Jacob, Akeno, and Ebony were left standing in the front room, waiting for Kenji to return.
Jacob fidgeted with his hands, afraid to look at the other two. “Jaegar’s friend got hurt, too.”
“Oh, dear,” Ebony said, sounding worried. “Is he being taken care of?”
Akeno nodded. “They took him to his home—I’m sure Mara is doing everything she can.”
“Good. He is lucky to have her for a mother.” She paused and took a shaky breath. “Jaegar has lost a lot of blood. It will take several hours for him to completely recover. If there was any poison in those wolf bites and scratches, hopefully it has all been removed.” She grabbed a rag and wiped the table down several times, scrubbing at food stains that wouldn’t go away.
“Are wolves here usually poisonous?” Jacob asked. He’d never heard of poisonous wolves. Though, this world wasn’t the same as Earth, and anything could be possible.
Ebony paused. “No, not usually. And I really hope these weren't. There wasn’t any pus, no redness around the wounds.” She scrubbed for a moment longer, then spoke to Akeno. “I can’t stand this. Jaegar will be fine with your father here. Let’s take some sap to Mara.”
Akeno nodded, scurried out of the room, then returned, holding a Kaede Sap package.
“We’ll be back in five minutes,” Ebony said before shutting the door behind her and Akeno.
Jacob took a deep breath and studied the room. Everything in the small house was beautiful, including the windows. The glass had a silver sheen that made it sparkle. The stone walls were painted scintillating shades of yellow, red, orange, and blue, with silver streaks. The doors were large and wooden. The stone floor was painted red, with a bright blue mat on it, and the wood furniture, which was lower than what Jacob was used to, was simple, yet elegant. The ceiling was plenty high, even for him, and Jacob looked at it in awe, studying the intricate design created by the streaks of metal. The room glowed from the silver in the stone, and Jacob found himself wishing his room back home could be given light from the same source. It was really cool.
He walked to the closest wall to trace one of the streaks of silver with his finger. He felt warmth in places and stopped tracing, putting his whole hand over one of the spots. The heat increased considerably where his palm touched it and he recoiled, looking at his skin. This was the second time he’d felt warmth like this. Was there a reaction between his skin and the materials in this world?
It hadn’t hurt, so he ran his hand along the wall again. After a moment, he noticed that the longer he held his hand in one spot, the warmer that place became. Holding still for several seconds, he closed his eyes, enjoying the heat.
A door behind him opened, and Jacob jumped when someone chuckled.
“It looks like you’ve decided to leave your mark here,” Kenji said with a slight smile, stepping through the door to the back of the house.
Jacob looked down and felt himself blush when he saw there was now a deep handprint in the wall. He lowered his arm. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I . . . I didn’t mean to—I was just feeling the warmth.”
Kenji frowned, crossing the room to Jacob. “What warmth?”
“Right here.”
The Makalo felt the spot where Jacob’s hand had been. “I can’t feel anything. Has this happened before?”
“In the tree last night, but I don’t think I left a mark.” Jacob frowned, trying to think of something he could do to remove the print.
“And before then?” A smile played at the corners of Kenji’s mouth.
“No, that was the first time.” Jacob shook his head. “I’m really sorry.”
There was a twinkle in Kenji’s eyes. “That’s fine—it’s a nice addition to the décor of the room.” Interest flitted across his eyes. “See if you can figure out why you felt heat. That is definitely fascinating.”
The front door opened, and Ebony and Akeno entered the room.
Kenji put his arms around his wife. “Jaegar will be fine, but we need to talk.” He led her to the table, and Jacob and Akeno followed.
Kenji addressed Jacob after sitting. “What happened out there?”
Jacob couldn’t meet his eyes. “I . . . I left. I wanted to go home. Akeno came with me. The wolves stopped us and attacked.”
Kenji nodded. He didn’t question Jacob’s decision to go home, which made Jacob feel even more uncomfortable. The need to defend himself rose—even though it was apparent he didn’t need to—but he didn’t dare say anything. He’d almost been responsible for the loss of two lives.
Kenji finally broke the silence. “Jacob, I do not believe the wolves will leave the villagers alone until . . .” He sighed, then looked at Jacob, a worried but tender expression on his face. “Until you leave to get the Key. If they won’t even let you go home, there really isn’t another choice. It’s too dangerous for all of us—you included—to have you here.”
Jacob’s face tightened. He stood and paced near the front door. Kenji was right. These people were in too much danger if he didn’t leave. The wolves wouldn’t let him go home, and they had no hesitation in attacking others to force him into following the Lorkon plan. He wanted to curse. He wanted to throw things, to rip something up. He clenched his fists, frustrated at how things had turned out. Why now? It wasn’t fair. He looked at the expectant Makalos.
“Okay, I’ll go. It’s just so annoying . . .” He scowled. He sounded so selfish. He sat in resignation, trying to think how the Makalos must feel. They were practically helpless. “But I can’t do it alone.”
Relief spread across Kenji’s face, but he quickly replaced it with a serious expression—the expression adults got when they were planning something important. “Akeno will accompany you, along with the Minyas, September and Early.”
Jacob nodded and glanced at Akeno, who smiled back. “But you’re sending more than just us, right?”
“There’s no need. The four of you are enough.”
“What?” Jacob frowned. “I don’t want to offend Akeno, but I figured you’d also send an adult with us. At least, someone a little older than me, and more experienced.”
Kenji smiled. “Actually, Akeno is older than you. He’s the oldest of the Makalo youth here.” Kenji said it with pride in his voice.
Jacob raised an eyebrow. “He looks like he’s ten. Maybe eleven.”
“He’s thirteen, but Makalos age differently than humans.”
Akeno leaned forward. “If I were human, I’d be seventeen or eighteen. Our bodies mature physically, mentally, and emotionally much more quickly than do the bodies of humans.”
“Kind of like my dog,” Jacob said. He flushed, realizing how that would sound to the Makalos. “I’m not saying that you’re dogs or anything like that, or animals, or . . .” He stopped talking, wanting to kick himself for not being more tactful, but relaxed when the others laughed.
Kenji stood and walked over to the window. “The sun is about to set. You need to leave now—even though night is coming. It isn’t safe for you to stay any longer.”
Jacob knew he was right, and nodded. “Which way do we go?”
Kenji motioned to Akeno. “Get the map, please,” he said.
Akeno nodded and left the room.
While waiting, Jacob turned to the others. “I still don’t understand why an adult doesn’t come with us. I’m really glad Akeno will be there, but if he’s never left the village . . .”
Kenji sat at the table again. “The adults can’t leave. Only the youth were unaffected by those trees outside the entrance. Plus, Akeno’s Rezend is fairly strong. Stronger than most other Makalos, and he can control it really well. He’ll be the best company for you.”
“What’s Rezend again?”
“The magic of the Makalos.”
Akeno entered the room with a slab of stone nearly half his own size. He carefully placed it on the table in front of Jacob.
Jacob leaned forward, eager to see. A fragile, two-foot square piece of leather w
as mounted to the stone, and on it was a map drawn in ink. It was a standard-looking map, with markings to show mountain ranges, villages, and roads. He looked to Ebony and Kenji for an explanation.
“We’re right here,” Ebony said, pointing to a spot near the top left corner of the map. “And this is where the Lorkon live.” She pointed to a spot several inches south.
“Don’t let the small distance between here and there fool you,” Kenji said. “Even though it’s just a portion of the map, it will still take a long time to get there. Three or four days, as we said.”
Kenji then showed Jacob the way to the Lorkon castle. It was fairly simple. The only thing Jacob had to remember was to head through the forest, then stick to the path that led them closest to the mountains. It was the only one that would lead to the Lorkon castle.
Kenji pointed out two cabins on the map. One of them was just outside the forest, not too far from the entrance to Taga. The other was quite close to where the Lorkon lived. Each cabin belonged to a friend of the Makalos, and Jacob and Akeno could go there for help and information.
“Remember,” Kenji said, “don’t spend time in the forest outside our village. Stick to the path. It’ll lead you out of the woods and to Aldo’s cabin. Stop and talk to Aldo—he’ll give you additional information.”
“I thought you said you couldn’t get hold of him last time you tried.”
“We hope he’s still there. He’s the only person we trust who is within a day’s travel. We don’t know anything about the Land of Gevkan anymore. It might have changed drastically since we last lived there. If he’s not around, let us know.”
Jacob took a deep breath, feeling overwhelmed at what he had to accomplish in only a few days. “How do you know the Key is at the castle?”
“We don’t know for sure,” Kenji said. “But it’s a starting point.”
“And what happens if it’s not there?”
“We’ll look into other locations—and send you back home.”
Jacob nodded in relief. He felt like a wimp, but was really scared of what he might have to go through to get the Key.
A frantic knock sounded on the door. Akeno jumped to answer it and a Makalo rushed in, addressing Kenji.
“The wolves have left. They guarded the path to Jacob’s town for a while, then disappeared. We waited five minutes, but they haven’t returned. Now might be the best time . . .” He shot a glance at Jacob.
Kenji quickly stood. “Thank you. Continue to keep watch and let us know if anything changes.” He held the door as the Makalo left. “We’ll need two bags prepared—Ebony, you and Akeno do that. Gather whatever they’ll need for the trip. I’ll summon Early and September.” He stepped out of the house.
“I’ll get a Minya box,” Akeno said, going into a back room.
“Grab that jerky while you’re at it,” Ebony called after him, then yanked open cupboards and drawers, stuffing things into one of the bags.
Jacob, not knowing what to do, stood awkwardly by the table. Kenji came back, and seconds later, Akeno raced back into the room, still shoving things into a knapsack.
“Jacob, you and Akeno will leave immediately,” Kenji said. “September and Early will meet you in the morning. Send them back with updates as often as you feel is necessary. You should always have one of them with you for emergencies. Don’t worry about sending messages to your family, Jacob—we’ll take care of it for you. I wish we had more time to tell you everything you need to know, but we’ll fill you in as you need more information.”
“How’re we going to keep the wolves from attacking us?” Jacob asked.
“Akeno is able to make Rezend-strengthened shelters that will keep predators out. You’ll be safe while you’re sleeping. And as long as you stay on the move during the day, the wolves won’t harm you. But don’t provoke them or stay in one place for too long.”
Jacob nodded, feeling panic start to well up within him. This was seriously the craziest thing he’d ever done. Why’d he agree to it? He found himself wishing again that Matt were there. Jacob took another deep breath, put away his thoughts, and tuned in again to what Kenji was saying.
“The entrance to Taga is up the canyon from here. Akeno will lead the way, using Rezend to distract the wolves. You will need to stay close to him and do exactly as he says. Find a safe place to spend the night between here and the barrier, and once you get there, send a message back to us.” Kenji rubbed his left shoulder. “I’ll walk you to the ledge.”
Akeno put on his top hat and picked up a leather knapsack. Jacob grabbed the other, darker in color, with two straps. He put it on the way he would his own backpack.
Ebony choked down a sob and grabbed Akeno, giving him a big hug and making him promise to be careful. She then wrapped her arms around Jacob. He patted her shoulder, not sure what to say. Kenji opened the door, and Jacob and Akeno followed him through.
“The wolves couldn’t have gone far,” Kenji said as they hurried to the ledge. “So go as fast as you can.” He gave them quick hugs. “Godspeed. Akeno, be careful when shrinking or enlarging things. Stay together. As long as you follow my instructions, you should be safe. Now go!”
Jacob had to scramble down the canyon wall to keep up with Akeno. They stood still for a moment, watching the shadows for any sign of danger.
Seeing nothing, they waved goodbye to Kenji, who watched from above. Once they reached the sparsely vegetated forest, Akeno took off down the path, and Jacob almost tripped as he hurried to keep up. He expected a wolf or a Rog to jump out at any moment.
After running for about half an hour, Akeno stopped and put his hand up against a tree—just listening, it seemed. “Nothing,” he said, steadying himself to catch his breath. “We’ll stop here to rest. I don’t want to be too close to the barrier while it’s dark.”
Jacob readjusted his bag. “I hope the whole trip doesn’t consist of us running from wolves.”
He followed Akeno into the forest, and they looked around for a place to set up camp. After searching for a few minutes, they found a large, overturned tree surrounded by thick bushes. Akeno put his finger to the tree’s trunk and muttered.
“What are you doing?”
“Telling the tree and the bushes to form a tent.”
The branches of the tree and bushes started to move, encircling Akeno and Jacob. Jacob stared, hardly believing his eyes, then jumped out of the way as a squirrel darted across the ground, followed closely by intertwining branches. Akeno wasn’t kidding when he’d said he could tell living things what to do.
Moments later, a somewhat round little fort had been created. There was a small opening in the roof, and the walls were made of tightly woven branches. The floor of the hut was matted and springy—perfect for sleeping on.
“Will this be strong enough against the wolves?” Jacob said.
“They won’t be able to get in.” Akeno sat close to the wall on a bouncy section of branches. He pointed to a spot on the other side of the hut. “You’ll need all the rest you can get.”
Jacob agreed, and they both lay down and fell asleep.