Between The Crystals

Ch 54 Returning for Those Left Behind

Taking a deep breath, I got to my feet.

Merryl grabbed onto my hand. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I can't leave them out there, Mer," I quietly replied. "They trust me to return for them."

Slowly, her fingers loosened as her hands fell to her lap. Her eyes glistened as she met my gaze. "Be ready to bounce. I can't lose you."

I approached the crystal with trepidation. It had been almost two hours. The twenty left in my group and three from Merryl's should have gathered nearby by now. I just hoped the Saursune had left.

Various groups watched me go, most with worry in their eyes, but none stopped me. Even with my decision made, it was hard to convince myself to make the trip. A month ago, most porters wouldn't have risked rescuing those left behind when a Saursune was watching the crystal so closely. I kept reminding myself that Saursunes hadn't killed or even harmed a porter in several weeks.

I kept Sunrise Village firmly in the back of my mind in case I had to bounce, and my voice shook as I whispered, "Cedar Meadow."

Adrenaline washed through my veins, making my muscles quiver. My eyes strained against the haze as it cleared, fervently hoping I wasn't porting into an ambush. A handful of people stood near the trees in the direction I was facing, much farther away than normal. Still ready to bounce at a moment's notice, I spun around.

The Saursune was exactly where I had last seen it, only this time, its head rested on the grass, watching me in a rather sleepy fashion. The devices were still on the grass, just out of its reach. Two of the objects had a lot in common with the guards' scanner, although the three others were as foreign as the rest of their technology.

Turning sideways so I could keep the Saursune in my sight while also watching the hunters in the trees, I called to them, "Eleven of you come over. I'll come back for the rest shortly."

More hunters were already appearing among the shrubs as word spread of my return. Several began running toward me, others hesitated, then followed. As soon as eleven had gathered around and were connected, I bounced.

The greens turned to browns as we arrived in the safety of the Guard Station. The ache in my chest reappeared, although not much worse than last time, and nowhere near as bad as it should have after my last trip.

I was suddenly enveloped in a hug as Merryl attempted to squeeze the stuffing out of me. "You made it back!"

"The Saursune is still there," I said, trying to squirm out of my sister's relieved embrace. With my attempt to escape her hug unsuccessful, I turned my head to ask a hunter, "Is everyone else there? Or are some still out?"

"All of the remaining twelve are there," she told me. "They were just farther back in the trees. Thank you for coming back for us."

"You've never left me behind, even if something was chasing us," I told her. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll go back."

Voices hummed around us as people murmured, mostly in relief. Some in disbelief. I didn't particularly care what other villages thought of me going back for my group. Although I was quite certain Grant had found a whole bunch more words when Andre went home five minutes ago with the news of what I was about to do.

I finally pried myself out of my sister's arms and kept an eye on the crystal, secretly relieved that Andre wouldn't have enough strength to bring my adoptive father here. He'd tell me not to risk porting into a trap. Roxanne was—thankfully—waiting for my last trip before going home.

I fidgeted as I waited, anxious to return and whisk them to safety, but knowing they needed a few minutes to organize themselves. I really hoped the Saursune wasn't doing something in my absence.