The Crystal Keeper BoxSet
Page 32
“Ashlin!” Jayson repeated.
“They said you were dead.”
Jayson growled.
“I wasn’t there,” the commander stammered. “Nor were my men.”
“And Ralen-Arch? And Monte-Valle?”
The commander’s eyes widened in fear. He said nothing.
“Where are you taking your men tonight?” asked Jayson.
“Move your wagon!” The commander tried but failed to sound threatening. “Or you will die where you stand, mongrel.”
Jayson took a step closer to the commander. He could smell the fear radiating off of him, off his men. They sensed something wasn’t right. Those who were sitting now rose to their feet. The rest gripped their swords, their eyes darting nervously from Jayson to the trees on either side of the road.
They should be afraid, thought Jayson.
A moment later, the first of the rebels stepped out from behind a boulder. It was Teak, an almost joyous grin on his face. One by one, each of the hundred men he and Jayson had trained revealed himself.
Jayson raised his claws and snarled. “Move the wagon yourself.”
As Teak gave the signal to attack, Jayson lunged at the Vatéz commander. Burying the claws of his right hand deep into the man’s leg, he twisted him right out of his saddle. The commander landed with a heavy thud on the ground as the horse dashed away.
The commander took one weak swipe at Jayson with his sword, but in the next instant, Jayson’s claws dug into his arm above his wrist. The man screamed as the tendons snapped and his fingers loosened. The sword clattered to the ground.
“I had nothing to do with the raid at Ashlin, I tell you!” the commander shouted, desperately grasping his wounded arm with his remaining functioning hand.
Jayson bared his fangs. It had been a long time since he’d hunted and felt the rush of a kill. Energy coursed through his veins as his heart pulsed faster.
“I don’t care,” he said, and dove his claws between the commander’s ribs.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laurisa White Reyes is the author of the Spark Award winning novel The Storytellers and Spark Honor book Petals. She lives in Southern California where she teaches English at College of the Canyons.
www.LaurisaWhiteReyes.com
The Crystal Keeper series is the prequel to The Celestine Chronicles, a middle grade high fantasy series that has been called “Lord of the Rings for kids.”