The Crystal Chronicles and The Lost Temple

Chapter 1 part 2: Going Down Swinging

Hey guys! Here is part 2 of chapter 1. As always if you are interested in purchasing the book and reading ahead, please click the external link to my bookstore. Happy reading! :)

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"You know, guys, sooner or later we should make this really useful thing called a plan," I said four hours later. I was trying to draw Amber's attention away from the window and Haven's attention away from a book about the rainforest. I had already tried twice to wake Zack, who was passed out next to me, but I had no luck. The flight to Manaus was an eight-hour journey, and the closer we got to landing, the more anxious I grew. We had no plan, no destination – all we really had were four backpacks and a magical stone. I hoped it would be enough.

"Right." Haven closed his book. "I've been thinking. We can't go into the rainforest alone. We need to find someone who knows the rainforest, like an experienced guide."

"You want to hire a tour guide," I said slowly, "to lead us through the rainforest while we look for an ancient earth crystal?"

"Yes." Haven nodded. "That's exactly what I mean."

"We would need to brief a mortal guide, which is against the law – and dangerous." It wasn't like any of us exactly cared about the law. But, as I'd learned from personal experience, mortals didn't take well to learning an entire Supernatural empire existed within their little world.

"Exactly," he said. "So, hire an Elemental guide instead."

"But we have a highly trained Terran with us!" Amber protested, gesturing to her brother, who mumbled something in his sleep.

"Right." Haven peered down the aisle. "The same Terran who spent his time at Magnorium partying, drinking, and sleeping during class?"

"We don't need a tour guide because we're not taking a tour." Amber insisted. "Look, Zack doesn't act like it, but he knows his element better than any other Terran." I believed her. Zack had creamed Amber and Haven in a team battle – with very little help from me – back at Magnorium.

"We wouldn't last the night," Haven said firmly. He was right, whether Amber wanted to admit it or not. While Zack was powerful, he was hardly equipped to lead us into one of the largest rainforests on the planet.

"I don't even think we would last half a day," I said, shrugging.

"You're right," Haven agreed. "I'm being generous. I'd give it two hours."

"I'm so flattered. You guys have too much faith in me," Zack said dryly, sitting up and stretching his neck.

"Stop pretending to be asleep," Amber snapped. "We're landing soon, and we all need to agree on a plan."

"It's fine! Let the control freak make the plan."

Haven made a face. "I'm not a control freak."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Of course."

"Great," Zack exclaimed. "Brief me when we land." He turned over, repositioned his head, and closed his eyes.

I withheld a sigh. Zack hadn't wanted to come on the quest from the start. He was adored at Magnorium. He practically ran the school, and no one told him what to do, not even the teachers like Mrs. Musk. I didn't blame him for his reluctance. He was putting himself in danger and joining us on a quest that most Elementals deemed impossible. Zack wasn't like Amber or Haven, who had a long-running vendetta against the Society. He wasn't fueled by revenge, questions, or responsibility. The only thing that ever seemed to fuel Zack Travie was his sister. And I knew Amber was the only reason Zack was passed out next to me, miles away from the safety of the life he had always known.