Alora: The Wander-Jewel (Alora 1)

“We can practice transporting first. We’ll make sure you can get us back before we actually go.” Beth was almost jumping up and down. “And this is a crazy-cool adventure! We don’t have to stay long, and we’ll be really careful. And don’t worry about the parents. Just let me do the talking. You know... Kaevin and Wesley are going on an extended camping/hunting trip. I’m staying at your house. You’re staying at mine. Everybody’s happy.” She smiled, batting wide, innocent eyes.

“Beth, I think we need you along simply for your ability to lie on the fly,” said Alora.

“Oh well.” Beth chuckled. “If the shoe fits...”

“I need to bring my bows.” Wesley’s voice rose with excitement.

“I’m not sure if I can transport them,” Alora said. “Kaevin says I can’t move metal, although my pants stayed on with a metal zipper. I haven’t quite figured that out.”

“What’s a zipper?” asked Kaevin.

“It’s a thing that closes your pants up. You’ve got one on the front of those jeans you’re wearing.” Wesley indicated his own zipper. “But what kind of metal doesn’t transport?”

“Iron,” Kaevin answered. “Iron won’t transport.”

“Hmmm. … There’s iron in stainless steel, so that means I can’t bring my arrow points. But my bows aren’t metal—they’re carbon fiber. We’ll screw the tips off and bring the arrows,” Wesley reasoned. “We can find some way to put tips on them there. Or I can use arrows from your home.”

“But our arrows are wooden.”

“I think my bow will shoot them.” He scrunched his nose. “But they might be torn to pieces when they hit their target.”

“If we really need them, we won’t be trying to recover our arrows.” Kaevin’s serious expression sent a shiver down Alora’s spine. It was hard to wrap her head around this new reality. It still seemed a bit like a dream.

“I’m uncertain how we’re going to find Jireo,” said Kaevin. “Alora’s been to Laegenshire, but she’s never met him. And he definitely wasn’t in Laegenshire.”

“But she’s already taken us to him, once. How did she do that?” asked Beth.

“I don’t know.” Alora questioned Kaevin with her eyes, but he shrugged his answer. “Grandmother told me it’s possible to let someone else guide a transport. Maybe that’s what happened.”

“I believe we should practice a few times before we attempt to transport all the way to Tenavae. To be safe, we could transport to Laegenshire and then try to find Jireo. But that could take days, and I think this is an emergency.”

“Okay,” Beth said, “we’re almost to Alora’s. Let me do the talking, while you both grab your gear.”

“Uhmm, my blood is getting cut off.” Kaevin’s voice held a teasing lilt.

Alora relaxed the white-knuckled grip she had on his hand. “Sorry. It’s possible I’m a bit nervous.”

“You don’t have to do this,” he murmured. “I’m not convinced this is the right decision.”

“As long as we’re together, I feel stronger and braver, somehow.”

“It’s because we’re soulmates,” said Kaevin.

He must have read the doubt on her face, because he turned toward her, cupping her face in his hands and pressing his forehead to hers.

“Raelene is wise, but she doesn’t know everything. My father says you should always allow for human error.”

“In my case, we need to allow a lot of room for error.”

“Okay,” Beth said, using her organizing I’m-in-charge voice. “Checklist. Wesley has bows; Kaevin’s got arrows; I’ve got medical supplies. Nobody’s wearing steel-toed boots or belt buckles? Okay, let’s hook arms, and Alora can do a practice transport. Kaevin’s going to pick the place, someplace close.”

“All right,” Kaevin said, “I’m thinking of the place.”

“It may take a while, so don’t let your mind wander. And don’t think about Jireo.” Alora closed her eyes, attempting to relax and empty her mind. Then she tried to reach into Kaevin’s mind, as she had when he’d cried out in pain during the dance.

Nothing happened. She tried again. Nothing happened. Again. No one moved.

“It’s g-getting k-kind of c-cold,” said Beth, stamping her feet in the snow. “M-maybe we should p-practice some place w-warm.”