Beyond Dreams (Rivendrift Book 1) by Christopher Hopper

Author:Christopher Hopper [Hopper, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Somnium Publishing
Published: 2024-02-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Twenty-Two

Riley sprinted for all he was worth, keeping pace with Eleanor through the field of bells that dangled from the trees. The tiny metal orbs rang out as he brushed against them, sounding like the world’s loudest wind chime. He dropped Archie, knowing the rabbit would be faster by himself, and looked for Gilpid to make sure he was keeping up. Despite his short legs, the Gnomari stayed close to Riley and carried his slingshot in one hand.

Past Gilpid, Riley saw only a single collector in pursuit. It had left its counterparts in the square and was just now entering the bell-strewn graveyard, staff whirling through the air as it came. The end glowed blue, collecting mana, and Riley could just make out the sound of labored breathing above the bells. Or was that his own panting?

“Can you take him?” Riley asked Eleanor between gasps.

“Are you crazy?”

“Well, I…” He hesitated while dashing around a thick tree trunk and then caught up to her. “I take that as a no?”

“Killing collectors is a death wish,” she retorted sharply.

“And if he catches us?”

Eleanor scowled at him but didn’t say more.

He asked the group, “Any bright ideas?”

Archie said, “Try not to get caught?”

Riley would have replied, but he was too winded and couldn’t think of anything snarky to say back. That, and fear squeezed his chest tighter the deeper they ran into the graveyard. He dodged as many of the bells as he could but eventually gave up. There were simply too many, and the collector had no trouble following. Only Archie and Gilpid were successful in staying below the harmonious metal orbs.

Ahead, the trees darkened the horizon. There was no telling how deep the plot went or even how it ended. Riley suddenly imagined a wall boxing them in, offering no escape. They’d be forced to confront the collector then. But Eleanor could handle him, couldn’t she? Despite her objections, the Nemuria’s staff would be no match for her sword. Then again, Riley had just seen one of them plunge a hand into a person’s chest and then suck out their soul.

Riley glanced over his shoulder. The collector was gaining on them, its staff glowing brighter as Riley leaked more mana. Panic started to overtake him when a gust of air hit him from behind. The bells around his head flew forward, swinging skyward at the ends of their strings. He continued running but chanced a look.

There! A second figure appeared between Riley and the collector. She looked familiar… from the temple. It was Briar of Weatherwood! She knelt on the ground, hands touching the soil, head pointed at the Nemuria. Meanwhile, the collector slid to a halt, glaring at her and then Riley.

Why wasn’t he charging?

Just then, Riley noticed glowing text in the soil to the sides of Briar’s hands. Something about it seemed to keep the collector at bay. Riley also spied a thin line of blue light that ran along the ground to Briar’s left and right, disappearing into the darkness.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.