Island of Darkness Read Online Free Page B

Sakovans as I was?”
    “I was rescued by a Fakaran fisherman,” explained Mistake.
    “Fakara?” frowned MistyTrail. “But that is so far away from here. How could it be from the same boat?”
    “Fakara is not that far by water,” shrugged Mistake. “Only if you travel by land is it so far away. Besides, I have a magical carozit that can prove that you are my family. It was given to me by the Sage of the Mountain in Fakara.”
    “Show it to me,” demanded MistyTrail.
    Mistake took the carozit from her pack and showed it to MistyTrail. She told of her trip to the Sage of the Mountain and how the carozit proved that Rejji and Bakhai were brothers. The sisters spoke for a long time before HawkShadow interrupted.
    “It is important for StarWind to return to StarCity to find out what is happening with the Omungans,” he said. “This stop is eating up valuable time.”
    “But I have just met Mistake,” frowned MistyTrail. “How can you ask me to continue my patrols now?”
    “I could not,” smiled HawkShadow. “Go with them to StarCity, little one. I will take over the task of patrolling the Sakova. You have had more than your fair share of it while I was in Khadora.”
    “Really?” brightened MistyTrail as she ran over and hugged HawkShadow. “Thank you, HawkShadow.”
    Mistake walked over and hugged HawkShadow, too. When he looked down at her, the little thief grinned and winked at him. HawkShadow laughed and shook his head.
    “The Sakova will never be the same with two elves running around in it,” he chuckled.
    “I am not an elf,” pouted Mistake.
    “There are no elves,” added MistyTrail with a grin.
    * * *
    Aakuta stood in the darkness of the trees at the mouth of the Meliban River in Fakara. He watched as the small sailboat grew larger as it approached the coastline. He stood unmoving as he kept watch on the progress of the small craft. He nodded with satisfaction when he saw that a single person occupied the sailboat. When the boat made a slight turn at the delta of the great river, Aakuta moved swiftly but silently to an area close to where it would beach. As the boat slid onto the beach, Aakuta threw off his hood and marched towards it.
    “You are late,” greeted Aakuta. “I have been waiting for days for you to arrive.”
    “Who are you?” the foreign mage asked as he looked up at Aakuta. “Are you Brakas?”
    “No,” Aakuta answered as he closed the distance between the sailor and himself. “Brakas is at Vandegar Temple. I am Aakuta. Welcome to Fakara.”
    “I do not need your welcome,” spat the newcomer as his eyes scanned the beach in both directions. “Get me some wood to build a fire. This boat must be destroyed.”
    “In a bit,” smiled Aakuta as he stopped in front of the sailor. “I thought you would like a bit to eat after your long journey. I have food in my pack. What are you called?”
    “Smarc,” the man answered with annoyance. “What do you have to eat?”
    “Freshly boiled clova,” smiled Aakuta as he took off his pack and rummaged through it. “Did it take a long time to voyage here?”
    “Days,” the sailor said distractedly as he watched Aakuta unwrapped the boiled clova. “Why did Brakas not come himself?”
    “He was unable to make it,” shrugged Aakuta as he gazed up at the sun to get his bearings and then peered at the horizon in the direction the sailboat had come from.
    Mentally calculating the direction, and guessing the distance by the abbreviated estimate of travel time, Aakuta realized that he could not spare the clova for the foreign mage. He would need the food for his journey. He stopped unwrapping the clova and wrapped it back up.
    “What are you doing?” scowled the Smarc. “Give me the clova.”
    Aakuta dropped the wrapped clova on the beach. The foreign mage snarled and bent down to pick up the food. Aakuta’s hands grabbed Smarc around his neck. He swiftly lifted the man off the sand and smiled when he heard the snap of bones