Desert Runner (Puatera Online Book 1)

by Dawn Chapman

  Alex nodded. “If you were my fiancée, I admit, I’d want you home too.”

  I couldn’t help but take offence at this and threw the cover off storming out of the Hog. I couldn’t take his stupid comments any longer. I pulled open his door, dragging his ass out. “I’m not some feeble woman you know back in your world, Alex. I’ve been through a lot, and I won’t take any shit from some hyped up visitor.”

  “Hey, hey, calm down.”

  I wasn’t listening to him. I needed to walk, to get rid of him. But Alex followed close behind me.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you. Please don’t call me a visitor. I’m a player. I come here to escape the things in my world that I can’t stand. I try to help, though I don’t think I’m doing much of that at the moment.”

  I saw his breath in the air as he let out a sigh, his green eyes twinkling with the lights from the Hog.

  Taking stock of what I’d done, I heard a faint noise at my back. I felt a twinge in my gut. I’d done the one thing I knew I shouldn’t, especially at night, opening us up for an attack. There was no way of knowing what kind of creatures were out here with us.

  Behind Alex—I saw it. A ghostly shape drifted by. I stepped in closer, pulling his frozen body against mine. I whispered in his ear, “Keep calm. When I tell you to run, you run!”

  He didn’t answer, but I took a few steps backwards. He followed me. I could hear the beating of his heart in his chest and feel his quickening breath in my ear. Whatever he’d bathed in that morning filled my nostrils. Stupid programming. I pushed those thoughts aside.

  “Now!” I shouted. He ran toward the Hog. I heard the door slam. I reached for my blades just as the creature made a run at me.

  I sidestepped and slipped the knife in between its shoulders. The bellow it made hurt my ears, but I turned around as I felt its claws rake against my trousers. It, however, didn’t make it through to flesh. Bouncing off my bad hip, I struck once more. This time, I hit it in the face, piercing its eye.

  Blood splattered. I yanked hard to get the blade out. The creature slumped to the ground, not quite dead, but roiling in pain. I took my cue and ran for the driver’s side. Alex threw open the door for me. I piled in, catching my hand on the outer metal. Dang! The creature didn’t get me, but the Hog did? I swore, slammed the door, and started the engine. “No rest for the wicked, the whole continent would have heard his roar. We need to get as far away from here as possible.”

  I glanced at Alex who still stuttered, “I—I’m sorry.”

  “I’m sorry, too, I shouldn’t let the past dictate what happens now. Can we start over, really start over?” Alex met my stare with a nod. “Good. Reach under the seat. There’s a first aid kit. Get me a bandage and some wipes. You can clean off and wrap it while I drive, okay?”

  I watched as he fumbled under the seat then pulled out my small kit. I held out my hand, and he took it gently.

  “It’s not deep,” he said. “But it does look nasty. Was that the creature?”

  I laughed. “No, the side of the car.”

  He started to wrap gauze around it, and it felt better. However, the intimate contact with him didn’t. As soon as he finished, I pulled away.

  I wasn’t sure if I could like him. He’s paying me, nothing more. So why did I have a gut ache? I looked over at him, caught his smile, and then I focused on the road ahead.

  About an hour later, I found a place to pull in and rest. Driving through the night was never a good thing, even if I knew the terrain.

  I turned the engine off and settled back to pull the blanket over me. Alex had fallen asleep a while ago. His snoring settled my nerves. Putting my head back on the rest, I watched as he breathed in and out, the slight mist filling the cab.

  The only light now was from the moon. There were several unanswered messages from Dail, but I had ignored them all. When I finally clicked them open, I read the last one only.

  The package is a visitor named Alex, I wrote out. His quest, I can’t ignore. Nor will I, or, your debt to the healers guild and my life are forfeit, I’m sure. I’m safe. We’ve stopped for the night now. I’ll message you when we’ve crossed the desert.

  I knew I’d already said too much. I wasn’t sure how he’d react to someone else in the Hog with me, let alone a visitor. The last one we’d both been involved with caused so many problems.

  Alex moved under the blanket. I felt his leg brush mine. There wasn’t much room in here, but I didn’t mind. The heat from us both steamed the windows on the inside.

  I turned off notifications so I wouldn’t be woken, clicked the safe mode on the Hog, and locked all the doors.

  Closing my eyes to the night, sleep soon came for me.

  I didn’t know how long I slept, but Alex gently woke me the next morning. The sun was trying its best to get through the Hog’s night windows, a feature I’d paid a lot of money for.

  “Sun’s up. Thought we’d best drink, eat, and get back on the road.”

  I nodded and took a breakfast ration from him, then slugged back a load of water. “I’ll just be a few,” I said, exiting the Hog to relieve myself—behind the nearest bush or tree. When I got back to the Hog, Alex left too, no doubt for something similar. I wished there’d been a function for us to not have to go. But, yeah, peeing in the bush, great fun.

  I programmed the Hog for daylight driving, watching the tinted windows lighten so we could see ahead.

  “I love this vehicle,” he said. “Looks like something out of a movie, but is so much more versatile than anything I’d ever dreamed of.”

  I grinned. “In total, this has cost me more money than most people spend in their entire lifetime.”

  “Damn, I can see why. You and the Hog are unique.”

  That we were, and the quests we took on were too. Everyone knew it. Don’t mess with Maddie and the Hog.

  The road ahead was littered with boulders as we edged off the forest trail and back closer to the mountains. No matter where we were, the heat from the desert and the fact it was summer plagued us. I tapped the control system and cranked up the air con, even though I knew it used more fuel. We needed the respite.

  Alex looked out to the beyond, and asked, “What does a Tromoal look like?”

  “They’re huge,” I replied. “The females are bigger and heavier than the males. They’re sleek and fast, but the females are in charge. The males do their bidding, so they’re wild on approach and quick to hit you with fire.”

  “Fire?”

  I nodded. “They have both abilities—that of red-hot fire and of ice—both are deadly.”

  “Wow, ice as well. I can’t imagine getting struck with a fireball let alone something made of ice.”

  “That’s the one that got me. Fire would have burned my skin, the ice penetrated into the bone in thick slices. Worse than being hit with a thousand daggers all at once.”

  “And they fly?”

  “Yes. They’re born only to land when they breed or feed. Otherwise, they retreat to Trofoth. We believe their lands are a mixture of solids and air-based floating islands.”

  “Trofoth is the place where no one’s been so far.” Alex nodded back to where we’d come from, although Trofoth was much further away and many hours in the water or on land.

  “No, there are only rumours of people living on Trofoth. Maybe one day I’ll get to travel the seas and see where it takes me, but not now.”

  “Why not? Is it because of Dail?”

  Were my travel plans on hold because of him? I’d not thought of that. I’d refused to marry him. Yet I’d stuck around as a runner, using my excuse of the potions to tie me to the village. I glanced to my ring, it was still on the dashboard. Really, I knew I’d been scared to head out alone. What if I couldn’t find fuel for the Hog? What happened if, and if—

  Alex shrugged. “Sorry, just trying to understand the creatures we’ll have to face.”

  “I don’t think facing them is an option. I’m going to try to
sneak in without them even scenting us. I don’t want to tackle one, even a young male or female.”

  “Understood, they sound like mythical creatures we call dragons. They fly, breathe fire, and are nasty. Do you know if anyone has ever tamed one?”

  I laughed at this. “You’re one crazy player.” When I realised he hadn’t been kidding, I added, “There are rumours for every occasion, for the people who actually live with them on Trofoth, and for the individuals who have managed to kill one. Yes, even to tame one and to fly on their backs. But I wouldn’t believe any tale that involved one. If you see them up close, you will know and understand why we don’t go near them.”

  Alex nodded, rubbing his wrists. “Understood. I just think we players like the sound of them. They’re a challenge.”

  “That challenge will get you killed.” I noticed the grin but then laughed. “You said you didn’t want to die. What is it like?”

  “From the day I woke in this world, I knew it was going to be a bad thing. I came close that first day when I met Jenni and her sister. I’d picked the wrong city location. There were gangs of players waiting to kill me for all the wrong reasons. If Jenni hadn’t saved me from that beating, I wouldn’t have made it past day one in Puatera.”

  “I can see why you want to repay the favour.”

  He smiled. “They were the nicest kids I’ve met, so yeah, when I heard she wasn’t going to live without this potion. I had to get it for her.”

  “No matter the cost to you?”

  I could see why he’d taken this quest. This quest to Port Troli wasn’t just because of the politics, whatever the politics really were—they were a side quest compared to getting the potions to his friend.

  There was no answer to my question, and that made me even more curious about his circumstances. What man would risk all for a child, especially a visitor?

  I reached out placed my hand on his, squeezing. “Then I’m glad I didn’t back out and that we’re doing this. The potions will save her life.”

  Our eyes locked for quite some time. I didn’t move or pull away. I wanted him to be close to me. Then I reminded myself, he was a visitor. He’d do this quest, then be gone. What was going on in my head? Stupidity. He wouldn’t stick around. Not for me.

  I pulled my hand away and focused on the driving. “Get some rest, while you can,” I said. “You can drive in a little while.”

  But he didn’t settle. He reached over, tugging my hand back to his. “Don’t take this personally, I’m freezing. I could do with the body heat.”

  I panicked as I looked at him and noticed how much he actually was shivering. “Did you get caught by anything? What did you touch in the estate?”

  Panic filled my veins as I noted the colour to his cheeks. They were pale blue. I stopped the Hog dead. Pushing myself back in the chair, I slid over the gear stick to sit on his knee wrapping my arms around him to pull him tight against me. He really was cold. I could just reach into the back of the cab, to where he’d placed the alchemist’s box. I rummaged around in it. I found what I needed, dragging it towards me. I popped the lid.

  “You need to drink this. Now.”

  “W-w-wha-at is it?” he stammered. “W-w-ha-a-at’s wr-ong w-with m-e-e?”

  I didn’t have any real answer, but I wasn’t waiting until he turned completely blue and passed away. I put the vial to his lips, forcing him to drink. Rubbing his throat so he’d actually swallow, and then I curled around him.

  “Close your eyes, think of how warm you are. Don’t let that cold inside anymore.”

  “It hurts,” he stammered.

  I blew my breath across his brow. “I know, but you can feel me against you, yes?”

  “You’re so warm… I’m not pervy, I swear.” I felt his hands reach up inside my jacket. They were so cold. I wanted to slap him across the head. How dare he touch me like this, but I also knew he needed it. “Shh, it’s okay. I won’t hold it against you.”

  “Maddie,” he whispered. His voice low, so low.

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t let me die. I don’t want to die. I want to live, live better than I ever have. Do so much, life sucks back home. Let me live.”

  I leaned in, placing my face to his, letting the cold seep across me. My warmth settled into him. “You are living,” I replied. “You can do anything you want here. I’ll support you. You’re my friend and charge. I’ll get you to Troli. Melee will get her potions. We’ll be home before you know it.”

  Chapter 6

  Waking sometime later, I tried to move. Couldn’t. Sleeping wrapped around another human being in the Hog was not a good idea.

  I pulled on the door catch and sprawled out onto the desert floor. The jolt made my hip hurt all the more.

  I bit down, trying my best not to swear. Forcing myself to stand, though the pain in my leg and hip was horrendous, I slammed my hand on the roof, cursing.

  I felt Alex wake as the Hog moved. “Sorry,” I muttered.

  When he poked his head out the door, at least he had more colour than he did last night. He reached down to pass me one of my flasks. “Here,” he said passing it to me.

  I took a swig then downed a lot more than I probably should have. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I said things last night I shouldn’t have.”

  I looked away because he had. He’d said too much, and I’d felt a lot more than I should have. Damned programming. But then, remembering how this time, I didn’t want to fight the programming, I almost let out a laugh. I covered my mouth before he tugged my arm back to look at him.

  “Don’t be mean.”

  “I should feel weird about being so close to you last night,” I said, drinking in his stunning green eyes. “But I don’t.”

  I wasn’t sure what emotion I saw, his eyes twinkling and darted left to right, but I don’t think he knew either. I was the one who turned, walking away. I needed to stretch out and get the feeling back in my body.

  I also wanted to take in the surroundings, to see where I’d actually driven us. We were slightly off where I’d wanted us to be and time was ticking.

  Getting my bearings didn’t take long as I heard a humongous bellow above us. Instantly, I flattened on the ground, hoping the Tromoal hadn’t spotted the Hog or me. I flipped myself over and pulled my goggles over my eyes.

  I could just make out the creature in the sky, its long wingspan flowing around it for what looked like miles. This one was the largest I’d ever seen. The underbelly of the creature was so huge. I realised suddenly this was a female. I swallowed, not just a female... The female! I was looking at the underbelly of the matriarch, the biggest of them all. I clicked a tiny side button on the goggles and zoomed in so I could see her in all of her glory.

  The details of her scales were stunning. Reds and blues mixed with silver and black edges. The more I watched her, the more I was in awe. Then I noticed. Her belly actually moved, but they didn’t bear live young. They had eggs... What the…? I patted myself on the back for money spent well on this enhancement.

  I felt something at my side. Alex poked my ribs. “Everything okay?”

  I looked at him. His face went right out of view until I pulled the goggles off. The Tromoal had passed over. We’d not been seen.

  I smiled at him, noting the features on his face, deep laugh lines and the odd grey hair. “I just saw the matriarch. She’s huge! But something was off.” I pushed myself up, and he helped me to my feet. “Let’s not hang around as the rest of the gang will be on their way too. They’re never far behind her.”

  “How many usually come to the plains?”

  “I think there have been counts in the hundreds, maybe a thousand. Usually not many volunteers for that kind of research.”

  “Yeah, not sure I’d want to get too close.”

  “You know you’re going to regret saying that.” I moved to the driver’s side and pointed for him to get in. “Breakfast is on the move. We’ve a lot of ground to cover today. S
he’s at least going in the opposite direction, so that’s a good thing.”

  Alex climbed back into the Hog, and I pulled us out slowly, getting us back to some semblance of our route. The Hog bounced a little too much, but the pain relief spread through me. I wasn’t worried. Alex hung onto the side door and the dashboard.

  “Not scared of a few bumps, are you?”

  I watched as his face frowned, then he laughed at me. “No, it’s just women drivers, you know, they suck.”

  Oh, I saw a nice pothole... which I aimed for. “We suck, huh?”

  He reached over, placing his hand on mine, easing me away from all the holes. When he let go, I flexed my fingers on the wheel and concentrated on what I actually needed to do. Drive.

  The plains started to stretch ahead. The Hog dipped down then rose again to let Alex see how truly vast they were. He let out a gasp. “I never knew...”

  “They’re something else entirely, aren’t they?”

  He rummaged around for something then pulled out a set of binoculars. Looking through them, he spoke openly, “I’d not expected this, no.”

  “Nor me. I remember the first time I saw the plains. I was coming down here on an ebolos back with Dail.”

  I knew he was gazing at the colours. The veins that stretched through the miles of the desert were something unique. Many came here to view them alone. Some tried to do more than mine the cave systems, but at this time of year, they had something else inside them, something the Tromoal needed for their young, then something we could harvest after they’d left. Hismaw.

  The cave systems that also ran alongside the veins were noticeable even from this distance. I pointed to the left central vein, its silver and purple lights flickering into the sunlit sky. “Most of the Tromoal will inhabit those systems there. They offer great places to shelter and hatch their young. I’d imagine the matriarch will be leading them there later, after feeding.”

  “There’s nothing for them to feed on though.”

  I knew that and hoped they would find a herd of forest creature, or something else, preferably not the humans who had left the estate. I couldn’t do anything about it now. I had to keep driving and hope Dail would get word to the other cities that they needed to keep livestock away and set out some sacrifices.