Chapter 37—The Quest

Nikki told them everything: the crystal angel's plan, and how Jesse and Chaz had coincidentally traveled to where several enchanted crystals were hidden. She told them how Jesse and his cousins had already found some in France, and how the New Zealand expedition was also underway. The only thing she didn't mention was the Deep Space Communicator. That was NASA top-secret information. But she did say she spoke with the guys every night for reports.

"So theoretically," Jake said, looking at the shimmering stones, "some of these could be for the crystal chain? What should we do?"

"I think Christina might be right," Nikki said with a lopsided smile. Christina lifted an eyebrow. "Let's go back to the stones," Nikki said. "If our hearts warm up we'll be close. And one more thing." She pushed up her glasses. "A crystal will only light up for the person it's meant for."

"What do you mean...'meant for?'" Jake asked.

"You'll see," Nikki said, and stood up.

"I'm ready," Christina said, and jumped off the rock and rushed toward the fallen stones. Jake and Nikki followed.

Devin remained seated, feeling slightly ill. First he had fallen and now his leg was burning up. All this talk about enchanted crystals was too weird. He wasn't convinced these simple stones would illuminate spontaneously, never mind just for him.

"Focus on your heart," Christina said, staring at a particularly shiny stone. She felt a slight warming under her necklace.

"I feel something," Jake said and grinned. "This is sooo cool."

Christina bent over and picked up her shimmering stone. It instantly burst into a flickering violet and felt warm to the touch.

"Wow!" She nearly dropped it. "This one's definitely mine." As she held the crystal in both hands, her neck reflected purple like a buttercup under someone's chin.

Encouraged by Christina's luck, Jake bent over. "I think this one might be mine." And he picked up a stone that had been slightly hidden. It erupted into a shimmery orange, his favorite color. His grin stretched almost to his ears and even his teeth looked orange.

Christina walked back to Devin and led him to the stones, where the team searched until every stone had been turned over. Some lit up and others did not, but eventually seven stones erupted and turned the room incandescent with colors.

Devin was surprised when he discovered a crystal of his own—a cobalt blue one. He had read somewhere that blue was a "mental" color, so he supposed in a way that fit him.

With growing enthusiasm, Nikki offered another idea. "Maybe this is a good time to try what the team in France did. Join up in a circle and touch our stones together."

"Wait," Devin said. "How do I know there's not another one for me? You each have two."

"I thought you didn't believe in the crystals," Christina teased.

"Well, I don't, really." He looked up and shaded his eyes from the rolling radiance. "I just think it's highly unfair that you all have two and I only have one."

Christina laughed. "Well go on over then and see if you missed one."

The team waited while Devin limped over and picked up every shimmering stone.

"Come on, Devin," Jake said, impatient to form a circle. "Those aren't doing you any good. We're wasting time."

"All right." Devin limped back to the group while looking over his shoulder as if a stone might spontaneously erupt for him.

They joined up, and with Ranger sitting in the center, touched their crystals together. For a few seconds nothing happened. Then Christina said, "Look up!"

Overhead hung a bubble of light. Inside the translucence was a chain of stones, some illuminated and others not.

"Wow, look at that," Jake said. "I count twenty stones, but only twelve are lit."

"They must represent those not yet found," Nikki said.

Jake's eyes widened. "Maybe this is a way to check on their progress. How cool is that?"

Everyone lowered their crystals and the light blinked out. "Which brings us to an important question," Nikki said. "What should we do with them?"

"Take them with us," Christina said. "Maybe they'll help us get back safely. I don't want to have to nurse any more injuries." She looked at Devin, who was still rubbing his leg.

"We'll need them for the full moon," Nikki said, "which is Friday at twelve-fifteen p.m. here in Happy Valley. The angel said we must all connect our crystals then to stimulate the chain. But I'm not sure if it has to be back in this room." She frowned and looked toward the entryway. "Once I get out of here I don't want to go through this tunnel again." The team mumbled their agreement.

Jake looked at this watch. "We should start back; it's getting late."

The team packed away their crystals and organized for the return trip. Nikki was eager to update Jesse and Chaz on her mind-bending experience inside the crystal cave. The quest had grown in importance since she now had mates to share it with. But they had yet to make it out of the heinous tunnel number seven and around the terrifying hole.