Alora: The Maladorn Scroll (Alora 3)

At Kaevin’s insistence, she had taken him on every transport to appease his overprotectiveness. She’d heard his warning growl when she left and could imagine how furious he’d be when she returned. I’d better get Markaeus and get back quickly from wherever we are.

“Alora, help me! I can’t make him come with me!”

“Markaeus, who is this? And where are we?”

“This is Grandfather. Please make him come. I don’t want to leave him here, but he won’t come.”

The old man shook his head with tears in his eyes. “I told you I can’t go, Markaeus. It’s no use. You mustn’t be here. Alora mustn’t be here.” His voice sounded as desperate as he looked.

“Your grandfather? Are we in Portshire?” Alora felt ice slide down her spine, and her entire body began to shiver. There was so much fear in the room she couldn’t sense whose was whose.

“Yes, we’re in Portshire, in my old house. Can you just transport us, Alora? Even if he doesn’t give permission? I know he wants to escape, but he can’t agree... because of Vindrake’s bloodbond. He can’t say he wants to go.” With his grandfather’s arm in one hand he reached toward Alora with the other.

Alora knew the power of Vindrake’s bloodbond. Markaeus was right—his grandfather couldn’t ask to escape while under her father’s oppressive control. She started to comply with Markaeus’ request, when a chilling thought occurred. “Markaeus, how did you get here?” Lowering her voice, she glanced over her shoulder toward the single wooden door, expecting her father or his clansmen to burst through at any moment. She crossed her arms in a vain attempt to stop her hands from shaking.

“Through that portal.” Markaeus pointed to his left, but all Alora saw was the wooden table tucked against the wall. “It was in my room when I woke up this morning, so I know God put it there for me to find.”

Her mouth went dry. Another portal, and this one went straight to her home in Montana! She knew it could only be closed against Vindrake if a gressor like Markaeus shut it on this end. “Ma

rkaeus... quick... seal that portal so Vindrake can’t use it. Then I’ll take all of us back to Montana. Hurry!”

Markaeus jumped to his feet and moved to a spot two feet in front of the table, where he began moving his hands about in the air.

Should I bring Kaevin here? What if he’s touching someone and they come with him? Would I be able to transport all of us back, along with Markaeus’ grandfather?

She turned her attention to the man with a timeworn face who struggled to push himself up in the bed, and she wracked her brain, trying to remember his name.

“Faestus? Is that right?”

The old man nodded, blinking hard as more tears slid down his cheeks. “You shouldn’t be here,” he rasped.

“Here, let me help you.” Alora put one hand behind his back to support him while he sat up, and his wiry hand clasped her other wrist with surprising strength. As he swung his legs down from the sleeping platform, a loud clatter vibrated in the room, a long heavy chain spilling out from under the covers and rattling across the edge of the wooden platform. Alora could only watch with an open mouth, mesmerized by the seemingly endless links clanking noisily into a messy pile on the floor. When the chain stopped falling, she saw one end was attached to a cuff around a skinny ankle—abraded and bleeding. How long has he been chained in this room?

“I’m so sorry,” Faestus whispered, his chin trembling as more tears poured from his eyes. “I had no choice.”

“It’s okay,” Alora said. “I’ll take Markaeus back and maybe we can figure out a way to rescue you.”

But the old man shook his head, gulping the sobs erupting from his mouth. “No, no, no, no...”

Markaeus appeared at her elbow and grabbed her arm, not realizing or not accepting the import of the chain on his grandfather’s bare and battered foot. “Transport us, Alora. I closed the portal so Vindrake can’t use it. Transport us now.”

Alora decided it would be better to explain everything to Markaeus after they were safe in Montana. She attempted to step away from Faestus, but his hand still clutched her wrist with an iron grip. Shaking her arm, she shouted, “Let me go!”

“I’m so sorry,” he repeated, his preternatural grip unwavering. “I’m so sorry.”

Alora’s heart battered against the inside of her ribs, her breaths coming in rapid succession and her vision blurring. Though she jerked and tugged, she still couldn’t free her wrist and transport to safety.

“Hurry, Alora! Someone could be coming,” Markaeus urged.

I haven’t got a choice. I’ll have to transport Kaevin here.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she reached out to her soulmate in her mind. With minimal effort, she used her bearer gift to bring him to the dingy room.

She heard his voice before she saw him... and felt his fury.

“Alora, where are we?”

When she opened her eyes, both Kaevin and Jireo stood before her. One glance at her soulmate’s downturned lips and clenched jaw told her she wouldn’t enjoy the conversation if they escaped with their lives. But I’d still prefer to live.