The expedition team had set up camp in a golf field in the Western part of the Las Vegas area, technically in Spring Valley. The dead green stretched between clusters of ruined houses, dried out trees, and empty pond holes. It would have been a great place to golf before it fell to ruin, but as it was, it just fit with the rest of the apocalyptic scenery. What it had going for it was a lot of open space around the circle of campers, giving the Hunters plenty of warning in case monsters showed up.

It was the middle of the day, but most of the expedition team was at camp. It wasn’t just the Eden team, it seemed like the Redding and Quebec teams were there too, all sitting or standing in the middle of the camper circle.

Kesstel landed just outside the ring of campers and set me down.

Tyson hurried ahead and disappeared into the camp circle.

From inside, I could hear voices rising and falling.

“It has to be somewhere! We know for a fact there’s a Portal here somewhere,” a woman argued.

“According to the readings, yes,” a man argued back. “But we’ve been all over this city already, killed all of the monsters, and still haven’t found it. What if it was a Portal Burst? It opened, caused an earthquake, dumped a ton of monsters, and closed?”

Kesstel motioned to where the heated words were coming from. “Since they’re busy, take a break. You can report when they’re done.” He took his extra-large camper out, then opened the door for me.

My gaze locked on the mess I left on his shirt. “You should change first. You’ll only take a portion of the time I will.”

From the camper circle, a low voice marked by a thick French accent broke through the heated voices. “But the readings indicate that the Portal is here. Also, we have not cleared all the monsters, new ones keep showing up everyday, so there must be a Portal. We can not leave until we know for sure.”

“About that,” Tyson’s voice cut in. “I have some more information there. Or rather, I know someone that does.”

Kesstel and I both froze. We looked toward the group of suddenly loud people at the same time. I couldn’t help but sigh. I just wanted to get clean and eat something first. Was that too much to ask?

“Tyson,” a familiar man said over the noise, although I couldn’t peg his voice. “I thought you were going to bring Noble back?”

“I did,” Tyson said. “And a surprise.”

I glanced at the open camper door, debating. Should I just hide in there and wait for this all to blow over first?

Kesstel nodded inside with a knowing look. “No one would blame you.”

I snorted. “Yes, they would.”

Kesstel smirked. “I’d like to see them try.”

I couldn’t resist rolling my eyes. “You should stop bullying people, your lordship. It’s bad for your image.”

He smirked all the wider. “As if they’d say anything to my face.”

If they weren’t dead before they finished, they’d be on the ground cowering in fear. After all, everyone knew how terrible Kesstel’s aura was. It wasn’t just that he was an S Rank, he was also a Boss. By definition, his very presence makes prey submit — in other words, anyone weaker than him. Which was everyone.

I paused as a thought came to me. Did the same thing apply to me now? The idea that people would collapse at my feet wasn’t a very comfortable one. Before I could think my way through it, a crowd of Hunters moved around the campers with the team leads to each city in the front.

Eden Healer Laurel Harris gasped and Blood Sword stiffened with surprise, their eyes on me. Miranda, at his side, scowled while the rest of the crowd muttered to their friends in shock.

“I thought she was dead!”

“Where has she been this whole time?”

“I never thought an E could last that long alone. Heh, tough chick.”

Jonovan pushed out of the crowd, and walked up to me. “Jyn, thank god.” His voice choked up. “I thought you were … Independent streak or not, you can’t just go out by yourself. Even Kesstel was worried. I was trying to figure out what I was going to say to your sweet sister.” He ignored the way I flinched at his words and reached out his hand to my shoulder. His golden magic touched me, soothing away the last of the aches that Regen hadn’t healed yet.

Almost immediately, Jonovan’s fingers flinched away from me. His serious eyes widened as he stared into mine. He already knew that I was stronger, but he must have noticed that I was even more powerful now. His mouth cracked open. Instead of saying anything, he licked his lips and continued to heal me. He at least had enough tact to not yell my secret out to the world.

Meanwhile Kesstel was talking with Blood Sword. “Like I said, she’s not dead.”

The S ranked Hunter shook his head in shock. “Then where has she been this whole time?”

“She came out of a Portal,” Tyson popped up like he couldn’t wait to spew gossip. A crooked smile spread across his flashy, handsome face. “I saw it with my own eyes. Apparently there was a Portal by that hotel that Price’s group was ambushed at. This little girl came out of it and the Portal disappeared.” He looked like he couldn’t be more delighted to fan the flames.

In the back of the crowd, President Price stiffened. His aura flashed in agitation and his square face turned to stone. If looks could kill, I’d be ten feet under.

At his side, Penny and Mark shifted, looking me over as if to make sure I was actually alive. Both of them looked completely normal, like what happened the last four days wasn’t that eventful to them. I couldn’t decide how I felt seeing them still alive. I mean, I did purposefully save them. Since I did it, I wanted my plan to succeed. At the same time, I didn’t really care if they died. Since I helped save them, I hoped that meant that they weren’t going to try and take revenge on me. Neither of them were looking at me with the same hatred that Price had. Instead, they looked just as conflicted as I felt about them at seeing me alive.

The tall Quebec female leader looked at me, a frown on her handsome face. “Did you really just come out of Portal?” she asked, her accent so thick it took a second for my untrained mind to comprehend what she said. It was also a novel idea for a stranger to talk to me in such an unbiased tone; it took me by surprise. After all, it was common knowledge that I was an ‘E.’ As soon as she spoke, the rest of the crowd hushed and listened, heeding the natural leadership aura that she possessed that had nothing to do with the intimidating vision she made in full armor

“Yes.” There was no reason to hide it now.

“What happened in there? What did you do?” she asked.

My mouth twitched as I debated for a second before going for broke. I waved my hand. The twenty-six Orc weapons that I’d kept appeared on the ground in a pile, the Orc King’s giant red sword on the top. “I was Orc hunting.” That was all they needed to know. “Since you didn’t believe me so much last time, I thought I’d bring back more. Maybe I should have brought back an Orc head too.”

Violet, standing behind Blood Sword, let out a fangirl scream. “Oh my God! Look at them all!” She elbowed Blood Sword. “Can I go touch them? Please let me examine them.”

The rest of the crowd was just as stimulated, shifting and whispering to each other. Armourers in the group shifted around, trying to edge closer to the pile of crude looking weapons, while the others tried to get a better view of the alien weapons.

Miranda folded her arms and stretched a smile on her angular face. “Oh my. That does look impressive. Where did you find them all?”

I rolled my eyes. “In the Portal. I just said that.”

She giggled, acting like she was on a stage. “How is that possible? An E goes into a Portal and survives. It’s the funniest joke I’ve ever heard.” Her eyes softened as she turned her smile to Kesstel. “There now, Mr. Noble. I didn’t know you had such a sense of humor. It must have been hard pulling all this together under our noses.”

Kesstel didn’t even look at her. As if he never heard a thing, he walked up to the pile of Orc weapons and picked up the Orc King’s blade. He handled the seven foot sword like it was a twig as he lifted it in the air, feeling the weight. Then he paused and brought the blade closer to his face. It was hard to see since the metal of the sword was red, but dried liquid on the edges matched the dried blood that covered my body. My blood. Thankfully, Hunters have the ability to bleed like a cartoon character and still walk it off.

Kesstel’s eyes flared as he scowled. His fingers tightened on the handle.

I reached out and tapped his elbow. “Don’t break it.” That was my keepsake from the battle. Proof that I wasn’t a weakling anymore.

“The Boss’s weapon?” he asked quietly.

I nodded, ignoring the odd looks that came my way from the other Hunters.

Kesstel tsked under his breath. “I should have been there, there was no reason for you to get hurt like that. You didn’t tell me you were going into a Portal.”

I shrugged. “I actually did try to message you, but I was interrupted and the option never presented itself again.” In order to appease him, I didn’t mind stretching what happened. I did try to call him, but I never planned on letting him come with me to Vapria. It was obvious Goddess didn’t want him around.

Miranda’s face screwed up, obviously annoyed that we were both ignoring her.

“Quiet,” the Quebec female leader cut in before she could make a racket. “Petty squabbles can wait until after.”

Miranda gaped at her. “I do not squabble, Hunter Fortin.”

That’s right, her name was Mila Fortin and the equally severe man at her side was her husband, Logan.

Mila scoffed under her breath while her husband leveled me with his narrow gaze. “Where is the Portal?” he asked, and I recognized his voice from the earlier discussion.

I shook my head and waved my hand dismissively. “The Portal I just came out of isn’t the Las Vegas Portal.” I was starting to feel like a track on repeat. “It was a Portal Burst,” controlled by Goddess, “that opened and drew me in. When I came out, it shut after me.” They didn’t need to know the whole of what happened. I couldn’t tell them anyway.

My words were met with surprise.

Blood Sword frowned. “How do you know it wasn’t the Portal we’re looking for?”

I pursed my lips, trying to figure out how to proceed. In the end, I just flat out lied. “When I was coming back to Earth, the tunnel I went through was long. It wasn’t instant like the Gates. I could see that there was another tunnel right next to me going to the same place I was. I think that’s the actual Las Vegas Portal.”

Tyson hummed over the noise of the other people. “Is that really how it works?”

“Yes,” Kesstel backed me up. “That’s exactly how it works.”

Hm, I was mostly just making stuff up. The tunnel that I walked through was too dark to see anything.

“I have a way to find the Las Vegas Portal,” I added. I couldn’t help but frown at the loud exclamations that came with my words. Instead I just talked over it before another round of questions were launched my way. “It’s an ability that only I have,” I added. Then I laid down my terms in the next breath. “But first, I’m taking a nap.”

“I thought you didn’t know how to Track,” Huntress Charlie exclaimed.

I looked away, feeling a little guilty. “It’s not a Tracking ability. It’s different. But I should be able to find the Las Portal.” I waved my hand, and the pile of Orc weapons disappeared back into my Items Bag.

Violet let out a discouraged gasp. “Wait! What are you going to do with all those?”

I paused, surprised by her question. I didn’t really have a purpose for them. I collected them mostly because it was becoming a habit and I wanted to make a statement for the Hunters. Okay, make a statement for Miranda. I guess I was petty like that. But I didn’t actually need them now. They were terribly made, so I was never going to use any of them.

“About that,” I reached out and took the Boss sword from Kesstel, “I’m going to donate a couple to research, but I think I’ll sell the rest.” I tapped at the red blade with a finger, then I stored it in my Items Bag. That particular blade, and the Red Orc Lead’s weapon, was mine.

Violet suddenly threw her hand in the air. “I’ll pay a hundred thousand!”

Her words shocked me. And I was completely floored as other Hunters started yelling out higher prices. In seconds, there was an impromptu auction happening.

Hang on, I thought we were worried about the Las Vegas Portal. Where did this come from? “Um, I’m not going to do anything until we get back to Eden,” I announced to the excited Hunters. Without waiting another second, I fled into the camper. All the noise outside was cut off when Kesstel’s barrier shut over the trailer.

*****