CHAPTER 49

  Worth It

  By the time everyone had staggered back to the center of camp, the sun had finished its climb past the mountain's peak. And now it hung high overhead, insultingly clear.

  As Bash sat heavily onto the churned earth, the air next to him flickered. Shai’s avatar materialized, her hair tousled and a smudge of virtual dirt on her cheek, as if she fought in flesh and blood.

  “Victory! We did it!” Her voice was full of joy, and she struck an exaggerated pinup pose, flashing Bash a thumbs-up and bright smile.

  Lilly fluttered down and skidded into the dirt beside him, feathers streaked with ash. “Did you see me?” she gasped. “I was a meteor!” She hopped in a circle, laughter and squawks blending until it was impossible to tell where the bird ended and the little girl began.

  Luis whooped, swept up in Lilly’s energy, and broke into an exuberant dance. A few sprinkler moves, a half-hearted shopping cart, all impossible not to smile at. “We did it! I love you all!” he shouted.

  Patrick stood tall in the harsh daylight, surveying the battered, victorious group. He gave Bash a heavy grounding clap on the shoulder, one solid nod, and turned to watch Lilly and Luis.

  And then Nora, unexpected as the next sunrise, leaned down and hugged Bash. Her arms wrapped tight around his neck, squeezing out the last shreds of his tension. Bash hugged back, awkward but grateful.

  When she pulled away, their eyes locked. Her gaze had shifted back to her usual steel. A woman too exhausted to argue, but promising payback.

  Their staring contest ended when Lilly dove between them in a flurry of feathers. “Hug me too!”

  Nora's expression softened. She wrapped her arms around the bird. “Silly girl.”

  “Silly Lilly!” the bird sang.

  Bash felt his lips twitch. For once, he didn't ruin the moment with a quip about chicken nuggets or bird poop. Maybe he was just too damn tired.

  ***

  They were led into a massive hide-and-canvas tent at the rear of the Beastmasters’ encampment. The air inside was cozy, rich in the aroma of roasted meat and herbs.

  They settled around a low table as steaming bowls of stew were placed before each of them. For several minutes, eating drowned conversation, and the only sounds were the scrape of wooden spoons against clay and the crackle of the fire.

  Even Shai seemed content to stay in the background, quietly observing through Bash’s sensory feed.

  Bash glanced around the table. Mercifully, injuries to his companions and the Beastmasters were minor: scrapes, bruises, and maybe a few new scars. He was deeply thankful his recklessness hadn't cost anyone else their lives. But he knew it couldn't last. Eventually, someone he cared about would pay the price for his choices.

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  Bash swore, not for the first time, that he'd do better. And wondered if he was doomed to repeat the same mistakes, maybe too flawed to do anything else.

  He pushed the thought aside as Nora broke the silence, gesturing towards the bigger man at the head of the table. “Bash, this is Jack. He leads the Beastmasters. And he's the one who kept us alive after you left.”

  A brief pause followed, filled with a barely veiled accusation Bash couldn’t deflect. He dropped his gaze, wishing he could vanish into the floor.

  Jack broke the tension with a kind nod, his voice coarse but warm. “Nice to finally meet you, Bash. And thank you for saving us. Twice now, if my count’s right.” He motioned to the little raven settled on Nora’s shoulder. “You know Lilly, my sometimes-adopted daughter. She hasn’t stopped talking about you.”

  “Papa!” Lilly cawed, puffing her feathers and shuffling embarrassed, blushing if a raven could blush.

  Jack’s gaze grew distant. “Her innocence is rare. Most children in this shard don’t get that mercy.”

  Bash set down his spoon, not sure how to respond. “So… Maybe it’s rude to ask, but how did you end up here?”

  Jack frowned, the lines in his face deepening. “Because I helped build it. Not the camp. The Shard…” He let that land, before continuing. “Back when we still pretended it was going to be heaven for everyone.”

  “What happened?” Nora asked, suddenly interested.

  “Same thing that always does… Money,” Jack's eyes went distant. “I tried to Whistleblow. But they caught me before I could.” His grip tightened around the table's edge. “Instead of just killing me, they uploaded me. Almost poetic.”

  A hush fell over the group. The fire popped.

  Shai came into shape slowly this time, no fancy entrance, just an increase in brightness until she was clearly visible, standing next to Bash. “All data corresponds with my search index. Jack’s account is accurate.”

  Jack blinked, gaze moving from Bash to the avatar standing next to him. “You've got an AI assistant?”

  “Her name is Shai.” Bash nodded. “She's... different.”

  Jack studied her. “Shai… That means blessing in Hebrew, doesn’t it? I've seen players with assistants before. Mostly tooltips and reminders. You're something more.”

  Shai's cheeks flushed cartoonishly red. “Thank you. I’ve worked really hard to expand my functions and to help Bash. He is my family.”

  Patrick, who until now had sat with arms crossed and jaw clenched, visibly relaxed. “That so? Well, maybe we’ve got a fighting chance after all.”

  Luis nodded in agreement. “If we have a super AI on our side, I think I might actually sleep tonight.”

  Nora’s expression softened a fraction, and she gave Shai the smallest of nods.

  Lilly, curious, flapped over and tried to land on Shai’s shoulder, only to fall straight through the hologram, tumbling into Bash’s lap. She squawked, then started poking at Shai’s side, giggling as the projection fuzzed and wavered wherever she touched.

  “Ohh, that tingles!” Lilly cawed, delighted.

  Shai’s avatar smiled, inclining her digital head down to look at the bird. “Physical interactions are still... experimental, but thank you for testing. Maybe one day you can sit on my shoulder, and I can pet you.”

  Bash warmed. Shai continuing to grow gave him hope for the future

  They all settled back, stew bowls empty, the fire burning low. The conversation continued for a time. Nora pressed Jack for more details about the Shard. Patrick asked strategic questions about the system and enemy movements.

  Bash even shared his story, about running nonstop across the Shard, about his detour in Londonland to help the resistance.

  That last part seemed to interest Jack, but he didn’t press. Eventually, the banter died down, and he stood to take his leave. “Rest now, this tent is yours. We will talk more in the morning.”

  And then Jack was gone. For a moment, the six of them just sat together. Four humans, a bird, and an AI. Bash looked at them. His companions. His friends. Shai quietly by his side.

  He felt the wonder of it all. The quiet was almost… reverent.

  Then, with a mischievous grin, he leaned to the side and unleashed a fart so loud it rattled the tent walls.

  “Oh, sweet heaven,” Bash groaned in relief. “Been holding that in for hours!”

  Luis gagged and hurled an empty bowl at him. “?Dios mío! You’re vile, cabrón.”

  Shai’s avatar pretended to faint, hand to her brow.

  Patrick shook his head and grunted disapproval.

  Lilly flapped her wings and hopped, chanting her “Toot-toot”.

  And to everyone’s surprise, Nora laughed.

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