunnel. When they were all in the hallway, Atu reached behind them, pressing on yet another unseen control. The panel slid back into place, and Jaden extended a hand toward where he knew the panel was, touching the general area. There wasn’t even the hint of a seam. “Wow!”

  “Thanks,” Atu said. “It keeps the tourists out. We normally use one of the other entryways to our home, but since the park’s closed, and there’s no one around to question where we disappeared to, I thought we’d use this one because it was the closest.”

  As they wandered down the long hall, Kayla noticed the many smaller passages branching off it. Atu talked as he walked, explaining the purposes of different passages. Several led to storage rooms, three led back to the outside world, and one fed into an underground chamber with water flowing through it for cleaning. The place was a veritable maze.

  “Have people ever wandered down here by mistake?” Kayla asked, assessing the odds of outsiders entering the home.

  “No,” Atu answered, replying to Kayla’s unspoken question regarding danger—from humans, at any rate. “The entrances are all well disguised. Even if someone found their way down here, it’s unlikely they’d find their way back out without help. So don’t get lost down here.”

  Kayla giggled. “We don’t plan to.” She didn’t doubt the bats could guide themselves out of the underground cavern without breaking a sweat.

  Atu nodded. “Good. I’d hate to have to come and find you.”

  They rounded a bend which abruptly dumped them in an expansive living room. Atu entered and lit the oil lamps dotted around the room. With the room fully revealed, Kayla stared in awe. Comfortable handcrafted chairs with soft, colorful coverings hugged an enormous fireplace. To their left, a well-stocked kitchen invited hungry patrons, although it had no modern conveniences. No refrigerator, stove, or dishwasher, and definitely no droids. To their right, a shorter passage with openings covered by heavy embroidered linens hinted at sleeping quarters.

  Jaden gestured toward the fireplace. “You can use this without people on the outside seeing the smoke?”

  “Yes. You won’t find a breach in the perimeter, if that’s what you’re looking for.”

  Jaden chuckled. “Just checking we’re secure. Where does the smoke go then?”

  “The fireplace has several chimneys leading to the outside. They disperse the smoke so there is only ever the faintest evidence of smoke exiting any one chimney. Since each chimney funnels out some distance from any of the others, and because of both the winds that kick up here and the heat that distorts images, the smoke’s practically invisible.”

  “Wow—again!” Jaden exclaimed.

  Atu grinned. “I’m sure my ancestors appreciate the praise.” He turned to the gliders. “My home is yours. Please find a place that’s comfortable for you to rest.”

  Taz smiled. “We appreciate your hospitality and your kind aid.”

  Atu inclined his head. Facing Jaden and Kayla again, he said, “This way. This is what I wanted to show you.”

  As they trailed Atu to a side wall between the kitchen and the living room, Kayla glanced at Jaden. His face gave no sign of what he might be thinking. Is he as nervous as I am about what Atu will show us?

  The spot Atu led them to was darker because none of the lamps reached into the shadows covering the walls. Lifting the torch he still carried, Atu angled it so its light spilled over the wall. “This is why I said you weren’t safe out there.”

  Kayla stared, dumbfounded. Jaden’s open mouth showed he was just as shocked.

  The soft light flickering from the torch illuminated a wall decorated with paintings, faded with age. Against the far left corner of the rocky canvas, a small group of gliders carried tiny stick figures—voyagers. And to their right, outnumbering them and covering most of the rest of the wall, were their pursuers. Hundreds and hundreds of Gaptors.

  Chapter Ten

  Kayla shook her head. “This can’t be right.”

  Jaden agreed. “Impossible! There are way too many Gaptors!”

  “Yes, there should only be one,” Kayla said.

  They continued spouting adamant denials. Atu waited for their objections to fade. “The painting is accurate. My family has taken the utmost care in passing along the stories associated with this picture for generations. Stories which confirm the existence of many Gaptors.”

  Kayla sputtered. “There really are more of those monsters?”

  When Jaden moved closer, some misguided response to her reactions, Kayla stiffened. Can’t he see I’m angry and not afraid? Underlining the point, she scowled. Jaden’s brow furrowed. Like he was working out how to comfort her without giving her the wrong idea, then realized she wasn’t looking for comfort.

  Jaden dropped the arm he’d raised toward her. Kayla deflated. Yet another confirmation they’d reached some unspoken consensus regarding the boundaries of their relationship. Turning to hide her disappointment, Kayla found Atu watching them with interest.

  Instead of asking, Atu responded to Kayla’s question. “Yes, there are definitely more Gaptors. I’m sorry to be the bearer of grim news, but it's better you know now what you’re up against than continue in ignorance.”

  Atu’s words hit home for Jaden. He rounded on the bats. “Were you aware of this?”

  To Kayla, his tone was overly harsh. Despite her decision to focus on the mission, Kayla couldn’t help wondering about his reaction. Or is that hope on my part? Am I just wishing he’s upset because I rebuffed his attempt at consolation? No, he was the one who jerked away when I leaned into him. He has no right to be upset! With me or anyone else. However, her perplexity increased when Taz stared at Jaden as though he’d asked a stupid question and Jaden’s anger blazed.

  “You didn’t think this might’ve been information worth sharing?” Jaden yelled.

  Han, understanding his voyager well enough now to sense the coming storm and judging it wouldn’t end well, hastened to reason with him. “Jaden, calm yourself. There’s no need for anger. There are more Gaptors—just not in your world. Which is why we never mentioned them; there was no need to tell you.”

  “The others, yeah, they’re insignificant, wherever they are! Which is where exactly?” Jaden barked. “Floating out in space somewhere?”

  “Don’t be silly,” Han snapped. “We confine the other Gaptors to our world. The lone Gaptor we destroyed yesterday was the single creature remaining in yours. His sole purpose was retrieving the medallions. Unfortunately, now that you accidentally disposed of him, it’s likely things will change. It’s possible you’ve opened the door for more Gaptors to enter.”

  “Wait, what? Back up a second,” Kayla interrupted. “You said you confined the other Gaptors to your world? How come there are so many in the painting then?”

  “We have confined all Gaptors—now. But that wasn’t always the case,” Han explained. “A long time ago, a breach temporarily allowed travel between our world and yours. We believe the Usurper orchestrated the anomaly to send an army of Gaptors into your world, so he might conquer and seize it for himself.”

  “The Usurper?” Jaden asked.

  “One cursed in our world almost since time began and who seeks to regain his earlier, elevated status. His mind is twisted, bent by bitterness, corrupted by cruelty, perverted by power. He is an evil beyond comprehension.”

  “Sounds like a real gem,” Jaden said. “‘Usurper’ is such an ostentatious name. Maybe we’ll call him Slurper.
Or better yet, Slurpy, since he’s here to suck our world dry, being the harbinger of doom and gloom and all.”

  Kayla giggled. “I like it.”

  But Han spoke quietly, his response grave. “Joke all you like, but he’s no laughing matter. He’s the same one your mother saw in her dream, the one who wants to kill you.”

  Jaden sobered and grimaced. “So he had plans to conquer our world?”

  “Which is what his painting shows?” Kayla asked. “All the Gaptors he sent here? And some kind of battle?”

  Atu answered. “Exactly. This painting is a reminder of the overwhelming odds faced by the gliders and their voyagers. And that, despite being totally outnumbered, they still won.”

  His interest piqued, his anger forgotten, Jaden said, “Won’t you go on, please, Atu? We’d love to hear more.”

  “Why don’t we make ourselves comfortable around the fire then?”

  Jaden and Kayla chose chairs while Atu kindled the fire and the gliders settled in the large, open area between the living room and kitchen. When the fire crackled and snapped to Atu’s satisfaction, he flopped onto a nearby chair and began his narrative. From the way he slipped into a comfortably rehearsed speech, it was obvious he knew the tale well.

  Appearing out of nowhere, the Gaptors terrorized all who saw them, their hideous, deformed bodies, immense size, sword-like beaks, and terrible talons invoking pure, paralyzing dread. With good reason because the moment the monsters spotted the humans, they began their vicious onslaught, dealing death to all they encountered.

  Carving a deadly and bloody path through the countryside, they killed with impunity. Young, old, male or female, all met the same ferocious and merciless death. Word of the monsters and their lethal mission spread like wildfire, passed along by those close enough to witness the devastation but fortunate enough to escape its effects, sparking widespread pandemonium amidst crippling fear.

  Jaden interrupted. “Hold on, the Gaptors were visible to everyone?”