Seer's Hope (Book 1 of The Seer Trilogy)

Seer's Hope (Chapter 24)

Seer's Hope

By Maree Anderson

Chapter Twenty-Four

Energy zinged through her body, and with a single blink of her eyes Hope came fully awake. It was over. She'd fulfilled her destiny. There would be no more fighting the fears and worries that had consumed her every waking moment. She had everything she'd ever wanted—a family, friends, a wonderful man.... And she was pregnant.

She eased from Blayne's embrace and as she sat up, it all came rushing back. Dayamar was dead. Hundreds of people had died. She—everyone in Dayamaria—had paid a terrible price. Bitter tears stung her eyes. She bit her lips to keep from sobbing.

"Good morning."

She jumped. "Chryss! You startled me!" Blotting away her tears she turned toward Blayne.

"Don't worry about him waking, girl. I've made sure everyone will sleep for a while yet. Been waiting for you."

"Why?"

"I'd like you to help me transport you all back to the Usehani settlement. Thought I'd use you for a bit of a power-boost—if you're up to it."

"Of course. I'm heartily sick of walking." Now would be the perfect time to find out a few things about this mysterious man. It would be a welcome distraction from the pain of losing her mentor, the man she'd thought of as a second father. "Chryss?"

"How about we wait until we get this sleepy lot back to civilization, eh? Then you can question me all you want."

Hope gingerly picked her way over to him, praying she didn't trip over anyone or anything. "What do you want me to do?"

"Use your instincts, girl. That's what you do best."

She sent out a mind-tendril to link with him. And in her mind's eye, she observed Chryss surrounding the campsite with an interwoven net-like structure of raw energy that enclosed them all.

He pulled it tight. Now!

Hope opened her mind, allowing her power to interweave with the energy-net Chryss had created. She visualized the Usehani settlement. The structure pulsated. In the next instant they were elsewhere.

"Did it work, Chryss?"

No reply.

"Chryss?" Hope extended her seer-senses and, one-by one, identified her companions by their aureyas.

Chryss was nowhere to be found.

"You sneak!" she yelled. "Come back here and answer my questions!"

"Wha—?"

"What's wrong?"

"Who's shouting?"

"Sorry, everyone," she said. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"What were you yelling about, dearling?" Blayne asked. "And where are we?"

"Chryss and I transported us all back to the Usehani settlement. At least, that's what he claimed we were doing. Did it work?"

"Yep," Daryon said. "We're on the outskirts of the settlement. And if I'm not mistaken, here comes our welcoming party."

"Where's Chryss?" Maya asked. "I was going to make him something special for breakfast—we talked about it last night."

"He didn't come with us," Hope told her.

"How rude."

"Don't be too hard on him," Blayne said. "I'm sure he has his reasons."