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

The Entrance to the Tunnel

"We're near the entrance," Aris whispered, feeling a small tingle at the base of her spine. The group, consisting of the chosen team and Lyra, stood in a forest outside the sanctuary, surrounded by darkness. Though it had been agreed the mer wouldn't join them, the plan was changed so that she would take them as far as she could through water. At the moment, she gazed around with alarmed eyes, fingers grasping her dagger's handle, and other hand controlling a ball of water inches from her palm. They had trekked for a mile already, and the lack of water was starting to get to Lyra.

"Oh, great, I can go back now," the mer said with a nervous laugh. She turned around, but was stopped by Klovic's hulking form.

"Not so fast," he told her. Glancing to Aris, he asked, "Where?"

"I can't tell exactly." She shrugged. The girl had been feeling better ever since the meeting – being with other people (well, more creatures) had helped her anger to dissipate, but a hurt feeling still lingered.

"Find it," Faril told her, then nodded at Lyra. "We need a way to contact you when we come back."

"Just go back to the lake. I'll be waiting."

Aris rolled her eyes and tuned them out. She tried to ignore the shadow elf's insensitive command and instead began searching the perimeter. She had no idea what she was looking for, but she could rely on the tingling fine. Not long after, she felt the sensation at its peak. If she reached out her hand, she had no doubt the entrance would light up the dark night. When calling the others over, she showed them where the entrance was.

"What's the Empire's position outside the rift?" Tilan asked Faril.

The elf took a glance at the hologram map and said, "A quarter mile north of here. They're in the midst of a forest, so I don't think they'll see the entrance's light."

Klovic nodded. "I'll go first. If there's a dragon on the other side of it, I'll be best suited to fight. Athryn, you come five minutes after."

The pitch black dragon, who was difficult to see in the shadowy night, lowered his head, light blue eyes blinking.

"The rest of you can decide who comes next." Klovic glanced to Faril. "Anything else I should know before going in?"

"I don't believe so," Faril responded, dropping his arm. The hologram disappeared.

As the arbres nodded and turned towards the entrance, Lyra asked, "Can I go back now?"

"Do what you wish, Lyra. Just make sure you're at the lake when we get there."

She nodded and turned tail, sprinting at an incredibly fast pace to her water. Aris was surprised that someone who swam all the time was that fast on land. Turning her attention back on Klovic, Aris watched as he first pushed his paw through the entrance and, once he got used to the feeling and brightness of it, he ducked inside wholly. The next five minutes was endured silently, but tensely. The girl wondered whether Klovic was fighting soldiers, or even a dragon, out there. She swallowed at the thought and subconsciously grabbed the bow slung around her shoulders.

"Athryn," Tilan said, voice barely above a whisper.

The dragon stared at the invisible entrance and nodded. His figure was larger than Klovic's – most likely double the arbers's size. As Athryn took majestic, slow steps forward, his ears twitched to the sounds of the forest. He was quicker in going through the entrance than Klovic had been. He had no hesitation; he just went right through. Once he was gone, Aris glanced at Faril and Tilan, the only two left besides her.