Book of Praan: Volume 1

Chapter 6

Aryen looked disapprovingly from Alexis to me and back as we walked. "You should have told me," he said quietly. "That's what I'm here for."

Alexis waved his concern away. "But we're fine," she said.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "But from what it sounds like, you marched right into a trap." He moved his hand to look back up at us. "Clearly someone figured you would return to the shop after you realized the Book was missing."

My eyes widened slightly. I never considered that. "You mean," I began slowly, "that someone killed the storeowner to get to us?" I felt sick.

Aryen looked as though he wanted to say something but saw my expression and thought better of it. "It wasn't your fault," he said instead. "If the man's story was true, then Li's agents have been watching him for a while. They just happened to choose now to attack, and without the proper defenses or warning...." He trailed off.

I nodded to convey my understanding but couldn't help feeling responsible. If only Alexis and I had been a little bit faster, we could have saved the owner. Or if we had never gone to begin with, the trap wouldn't have been sprung, and the old man wouldn't have gotten sucked into a cursed vortex.

"We gotta figure out who did this," Alexis said, breaking me out of my thoughts. "They'll probably lead us back to the Book. And besides," Alexis added with a solemn, determined expression, "we owe it to the old man."

We were silent for a few more moments as we continued on to Landon Park. Francesca had called me after school that day, sounding a bit frantic until Alexis and I agreed to meet her in the city – of course, Aryen insisted on tagging along, per Wenn's orders. Why Francesca was in this part of Cassendra was anyone's guess, and we all hoped that she was okay.

Once we were at the entrance of the park, we could see large, inflatable tents being set up and people leading animals around aimlessly. There was a chain link fence surrounding the area with a single opening directly ahead of us that was being manned by a pair of security guards.

"Why would she tell us to meet her at a fair?" Alexis asked rhetorically, echoing my thoughts exactly.

I shrugged and looked around. "I don't see her anywhere, either."

I whipped out my phone again, but before I could call her back, she sent me a text: We're behind the funhouse. "Apparently, they're behind the funhouse," I repeated. We all looked up at the security monitoring the gate.

"I don't suppose we can just walk in, can we?" Aryen asked. Alexis and I shook our heads. "Of course not," he added with a sigh. "Follow me, then." And he walked forward, just like that. Without much choice, Alexis and I followed along behind him. He led us to a nearby tree bordering the fairgrounds and looked around to make sure the coast was clear before hopping up into the tree. "Come on," he said, reaching down to offer us a hand.

Alexis took it and leapt up into the tree after him. Aryen helped her to the other side before turning back to me. I only smirked up at him in return.

"I got this," I said confidently. I reached up to make a pulling motion towards me, and a sturdy branch bent down, changing shape slightly so that I could step on it. I waved my hand again, and the branch brought me gently to the other side. "See?" I said once I was standing beside Alexis.

"I'm actually impressed," Aryen called before jumping down to join us.

"Yeah, well, you know what they say about practice," I said casually. "Anyway, let's get going."