Read Online Kilenya Series Books One, Two, and Three by Andrea Pearson - Free Book Online Page A

appreciating the beauty of the morning and tranquility of the thin forest. The sun was bright, but not too warm, and the sky was almost cloudless. The leaves and grass glowed light green in the sunny morning light, and there were flowers everywhere.
    After several minutes of walking, the trail turned sharply upward and looked like it would be difficult for about a hundred feet or so. Large weeds and underbrush grew over the path, and they had to push their way through.
    “Not . . . much . . . farther,” Akeno said, panting.
    As predicted, the path stopped. The sheer canyon wall rose up before them, with a gaping hole in it and broken boards on either side of the hole. The boards appeared to have been ripped off, and several were strewn across the ground. The canyon wall was solid rock, and the hole looked man-made.
    Jacob picked up one of the smaller pieces of board. The wood was attractive, somehow, in its coloring. It was very light brown, with silver streaks flowing through the grain and was thick and sturdy. “I’m guessing this is where the Lorkon came in.”
    “Yes, this is the entrance.” Akeno said. He motioned to the wood in Jacob’s hand. “That comes from the Kaede tree—the same tree which produces the healing sap.”
    “Oh, yeah. The sap smells like maple syrup. Why’s that?”
    “It’s a type of maple tree—but don’t eat it. It tastes disgusting.” He laughed—probably at a memory. “The trees are awesome. They’re grown naturally, but with some . . . help from Makalos.” He smiled. “Rezend makes them grow stronger than other trees, and steel develops in the grain, making it nearly unbreakable.”
    “It looks really cool,” Jacob said.
    He dropped the board and studied the area. The ground had leveled, forming a small meadow in front of the entrance. There were only a few trees up here, and they looked as though they had some type of horrible disease. Their leaves were shriveled, the bark had a slight red shade, and the grass around them was yellowed.
    “It’s sad to see the trees like this,” Akeno said. “Normally, Kaede trees live through everything.”
    “The Lorkon did it?”
    Akeno nodded. “Let’s get going.” He walked to the tree closest to the entrance, putting his hand on it for a moment. A frustrated expression crossed his face. “I can’t sense anything. I hate running blind like this.” He frowned at the tree, then turned to Jacob. “Are you ready?”
    “I guess so,” Jacob said. “I can’t tell which emotion is stronger right now—nervousness or excitement.”
    “Me neither.” Akeno motioned to the hole. “After you.”
    “I’ve got a better idea. You go first, and I’ll make sure no one kills us from behind.”
    “Right,” Akeno said, laughing. He entered the tunnel.
    The hole was the perfect height for Akeno, but Jacob had to duck to get through. It was cool and dark inside, and Jacob’s eyes had just enough time to adjust when suddenly the tunnel ended.
    Akeno stopped abruptly and Jacob ran into him, squinting in the brightness of the sun. Looking ahead, his jaw dropped.
    “Whoa,” he said, eyes wide.
     
     
     

Chapter 6. Infected
     
     
    We finally managed to contact the Makalo patriarch and beg his assistance. Luckily, he is just as determined as we are to remove the Lorkon from our land. The Lorkon have amassed a huge force, and the patriarch is sending an army of Makalos to assist in the war that is surely coming.
     

     
    The trees on the other side of the tunnel were dead, misshapen, and shriveled. They were almost painful to look at. The land around the trees also appeared to be dead, and there were animal carcasses strewn across the ground. The stench was so strong that Jacob’s stomach lurched, and a sharp feeling of nausea hit him.
    All of this, however, was not what had caught Jacob off guard.
    Everything—including the sky—was completely devoid of color.
    Coming up beside Akeno, Jacob was disturbed to see that the Makalo,