Read The Island on the Edge of Forever (The Epic of Aravinda Book 2) for Free Online

hadn’t.
    He continued to push through the thick blue forest, not entirely sure where he was going, like a madman full of energy and no plan.
    Maybe Asha was right. Maybe he was an idiot.
    Why had he assumed she would stay? In the moment, he felt like she had wanted to, but how could he be sure it wasn’t just his own wishful thinking? She would leave now, and he might never see her again.
    On top of that, he’d violated the trust of the observatory directors, the place he’d worked so hard to get assigned to. The place he believed he would do his best work. And now, with the Vakragha undoubtedly planning revenge, it was the only place on the islands where he would be able to detect their approach.
    Unless he could get to Navika.
    With Oonak’s starship, he could use the Tulari to solve the marauder problem forever. After all, the Tulari stone didn’t really have a choice. Just by flying it into an open wormhole, the Tulari would seal up the wormhole automatically. It was as natural as two opposing magnets repelling each other.
    But would Navika take him anywhere alone?
    He tried to stop his mind from racing. It was a crazy idea.
    Would Navika do it?
    Even if he would, it was reckless and dangerous.
    Completely crazy. Completely tempting, too.
    Ahead of him, he saw a limestone structure peek through the leaves, and soon found himself back behind his house.
    The question came to his mind once more.
    Would Navika take him?
    Perhaps with some convincing, he would. After all, Navika must have missed Oonak, too.
    Zahn sidled around to the front of the house, opened the front door, and crept up to his room as quietly as possible. In a strange moment of nostalgia, he opened his pack and noticed that most of what he’d brought on his first journey was still inside, with a few new additions, such as his resonator pistol with the small lens still jammed into its aperture. The light blue towel at the bottom of the pack was certainly worse for wear, too. But otherwise, all he needed was some water and more food, which he quickly got from his chest and the nearby washroom.
    As he put a couple of ripe purple avega fruits in a bag, he thought of his photodisc. He’d grown to miss it. Without it, he could no longer capture images of what he saw. Still, he didn’t regret that trade. The resonators had been vastly more useful.
    He put on the silver uniform and boots that Oonak had given him, took a deep breath, and walked up to the front door.
    Just before he opened it, his father walked up to him.
    “Son, there’s something we need to talk about,” Vivek said. “And why are you wearing that uniform?”
    Zahn sighed and turned around. “Sorry Dad, I’ve got to go. I’ll be back… later.”
    “No, Zahn! It’s important. We need to discuss this now.”
    A fire flashed behind Zahn’s eyes. “Asha told me what happened, Dad. I’ve been suspended from the observatory; and I can’t believe you wouldn’t tell me the moment you found out. I’ll be back later; I’m going for a walk.”
    Zahn opened the door and stormed down the path.
    “I’m sorry, Zahn. We’ll try to talk with them!” Vivek called down to him. “I know we can’t tell them the whole story, but we’ll think of something.” He watched as Zahn slipped into the forest, ignoring the paths. “Zahn! Where are you going?”
    But he had already disappeared. Within minutes, he found the shallow depression on the forest floor and felt for a certain spot until his hand stopped in midair.
    There it was, the starship that had taken them halfway across the galaxy and back, and now he would set off on a new mission.
    Alone.

CHAPTER5
     
    THE VAST EXPANSE OF OCEAN
     
     
    For a few moments he felt around for the entrance pad until a triangular door appeared in midair over the forest floor. Zahn’s eyes still burned with determination as the door rolled open, revealing the pure inner light of the ship.
    The details of his plan ran through his mind in a mad loop, and