Portal Slayer: Path of Deceit by SL Dooley

Author:SL Dooley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2022-07-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

The moon, a slender arc of white, hung in the east, giving off just enough light to see the wide dirt path along which Kade led them. What at first, seemed to be dancing fireflies in the tree’s shadowy leaves, was revealed to be light from the leaves themselves. Griseld disappeared with the rest of the scouts into the woodland. Raelyn shivered as a chill gust of wind stirred the glittering leaves.

Avery, head bowed, trudged ten paces behind Kade. Jinny and Gabe whispered just ahead of Raelyn. Joshua lingered some distance behind.

Raelyn kept her eyes trained on Kade’s silhouette. Her emotions teetered between her now-familiar anger, watchful suspicion, and a desperate desire to toss it all and dive headlong into the care and acceptance Kade offered. Thoughts of writing a new history taunted her. Could it be done? Could she take hold of this new world, this calling, and reinvent her life? Become a savior instead of a destroyer? A warrior, not a . . . drunk? Drop-out?

No. Nothing had changed. But like the torches in Tegre, a hope fluttered, feeble and dim. A flame that one quick puff of failure would extinguish. Raelyn tucked the flame away. She knew there was no point, but she wasn’t ready to abandon it just yet. Instead, she focused on what was ahead. A journey to Shalhala. A place where the pages of her journal lay hidden.

The road narrowed. Scrubby patches of grass sprouted on the path, signs of less frequent travel. They met no obstacles, and the initial alertness began to wear away. Raelyn’s aching feet, despite the light yet sturdy boots, became a persistent distraction. They all began to lag behind Kade, who glanced back and waited for them to catch up.

“We can rest here”—he glanced up and down the path— “briefly.” He led them from the trail to a clearing with a tight grove of trees that blocked the wind, but not the cold. He allowed a small fire, around which they arranged their bedrolls. Avery settled some distance away with his back to the group and eventually everyone drifted to sleep. Just before Raelyn’s eyes slipped closed, she saw Kade sitting propped against a tree. A shepherd watching his flock.

A rustle in the trees startled Raelyn awake. She waited without moving. The noise did not repeat, but she was wide awake. She looked over to find Kade in the same position and eased from her bedroll, tiptoeing to him.

“I heard something moving in the forest,” she whispered.

Kade glanced to the far trees. “That would be Griseld. I am surprised he would venture so close to our position. But we are nearing the outer borders of Malvok. He is being extra watchful.” Kade leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes.

“Kade,” Raelyn said, more softly than before.

He lifted his head. “Yes?”

“I’m worried about Avery.” She leaned closer, her eyes darting to Avery’s sleeping form.

Kade let his head fall back against the tree but did not close his eyes.

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