Page 77 of Perilous Healing

“You too, Bradyn.”

Michael comes rushing over next, his face shining with sweat. “See, and here we thought you guys were in danger, but instead you’re over here taking an afternoon swim.”

I hug my friend, then step back as he embraces Bianca.

“How did you know where to find us?” I ask.

“We’ve been camped outside the gates for about four days now, trying to find a way in. When we saw you come out, we figured this was as good a chance as any.”

I raise my hand and wave at my youngest cousin, Tucker, who stays by the guards.

Glancing down at Bradyn’s service dog, I offer the dog a smile. “Glad to see you got my message.”

“Asking about Bravo was a smart move,” Bradyn replies, patting the top of his dog’s head. The animal looks up at him, tongue hanging out, complete adoration in his eyes.

“Thanks, Bravo,” I tell the pup, who wags his tail. “How is Eloise? Is she okay?”

“She’s good,” Michael replies. “With Lance and Eliza. She’s ready for you to come home though. We all are.”

Bradyn’s radio beeps.

“You get them? Over.”

“Elijah?” I ask, recognizing the voice.

“We got ’em, over,” Bradyn calls out. “Your buddy is showing Dylan a few tricks with the equipment.”

“Elijah will do that.” The weight of everything I’m carrying starts to lift just slightly. With them here, we stand a chance at freeing the people back at the camp, and we’re no longer in this alone. I glance upward. Not that we ever really were.

Abana clears her throat, so I look back at her. “We need to return to the camp or they’ll come looking for us.”

“Go back?” Bradyn questions. “You don’t have to go back.”

“I cannot risk my people,” she replies.

Idra begins speaking quickly, his tone panicked.

She responds to him, and his tone eases. “I told him that they do not have to return,” she says to us. “Is that true?’

“Yes,” Bradyn replies. “None of you do.”

“I cannot leave my people behind,” she repeats.

“You aren’t,” I reply, looking to Bianca. She reaches out and threads her fingers through mine, then squeezes my hand. I turn back to my cousin. “Who all’s here? There’s something we need to do before we go.”

Chapter24

Bianca

“Your vitals look great.” Caleb offers me a smile as he uses hand sanitizer before helping me stand.

“Really?” I feel fine, but I’d honestly thought he’d find something wrong. Even if it was just a mild lingering fever. All the fatigue is gone, and I feel completely revitalized. As though I could do anything. Which, of course, medically speaking, makes no sense.

“Seriously, based on what you guys told me earlier, I would have thought you’d be seriously ill, but your fever is gone, your color is good, pulse is strong…it’s like you were never sick.”

“It’s amazing,” Abana whispers as she studies me. “You were truly ill.”

“I feel fine now.” I recall how I felt even when I woke up this morning, like my entire body was on fire. I’d barely managed to keep what little I ate at breakfast down.

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