Read Online The Source: Book III of the Holding Kate Series by LaDonna Cole - Free Book Online Page B

plowing a row with his snout, Brashtor’s spear buried deep in his chest. Tara leapt on him and drove her sword into his brain to finish the work. Starlythe and Staid relaxed from their fighting poses and grinned at her. Trip walked up to the side of the dragon’s neck, and Tara executed a spinning jump, landing in his arms as she had done numerous times in the arena.
    Brashtor walked up and said something in their language. Tara and Starlythe threw back their heads and laughed.
    Tara explained to Trip, “He says now he knows where Starlythe got her dragon slaying tendencies from.”
    Trip grunted, distracted by Tara’s nearness. She hadn’t been this close to him in a long time. He’d forgotten how incredibly blue her eyes were, almost lavender. A familiar pang lanced through his chest when he set her down on the ground. She stilled, in awkward hesitation. Tension spiked between them, then they both took a step apart. Trip tucked his fist into his pocket. Tara pivoted her face away but he thought pink flushed across her cheeks. It might have been from the fight, though. Probably was .
    They scanned the campus. Quiet blanketed the destruction. Monsters lay in heaps of smoke and blood, uprooted trees and mangled buildings spread across the horizon. The warriors waited, watching the skies. No more spheres fell, so they hiked toward the center of town and met up with Chaps and Dirk.
    “They’re all dead.”
    “Even the giant insects?” Tara asked.
    “I hope so. That would be a horrible infestation, I wonder if Orkinex would even touch it?” Chaps laughed a bit hysterically. He had a large gash across his cheek and several burn patches on his clothes. His Stetson still smoked.
    Trip surveyed the village and saw most of the Keepers and Chartreuse team and several other jumpers and campers. Kate and Corey were nowhere in sight. Some of the Cheleuthi warriors were missing too.
    “Where’s Corey and Kate?” Trip asked just as Mel and Eunavae approached.
    Chaps nodded toward the Chapel, “Basement.” He pointed. “Corey said the monsters were targeting Kate.”
    “Urgh!” Tara growled.
    “True. The giant thingy called her by name,” Mel said grimacing at green viscous fluid splattered on her sleeve.
    Dirk whistled and wiped his brow of blood, sweat and what appeared to be zombie parts. Tara translated for the Cheleuthi, while Trip stared at the Chapel, expecting Corey and Kate to come out at any moment. Unease balled his fists. When they didn’t come out he started moving toward the Chapel. Starlythe jogged to catch up, giving him a nod of affirmation when he glanced at her. She was also worried about them.
    When the two got to the basement, they saw no evidence of their whereabouts. Chaps met them at the back door as they emerged.
    “They aren’t here Chaps,” Trip said.
    “I didn’t see them leave.”
    “Do you think a sphere came for them?”
    “I don’t—” He tilted his hat and scratched his head. “I don’t think so. I don’t remember hearing any spheres after I left them.”
    “Where are they?”
    “Corey said he was taking Kate to safety as soon as possible. Maybe they jumped.”
    Trip touched Starlythe’s arm. “Come on.” He motioned with his head in the direction of the others, and she nodded.
    They met the Keepers and the Cheleuthi warriors in the middle of the street. “They aren’t here.”
    “Candol and Stealthlin are missing too,” Eunavae said.
    “They were with Corey and Kate.” Chaps took his singed hat off and wiped his head with a bandana.
    “Let’s get back to First Cabin. I have a feeling they jumped and that is why the spheres have stopped falling here,” Tara surmised. “You got this?” she asked Chaps.
    “Yeah, y’all go on and find ‘em. We got plenty of help for cleanup.”
    They retrieved a couple of undamaged golf carts from the garage, hopped in, and rushed back home.
    Wallace, bent over a contraption that looked like an encyclopedia-sized cell phone,