Truths in a Rift (The Traveling Rifts Trilogy: Book Two)

The History of the Krälyis

Aris could barely remember the last time she had been alone in a rift. Of course, the others were still there, but it wasn't the same without them by her side. She briefly wondered what her parents were doing. How she wished she could have one of her mom's sandwiches packed in a backpack, as well as the usual four water bottles.

But she doubted she would have that any time soon.

As the girl's eyelids began to droop, and her gate shuffle, she stopped to rest. The sun was now just barely peeking through the sky, not a cloud to be found. Aris's blanket fell to her lap. The Glow Stick sat on its side to her right. Her dagger was spread across her legs. Her throat was drier than ever.

Despite the fact Aris had asked for more time, there was little hope she'd find anything. But she didn't want to give up. She couldn't. The book gave this location – this rift held the answers. Or at least she hoped it did. But then what if this was the answer? That her past was just as isolated and sad as this abandoned city?

Aris shivered, despite the fact that it was warming up again. In desperation, the girl put on one last spurt of energy and got to her feet. She struggled a few yards, and finally stopped in front of a door to one of the skyscrapers. Before she looked for the lever that would open it, though, Aris's eyes were drawn to etchings at the center of it. It was just like the symbol on the first door she had seen in this rift. Thinking back, the girl remembered seeing it several times.

Unfortunately, the dried mud covered too much of it for Aris to see. She looked down at the knife in hand and a small smile flickered across her features for the first time in hours. She put the blade to the door and began scraping.

Minutes went by. The seconds ticked in her brain. Once she couldn't chip any more dirt away, the girl tried rubbing it away with her blanket. Unfortunately, even then, she could barely make out what it was. She needed water to clean it. Water she didn't have. All she could make out was a large circle, and a few random squiggles.

"Aris."

With wide eyes, the dragon keeper whirled around. With a gulp, she stepped back. Raven stood in front of her.

The elf looked worse than he had yesterday. Aris didn't know that an elf's eyes could become bloodshot, but his sure looked like it. His black hair was a greasy mess, and his clothes were still torn and stained.

"Raven?" she asked uncertainly.

"I can't rest anymore," he said hoarsely.

She nervously looked at the rising sun. "Are you sure you should-"

"I'm not resting!" he said in a loud voice.

Aris took another step back, feeling her body align with the door. Raven half turned, shoulders slumping.

"Sorry. I... I just keep thinking about..."

About Astil, Aris finished in her mind. She didn't dare voice it, though.

"I found something," he told her, then walked away. After a moment of hesitation, Aris followed.

The shadow elf led the girl through several alleyways and down a few roads until he stopped.

"Why are we at the city center?" Aris asked, turning get a full view of her surroundings.

The two stood in the middle of four wide roads. Buildings reached for the sky from every side. The road itself was circular, with the same etchings in it. It was beginning to drive her crazy that she couldn't see what it was.