4. P R O T E C T O R S : Primordial

CHAPTER XII

Camilla yawned and sat up, rising from her nap.

It was nearly midnight, according to her phone... and her friends still hadn't returned. She sighed, scanning the cave. Zechariah was curled up in cheetah form, sleeping on the floor, while Snake slept on a mushroom in an awkward position, snoring loudly and drooling.

Then, suddenly, without warning, there was an explosion of fire and lightning right in front of the Cervidian, causing her to scream and recoil.

The fire, electricity, and smoke faded after a moment, revealing the Avatars and Worthy, all of whom instantly began speaking avidly (save for the unconscious Anikova, who was carried by Endar).

Camilla scanned the group for a moment... and then, finally, she saw Autumn, limping and leaning on Gustav. "Autumn!" she shrieked, happy tears springing in her eyes as she lunged toward her cousin.

Autumn smiled wearily, removing his arm from around Gustav's shoulder and allowing himself to fall into Camilla's embrace. "Hey, Cam," he said in a sleepy voice. "Howzit hangin', huh?"

"Oh, thank GOD," Camilla breathed, squeezing Autumn tight as tears ran down her face. "I thought you weren't coming back!"

"Who, me?" Autumn let out a weak laugh. "C'mon, Cam. I'm tough as nails."

Camilla laughed as well, pulling away from Autumn and looking at Gustav gratefully. "You kept your promise," she said quietly, giving him a tearful smile.

"Yes, well, so did Addison and the chairwoman," Gustav replied with a shrug. "I was just one part of it."

Camilla shook her head at the Serpian's modesty. "C'mere," she ordered, walking toward him with her arms extended.

Gustav sighed and accepted the hug, then turned bright red as Camilla surprised him with a kiss on the cheek—and on his scarred cheek, no less. "That's for staying positive," she murmured in his ear.

Gustav cleared his throat, the red in his face deepening. "Es war nichts," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

-

"Is she gonna be okay?" Addison asked, watching as Endar laid Anikova on a mushroom.

"She vill be fine," Iev assured the Northwestern Havenite. "She may have concussion, da? But othervise fine."

"Dis girl fought like volf," Zhorah said proudly. "Ve are proud to call her 'comrade'."

Suddenly, Anikova coughed and turned onto her side, retching. Shockingly (and unnervingly), the gooey remains of what appeared to be tentacles and eyeballs spilled out of her mouth and onto the floor of the cave.

"Whoa!" Addison cried, jumping back before the vomit could touch his feet. "What the heck?!"

Anikova continued to cough and then let out a pained groan. "Vhat... vhat's going on?" she rasped, rolling over and staring at her friends. "Endar? Iev? Zhorah? Vhere am I?"

"Ve are back in Crystal Cave," Endar answered, grinning. "Ve defeated squid man and his veekling children!"

"Squid man?" Anikova said, confused. "Crystal Cave? Vat are you talking about?" She looked over at Addison and asked, "And who are you? And vhy do you have wings?"

Addison and Endar glanced at each other. "You... don't remember?" Addison asked, slightly disappointed.

Anikova shook her head. "I only remember going for valk on Haven outskirts, and den... nothing," she admitted. "Did someting happen?"