The World in Flower

31. Losing

Suddenly, hands were pulling him to his feet. "I've got you," Abe said. "Come on."

Chance looked back as he was mostly dragged into the RV. A giant tirvang stood between the road and the monstrous bear-like creature, still fearlessly attacking.

"Xander, go!" Abe ordered as Chance collapsed onto the floor, wheezing like a 100-year-old man.

Sami knelt next to him, taking his face in her hands. "Breathe, baby. Come on. Deep breaths."

"Is he all right?" Vine demanded in alarm.

"His lungs were weakened by a disease he had," Sami explained.

"Let me look at him," Stone said, kneeling beside him. "Are you otherwise injured?"

"H-hands... Knees," he answered with almost no sound in the words.

"All right. Just relax."

***

"Try to relax," Rob said, pulling Austin's shirt up and undoing his belt and the first two buttons on his button-fly jeans. "Adam, are you up to scrying, because we really need to know what's going on inside there."

Adam shuddered, then nodded, wiping off more blood from under his nose. "Someone get me a mirror."

They looked around, then Tomas climbed into the back of Chaz's truck and grabbed a large vanity mirror.

Tim stepped over and took it from him, carrying it to where Adam was kneeling beside Austin in the grass. He laid it down, then placed a hand on Adam's shoulder, pushing energy and calm into his partner through their bond.

"Okay, here we go," Adam said, then started Singing.

***

"Hi, Tim! What's--"

"You need to come right away to the corner a block west of the church. There's been an accident."

"Is Austin okay?" Amberly demanded as she headed for the truck.

"He tore the sac that was holding the larvae. Adam and Rob are trying to repair it, but some of them are trying to hatch."

"Oh, God! Okay, I'm on my way."

***

"Did someone summon a dragon?" Chance asked sleepily as he laid his head in Sami's lap.

"It was an illusion," she explained, "with just enough stuff in it that the bear thing couldn't just run through it."

"Good idea. Very smart."

"I know. Get some sleep, okay?"

"'Kay."

***

"Austin, I know it's hard not to panic," Tim said quietly, gently, "but you need to talk to the babies calmly and explain what's going on, okay?"

"I'm tryin'. God! I can feel them moving!"

"Shhh. Breathe. Just breathe. Do your meditation thing and find your chakras or whatever."

Austin laughed more than a little manically. "Okay. Okay..."

"What's going on?"

They turned to see Esdrai and her crew there, obviously having walked over from the church.

"It's a long story," Tim answered.

"We may be able to help if we know what's happening."

Tim looked at Austin. "Is it okay to tell?"