The Quest of the Emerald Rattleback (Defenders of the Realm Book 1) by Marie-Hélène Lebeault

Author:Marie-Hélène Lebeault [Lebeault, Marie-Hélène]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Beaches and Trails Publishing
Published: 2023-03-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Sixteen

Kaia scratched the large bug bites on her arms. The bugs had been terrible today; she had thought that the bright sun above them would get too hot for the insects, but as it turned out, it only encouraged them.

"I wish Nolen were here," she sighed.

"Nolen?" Icarus, her buddy on their search for food, questioned.

"He's one dragon in our year. On our journey to the Silver Springs, he found plants that drove away the bugs. Remember?"

Icarus frowned. "I guess maybe a bit. He was the sour-looking kid, right? Like there was a cloud of thunder over his head all the time?"

Kaia smacked his arm lightly. "He wasn't sour-looking at tall. Sure, he was serious, but that's not bad."

"We should head back to the others," Icarus said, sounding cross. "I don't think there's anything to find here."

"We still have half an hour before we need to head back."

Icarus shook his head. "I'm too tired for this. I want to go back."

Kaia could understand his exhaustion. Her arms still ached from carrying the stretcher today, and Icarus had insisted on carrying all day. She ought to have suggested someone else come out looking for food with her.

"Okay, let's head back to camp," she said, turning.

"I just have to use the bathroom first," Icarus said.

Kaia nodded.

"Don't wait for me."

"I have to; I don't want to be caught on my own," Kaia said. Besides, she needed to relieve herself as well. That seemed like a slightly less important reason to keep close by, though.

Icarus headed off in one direction, Kaia going in the other. She dug a hole to do her business in, then covered up the hole. She couldn't wait to get back to the Institute… the pit toilets had been bad enough, but if this kept up, she would surely get an infection!

"Icarus?" she called as she returned to the path.

Silence answered her.

"Icarus?" A chill crawled up her spine. What if the Odentian warriors had found him? "Icarus, answer me!"

Still nothing.

Panic taking a firmer hold on her, Kaia crashed through the foliage on the other side of the path, where Icarus had gone. She called out again and again until she suddenly stumbled on another open path.

Icarus bent over the dirt, intent on doing something. He didn't seem to have heard Kaia, which was ridiculous considering how loudly she'd been calling.

Her relief at finding him soon came to an abrupt halt as she got closer, and his actions became clear. He was arranging a series of rocks in an arrow… light stones that would show up clearly at night.

"What are you doing?" Kaia demanded.

Icarus jumped, yelping. He whirled, his fists lifting as though he planned to punch her. Kaia flinched away from him, her eyes widening.

"Don't sneak up on me!" Icarus shouted. He shifted to one side like he was trying to hide his 'artwork.'

"What are you doing?" Kaia asked again. She sidestepped and pointed to the arrow. "What is that? How many light stones do you have? Don't you know that will show the Odentian warriors exactly where we are?"

Icarus stepped back.

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