Alora: The Portal Read Online Free Page A

or all of Tenavae. And I’m pretty good at triage—at least I can recognize when a patient needs to be transported back here. That counts for something.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “And besides, once you’ve met a guy from another realm, the ones from here are just—”
    “Don’t say it,” Wesley spat. “There’s nothing wrong with Montana guys, and I can hold my own with Kaevin and Jireo.”
    “And you look more like Kaevin every day, with your hair growing longer and that scruffy beard on your chin.”
    “It’s just easier not to shave,” Wesley muttered as his face glowed bright red.
    Alora took pity on Wesley and changed the subject. “Our heads are better now. Right, Kaevin? And we really need to get back to studying, or Kaevin’s never going to pass that history test.”
    “I can’t learn any more of your ridiculous history—I’ll just funk out.”
    “Flunk out,” Wesley corrected.
    “Funk, flunk, frunk…” Kaevin’s scowl deepened. “Whatever the word may be, I’m going to do it. I don’t enjoy wasting my time attempting to memorize worthless facts simply to pass tests at your school. There are so many more important skills to learn.”
    Beth smiled on one side and raised a matching brow. “You can’t argue with that kind of logic, Kaevin. I’d bet most of the kids at Buffalo Springs High would agree with you.”
*****
    With the moonlight once again illuminating the night, the remaining Water Clan warriors poured through the gate. Daegreth slid from his horse, approaching the opening on foot, his long sword in one hand and a sharpstop in the other. His blood was pounding in his ears such that he could barely make out the clanging swords and cries of battle. Inside the gate, a large numbers of bodies obstructed the entrance. Stepping over a figure, dead from an arrow to the chest, he felt a pang of recognition. The woman had been kind to him during the three-day journey, somehow connecting as a kindred spirit. He rejoiced that her trial had ended, wondering if she’d been longing for death as he had.
    He felt and heard an arrow pinging from the metal sharpstop lashed to his left arm and wished he could toss it to the ground. Yet his bond and his training combined to make him move swiftly away from the entrance, crouching behind his shield. He heartened to find Laegenshire was defending itself well.
    A loud roar drew his attention to a sizeable Stone Clansman wielding a heavy sword and cutting down Water Clansmen one after another as they attacked in waves. There. His target. Surely this man could best him in hand-to-hand battle. Testing his bond, he took a step toward the man and found he was free to attack. With a cry of exultation, Daegreth bounded toward him.
    However, moments before reaching his goal, he saw two Water Clan warriors struck by arrows while attempting to engage the behemoth of a man. Though neither arrow strike was fatal, both were easily overcome in their hampered state. He almost screamed in frustration as his body bounded toward the archer perched on a roof ledge. He knew it was imperative to Vindrake’s success to remove the bowman before he could pick off any more Water Clan warriors. The trim young warrior, clearly illuminated in the glowing moonlight as he stooped to retrieve a new quiver of arrows, would be no match for him in close combat.
    Climbing the trellis toward the roof, Daegreth attempted to produce a battle cry, but his blood fealty kept him silent as he ascended toward the unsuspecting archer. The noise of battle gave cover as the wood cross-planks creaked under his weight. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of what would happen next.
     
    Having already used up half his supply of arrows, Jireo strapped on a second quiver. He congratulated himself that not one of his arrows had been wasted yet. His new position allowed him a perfect opportunity to aid Morvaen on the ground, but he’d be vulnerable if an enemy archer spotted him. And