* * *
Jaden woke from the realm of the crystal. It was still night in the real world, but Raquel was nowhere to be seen. He felt his chest. There was no pain or wound where the bullet had hit him, but his head throbbed from being in the crystal’s realm for so long.
He stood up and dusted himself off, and as soon as the pain died away, he began to run to the edge of the meadow. He somehow held the memory of there being peach trees there, loaded with fruit. When he arrived, he quickly picked as many as he could and hurried back to the camp. More time had passed than he realised, as when he got back, everyone was asleep, including Alyssa. For a moment he felt he had failed her, knowing that she had fallen asleep without having anything to eat, but did not wish to wake her. He set the peaches down next to where she slept and then lay down on the other side of her, putting his arm across her to hold her hand. In her sleep, she took the offering and held him close, and with a last thought of feeling at peace, Jaden drifted off to a contented sleep.