“What kind of distraction?” Eval asks.
“Travelers,” Sash answers. “Travelers with wagon transports full of steel items.”
“Why would Travelers be out there with transports?” I ask.
“When items of steel are worn out or broken,” Sash explains, “Travelers take them to the Dunes. When steel is rubbed with the pulp of the cactus that grows there, the steel hardening process reverses. Everything is thrown into the Dunes. The sand gradually wears the steel down to dust particles. They become part of the Dunes.”
“But we never go north of the Desert,” Larn says. “We travel through the middle of the Desert to the Stone Passage at the Dunes.”
“I don’t think the Murkovin will think it through that carefully,” Sash tells him. “Especially if everything happens fast. But we need two separate distractions. We need one on the northeast of camp and one on the southwest. That will draw all four guards away and leave a gap to get to Tela’s cavern.”
“We can’t require anyone to do this,” Eval says, “nor can we risk all the Travelers being in danger at once.”
Roen, the second tallest of the Travelers, looks at each of us one by one. Built much like Larn, trim but muscular, he has medium-length, wavy hair that hangs just over his eyebrows. Each time his eyes stop on one of the Travelers, that person nods their head to him. When he returns his attention to Larn, he clenches his jaw.
“We’re all going,” Roen says firmly. “Tela is one of us. We won’t leave her out there.”
“That includes me,” the Apprentice Kale adds. “I want to help.”
“We only need two Travelers,” Sash informs everyone, “and they won’t be in danger. They’ll stop in view of the Murkovin, get their attention, dump the wagons, and then come straight back to the Delta. The other Murkovin at the camp will be asleep. Chase, Larn, and I will go inside the camp to get Tela.”
“I’m opposed to this,” Tork says. “We put the Delta at risk of losing Travelers.”
“I agree with Tork,” Eval tells us. Her eyes slowly move to Larn. “But if this is what the tallest of the Travelers deems is the right thing to do, we won’t stand in his way.”
Larn studies each of the Travelers, including me. No one speaks a word, but the determined looks on all of our faces leave no doubt as to how much we want to take part in the rescue.
“Nuar, Velt, and Kale will stay here,” Larn says. “Jeni and Roen will take the transports.”
“We should all go!” Nuar argues.
“Our first duty is to Krymzyn,” Larn calmly replies. “I also think it will help Sash’s plan if there are fewer of us.”
“How can that help?” Nuar asks.
“If one Traveler loses control of a wagon and flees, the Murkovin are likely to go after the wagon’s contents without calling for help. If they see multiple Travelers, they might call others.”
“I had that thought as well,” Sash says.
Staring at Larn, Nuar thinks through the plan. “It does make sense,” she admits.
When no one else says anything, Larn addresses Sash.
“When do we leave?”
“As soon as possible,” she answers. “We should be able to get there by the end of the morrow. Most of them will be asleep soon after. Everyone should change into long-sleeves so that we blend in with the terrain as much as possible. Chase and I will meet you at Market.”
Chapter 35
It would be impossible for Sash and me to leave the Delta without first saying goodbye to Aven. Given the perils that accompany life as a Traveler, I’ve accepted that whenever I say goodbye to my daughter, it might be for the last time. I know Sash feels the same way since Hunters face risks every time Darkness falls. I’ve learned not to dwell on it, but it’s still hard on me at times. Even on Earth, I guess anyone could die unexpectedly from a car wreck, a work-related accident, or a natural disaster. But the scale is different in Krymzyn.
With only one hundred and twelve of us in the Delta and on the Mount, if even one person dies, it’s a significant percentage of the population. Travelers, Hunters, and Watchers have the greatest risk to life and limb, but everyone is vulnerable if a Murkovin enters the Delta. It’s occurred to me that the ever-present danger in this world may be the reason there is no immediate family structure, everyone living as one. In my short time here, I’ve seen several tragic deaths that could have resulted in a parentless child.
While Larn and the rest of the Travelers go to Market to prepare the wagon transports, Sash and I speed to our habitat. We hastily change into long-sleeved shirts and then travel to Home. After pulling Aven out of the classroom, we take her to the cavern designated as hers. Sash and I sit on Aven’s bed with our daughter nestled between us and our arms draped around her shoulders.
“We found Tela,” Sash says. “She was exactly where you pointed to on the map.”
“Chees find Tela,” Aven replies.
Sash squeezes Aven’s arm. “The trees did find her. Maya helped too, and so did you. We’re going to bring her back and this will all be over. We’ll spend every moment we can with you.”
Aven leans her head against Sash’s shoulder. “Mommy . . . Daddy. Be safe.”
“We will, baby girl,” I say. “We love you.”
“Love you,” Aven whispers, her first time pronouncing the word “love” properly.
After Sash and I give our daughter a long hug, we return her to the Keepers and head to Market. The others are already there when we arrive. Sash suggests that we bring a coil of
