The Omega Children - The Return of the Marauders (A young adult fiction best seller): An Action Adventure Mystery by Shane Mason Read Free Book Online Page A

to lead the way, though he only trotted a few feet past her, halted and dropped his jaw open. He stared out over the naked hills below, worry evident on his dirt stained face and shook his head.
    ‘It’s gone. But that is impossible….Unless, but no, I could never.’
    He threw his pack off and rummaged in it and produced a compass and a map.
    ‘Wait here.’ He dashed back up the slope into the wind. ‘And don’t move.’
    ‘Sit. Rest,’ Melaleuca said and sidled along the hillside to try and see what Argus was up to.
    Quixote and Lexington flopped down and Ari joined Melaleuca.
    ‘I don’t often see you unsure,’ Ari said.
    ‘I have never had to re-check my decisions either.’
    Much had changed in such a short time. Melaleuca looked out on the swamp land, emotionless and lost in thought.
    ‘That’s unlike you,’ Ari said.
    ‘This is new.’ Her hawk eyes moistened. ‘It feels like I have to learn to trust, again. I can’t...just...can’t explain it.’
    The time had arrived for their playing to stop and now a realness not experienced by them before, lay ahead. Yet playing, as her mother had explained to her away from the others, was one of their best strengths.
    Got to trust.
    ‘I know what your mum said,’ Ari said, placing his hand on her shoulder. ‘You have to unite us don’t you, especially those two.’ He pointed to Quixote and Lexington.
    ‘Unite...yes. Those two? Yes. And me and Lexington. She is upset that my instincts disagree with her conclusions.’
    ‘She thinks too much. We all know that. We all need a clearing, especially her. Too many changes too fast and she cannot think straight.’
    ‘She is right to suspect. Our parents have hidden a lot from us. I have known this for a number of years but told no one. I knew our parents would tell us when...’ She stopped mid sentence realising she never knew. ‘Well…they would have told us.’
    A disconsolate Argus returned and sat down.
    ‘Something ill natured is at hand here.’
    ‘What is it?’ Melaleuca asked.
    His steely jaw underlined his pursed lips and she could tell he was unsure about telling them.
    ‘Tell us if we are to trust you.’
    Argus flicked his head down hill. ‘Last night there was a forest covering this entire hill. Now it’s gone.’
    ‘Forests don’t disappear overnight,’ Lexington said.
    ‘Really! This...’ He held up the compass and map. ‘...says otherwise.’
    A large shadow moved over the land toward Melaleuca and then crossed over them.
    ‘Look,’ Ari said and jabbed his finger skyward.
    The Kockoroc dived toward the ground in a beeline though spread its wings wide, breaking its dive, and brought itself to a mid-air halt, gliding down in a gentle motion. Its massive feathered body loomed above Melaleuca and her cousins, with Argus’s head barely coming up to its underbelly. Power radiated off it and a haughty arrogance swam about it. It opened and shut its beak as it clicked and cackled.
    Melaleuca struggled for a feeling on it and then Quixote flashed into her mind, though too late.
    He leapt forward and cried out, ‘A giant’s pet bird. Let’s ride it.’
    The Kockoroc swivelled its head fast. The feathers on its neck rose and its glassy brown eyes demanded to know who dared to approach. Ari tackled Quixote to the ground and they both rolled forward, halting at its feet. Melaleuca felt Lexington huddle behind her.
    ‘I just know Quixote will get us killed one day,’ Lexington said.
    ‘Don’t move,’ Ari said to Quixote.
    ‘It’s not going to hurt us,’ said Melaleuca and before Lexington could hassle her she added, ‘Yes I felt it and decided it to be true.’
    Argus rushed forward to protect the boys.
    ‘Wait Argus,’ Melaleuca said.
    The Kockoroc spread it wings and arched its neck, squawking and pecking at Argus.  Argus ducked like a boxer avoiding a punch and moved away.
    ‘Bloody menace.’
    The Kockoroc clicked and bent its head down, nudging Quixote playfully, even