19
Max winced with every step. They'd been walking for hours. His legs felt like jelly and his shoes rubbed against the blisters on the back of his heels, but it was important to keep moving if they were going to get Milo back.
The problems kept getting bigger. He was running out of solutions. Now that Oxworth had the earth stone, the need to speak with his parents was stronger than ever. But, it was too dangerous. He might as well hand over the Blood Diamond, because the possibility of getting trapped in the Shadowlands was too great. He had to figure this out on his own.
Milo has the earth stone, he thought. Were the other stones connected to kids?
Tommy moaned loudly, pulling him out of his thoughts.
“Can we stop for a few minutes?” he asked. He slumped to the forest floor forcing
