Page 114 of Dawn of Hope

No.

He was lying. Again. He was wrong.

I need to tell Dane what happened, and I need to do what I came here to do. It is the only way that Weston doesn’t get what he wants.

He won’t get the cure, because I will have it. And once I do, his offer for a trade won’t matter because I will be gone.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

I’m met with the sound of arguing as I step through the portal back into camp. It’s late. The sky is still darkened by storm clouds, with no light from the moon or stars peeking through.

A few of the older Voyagers are gathered in the clearing, watching what looks like an argument between Dane and Mara.

“We have to go look for her! She’s always back before dark!”

“Give her a little more time. I trust her. She’ll make it back.”

“But what if she doesn’t, Dane? What if we lose two of us in two days?”

I step out of the darkness and both of their heads snap toward me.

“She’s here,” Mara says. She pushes through the crowd and runs toward me, hitting my body at full speed and wrapping me in a hug. “You’re alright,” she murmurs next to my ear as she squeezes me.

I wrap my arms loosely around her. “Yeah, I’m alright,” I say quietly. “But Fin is gone.”

Mara gasps, pulling away to look at me, trying to read the emotions that I’m sure are all over my face.

“Dead?” she asks.

Dane is beside me then, a concerned look across his face. He reaches up and cups my elbow, grounding me and giving me some comfort without overwhelming me.

I shake my head. “No, but the Castaways have him.”

A strained silence falls, broken by a gasp from one Voyager, followed by a pained cry.

I look past Mara and see Roley, hugging Lilly around the waist, fear across his face.

“No. They can’t take him!” Roley cries out. Lilly wraps her arm around his shoulders and squeezes him closer to her.

“How do you know?” Mara says, turning her attention back to me.

“I found his bow, my bow, broken in the sand on a beach. The arrows were everywhere. It was obvious there had been a scuffle.”

“But you didn’t find him?” she asks.

“No. There was no blood, no body. I didn’t see him, but I just know that’s where he is.”

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Dane grumbles. He leans over and plants a kiss on the top of my head.

“How do we get him back?” Roley cries between sniffs, tears streaming down his face.

Dane breaks away from me and crouches down in front of him. He speaks softly, like a father comforting a scared child.

“We can’t get him back right now. We have been trying to find them for a long time. Hopefully, we will soon.”

“But he’ll be one of them by then,” Roley says with a hiccup.

“Maybe, maybe not. The best thing we can do to help Fin is to stay alert, stay safe, and keep looking. We can’t help him if they get one of us, too.”