Khol (Rescued by the Alien)

27. Nancy

Chapter 27

Nancy

“ F lora,” I cried out. “Flora!” I patted the bed, though she clearly wasn’t lying on it. “Warm.” She hadn’t been gone for long.

Rounding the bed, I dropped to my knees and looked underneath. Not there.

My frantic gaze met Khol’s. “Where is she?”

We searched the house, and when we didn’t find her anywhere, we grabbed footwear and raced outside. The wind still howled, and it was darker than the inside of a pocket. No moon to light our way—or Flora’s way.

“Flora,” I shouted. “Flora!”

I couldn’t hear anything over the rush of the wind and the sway of the trees around us.

“The pool.” Had she gone swimming? It wasn’t like her to get up on her own and leave the house. She’d never done anything like this before .

We ran to the falls but didn’t find her there. The dread coursing through my veins only grew.

Gazing frantically around, we kept yelling her name.

She didn’t come to us.

“My baby. Where’s my baby?” I cried. Tears streamed down my face, and I didn’t know what to do or where to look for her.

Khol gripped my upper arms. “I want you to wait at the house. I’ll search the area in a widening circle. Someone needs to stay here in case she returns.” His intent gaze met mine. “I’m going to find her, Nancy. And I’m going to bring her back to you. She’s safe.” He pressed his fist against his chest. “I know this in my heart.”

Would I be able to tell if she was hurt or . . . No, I wasn’t going to think that. She was fine! We’d find her sitting under a tree, playing with one of her toys or reading a book.

In the rain?

I couldn’t let myself believe we’d never find my daughter.

“I promise I’ll bring her back safe,” Khol said.

I nodded and while he rushed away, I slowly walked back to the house. Each of my footsteps made the dread build inside me.

And when I didn’t find her waiting in the house, I only cried harder.

It seemed like forever passed before the doorknob rattled .

I burst up from the sofa and rushed over to it, flinging it wide.

Flora stood in the opening, her nightgown soaked, shivers wracking her tiny frame. She held a big pink shell in both hands.

“Sweetie,” I cried, sweeping her up in my arms. “Where were you?” I peered outside, expecting to find Khol there, but we remained alone.

“I had-ta get Khol a pwesent,” she exclaimed through her shivers. “A pwettty pink shell, Mommy.”

“We don’t leave the house without telling someone where we’re going,” I said. Fear kept bolting through me. She was back, but Khol wasn’t.

I lowered her to the floor. “Wait here. Do not go outside!”

“Oh-kay,” she said with the sigh of a put-upon teen.

I stepped outside, closing the door behind me, and started calling Khol’s name.

He didn’t reply, and he didn’t come back.

I didn’t dare venture far. I couldn’t trust Flora not to follow. And she needed to get out of her wet things and into something dry.

He wasn’t at the falls or anywhere near the meadow. The wind had died, thankfully, so I was sure my voice would carry as I shouted his name into the jungle.

“Where are you?” I whispered as I hurried back to the house.

Inside, I stripped off Flora’s wet clothing and placed her in a warm tub, washing her quickly before drying her off and dressing her in the new nightie the house spirit provided .

I tucked her into bed, and I swore she was asleep before I reached her bedroom door, the pink shell she’d insisted on holding clutched in her arms like a stuffed bear.

I shut her door and peered around, hoping to find Khol waiting, but only silence greeted me.

And something odd.

A plate of cookies emerged from the counter. Sugar cookies—Khol’s favorite kind. It was followed by a mug of the tea he preferred, plus a plate of vegetables and grains prepared exactly the way he liked them.

Looking at them only made me want to cry. Where was he?

I went outside, though again, I didn’t dare venture far. I’d have stern words for Flora in the morning, though I’d focus more on her safety and not wanting to worry us. She needed to know she could never leave the house alone again.

Returning inside, I shut the door and sunk down on the couch that still held his scent.

It was a long night.

He hadn’t returned by the time dawn cracked open the sky, heralding Christmas morning.