Page 7 (1/2)

Chapter 7

I woke several hours later feeling slightly disoriented The sunlight strea It had been a while since I was able to sleep that soundly Oddly, the night were absent I sat up, slowly pushing the heavy sleeping bag off ofdown on the tentbag unnecessary My friends were still dead to the world, so I quietly crawled out the narrow flap trying to avoid their legs on ly quite as I looked toward the fire pit Jai fire drinking what s orously, instantlyand I yearned for its heat, but e back at the tent

"Krista, co my dile the spot beside her "What’s your poison, coffee or hot cocoa?" She asked, indicating the two different kettles on the rill that perched on the rocks over the fire

"Urateful that they were trying to act nor cup of "liquid gold" betweenfirewood over there," Jaiood thing you’re fro," I said, trying to keep the"The rest of the guys went out to scout the mountain and Haniel will be back by dusk"

"Did he say when you guys are going to go find Victor’s lair?" I asked, casually studying the rich coffee in uys to o wrong He has instructed each Protector to grab their Guide and separate fro him," Kieran said in a scared voice

I couldn’t blaency plan Was it even possible for Victor to defeat Haniel? A brief mental picture of Haniel’s lifeless body thrown to the side of the habout it Haniel wassnuffed out was enough to make the hot coffee in uess that reen my face had taken on

I nodded my consent It was important that the Links use whatever means necessary to continue on

"So, how are all the kids?" I asked, steering the conversation away fro quickly," Jaime said enthusiastically "Here, I will show you some pictures on my phone before it officially dies"

I oohed and aahed over the pictures of the kids at different stages of play Without knowing any of them personally, I could clearly pick out as linked to who brown haired, brown eyed boy perched on a swing He was gazing toward the sky as if he was trying to understand the an," Jai over my shoulder

"What a cutie," I said in a choked voice I felt a keen connection with hi to upset Jaime, I flipped to the next picture and s next to the irl I had ever seen She looked about two and yet, her hair hung halfway down her back in great big ringlets She and Tiht thele so both their faces were lit up and their eyes shined with mirth The picture reminded me of the cute black-and-white style that had been popular with greeting cards for a while

Jaian As you can tell, they’re two peas in a pod They’re never far from each other’s side if they can help it and boy are they both mischievous," she said fondly

"They’re so cute," I said, still studying the picture

"They are, and both are so good-natured except for their ht, Timmy still misses his parents, but it’s aler I’ve been exposed to this life and our connections my whole life and yet, their bond even surprises me Even at only two years old, it seean already kno to dissipate Ti away a stray tear

I finished scrolling through the pictures and finally handed the phone over to Jaiave out "Oops, sorry, I used the rest of your battery"

"That’s okay, Paul bought o try it out," she said, heading toward her tent

"So, Krista, how’s your et a chance to ask you yesterday" Jenna asked

"She’s good," I said, trying to gloss over the turmoil I had left behind

"Really?" Jenna asked in her uncanny way of knohen she wasn’t getting the whole truth

"Okay, ht like I proet here, but I’ve become quite proficient at that," I added sarcastically

"I’m sorry it had to co the ground atto Lynn They both seeet to the root of a situation without even trying

"Krista, I know you hate talking about these neers of yours, but I want you to knoe are all extremely proud of the way you’ve handled yourself"

"Thanks," Iasha the subject of their gossip that I had kept theth

"I just don’t want to let you guys down," I finally admitted "I know my hybrid powers are insane, but I just don’t want everyone to count on thereatest fear

"Krista, we’re not expecting you to protect all of us We would never put that kind of pressure on you," Kieran broke in, reaching for h I don’t want to lose you I know it’s cruel of me to say that since I didn’t lose my link, but we all love you so est blow any of us have ever felt"

"How can that be? You guys have lost Links froering to all of us, but you’re our Gift," she added, holding up her hand as I tried to scoff "Deny if you must, but it’s true…"

Any further conversation was cut off asus as the others returned fro with activity as breakfast preparations began I noticed for the first tione I looked at Shawn questioningly

"Haniel told us it would no longer be necessary Victor won’t eain now that you defeated the pleased about my powers for once "It’ll be nice not to have to worry about icky bugs," I said, feelinglook "Okay, being a freaky hybrid has it perks," I ad We’ll have you ad how cool you are in no tiht, Sled as he exaggerated his walkhio withthe two oversized jugs we had brought along

"Sure," I said, ju to my feet enthusiastically, happy to have a chance to chat with him

The stream was about a half-a-mile up the mountain from our caot to the sits way down to the base of theso we could talk