Demon Hunt

Chapter 2 Part 2

Auren blinked several times before she attempted to sit up. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, making the sky glow with a pinkish hue. Kado's hydrocar glided smoothly over the dark, choppy water. It was the only thing it did smoothly. Often he would travel in the open sea, which was dangerous for most people, but he possessed a lot of skill driving over the ocean. This time he coasted along one of the sea lanes, an unfamiliar island hovering in the distance. "Where are we?"

"Almost there," Kado said.

Auren yawned then frowned. "That's not what I asked."

He wore a conspiratorial grin as he glanced her way. "I want to see how well you've been studying the maps of the Serpent Isles. You can tell me where we are when we get there and begin our explorations."

Auren groaned. Kado seemed to turn every situation into a lesson. For once she would love it if he would enjoy himself without turning fun into work. She just finished school and wanted to forget about learning and tests. The finals that year were grueling, and there was still one year to go before she graduated from secondary school. She was afraid to think of what the finals would be like next year. Sometimes she worried she wouldn't graduate. Sure, she usually received good grades. Her foster father made sure of that, but the school hadn't released her final grades, so she wasn't sure how well she had done.

Kado's hydrocar sputtered. Auren rolled her eyes. She considered commenting on the importance of having a dependable vehicle, but his expression told her he wouldn't appreciate it at that moment. She would find time to hint at it later. Eventually he would give in. At least she hoped he would. She would get her license in the coming year and learning in a hydrocar that wasn't falling to pieces would be ideal. With her luck, this clunker would die on the highway her first time out.

Finally, they approached the ramp that would take them onto the island. Of course, since Kado's hydrocar was one of the older models, it had to be converted from sea to land mode manually. His hydrocar had wheels, unlike the newer ones that glided above the ground using some kind of new magnetic technology. He would have to use the lift, which would remove the vehicle from the water while it changed modes. There were at least 6 others ahead of them, so they would likely be waiting for at least an hour.

She shifted in the seat for the dozenth time since getting in line and frowned at the newer hydrocars speeding up the ramp. "Can I just swim to shore? It'll probably be faster."

"Sure, although the current will probably take you back to Appolia before you make it to the island. You might be swimming for a while, and I'm sure the water is cold. I don't think those snow pants will help you."

Auren stuck her tongue at him when he looked away. They wouldn't be waiting if he would simply buy a new hydrocar. It wasn't as if he couldn't afford one.

"Do we have anything to eat? I'm hungry."

Kado reached behind his seat and tossed his backpack into Auren's lap. She opened it and right on top was a tin with nuts in it. That would do. Closing the backpack, she dumped it over her head into the back. After grabbing a handful of the nuts, she offered the tin to Kado. He held up his hand, declining. She was about half way through the tin when she realized she was thirsty.

"Do we have any water?"

Kado motioned to the sea that surrounded them. Auren glared at him, eliciting laughter.

"There is fruit in my bag as well. We'll be getting water when we get to the island."

Eating helped pass some of the time, but three pieces of fruit may have been a mistake. Now Auren needed to relieve herself and there was nowhere to go. Worse there was still one car left in front of them. She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat and Kado chucked.