Island Shifters: Book 03 - An Oath of the Children (4 page)

Kiernan held up a finger. “And,
no pranks this time!”

Kellan’s
eyes widened innocently. “Pranks? Why, whatever are you referring to, mother?”

Rogan
gestured
toward one of the Iron Fists. “Let me refresh your memory, young Prince. Remember
what happened when we were away last year?
Between
your
earth and
Reilly’s water,
you buried poor Dallin in a mud sinking up to his neck! And, then left him there for hours!”

Everyone
except the protectors laughed.

Melania
Falewir
ran a hand down her daughter’s hair. “And, what about Izzy sending
that falcon
after Haiden?
The way I heard it,
the
bird chased and pecked
at him every time he dared to step outdoors. The man had to run with his arms covering his head for three weeks straight!”

Haiden smirked at the reminder, but that was as much as he would give up.

Captain
Wilden interrupted the storytelling. “It
really
is time, Your Grace.”

Beck nodded
and after
hurried goodbyes,
ushered Kiernan
onto
the
lowered gangplank of the
dinoque
and
once aboard,
toward the bow of the ship. The
Massans in the harbor
waved
and shouted
while
the
sailors on board rushed to man the
capstan
to reel in the heavy mooring
ropes.

Beck stood beside Kiernan at the rail
as the large
vessel slowly pulled away from the dock
and
was surprised to see a frown on her face.
She typically
loved these adventures to other islands
much
more than he did.

“I hope they will be all right, Beck.”

“Who? The children? Of course, they will.” When she simply grunted, he
grabbed her chin so she had to look at him.
“There is nothing to
worry
about. Between six
protectors, three Draca Cats, and their own abilities, the
children
will be fine.”

“I know, but
that
is
a very bad omen,” she murmured as she looked
past him
back toward the harbor.

“What is?” he asked, confused.

She pointed at a
large, black crow perched on one of the wooden pilings
on the pier, and its beady little eyes seemed to be staring directly at them.

Beck laughed. “I did not know you were superstitious, my love.”

She put an arm around his waist and
buried her face in his chest. “I hate crows.”

“I thought you hated snakes?”

“Them, too.”

He
chuckled
again and held her tighter.

“I can’t explain it. I just have a bad feeling.” She looked up at him, her
green eyes laced with concern. “You aren’t worried at all?”

He shook his head.
“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I
have not seen or heard from the Oracle in
fifteen
years. When
that old woman
reappears
in my life,
then
I will
start to
worry.”

C
HAPTER
2

C
RONES AND
C
ROWS

Captain Nash
leaned in close to
Kenley’s ear to be sure she heard him over the swell of noise in the harbor.
“Don’t even try it, Princess.”

She
turned her back on the rest of their large party
to face him. “Captain,
I can assure you that
while in my custody,
the children will be on their
very
best behavior.”

His
loud snort caused the others to
look
at them.
He grabbed her arm and steered her away. “I do not want a repeat of last year, Kenley. You will set an example for the children and
keep them out of trouble or…”

She glared at him
under her upraised eyebrows. “Or what, Captain?”

“I…I will
take you over my knee, that’s what,” he growled at her.

“My, my,
Captain, that sounds
suspiciously
more like a proposition
than a threat.”
When his face flushed red, she
threw her head back and laughed.
“Don’t worry, Captain, your honor is safe with me.”

He mumbled something
unintelligible under his breath, but she was already turning from him
to gather the children.
A
fluttering movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned back toward the extended pier where the
dinoque
had been
docked only moments
ago.

A black crow sitting on one of the pilings squawked and beat its
wings causing a loud ruckus. Kenley shuddered. She hated crows. She was about to turn away, when she noticed an old woman
standing
by herself
directly beneath the agitated
bird
staring
after the
departing ship
and
shaking her head.

Kenley paused,
deciding
whether
to approach,
and then
the woman turned
toward
her. She
sucked in a quick breath.
The woman’s eyes were completely white. Even though it must have been impossible for the woman to see,
there was no mistaking that
direct
gaze. Kenley had no doubt that the woman
could see everything around her.
And, then some.

“I’ll be right back,” she said to Kirby and
walked over to the woman.
The old lady
did not look
away as
Kenley approached. “Pardon me.
My name is Kenley, and I was just wondering if you
required
assistance.”

“I know who you are,” the woman replied in a
deep,
gravelly voice.

Kenley was not surprised.
Most people on the island
knew who she was. Usually
by her
green eyes, but sometimes by her distinctive, long black curls. She tried again. “Are you looking for someone?”

“The Mage.”

Kenley pointed to the ship now making a graceful turn to head out into open water. “I’m afraid you just missed him. He is on his way to the island of
Ellvin
and will not be back for three
or four
weeks.”

“Interesting.”

“Can I help
you? I am his daughter.”

A puzzled frown crept into the woman’s face as she looked out to sea.
“I
wondered for years why it will not be the Mage who fights and
at
long
last
I have my answer.”

“Pardon?”

The woman
did not answer at first and
Kenley thought
maybe she did not hear the question, but then
she
finally
turned back and moved her white
eyes
up and down
Kenley’s
body as though
measuring her up in some way.

“Interesting,” was all she said
for the second time and then
shuffled away toward
the platform steps
that led
to the streets
below.

Very strange.

Shrugging,
Kenley
turned away from the mystery to the more pressing matter at hand—the children.

Reilly, a watershifter,
at nineteen
was a year younger than
she was
and his sister, Jala, a fireshifter,
was a year younger than Reilly. The twins, Kellan, an earthshifter, and Kane, a sightshifter, were both
fifteen
and little Izzy Falewir, a feralshifter, was the youngest
of their group
at
the age of
twelve.
The six
progeny of
Savitars,
and all extremely powerful in magic.

Kenley
clapped her hands together
as she walked back to the group,
and the protectors tensed in high alert.
They had been through this before.

“All right,
it’s
time to head back to Bardot. We will proceed in an orderly fashion and…”
Five
pairs of eyes glinted at her mischievously. “Oh, what utter nonsense!
Let’s do it!”

With one last
apologetic
glance
at
Kirby
Nash, Kenley
waved her hand in a circle and
the air around her began to stir.
She felt Izzy Falewir’s small hand slip into hers.

“Kenley
Atlan!” It was Kirby,
and he sounded furious.

The air gusted in the form of a mini tornado on the platform, and Kenley’s hair whipped around her head. She carefully kept her magic directed at the six protectors and watched them disappear behind a cloud of dust.

Kenley jumped off the platform and took off running through the
cobblestone
streets of Northfort, the others close on her heels.
When they were far enough away, she risked a look back over her shoulder and giggled in
amusement as
her hapless victims tried to breach the
gale force winds holding them back.

Was that really necessary, Princess?

Baya’s reprimand cut through
her joy.

We’re just having a little
harmless
fun, Baya.

And, the protectors are just
trying to perform
their duty.
Why must you make it so difficult for them?

Because
I wish to be free, Baya! Do you really not understand?
How would you like to be followed around everywhere you go?
For Highworld’s sake,
I cannot even go to the privy on my own without a Scarlet Saber shadowing me!

It is
for your
safety, Princess. Surely, you realize that by now.

What
do I need to be protected from? If anyone tries to harm me, I can take to the skies!
she
declared forcefully. Then, she
stopped and looked directly into
eyes the color
of her own
and made her tone
deliberately softer.
Besides, I have you
to protect me.
That is all I need.

True.

No
one can
stand
against
the ferocity of
a
Draca Cat.

Not if they wish to live.

Humans and beasts
of every size tremble
at the very mention of Callyn-Rhe.

Baya clicked her tongue.
Your flattery is
far too
transparent, little one.

But, working?

Yes.

Kenley hugged her best friend tightly around the neck.
Thank you
for understanding, Baya.

Know
now
that
I will not interfere with any punishment Captain Nash deems appropriate.