The afternoon passed slowly as we dug more garden plots. We had more spots than we had seeds for, but there was nothing worth gathering nearby. Merryl planted more than a few plots with the grains from the bags.

The Saursune hadn't returned, or at least not close enough for us to spot her. Merryl's group swung by occasionally. Five of them had seen the brown Saursune trot past, but otherwise, they hadn't seen anything unusual.

Despite the efforts of her group, they had only collected two carry nets of greens, which wasn't enough to feed both of our groups, let alone anyone else. The grain was a comforting presence; between the four bags and what the other groups collected, there should be enough for everyone to eat well tonight.

I scratched my head. "We might as well head to the Guard Station. After that, I can go check on those I left with Roxanne."

Merryl nodded, and her group gathered around her as mine moved the bags of grain closer. As soon as we got home, the villagers would have to sift it. If there was a tracker, it was probably too intermittent for the scanner to detect. I'd bring the empty bags back here just to be on the safe side.

I waited until Merryl disappeared, then followed without using a location phrase. Light shimmered through my veins as our sight hazed over, then cleared at the Guard Station. A couple of eyebrows rose among those waiting there, but at this point, all the groups and guards knew the bags had been left by the Saursunes.

I turned to help move the bags, but Merryl's group slipped in, grabbed the heavy objects, and packed them over to where we usually put our stuff. Almost like it had been orchestrated, two of my group picked up the carry nets. I shook my head at their subtle planning.

Only four groups were here so far. A porter from Irwin Village was sleeping in a corner near a big pile of carry nets and two sheep. Mark also had two sheep and a smaller pile of greens. The other two porters only had a handful of carry nets and a few small animals.

I wandered over to Mark. "Same sheep farm?"

He gave me a tired grin. "The farmer seemed happy to see us again. Well, me, but you get the point. When Servel"—he nodded at the slumbering porter from Irwin Village—"showed up, the Saursune returned with two more sheep."

"Those greens look like they came from the pasture," I commented, glancing between her pile and his and seeing a notable difference.

"When she showed up, she asked if her group could try trading with the farmer and see if he'd let her group into the pasture." Mark shrugged. "I wasn't about to turn them away, not after they lost almost everything they owned in the flood yesterday."

"I'm guessing he let them in?"

"Most of my group don't trust the Saursunes enough to go near the pasture, but a hunter followed at a distance and watched. They stood near the fence, and it didn't take long for the farmer to show up and open the gate." He shrugged. "And just like you said, he kind of herded them inside, left the gate open, and wandered off."

Judging by the pile of carry nets by Servel, the farmer had let her group pick as much as they wanted.

One of Mark's hunters smirked. "The farmer really tried to get us over there after that, and when that failed, he kept trying to curl up around Mark."

"Creepy humming lizards," Mark muttered. "I have no idea how you let it get that close."

I tilted my head thoughtfully. "I was tired after the energy drain, and he laid down behind me before I realized what he was doing. Then he just kind of shuffled closer and wanted pets."

As much as I wanted to mention the airship and grass-woven figures, I kept quiet. My actions had almost certainly crossed too far over the nebulous grey line of what was acceptable. Most porters wouldn't go near a farm, and even Mark refused to go into a pasture. Going into an airship was a whole different level.

Mark gazed across the desert. "I plan to go back there tomorrow, as does Servel. I might try going into the pasture with them."

I glanced at him. Perhaps that grey line was slowly moving.

He shrugged. "We'll see. I'm the only one in our village who will let a Saursune take their energy. The rest bounce to safety. Servel told me that she wouldn't have tried if Irwin Village hadn't been so desperate for food. She was the only one willing to risk going near a farm, although two others were going to let a Saursune approach them elsewhere."

Apparently the grey line hadn't moved as far as I had hoped. My gaze shifted to the desert as we mulled over our thoughts. Was I really one of only a handful who currently let the Saursunes approach them?

Janette had let a Saursune curl around her the other day, but no one else had. Two were now visiting the sheep farmer. The more I thought about it, the more I realized the desperation for food was only just starting to push a few porters reluctantly out of their comfort zones.

In contrast, my building energy levels had forced me to come to terms with my dilemma and intentionally seek out our enemies-turned-allies almost two weeks ago.

Two weeks could make a big difference in one's thinking, and my conscious decision was clearly influencing my reactions around the Saursunes. Proof of that was how much more comfortable Janette had gotten around them in four days.

Today, I had entered an airship and charged a ship crystal.

What else did the future hold?

~

I transported the last of my thirty-group home while Merryl was distracted with her gossiping session.

A shimmer beside me solidified into Andre and his group. He leaned on the crystal. "Whew. You never told me that porting without a location phrase took that much extra energy."

I playfully punched his shoulder. "You're getting better! That's why I only do it when I'm rested and trying to annoy Grant or make my group wonder where we'll appear."

He shook his head, but before he could reply, Grant appeared beside us. "What are you doing to annoy me this time?"

I scratched my cheek. "Umm...you might want to sit down for this one."

He gave me a long look before gesturing to the porter's circle.

From the sidelines, Nolani muttered, "Let me guess, you got caught again? You don't seem to put much effort into avoiding your new pets. If you aren't careful, they'll kill your group."

I frowned at her. "One, they aren't pets. Two, it was the same brown one that's always at Orange Flower and has never shown a single hint of aggression. I'd be much warier around one I haven't seen dozens of times. Three, she gave me four big bags of grain. And if it means I don't have to hear children cry from hunger, I'd do it again."

She turned away with a faint huff. I was tempted to point out that the four bags would feed more people than she could in a week—a month, even. Grant touched my elbow and nodded at the porter's circle. I decided to take his silent advice and followed him to the empty circle of stones. The villagers wouldn't bother us, and it was close enough for Grant to watch for returning porters.

I sat down with a sigh. "What are the odds of Nolani moving to Elleret Village to join her brother?" Maybe she'd take two particular patriarchs with her. That would make my life so much easier.

Grant sat beside me. "She still holds a grudge against her mother for leaving. Those two wouldn't be able to co-exist in the same village. I think her brother was talking about joining Vermilion Village in the last letter he sent."

"At least he's easier to get along with," I muttered, remembering the lanky hunter.

"If you're looking for good news, she'll probably tell the patriarchs what you said, and if that doesn't make them suddenly decide Orange Flower is too overharvested to visit, nothing probably will."

I blinked at him. "Huh?"

He smirked at my blank expression. "You just made it clear that you let that particular Saursune closer than most. Anyone who's scared of the aliens isn't going to want you anywhere near that one."

I rolled my eyes. "We told them that place was overharvested how many times? At this point, I don't really care where they send me. If a location doesn't have much, I'll leave most of my group with Roxanne and keep a couple of the older gatherers with me to watch for danger. My priority is feeding people, and the Saursunes seem quite willing to help." I frowned. "And why are the patriarchs picking on me? Janette is still visiting the fields with the sole intention of donating her energy to the Saursunes."

"She threatened to leave the village when Barrett tried to forbid her from going near a field," Grant said bluntly. "The only thing tying her here is Reynold, and he'd move with her in a heartbeat. Barrett might be woefully short-sighted on some things, but even he knows that chasing off a porter will create serious backlash from the villagers, so he's avoiding her."

I shook my head. "That bluff won't work for me. I wouldn't leave you and Merryl. You two are stuck with me, and you know it. Apparently, so do they."

"Very likely."

I sighed. "And if I go against their requests, the villagers might think that I'm taking unneeded risks that would endanger the village." It frustrated me to no end to have to play these games, but at the same time, any location would work as long as a Saursune showed up for a trade.

"That's the downside of the patriarchs having all day to talk to people and make them think they helped build the plans. Anyway, what mischief did you get into that you think I needed to sit down for?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "What I thought I was getting into turned into something a bit different. Let me start from the beginning."

I told him everything, from the map and promised food, to thinking I was just going to see a crystal, then taking the risk of stepping inside the airship to reach the crystal mere paces away. I also included the ability to share energy with the crystal. "—we rested by the trees for a while, then they escorted me back to the others and left those four big bags. And I wasn't lying to Nolani. I'd try it again if it gave us that much food. I might be scared shitless going near that airship, but hearing children cry from hunger is much worse."

He was silent for quite some time. It wasn't a disapproving silence, but his expression conveyed more than a few reservations about what I had done.

I murmured, "Looking back, I probably shouldn't have done it, but they could have pushed me in if they wanted to trap me. I was fairly certain I wasn't in any danger, and that was a lot of food. More than we could have collected in weeks."

"This airship... Did it have any obvious weapons or cannons?" Grant asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing that looked like a weapon. Definitely no blaster cannons, or I would have avoided it like the plague. Why?"

"It's one thing if they just use your energy to fly around, but if they had weapons, there is a chance they might use it during a village attack."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "That...that didn't even occur to me. Those two have never shown even the tiniest hint of aggression toward my group." I hesitated, then asked, "Should...should I stop sharing my energy?"

Out of anyone out there, Grant was the only one who I respected enough to listen to if he requested me to break off all my dealings with the Saursunes.

He thought for quite some time before sighing. "If the airship didn't have blaster cannons and was as small as you say, it's not the type that usually attacks villages. I don't like the risks you took, but even leaving the village is a risk, which we do to gather food. Logically speaking, you brought back a lot of food and returned safe and sound. I'm prone to fretting, and I keep worrying that it's a trap of some sort, but at the same time, I remember how Janette avoided them and was caught by wild dogs. Now she spends the day with Saursunes who actively protect her and her group. It might be best not to tell the villagers about going into the airship though."

With a relieved sigh, I nodded. "I hadn't planned to since it would worry them. Most of my hunters are inclined to trust the Saursunes. Admittedly, we don't have proof that it isn't an elaborate trap. My attempts could be giving our village an edge and keeping everyone fed, but it could also make me their first easy target."

"The fact that you know that is the only reason I'll tell you to go with your gut instincts. Just be cautious. With your level of energy, if they decide to kidnap anyone, it'll be you."

I made a face. "Thank you for your level of trust and that particularly charming thought." It had already crossed my mind—several times while inside the airship, in fact—so it wasn't a new worry, but the Saursunes had guided me back to my group. At least this time...

He shrugged. "What else can I say? I've always pointed out the risks, gave advice, and trusted the porters and their groups to come home safe. As far as I'm concerned, you porters have the final decision in almost everything you do. That's why I've always encouraged you to voice your opinions."

"You regretted that a few years ago," I said with a grin, remembering all the headaches I'd given him during my teenage years. "If it helps, my current opinion is that I'm going to continue trading as long as it doesn't feel dangerous. I might have to start getting Roxanne or some of the others to bring the stuff back and pretend it was theirs."

"That or port back at the same time as two or three other groups and leave it on the ground," Grant replied promptly. "No one will be able to tell who brought it, and the villagers helping carry things don't stop long enough to ask."

"I like that idea." I glanced over as another group appeared by the crystal. "Want me to take the big water cart later?"

"Roxanne wanted to do it tonight. Will you be okay if she takes it?"

I nodded. "I can burn a few ports while checking on Cleo." I had no way to judge how much energy I had left, so I'd have to settle for porting the log a few times instead of checking if the fighter was around.

"Excellent. Oh, the steam baths should be ready if you want to clean up."

I bounced to my feet. "Thanks! It's been a while since I had a steam bath. We can play a few games of stone hop after."

I jogged up the path to my room to grab a clean set of clothing. Humid warmth greeted me as I slipped past the leather door flap. With a contented sigh, I leaned against the warm wall as my muscles baked. Low murmurs of conversation came from a nearby steam room, one that was big enough for several people. I ignored it until a slightly louder voice caught my attention.

"She was caught again?"

The next voice—rough with age—was too quiet to catch all of the words. "...heard from... ...she let it catch her... ...Grant won't... ...have to talk with Emily..."

"Dangerous to be playing with lizards. They're sifting those sacks, right? Last thing we need is airships showing up."

"...have to... ...talk to... ...watch... ...can't trust them lizards..."

I frowned and tilted my head, but their voices dropped too low to make out anything other than the unhappy and complaining tones. Barrett and Tieber definitely weren't happy with what I was doing. The rustle of clothing and the leather flap signaled their departure.

Alas, it was impossible to relax and enjoy the steam bath after hearing those two patriarchs talking about me behind my back. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and began thinking of ways to hide my trades since I wasn't about to let children go hungry even if certain individuals were jumping at shadows.

At least...I hoped they were jumping at shadows.