Nikolai sat under the bush he’d staked out for rest. “It is not my fault.” Freckles blazed purple on his face. “I only closed my eyes for a moment.”
Felicia patted his arm. “He made a mistake.” She glared at Riley.
Nikolai wrenched away from her and got to his feet. His tred collided with a small rock, sending it zinging toward a hill.
“Who cares why you did it?” Riley whipped his arms up in the air. “Be a man and accept the blame.” His eyes slid to meet mine. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” Hobbling to a clump of bushes across from us, he slumped to the ground, cradling his injured arm in his lap.
“She’ll be okay, right?” Trey’s voice wavered. “She can’t die.” He stroked Tiff’s hair and leaned close to her ear. “Come on, baby, fight it off. Stay with me, please.”
“Once it cools down, we need to head out again,” Colin said. He sat on Riley’s other side, tossing small stones into the open area between us. “Like, in maybe an hour or so.”
I shook my head and glared. Didn’t he get it? Tiff was too sick to travel.
Colin grunted. “Guess we should divide up her stuff. Sad for her, ‘cause she’s going to die, but decent for us, ‘cause our odds just got better.”
I jumped to my feet, my hands flying to my hips. “She’s not going to die!”
Colin’s eyes cut to Riley, who wisely stared at the sand.
“You think she stands a chance against that poison coursin’ through her veins?” Colin asked. “Those snake bites are lethal. Jay proved that already.”
“We don’t know for sure she was bitten by a snake,” I said.
Colin’s eyebrows rose.
I ground my teeth. “It doesn’t matter. You’re not touching her stuff.”
“It’s just a matter of time,” Colin said.
I fingered the shaft of the crossbow I carried all the time. “I won’t let her die.”
Riley grunted. “You’re dreaming if you think you can make a difference, babe.” He lay back in the sand and scooted onto his side.
“Lesha. My name’s Lesha.” I stalked toward him, my fists clenched. “Don’t call me babe.”
Malik tugged me around to face him. “Ignore him.”
I leaned my forehead against his chest, trying not to give in to tears.
“He’s trying to get to you. Don’t give him the satisfaction.”
I sniffed. “I hate him.” Easing away, I tilted my head back. “Can we let a snake bite him tonight? Seems fitting.”
He snorted. “I’ll not only help you find one, I’ll hold him down while you apply it.” He glanced toward Tiff, and the lightness in his eyes fled. “How do you think she’s doing?”
I shrugged, and my heart spasmed. What would I do if she died? I couldn’t stand the thought. I didn’t want to live on Eris without her.
“She’ll be okay. Promise.”
“You keep saying that, but you can’t know for sure.”
His chest rumbled. “You gotta keep hoping.”
As I pulled away from him and returned to Tiff’s side, I tried to find the will to keep hope going, but it slipped through my fingers like Eris sand.
By mid-afternoon, she hadn’t improved. She alternated between delirium and unconsciousness. Sweat that had drenched her durasuit dried, absorbed by the thirsty desert air.
The natives were getting restless. Riley and Company, that is.
“I think Colin had it right.” Riley stood across the clearing. Colin and Kalani book ended him. “We’ve given her too much time already. We need to divide up her stuff and move on.”
Malik strode over to Riley. “We’re staying here until Tiff’s better, but you’re welcome to go on by yourself.”
Riley’s hand rose to soothe the bruises Malik had given him earlier in the day. His glance took in Colin, who rolled his eyes. A smirk bloomed on Riley’s face, and he shoved Malik. “Back off, asshole.”
Malik’s feet shifted, but he held his ground. He swung the crossbow around to the front in one smooth motion. A bolt rested along the shaft, ready to let loose.
I rushed to his side.
“This is pointless, folks.” Colin shoved between them.
We stepped back, creating two opposing factions. Trey joined Malik and me, swelling our number.
“We need to get along,” Colin said.
Riley’s chest lifted. He glanced at me, and his eyes softened. “Colin’s right.” He extended his hand to Malik. “What do you say? Can we let this go and get along?”
Malik scowled.
Don’t touch the snake. It’ll strike. The words hovered on my lips, ready to jump out.
“We can forget our disagreement and move on from here,” Riley said.
“Disagreement?” Malik’s face flushed. Spinning on his heel, he stalked to a shady place and settled on the ground.
Riley and his friends slumped under some bushes and whispered together.
I joined Malik. “We can’t trust him.”
“Nope.” Malik leaned close to my ear. “We’ll pretend to go along for now.” He yanked on the back of his collar. “Colin had one thing right. We need each other, if for nothing else but to stand guard.” He scanned the area and frowned. “Where’s Nikolai?”
I blinked and scrambled to my feet, but didn’t see him in the vicinity. “Wasn’t he with Felicia?”
Malik lifted his head toward the girl. “Come here for a second?”
Felicia got up and strode over to us. “What’s up?”
“Where’s Nikolai?” Malik asked.
She shrugged. “Said he was taking a walk.”
“A walk.” Malik ran his hands through his hair. “Are you kidding me? It’s too dangerous for that. Where is he?”
“He said something about proving he could help Tiff.” She squirmed. “Healing leaves, I think.”
Malik shaded his eyes and gazed into the desert. Heat shimmered across the landscape, hot enough to roast a pink meerkat in the sun. “When did you last see him?”
“I don’t know.” Felicia scraped her tred in the sand, revealing a small, striped stone.
“Think,” Malik ground out. “We’ve been here a couple of hours. There’s a big difference between he took off ten minutes ago and he’s been gone since we got here.”
“Half an hour?” Felicia stared toward where we’d walked from. “No longer than that.”
Malik’s face flamed. “Shit.”
“I’m sorry. I thought he’d be back by now,” Felicia said. “You know how he is. Always trying to help.”
Malik paced. “We can’t take a chance being alone in the desert. It’s not safe.”
Felicia swiped her curly hair off her face, but her hand stalled as she lowered it. “Wait a minute. You don’t think he took off like Piper, that he—”
“I don’t know what to think,” Malik said. “Maybe he’s close by.” He strapped his pack on his back and lifted his crossbow. “You said he walked west?”
She pointed in that direction.
“I’ll find him,” Malik said. “He can’t have gone far.”
This sounded too much like Piper. I glanced at Tiff, but knew I couldn’t leave her to help him look. Rising, I grabbed his arm. “Be careful.”
That telling half-smile lifted Malik’s lips, although it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Tightening his pack around his waist, he walked into the desert, his boots leaving dust puffs as he strode away. They dissipated in seconds, swept clean by the stifling breeze as if he’d never been with us.
“I’m sorry.” Felicia wrung her hands and stared after Malik. “Do you think Nikolai’s okay?”
“I hope so.”
They didn’t return, not in ten minutes. Not in an hour. As day faded to dusk, my fear expanded, a knife pressed against my ribs. What if they never came back?
And Tiff remained unchanged. If she died, I’d lose almost everyone I cared for. How could I go on without her?
Just
before dark, Riley’s facade of we’re all in this together slipped. “We need to get going.” He paced, pausing periodically to look east. Kalani and Colin flanked him with matching scowls. “We’ll never reach the mountains if we don’t leave right away. We can’t spend hours lounging in the shade and expect to find the colony and walking in the dark really isn’t an option.” His arms flipped in the air. “Malik never should have gone after the kid. We need to stay together, not wander around in the desert.”
“Are you kidding me?” Trey sputtered. “Without Nikolai, we’re not exactly staying together, are we?”
I joined Trey. “Nikolai could be hurt, or worse, like Piper.” The lump in my throat wouldn’t go down.
Riley stiffened. “If the boy’s stupid enough to take off, he deserves to get lost.”
Really? Did he just say that? “You’re a fucking asshole.”
Riley’s face warped, and he poked my chest. “And you’re a bitch.”
Hallelujah. If he felt that way, could I consider us divorced?
Trey choked and started for Riley.
“Wait.” I grabbed his sleeve, holding him back. Personally, I was a thankful for the new nickname. It beat babe any day.
Trey’s voice grated in his throat. “We’re waiting for them to get back.”
“Hell, no, we aren’t.” Colin shoved past Trey and continued the sequenced pacing routine. “The chick’s as good as dead. Nikolai must have decided to return to the ship or something equally stupid. And Malik’s on a walkabout. We should cut our losses and move out.”
I lifted my crossbow, armed and ready. Even I couldn’t miss a shot at this range. “We’re not going anywhere.”
Riley’s hand trembled on the hilt of Malik’s gun.
Damn. What had I gotten myself into? No need to turn this into a shoot-out in the middle of the desert.
“We’ll walk until it gets dark,” Riley said. “Put a few kilometers in before stopping for the night.”
“Stopping when it gets dark? Definitely.” Colin stalled beside Riley. “Because, whoa, snakes. I’m not stumblin’ around in the dark when they could jump up and latch onto my leg.”
“Tiff’s a goner.” Riley cut a glance at me. “It’s just us seven now. You’re coming with us.” He swallowed. “Please.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” I kept my voice low, but an edge of fear stole in. The trigger twitched under my finger. Letting my other hand drift down the shaft, I clicked the sight into position. All I had to do was lift the weapon, release the safety, and pop, he’d be the true goner. I’d be tried for murder, but I didn’t give a shit.
Malik came up behind me and lowered the weapon I’d nestled against my shoulder. If my finger had moved, Riley would be sporting a bolt through his chest. I handed my crossbow to Trey and grabbed Malik’s forearms. “You’re back.” Hands shaking, I wrapped my arms around him and rested my face on his chest.
He squeezed my waist before moving me to the side. “What’s going on here, guys?”
No way could he miss Riley’s hand on the gun or Kalani and Colin standing at attention behind him.
“They were talking about heading for the mountains,” Trey said.
“Just you three?” Malik’s eyebrows rose. “It’ll be dark soon.”
“Sorta.” Colin wiggled his shoulders. “We were suggestin’ we all head out soon. If you didn’t come back, that is.”
“Well, I’m back.” Malik’s voice scratched dryer than the desert. “But I don’t think we should go anywhere soon.”
I peeked around him. “Where’s Nikolai?”
Malik grimaced. “Couldn’t find him.”
“How hard is it to find one fifteen-year-old?” Riley glared at the desert. “He couldn’t have gone far.”
“I walked at least an hour toward the ship then zigzagged back, hoping to find some evidence he’d gone that way.”
I prodded Riley’s shoulder, forcing him to step backward. “You just said Malik was crazy to go after Nikolai. Why don’t you go find him yourself, if you think Malik’s doing a crappy job?”
With a grin, Riley solidified his treds in the sand and leaned in close. “I love that spunk you’re flinging around, babe.”
Hauling back my foot, I nailed him in the shin. Tears sprung up in my eyes from the pain in my toes. But the horror blooming on Riley’s face, followed by hops as he clutched his leg, made it all worthwhile.
“I told you not to call me babe,” I said. “Got it?”
“God, Lesha, way to ruin the truce,” Colin said.
Pivoting, I strode back to Tiff. Riley was right. I had found my spunk. About time, too.
Malik shoved past Riley and knelt in the sand beside me. Clucking his tongue, he nudged my side. “Damn, girl, but I like your style.”
“About time that creep learned to leave me alone.”
He leaned around me, his eyes focused on Tiff. The brightness fled his eyes, replaced with concern. “How is she? I thought about her the whole time I was gone.”
I stroked her forehead. Was it cooler, or was it wishful thinking on my part? Her chest rose and fell like she slept, but I’d stopped trying to read a hopeful sign into every move she made. “Hard to say.”
Malik patted my shoulder. “She’ll get better. I know it.”
“Your confidence keeps me going.”
“We’ll stay here until she’s ready to walk again. I won’t leave anyone else behind in a desert.”
“I know you won’t.” I squeezed his arm. “What about Nikolai? Where do you think he went?”
Jaw cementing, Malik swiveled his head south. “I found tracks…”
Something about the way he said the words made the tiny hairs lift on my arms. My mind flashed to that shadow I thought I’d seen. “And?”
“More than one set.” His gaze met mine, filled with the ghosts of infinite nightmares. “Someone’s following us.”
Chapter Twenty
“Maybe it’s my dad!” I said.
The sorrow on Malik’s face made my breath catch.
“If it was your father or any of the colonists, Nikolai would have told them about us,” he said. “They’d be here by now. Whoever it was crept close to our location before heading south.”
Unease traveled through my limbs. “What about the wolf pack?” I imagined them chasing Nikolai down, hamstringing him, ripping his throat out, and my skin curled in horror. “Or a snake. If one bit him, he’d be sick, delirious. He’d wander in circles. The tracks could be his.”
“There were multiple sets of footprints. Four or five individuals, I’d say. No animal I know wears shoes.” He shifted his feet and lowered his voice. “He put up a fight.” His thumbnail scraped across a scar on his hand, over and over. “I found fresh blood in the sand and marks indicating they’d dragged him. Like Piper.”
“Lots of blood?” I gulped back my urge to throw up. “Do you think he’s dead, too?”
“I’m not sure.” His Adam’s apple lifted in his throat. “There was enough to know someone hurt him.”
I clamped my hands into fists to hold back their shakes, but it didn’t help. My whole body shook. “Captured, then. Before the colonists arrived, Eris was supposed to be uninhabited. The drone data showed nothing but small animals. That’s why they picked this place for settlement.”
“The drone surveys must be wrong. Someone, no, something…” He pointed to the steep hill beside us. “There’s evidence they crawled to the top and laid there for a while.” His dead-serious eyes turned my way. “Lesha, the night we crashed. That sixteenth survivor. What if—”
“That person was taken, too.” I finished for him. “Aww, hell.” Shivering, I got up and turned in a circle, gaping at the hills encroaching around us. Tall and jagged. We’d chosen the location for protection, but now… Someone had been up there spying on us while I sat with Tiff in the shade, and when I argued with Riley.
“Why would they grab us one at a time? If they wanted, they could stroll in
and take us. We’re half asleep most of the time. We have almost no weapons. It doesn’t make sense. Did you follow the tracks?”
“Until whoever it is crested a hill and walked along a ridge. The wind swept the trail away after that.”
“We should post guards all the time, stay together, watch out for each other.” Hell, it was past time for that.
He nodded. “And get to the colony as fast as possible.”
Our gazes fell on Tiff.
“We could make a stretcher out of blankets,” I said.
“Let’s give her tonight. We can decide about carrying her in the morning. Too easy to get picked off or lost in the dark.”
“Or bitten.”
“I need to fill the others in on what I found.” He walked to the middle of the clearing, gathered everyone’s attention, and shared his find.
Riley thrust out his chin. “This changes things. We’ve got to leave right away.” He cocked his head at Colin. “Whatever took Nikolai’s not getting us.”
“You can leave,” Malik said. “But the rest of us are staying here.”
Colin strapped his pack on his back.
Riley tightened his sling around his neck. “The colony is the only place we’ll be safe. We’re out in the open here. Vulnerable.”
Couldn’t argue with him there, but no way would I leave Tiff.
Malik grunted. “Think before you rush off. How far will you get in the dark? If you’re not careful, you’ll step on a snake or lose your way. You won’t have the mountains to guide you at night.”
“We can’t stay here forever,” Riley grumbled. He sighed. “Tell you what. We’ll give her the night. No problem with that.” Steel infused his spine. “But we head out at first light.”
“You know we won’t agree to that,” Malik said. Turning his back on Riley, he clapped his hands. “First thing we need to do is set up a perimeter around the fire. If we mound sand over a ring of rocks, we can create a barrier and sleep inside the circle. It won’t keep out whatever took Nikolai or Piper, but it might slow the snakes.” His mouth stretched into a grimace. “If we post two guards at all times, the others can rest without worrying about being bitten.”
Phoenix Arise: YA Sci-fi Thriller (From the Ashes Book 1) Page 17
