The two leaders came to visit Lián Xīng two days after she entered the base. After she finished healing not only the infected but also those who were in the clinic. She had barely slept or been let outside. She was on her last energies.

  “Are you sick, healer?” Was the first thing the woman leader asked, looking suspicious at the deep shadows beneath Lián Xīng’s eyes.

  Lián Xīng didn’t have the energy to be polite; she stared at the woman unblinkingly for a moment, watching as a shiver went down the woman’s spine.

  “I have barely slept. Do you treat all healers this way?”

  The man chuckled under his breath before clapping his sister on her back, “Perhaps we could give our base’s healer a little bit of leeway, sis?”

  “Can I go see my family?”

  The two leaders looked at each other as if they could communicate via their minds, and perhaps they could. They had an intense staring contest before the woman’s shoulders slumped, and the man looked victorious.

  “We will allow you to go if you bring two guards with you.” The man stated with a grin.

  “Can I choose them?”

  The woman’s eyes narrowed while her brother shrugged.

  “Why not? If all of you do not return by tomorrow night. We will have to come and get you, understood?”

  Unable to choose previously infected ones to go with her, who were still under observation in the clinic, Lián Xīng chose Zhōu Míng Yù and the female guard who had kept watch over her since she arrived (Lǐ Mèng Yáo).

  Zhōu Míng Yù waved hello as soon as Lián Xīng was let out of the clinic. She tilted her head up and soaked in the afternoon sun’s light before giving a small smile to the enthusiastic man.

  She had been told to keep his brother’s recovery a secret until he was cleared, but it didn’t sit well with her. She decided she didn’t want to get on the bad side of the base that was keeping her captive for now.

  Lǐ Mèng Yáo was silent beside her. It wasn’t until they exited the base’s gates that she asked quietly, “Why did you choose me?”

  “I know you. I picked two people from the base I was familiar with, no other reason.” Lián Xīng wasn’t one for schemes and manipulations. Perhaps others in her position might have been, but she liked the honest approach even if that sometimes made her vulnerable.

  They took one of the base’s general-purpose vehicles for half the journey to the villa. Then walked the rest of the way up the steep hill to her grandfather’s villa that overlooked the suburbs and City C off in the distance.

  As soon as Lián Xīng reached the outskirts of the property, her brace buzzed, and her grandfather’s voice came through.

  “Lián Xīng?”

  “Hello, grandpa. I have two guests with me. I’m afraid I’m only coming for a visit.”

  The gates opened as they approached, and nearly as soon as they did, Měi Lán ran out. At first, the two guards stiffened beside her, not sure what the fast approaching thing was, only for her to soothe their doubts as she opened her arms wide for her niece. Lián Xīng swung around her niece, and even though her arms ached, a big smile came upon her lips for the first time in days.

  “We missed you so much.”

  After setting Měi Lán down, her niece looked up at the two people beside her.

  “Did you heal more people, Auntie?”

  Lián Xīng nodded, “These are my guards. The ones I healed are still back at the base.”

  “You are going back?” Měi Lán’s lip trembled, and Lián Xīng knelt before her.

  “Remember when I told you I would do whatever I needed to keep you safe?”

  A small nod answered her.

  “This is what I have to do right now, it means I’ll be away for a little bit again, but maybe they’ll let me visit again.”

  A little tear fell down the little girl’s cheek, “But you said we’d stick together? Was that a lie?”

  Lián Xīng hugged her and whispered in her ear, “I’ll find a way back to you all, I promise.”

  Sitting back, she stood up and held her hand out to Měi Lán, “Come, let’s see the rest of the family.”

  The two guards followed after Lián Xīng and Měi Lán into the villa, the gate’s doors closing and locking automatically behind them.

  Lián Liwei stood in the courtyard awaiting their arrival with Mùchén, who kept some of the puppies back who growled at the new people they weren’t familiar with. Lián Liwei looked at his granddaughter before holding his arms open, waiting for her to run into them, and she did.

  “I missed you.”

  “It wasn’t the same without you here.” His voice rumbled.

  Lián Xīng looked over at Mùchén, “Keeping close watch of your sister?”

  “Always.” Mùchén looked over at his sister before looking up at her, “Auntie, when will you be able to come back again?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Just as she watched him deflate, she spoke up, “Why don’t we have a slumber party out in the courtyard tonight? We can have snacks and sleep beneath the stars.”

  “Ok.” He perked up, “Can the puppies and kitties sleep with us too?”

  “Sure.”

  Miss Porter came out and chimed with a smile, “Welcome back Lián Xīng, you are just back in time for lunch.”

  Lián Xīng looked nervously at her grandfather, and he smiled.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve been teaching her how to cook. She’s gotten better.”

  Miss Porter was a lovely, vibrant lady, but when she first came, they quickly learned she wasn’t that good with house-related chores.

  Looking behind her, she saw her guards hadn’t crossed the threshold of the villa’s entry, looking quite awkward as Zhōu Míng Yù shifted his feet and Lǐ Mèng Yáo looked stiff.

  “Come along, Lǐ Mèng Yáo and Zhōu Míng Yù, you must be hungry too.”

  Just as Zhōu Míng Yù began to move forward, Lǐ Mèng Yáo roughly said, “We have rations.”

  Zhōu Míng Yù’s shoulders slumped.

  “Suit yourself,” Grandfather Liwei turned toward the house, bringing Lián Xīng along with him into the house. The twins followed after them while the puppies stayed alert in the courtyard, watching the strangers.

  Later in the afternoon, Lián Xīng brought out leftovers for the two guards outside. This time, they didn’t hesitate to eat the still-warm food and fresh tea.

  That night, Lián Xīng brought out warm sleeping bags, set out a fire pit for light, and a dessert from her old world she’d shared with many on her travels: s’mores.

  As the household and the guards sat around the fire roasting marshmallows over an open flame, the kids’ eyes sparkled as Lián Xīng assembled the first s’more.

  “Who once to try it first?”

  Zhōu Míng Yù waved his hand in the air along with the kids, while Lǐ Mèng Yáo rolled her eyes.

  “Youngest it is then.” She got up and went around the fire to where Měi Lán sat, before carefully handing her a s’more wrapped in a cloth napkin, “Be careful, it is hot and messy.”

  Měi Lán nibbled the edge, getting a small bit of the cracker and the marshmallow, with her eyes going wide, and she nibbled some more, “Yum!”

  Lián Xīng smiled before making another for Mùchén, who took his with a little bit of reverence in his eyes. The adults then made their own after seeing how she’d made the kids’.

  Later on, as they slept beneath the stars, Lián Xīng let out a relieved sigh as she looked up into the clear night, the starlight not even dimmed by the moon’s light. She soaked it in, feeling herself slowly get less achy. She slept on top of her sleeping bag, hoping to get as much exposure as she could.

  Just as she was falling asleep, she just barely heard Zhōu Míng Yù whisper, “Is it just me or does she almost sparkle?”

  “It’s just you.” Was the mumble of her other guard.

  Lián Xīng dreamed about starlight. Stars that felt like they were tied to her. Their white gold lights pulsed to the tune of heartbeats. She reached for them and felt their light. Thoughts drifted in and out of her mind, and she knew they weren’t her own. As she woke the next morning, she realized the connection wasn’t a fluke; she was connected to every person she’d healed. Some connections felt stronger than others. The question was now what she would do with this new ability.

  “One of your people left early this morning.” Lǐ Mèng Yáo informed Lián Xīng as soon as she got up.

  Lián Xīng only nodded before going to find her Grandfather, “One of my guards mentioned someone left?”

  Lián Liwei nodded, “Yang Hǎi Lán said there was something she needed to do.”

  A snort came from behind them, and when Lián Xīng turned, she noticed Lǐ Mèng Yáo had followed her. “You don’t have that tight of a ship here, do you?”

  Grandfather Liwei nearly glared at the female guard, “Unlike the base, we don’t imprison our people.”

  “Lián Xīng isn’t one of ours, she’s…”

  The glare intensified, “That’s right, my granddaughter is just being used by your base after they kidnapped her.”

  “She came willingly.”

  “Only when her family was threatened.”

  Lián Xīng stepped forward, seeing the kids come around the corner, curious about the rising argument, “Settle down, everyone.”

  “Are you going to hurt Auntie?” Měi Lán stared up at Lǐ Mèng Yáo with a look of pure worry and fear.

  “I…” Lǐ Mèng Yáo seemed unsure of what to say in the face of an innocent child.

  “Auntie never hurts anyone. She heals people. Why would anyone want to hurt her?” Mùchén stared down the female guard with a glare that could rival Grandpa Liwei’s.

  “We aren’t going to hurt your aunt.” Zhōu Míng Yù spoke from behind, coming around the corner.

  “Míng Yù…” Lǐ Mèng Yáo scolded.

  “Let’s have some breakfast before we head out.” Lián Xīng spoke up hoping to change the subject quickly.