The Wastelands (Part II of the Runner Series)

Chapter 10

They remain only a few yards away from us, standing perfectly still as if waiting for myself or Luca to make the first move. Tentatively I slide my arm out from under Luca's shoulder, pausing while he regains his balance before holding my hands out to the Wasters, showing them that I am unarmed.

There are five of them, three men and two women. Their skin is coloured a deep bronze from the sun and their hair is twisted into coils, pulled back severely from their faces and accentuating their sharp features. Their clothes appear made of animal skins, decorated with feathers but undyed and battered by the swirling sand so that the Wasters blend in almost perfectly with the dunes surrounding us. Each person has a bow slung over their shoulder and a spear clutched in their hands, the deadly points presently lowered directly at me.

The women are startlingly beautiful, tall and regal with a calm bearing as they study me scornfully. The men are tall and broad, fearsome with sand-beaten faces and muscled torsos. Bright blue tattoos decorate the Wasters' tanned skin, decorating their arms and shoulders with intricate designs.

One of the men steps forward, turning his weapon in his hands meaningfully. I keep my face impassive, waiting, out of habit calculating the time it would take me to grab my dagger. As he draws closer I begin to regret my choice to give Luca my sword.

"Luca, are you injured?" The Waster directs the question to my companion but doesn't look away from me.

"I am, but I will heal." Luca wobbles on his one leg and the man signals to his comrades. One of the women steps smoothly past me and lends her arm to Luca, supporting him easily.

"I need you to take me to my friends." I tell the man, my fear overshadowed by my impatience.

"You will not make requests of us." He bites back quickly and I flinch despite myself. "Are you armed?"

I open my mouth to reply when Luca speaks up from behind me, "She has a dagger in her boot."

So much for that. The man lowers his brows and smoothly closes the distance between us. I stiffen as he reaches into my boot, drawing out the weapon and examining it momentarily before tucking it into his belt behind him.

"I'm going to need that back later." I tell him.

He ignores me and addresses Luca. "We thought you were taken."

"I was." I can hear Luca shifting on the sand behind me. "They are bringing me back."

The man stares at me again, an indecipherable look clouding his face. His tongue darts out to wet his lips and I mentally dub him Snake.

"We healed Luca's leg and are returning him safely home as a gesture of good faith." I speak up, my arms starting to ache from holding them upright. "We are a small group sent to initiate a peaceful negotiation with you."

"And what of the rest of the people you stole from us?" Snake's voice has lowered dangerously. I fight to keep my eyes locked with his and not on the point of his spear.

"I have only just learned of your missing people and know nothing further." I tell him slowly, my mind racing. All I have to do is get him to take me to Will. I just have to focus on staying alive long enough for that to happen. "If we had anything to do with that, why would we come out to the middle of nowhere to meet with you?"

"We do not try to understand the ways of Miners." Snake's grip on his spear tightens and I swallow in an effort to soothe my parched throat.

"Whatever quarrel exists out here, myself and the people I flew in with are innocent of it." I speak quickly, sensing that the opportunity for conversation is rapidly slipping away. "Our troops withdrew from the desert months ago after we rebelled against our monarchy and overthrew our King. My friends and our Queen are not a part of this war and we wish to end it."