THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

slipped from her eye.
    Gabby squatted beside her. “Be’tallia?” 
    The child turned to her and whispered, “Yes.”
    “These pupples are all alone, away from home. They need someone to hold them so they know they’re loved.”
    Be’tallia glanced at the pupples, still not reaching for one.
    Gabby looked up at Jaxxson who was watching Gabby with the strangest expression on his face. She started to ask what bothered him, but Be’tallia was her first concern. “You may need to take her back to the dome.”
    He shook his head. “She must be given a chance to adjust. Keeping her in the dome will only delay what she must come to understand. I see you’re not pleased, but my powers can only heal the body, not the mind or the emotions.”
    She supposed he was right. Gabby’s father had always provided the best in medical care for her mother, but no one had been able to heal her mother’s damaged psyche when rumors of her father’s affairs with younger women had surfaced. 
    Jaxxson reached over the children and lifted two pupples that made weird little grunts and growls, sounding like pig-puppy chatter. He placed one in Be’tallia’s lap where the pupple started licking the little girl’s fingers then pawing the front of her dress.
    Gabby wanted to encourage Be’tallia, but she knew what it felt like to have everyone trying to make you “be better right now.”  When the little girl picked up the pupple and held it against her cheek, Gabby stood and turned a thrilled smile on Jaxxson.
    He then handed her the other pupple.
    She’d been itching to hold one and didn’t hesitate to take the ball of fluff, running a finger over its salmon pink, aqua and butter yellow tufts of hair sprouting everywhere. Bringing the bundle of nipping, licking, squirming energy to her face, she laughed when it yipped at her.
    She sensed a deep curiosity coming from Jaxxson.
    Letting her gaze wander over to him, she found his eyes concentrating intently. As if he knew that she’d never held a pet because of her fear of touch. True, but another reason had been the constant moving from one city or country to another.
    Pets were like children. Both deserved a stable home.
    After a long moment, he said, “We can only heal others if we understand how to first heal ourselves.” 
    She started to explain, once more, that she wasn’t a healer, but just then Zilya came rushing up with a little boy in her arms. A toddler. She thrust the child at Jaxxson. “He’s stable for now, but he started reacting right away.”
    For the first time, Jaxxson appeared worried. “How bad?”
    “I had to resuscitate him twice on the way here.”
    “Where’s Callan? I may need his help.”
    “He should arrive soon, but I don’t know how drained he’ll be from healing another.” 
    Gabby tried not to feel hurt over having just been bumped as Jaxxson’s assistant, but she dismissed the petty reaction with a child’s welfare on the line. “Callan’s a healer, too?”
    Jaxxson swung his attention to Gabby just long enough to answer her. “Many of us can heal minor wounds and cuts, but he is a G’ortian, whose powers are still developing and can manifest in many different ways. He has proven to be skilled in healing mortal wounds even though he’s not from the Healing House.” 
    Zilya told Jaxxson, “We captured a TecKnati scout Etoi is delivering to the isolation unit. Do what you can for the child. Callan may or may not have the strength to help you after tending to serious wounds.”
    Gabby did the math and came up with who’d been injured. Sudden fear made her voice sharp. “Rayen! What happened to her?”
    Zilya kept her voice even and calm. “She was struck by a croggle, but she’ll survive.”
    That flew all over Gabby. “Why’d you let that happen?”
    Glowering at her, Zilya explained, “She wouldn’t have been harmed if she’d not chosen to protect a TecKnati. You should be thankful Callan deigned to repair her after she saved our enemy.”
    Oh, boy. That wasn’t going to win Rayen any points. Or any of them for that matter.
    The toddler started jerking spasmodically. Jaxxson snapped into all business mode. “He’s stressing. We have to go.” 
    Gabby was right behind Jaxxson when he reached the dome, but she still held the pupple in her hand. She deposited the small critter into a dress pocket and announced, “I’ll help.”
    His answer was to grab her arm, getting them inside the hut with lightning