I couldn’t hold Kesstel’s stare and looked down at the ground. My fist on my thigh as I tried to come up with something to say. I bit my lips and forced a smile. “So you grew up with a silver spoon, huh? I wouldn’t know what that was like.” Out of the corner of my eye, something white caught my attention. “Damn, there’s another one of those things?” I gasped and halted.

Another caterpillar tunnel was spun between a cluster of trees. Scowling, I walked over to it.

Kesstel trailed behind. “What is that?”

I blinked at him, surprised. “I thought you knew everything.”

He looked at me, his lips thinned slightly. He leaned his weight on his right hip and crossed his hands, waiting.

It was petty, but I felt a little happy that I knew something he didn’t. “There’s these little caterpillars in these tunnels that turn people into monsters. I’ve seen it happen twice now.” I pulled my kindjal out and poked at the thick, white webbing. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t feel any monsters. “Do you feel their presence?” I asked Kesstel. His perception stats should be a hell of a lot better than mine. “They aren’t strong, like a level E or something. At least they were the last time I encountered them.”

He shook his head. “Weaker monsters tend to flee before I get too close.”

I sighed in defeat. Well, that explained why we were able to walk so leisurely through this jungle that kept trying to kill me. “I’m starting to think that I’m not meant to show these caterpillars to anyone.” I looked up at Kesstel. “I just thought if I could capture one and show it to someone, or have someone else see a Hunter change into a monster, then I could convince the Council that the energy crystals are dangerous.” I huffed out a breath in frustration.

He looked at the webbed tunnel. “I already told them, seven years ago. It’s hard to convince someone that their way of living is wrong, when so much is going right for them.”

He reached out and touched the tunnel. When I’d been caught in the webbing earlier, it clung to me, as if it were holding on and reluctant to let go. But right now, it was limp string in Kesstel’s hands, not sticky at all. In fact, it was almost like it resisted his touch.

Was it broken? I reached out and touched it. In the hot jungle, the white strands were cold and damp against my fingers. Just like before, it clung to me, pulling taut when I tried to pull my hand back. “Ugh.” I hated the feel.

Kesstel let go of the bit he played with and grabbed my fingers avoiding where the webbing clung. The strands instantly released me, and the web vibrated as it snapped back into position.

I glared at it. “How much did you tell the Council? When you were trying to convince them, I mean?” I asked, continuing the conversation while I walked toward the opening of the webbed tunnel. It was the first time I could look at it without having to worry about my own safety. I might as well take advantage of what I could.

He shrugged and fell in-step with me. “What I could. How the energy crystals were dangerous and would lead to the destruction of this world. They decided that I was full of conspiracy theories from the Wild Montana region and cut me off before I could explain about the parasite. Then Miss Wilks came in and derailed everything.” He stopped when we reached the front of the tunnel and looked inside. “Of course I didn’t tell them where I was from. That’s something they don’t need to ever know.”

“But a blood sample might be useful in proving that you aren’t from Earth,” I suggested. “Just one vial and everything would come to light. And then maybe they’d take your warning more seriously.”

“No.” His flat tone was final. “It would only bring up more problems.”

I glanced at him, taken aback from how strongly he felt about it. He didn’t seem to care about many things. “Okay, if you say so.” I stepped into the tunnel.

Kesstel grabbed my arm and pulled me back, his grip like a gentle steel clamp. “Don’t go in there if you know this thing could turn you into a monster.”

I blinked and looked up into his face. It was so odd, working with people who actually cared what happened to me. First Emma — and sorta her team — and now Kesstel. It was … uncomfortable. It was also temporary.

I tugged my arm out of his hand. “It’s okay. I’m immune.” Then I paused. “But I don’t want you to go in, either. If you turn into a monster, that would be bad. Like, end of the world bad.”

He looked at me, his expression unreadable. Then his lips wobbled. A second later, he chuckled. His chuckled turned into full-blown, bending over and holding his stomach, laughter.

I stared at him. Geez, I didn’t think I was that funny. Leaving him chuckling, I walked into the tunnel. My System warned me of the ‘anomaly’ that I was immune to as I peered into the webbing. If only I had a microscope. Kesstel said that he scared away weaker monsters, but I still hoped that the caterpillars were here. The problem was, they weren’t attracted to me and I’d never been able to sense them until they were on a person.

As soon as I stepped in Kesstel stopped laughing and focused on me, watching as I moved through the tunnel. “Even if you find one of these caterpillar monsters, I doubt it would do anything. The parasite can control when and how people change into monsters. If there are too many witnesses around, the change won’t happen no matter how much you try to force it. The parasite also makes sure that there are no witnesses living after the change happens.”

I glared at him. “You don’t have to be so pessimistic.” I was plenty of that all by myself.

He shrugged and countered with, “Realistic.” Then he paused and tilted his head back, as if he was listening to something. “It sounds like the Stone Mace Guild is pulling out of here since the crystal is gone. Do you want to go back now or wait?”

I frowned at him, confused. “How do you know that?” Then again, I had a feeling that he didn’t miss much when it came to his surroundings.

“I can feel the presence of all the Hunters moving toward the south side of the jungle. That’s where you said the transport circle was, correct? You were going to meet your party there.” He walked into the tunnel. “I’ll help find a caterpillar monster. Who knows how long it will take for you to find one alone.”

“Wait!” I gasped and rushed to push him out. Like, for reals, he was the last person I wanted turned into a monster.

The moment that he stepped into the tunnel, the white webbing began to smoke.

I stumbled and skidded to a stop beside him and gaped at the evaporating tunnel. “No! No! Stop!” I gasped. “Why is it disappearing?”

Ten seconds later, it was all gone, as if the monster tunnel had never been there to begin with.

I sighed and dropped my face into my hands. “Damnit…” With another sigh, I spread my fingers enough to peek at Kesstel. Was he just too strong for the tunnel to handle? Just like how the webbing wouldn’t stick to him, the tunnel couldn’t handle his aura?

Kesstel looked around where the tunnel used to be, his stance vigilant. “Was that normal?”

Moaning internally, I dropped my hands to my side. “Kind of.” I guess it was better than Kesstel turning into a monster. I shuddered just thinking about the horror he’d turn into. I had a feeling it wouldn’t have been a measly moth. No, it would be scarier. Like Godzilla-scary or something.

He looked down at me and tipped his head to the side. “Let’s get you back to your party then.”

There really was nothing else to do, so I fell into step with him.

For the most part, our walk through the jungle was quiet — mostly because of me. We had some light conversation, but most of my thoughts were on everything that’d happened today.

Several times I glanced at Kesstel and wanted to ask if he knew Bethany Wilks had sent a hitman after me. But I kept stopping after the first word, leaving Kesstel completely confused. I had a feeling that he really had nothing to do with it. And since his job at her bodyguard was ending in a couple weeks, I really shouldn’t pull him into whatever this hitman mess was. As soon as Kesstel left, Bethany Wilks would leave me alone. I mentally crossed my fingers. Especially since there was nothing going on between me and Kesstel to begin with.

After settling that matter in my mind, I started to think about the problem of how I was going to show the Hunter’s Council the monster tunnels. From what I understood, they appeared randomly and disappeared very quickly. It’s not like I could get the Council to run around Gate Vale with me until we found one. It was even more surprising that Kesstel had never seen one before. And since his aura made it collapse, did that mean that it would react the same way to all high-ranked Hunters? Never mind the information that Kesstel shared about how the parasite planet could choose when and if someone actually transformed. I’m sure it was the same for where the tunnels appeared.

My mind spun in circles, trying to figure out a solution to the seemingly impossible problem.

Kesstel stopped walking.

I blinked out of my thoughts and looked up at him. “What’s wrong?”

He glanced at me. “We’re about there.”

Now that I wasn’t lost in my thoughts, I could hear the sounds of chatter. Lots of it. “Oh, right.” Geez, what was I doing, letting my guard drop while I was in the Gate? I knew better than that. I peeked up at Kesstel. It was mostly because this whole trip felt more like a laid-back hike through a fairytale jungle, instead of a battle against Hunters and monsters. There hadn’t been a single hint or peep from a monster our entire walk.

We reached the dirt path that cut through the jungle heading straight for the transportation circle on the southern end of Feng Jungle. Hunters had been as scarce as monsters while I was with Kesstel. I discovered why when I looked ahead. Fifty feet ahead, the trail ended at a small clearing where the magic circle was. That clearing was full of Hunters from the Stone Mace Guild. They were grouped together and talking in hurried, hushed voices but so many of them were together that their conversations carried down the trail.

I glanced at Kesstel, expecting him to leave.

He surprised me by continuing down the path. When he was five feet ahead, he looked over his shoulder, his expression clearly telling me to catch up.

I hesitated for a moment. I didn’t need to join the rest of the group. I was sure that Emma was in there and I wanted to let her know that I was okay, but that was it. There was nothing else there for me. Still, I wasn’t going to just walk away from Kesstel. He was the reason I was finally able to take a breath today and I didn’t want to be rude. I mean, there wasn’t a whole lot I could do to repay him, I could at least be kind.

I fell into step with him and approached the crowd. As we approached, the crowd hushed. One voice echoed above the Hunters.

“... We don’t know where it went,” President Price said from somewhere on the other side of the crowd. “But it has been confirmed that the crystal is no longer in Feng Jungle.” His words were abrupt, his voice like a dull razor smashing down in frustration.

A couple Hunters noticed Kesstel and me approaching the fringe of the group. They glanced at our patchless shoulders and frowned, one puzzled, the other a little more hostile. If Kesstel let out his S aura no one would have the guts to glare, but he was keeping it contained — for me, I bet. More and more Hunters noticed us. Slowly the crowd turned and shifted, giving me a glimpse of President Price standing next to the transportation circle. A red faced and scowling Blake stood nearby him.

In the crowd, Emma shifted. Her eyes widened when she saw me. She stepped forward to come to me, but Mason grabbed her elbow. When she looked at him in confusion, he frowned and shook his head. He muttered something and she calmed down, but continued to look at me with big wet eyes.

I couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably from the attention Kesstel and I were drawing. I’d heard that people were typically more scared of talking in front of a crowd than they were scared of jumping out of a plane. I definitely happily leap out of a plane if it meant I didn’t have to be here. I hated all their looks, full of ridicule and judgment. Kesstel didn’t seem to be as fazed by it. He stood tall, his chin up and gazing back with an apathetic stare. From all they knew, he could be thinking about the weather — or thinking about wiping out the entire group with one hit.

Price’s eyes landed on Kesstel and widened. “You …”

Blake focused on us. He saw me and gasped, his features contorting. Did he recognize me from yesterday? After all, he didn’t remember me from our adventure with the Orcs. Then Blake looked at Kesstel. Instantly he transformed into offensive rage. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

Kesstel’s face slowly shifted to a frown as he narrowed his eyes.

Price gaped at Blake. “Shut up!”

Blake flinched, but glared back and argued his case. “Jord, he’s not from our Guild. He shouldn't be here. He must have stolen the crystal!”

“Shut up, idiot!” Price yelled.

“Do I look like a thief?” Kesstel took a step forward, the outer edge of Hunters stepped back. Kesstel released the full weight of his S-ranked aura.

*****