Unleashed: The Deepest Fears Lie Within (Secrets of the Makai) (2 page)

With all his mental determination, he pictured Dorian’s crystal-clear lake from the lookout he knew so well. From where he’d just been with Landon and Victor. Each reflection on the water, the scent of pine, the tree his falcon usually perched in....

The result was not as instant as expected.

Aspects of weight crushed and pulled at his mind, then broke his concentration completely.

* * *

Tristan blinked several times, confused by the sharp clarity of distant mountains silhouetted by a dark-violet sky.

Definitely not his intended destination.

Where was the lake?

Freezing air bit his cheeks and burned his throat on a panicked intake of breath. The ground shifted beneath his wobbly legs, creating a small avalanche of rolling rocks. He scrambled uphill for stability, but patches of snow and the unexpected awkward weight of his bags sent him crashing to the ground.

“It’s not that steep,” Landon said, crouching just uphill, offering a hand to help him up.

“What happened?” Tristan asked, trying to swallow the panic threatening to come out in screams.

Silver wisps of clouds over Landon’s shoulder had the unmistakable shape of a dragon, long and sleek, with a wingspan as wide as the sky itself.

Tristan shrank away from the apparition glaring down at him. Away from what having dragon ancestry might mean. “Is Victor still—?”

“He’ll be along. He just had a few errands.” Landon glanced skyward over his shoulder, but didn’t seem to notice anything unusual in the clouds. “He’ll meet us halfway down the mountain with a light breakfast.”

“Are you positive? We were….” Tristan trailed off, unsure if ‘captured’ was the right word. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. The dragon turned its chiseled head into the wind and its body of scales dissipated, turning into streaks of fleecy splotches, barely visible against the dark sky.

Tristan dropped his head to his trembling arms and caught his breath. “I tried to get back to the lake, but then….” He looked over his shoulder, into the dark valley below.

Landon was right. The hill he’d fallen down really wasn’t that steep, just slick with loose sand and gravel. “How long did all that take?”

“First rule: Never interfere when someone is transporting you.”

Bubbling anxieties turned to anger. And apparently, there was no second rule. “Someone said Molajah was taking over.” Tristan flinched, sliding downhill another few feet, when Victor appeared out of thin air behind Landon.

Landon pulled back the hand he’d been offering and stood.

“Another panic attack?” Victor asked, frowning as he scanned the area.

“Not like before,” Landon answered. “Anything strange happen for you while getting here?”

Victor raised an eyebrow and looked like he would burst out laugh-ing. “So soon?”

Landon scowled and redirected his attention to Tristan. “Take over what?”

A gust of wind tore along the bare mountain, catching Tristan’s hair from behind his ears and whipping it into his eyes.

“You mean, there really was a problem?” Victor asked. “Already?”

“Molajah.” Tristan shivered. “A person? Maybe he followed us....” He didn’t dare mention the wispy cloud dragon.

Landon and Victor both shook their heads. “There’s no one here but us,” Landon said.

Tristan got to his feet and brushed off his jeans, doing his best to conceal the confused, angry frustrations. Was this something he should ignore? Something that might make them think he was more crazy then they already thought?

He climbed upward to stable ground and tried to start over. “Is this where we’re supposed to be?”

“Yes. As far as I can tell, nothing went wrong. Darnell is about three miles that way.” Landon pointed over the dark carpet of trees. “Maybe Molajah isn’t a person.”

“Maybe Molajah isn’t the right word.” The harder he tried to remember, the quicker the details faded. He gathered the straps on his duffel bag and backpack and glanced at Victor. “I thought you were meeting us halfway down?”

“Landon called me back.”

“In case we needed help,” Landon clarified. “But I don’t think there’s any threat.” He took off his outer jacket and handed it to Tristan, then turned back to Victor. “Take his bags and we’ll continue as planned.”

“Sorry if I messed things up.” Tristan handed his backpack and duffel bag to Victor and accepted Landon’s jacket. “You believe me though, right? You don’t think I’m crazy?”

Landon and Victor had blank expressions. Tristan held his breath.

“There wouldn’t have been time for you to think about changing directions, so something must’ve held you up.”

Tristan nodded, grateful they would at least consider taking him seriously.

Victor swung the backpack over his shoulder. “You’ll love it here.”

Before Tristan could respond, Victor vanished from sight. He shot a look at Landon before glancing up at the few remaining stars, unsure if he’d ever get used to people poofing in and out of existence.

“You might not believe it, but you’re safer here than you would be anywhere else.” Landon waited for Tristan to finish buttoning the jacket, then headed down the mountain. “I was hoping for a spectacular sunrise, but without clouds, it’s probably better to get out of the wind. Though we could wait for more light if you want.”

“That’s alright,” Tristan said, confirming for himself that the sky was indeed cloudless. “You really think there’s nothing to worry about?”

“I’d never say that, because we’d never claim to know all your enemies.”

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” Was there a list he didn’t know about?

“Would you prefer I lie, to make you feel better?”

2
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T
HE
C
ALLING
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TRISTAN CRUNCHED THROUGH ANKLE-DEEP SNOW with ice numbing his sockless feet. Miniature columns of ice crystals reached for the sky in the patches of bare ground, resembling tiny labyrinth castles capped with a layer of dirt and glistening frost. Little yellow flowers seemed frozen in time, each delicate petal preserved by a thin sheet of ice.

“This is your last good viewpoint,” Landon said, veering off course toward a rocky ledge.

Jagged snow-covered peaks glowed a vibrant pink and purple. A thin line of gold began defining itself along the horizon. On Dorian’s island, the sun had been up for hours. “Where are we, anyway?”

Landon laughed, heading back to the original path. “New Zealand. East side of the South Island.” He dropped between two large rocks, then turned to wait for Tristan to follow. “What’s wrong with New Zealand?”

“Nothing,” Tristan said, surprised his unease was so obvious. “It’s just the thought of jumping from one country to another. Alaska one second...New Zealand the next. I remember now—you’re an empath.”

Landon froze for a split-second then shrugged, possibly confirming the statement. Tristan frowned, trying to recall how he knew. Realistically, he knew very little about Landon, Victor, and the Makai organization they belonged to.

“Distance is hardly relevant when it comes to traveling.”

“Yeah.” Tristan gave up chasing the thoughts that hovered just out of reach and looked for a safer way down the rocks. Another bit of information sprang to the surface. “And Victor’s a pyro.”

“I suppose. Though it’s more of a hobby than a personality trait.” Landon started downhill again, apparently unwilling to continue the subject. Tristan made the drop, slipping slightly in the thawing mud.

“Natives come up from Shantytown or Westport during certain times of year for mining, so don’t assume everyone in the area is like us.”

“Got it. What do they mine for?”

“Nephrite, which is basically jade.” Landon kept to the right when the trail forked. “Some mine for bowenite. It’s hard work when the ground is frozen and dangerous during flood season, which is what we’re in now.”

They entered a flat clearing where tiny blades of grass with purple flowers stood frozen in a dusting of snow.

“Wait up,” called Victor, jogging to meet them.

He remembers I’m an empath,
Landon said in thought,
and that you’re a pyro.

So?
Victor answered.
They’re both true.

Did they forget he could hear every word? Hearing people’s thoughts all the time had driven him mad until Gram took him in, and taught him how to block it all. But maybe the people on the island did a better job of concealing their thoughts in the first place. Maybe it was still an issue that would plague him here.

Think about it,
Landon continued.
When did he find out you were a pyro?

Oh.
Victor remained silent.
Are you sure? It never came up after that?

No.
Landon continued onward through the dawn-lit forest.

Tristan ignored them, determined to remember when he might have learned about Victor, and why it was so important that Landon couldn’t say it out loud.

“Did you bring breakfast?” Landon asked.

“I decided I’d regret being occupied in the kitchen if something happened out here.”

He passed the security line and it’s your security. Don’t you trust it?
Landon asked.
What could go wrong inside the security lines?

Of course I trust it! But let’s...ah, I see what’s going on. He’s making you all up-tight and anxious!

He is not.
Landon picked up the pace to a near jog.
All I asked was for you to bring him some food. Real food. How long does it take to grab a freakin’ apple?

I was thinking scrambled eggs with cheese and sausage, wrapped in a tortilla or something. You know, real food. Not an apple. And I’m telling you, you don’t usually get this pissed this easily.

I’ll take it into consideration.

Besides, lots can go wrong,
Victor added.
We don’t know what he’s capable of for one, and he’s a magnet for trouble. We should add it to the list of Dragon Traits.

Tristan bit back his rising anger.

Landon stopped on the trail and spun to face them. “Damn it, Victor!” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry,” Victor said. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Tristan unclenched his jaw. “Yes. You were. I am
not
a dragon.”

Landon and Victor stared at him like he’d grown a second head.

“Whoever started that rumor was—” Tristan stopped himself before saying it aloud.
Murdered.
“Mistaken.” And the only other person who’d heard that rumor was Gram, who was also dead. Why would she tell the Makai? How many people did the Makai involve? He opened his mouth to ask, but couldn’t. “Is that the only reason you’re taking me in? Because...it’s just not true.”

“We would’ve taken you either way,” Victor said.

“It’s not either way. I’m not a dragon! I never was and never will be. It’s crazy that you even think it’s possible. Unless—”

“Unless what?” Landon asked.

“If you guys are dragons, too, maybe that explains the mental power stuff?”

“Definitely not. Look,” Landon said. “You’re tired, hungry, and you have every reason to be edgy with what’s going on. But you want to keep learning, right?”

Tristan nodded—not to mention he didn’t have much choice. “I’m sorry. I know I should be grateful, and I am. I really don’t want to cause trouble.” Tristan tucked stringy locks of hair behind his ears.

I wonder how long Alvi will go before she offers to chop it,
thought Victor.

Tristan could barely remember the last time he stood under hot water and felt the sudden need to scrub.

“You heard that?” Landon asked.

“Not on purpose. I just...I don’t know how not to hear. I thought I was better, or that maybe it went away.”

“You’re doing fine!” Victor said. “We’re the ones who need to step it up a notch.”

“Sorry.” It might have been easier if they didn’t know, but at least he had hope that things would get better with their help.

“In our work,” Landon said, “communication with each other is a must. We can’t stop talking to each other just because you’re around, but we can be more careful.”

Tristan nodded, glancing at Victor, then looked at the ground. “I don’t usually care what people think, but I really do want to fit in with you guys. But I also understand if—”

“Hey,” Victor said. “We want you here. You’ll love it. And you’ll do great! We can’t be with you all the time, with work, but we’ll get you settled and introduce you to the crowd.”

Tristan nodded. Life could only get better.

“I’m sorry, too,” Landon added. “Victor was right. I was overly-anxious, picking you on your emotions, and I should’ve recognized what was happening. I usually do.”

“We’re all good?” Victor asked.

Tristan nodded. What else could he do? Landon continued down the trail. Victor stayed behind Tristan.