Return To Sky Raven (Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

what happens.”
    Maya nodded in agreement as we transitioned from bright sunlight to moist, humid forest gloom. The trail was still good, other than being largely obscured by decades of leaf litter and fallen branches. Enough light filtered through the scintillating movement of leaves to illuminate the tree line a dozen feet on either side of the road. I took a deep breath; it smelled like forest to me. Maya, however, jerked strangely and made a “hssst” sound before suddenly fading from view, her armor going transparent. It barely registered that she had slipped off the mare and was gone. Not a twig snapped or a blade of grass moved to mark her departure.
    I pulled up the stallion, slid out of the saddle and hurriedly un-dogged my shield from its tethers. Looking at the two confused chipmunks, I whispered, “Back in the pack, you two, and stay there! I’m not sure what alarmed Maya, but it shouldn’t be anything we can’t handle. The big guy here will protect you, but if he goes down for any reason, Lin, you and Jules turn into small birds or something and get back to camp. Don’t even think about trying to fight.”
    They obediently returned to the saddlebag as I removed my helm from the belt clip and looked at a confused Nia. “Better armor up, girl - something doesn’t feel right here.”
    She nodded mutely from her perch, and I heard her mutter the activation words “Combat Pixie” under her breath. Instantly, she was enveloped in a silvery outfit of pixie-sized plate with her two swords in a crossed pattern sticking out above her shoulders. Her helm, patterned after Maya’s, completed the look. But unlike my dark elf, Nia usually kept her faceplate locked open so it didn’t cover her face.
    I quickly tied the reins of both horses back so they wouldn’t get tangled in the brush, effectively giving them their heads to act independently. Shield in hand and war hammer out, I walked cautiously in the direction we were travelling, warhorses following alertly behind. The forest under the canopy was almost totally silent; no bugs, birds, squirrels, or anything else moved. It was like the world was holding its breath.
    “Mister Alex, this isn’t right,” Nia intoned quietly. “We should have been challenged by now, and this quiet is downright spooky. Do you want me to fly ahead and see what’s going on?”
    “No, Nia, Maya is scouting it out. Let’s give her time to do what she likes best, but you keep a sharp eye out to the sides and rear, and I will continue on point. How far to the pixie village?”
    “It’s not really like a human village with streets and houses. It’s just a stand of comfortable old fir trees that we persuaded the woodpeckers and owls to cut some cozy holes in high up near the tops. It’s been used for generations by my people, the R’dontha.”
    “Alex, Maya is approaching the place that you and Nia are discussing. It appears to be in some disarray but abandoned recently. The feeling of wrongness about this area is very strong. She sends you warm feelings but wants you to proceed with extreme caution.”
    “Thank you, Winya,” I said, as we continued. A couple hundred yards further down the road, Nia tapped the side of my helmet and pointed off the trail.
    “That way to the pixie roost.”
    “Alex, Maya has climbed to the top of a large tree to get a better look around. There appear to be some carrion birds circling an area to the west of the pixie homes. Please ask Nia if there is a second encampment in that direction.”
    I relayed that information to Nia and she shook her head. “No, there is only one camp; the only thing to the west is the Mother Tree.”
    “What’s the Mother Tree?” I asked, sensing that Winya was listening in and would pass the information on to Maya if it was important.
    Nia’s complexion darkened in some embarrassment. “It’s not something we generally broadcast to outsiders, but I guess you guys are my family.” She shook her head and