Betrayal - Book 3 of Guardians Saga - EDITED

CH 17.3 Camping with Na Part A & B

"He's a great warrior, strong and brave in battle, yet gentle at heart. He doesn't know about you yet though. His face will be one of pure shock when he meets you." Alex smiled, her eyes twinkling with anticipation. She stroked Na's muzzle lovingly then looked into his eyes earnestly. "In case he isn't thrilled to meet you, I want you to understand that he may need some time to adjust. But I promise you he will come to love you as the son he always wanted."

Deep in her heart, she hoped the Gabe they would meet was the older one—the one she still considered her. It was out of her hands now as she had already made her plea to the Portal Guardian.

The older Gabe's not a Guardian anymore and he'll be a fabulous father. Maybe that's the Portal Guardian's purpose for me in that timeline: bring my Gabe a son and raise him together. Can I have a fairy tale ending where we all lived happily ever after? Even if I don't deserve it, this innocent child does.

"I'll make him proud of me." Na's voice quavered with fear and hope as he spoke, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Alex hugged him close. She looked deep into his eyes and smiled. "You don't have to worry, sweetheart. I can already see in you how proud your father would feel. The way you take care of us out here - foraging for food, building fires - it's amazing. I know he'll be proud, too."

***

The next several days passed in a peaceful routine of swimming and sleeping, eating and talking. Alex tried to find out what was going on in the Anolis country, but children don't keep track of politics. She told him what she could about life at home, about Gabe, Rile, and Cale, but not his potential cousins. Alex wasn't sure to which world the Portal Guardian would send them, despite her hopes to return to the alternate timeline.

She painted a vivid image for her of life at home, including Zilik and Razz - wanting Na to be familiar with them in case she ever had to send him over there. With each story he heard, Na grew increasingly eager to ask questions and uncover more secrets.

***

Part B

Razz and Zilik stood uncomfortably before the Council President, who paced in a circle around them. His tail whipped wildly as he shouted, his face contorted with rage. "The great symbol of the revolution runs off and kidnaps a child! No honor to be found here, just sneaky, dirty kidnapping by the shell of my egg. It's your fault you were supposed to keep her under control! What will we do now?"

Razz's voice rose with defiance as he faced down the Council President. "Alex fights for freedom for everyone, not just those who are convenient. You know that her sleep-mate's children had suffered and been killed by Cla, and she could no longer stand by and allow more suffering without trying to do something. You cannot expect Alex to stop being what she is because it is politically inconvenient for us."

The Council President narrowed his eyes as he crossed his arms in front of him. "If you have finished your pompous monologue," he spat, "you had better find her quickly before the Anolis females get to her first. Don't you understand what kind of death will await her if they do? The progress your gender has made won't matter when she is nothing more than a corpse used for their purposes." His tail slashed through the air with enough force to send a chair flying across the room. "Zilik, talk some sense into him."

Zilik opened his mouth, but Razz's grip tightened around his biceps. He winced as he pulled him away from the Council President's imposing figure.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Razz turned to Zilik and said sharply, "You must renounce Alex's actions now."

"After what you just said?" Zilik asked incredulously.

Razz sighed and ran her free hand over her face. "I can afford to say those things. I will soon be unseated from the Council and politics are not my life, but it is yours. You must become the next Council President."