She frowned, and a tiny line appeared between her eyebrows. “I know. But that’s because they are all under the effect of something. At least, I think they are.”
“You noticed that?” He didn’t bother denying what she’d seen.
“So, I’m not imagining things?” She gave him a wary look. “What about you? Are you going to start trying to carry me everywhere?”
He laughed, the sound ringing through the forest for a moment before he remembered their situation and stopped making so much noise.
“I have no desire to carry you, Maddison. Whatever the others are experiencing, we seem to be immune.” At least he hoped that was the case. So long as they did not make physical contact, everything should be fine.
“That’s good.” Her mouth popped open, and panic flashed in her dark eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that as an insult. You’re very attractive. I mean, as far as aliens go. I just don’t think this would be a good time to be distracted, though. That’s all I meant.”
He raised a hand in a calming gesture and smiled while ignoring the sudden urge to soothe her with a touch. He wasn’t sure if that would trigger the mating madness he’d seen in his brothers, but he would not take that chance.
Once she relaxed slightly, he told her, “I took nooffense. You’re right. We need to stay focused on more important things.”
She brightened, and for a moment her smile lit up the night. “Yes, exactly. Like staying alive.” As quickly as her smile came, it faded again, replaced with a grim determination that made the lines around her mouth and eyes deepen.
At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to do something to make her smile again. Instead, he forced himself to focus on what they needed to do. “Can you see?” he asked and then gestured to his face. “My night vision is almost as good as it is in the daylight.”
Maddison shook her head. “Humans don’t have that ability. I’ll need a light source.”
That wasn’t a good idea. The canopy of trees was thick, but if the enemy were scanning the area, it would not take much to draw their attention. A flash of artificial light would do it. They’d need to try something else.
“The light would bring unwanted attention. I will guide you until moonrise. Then you should be able to see well enough on your own.”
“Whatever you think is best. This is your world, Havoc. I trust your judgment.”
That pleased him. After days of arguing with his clanmates, he’d finally found someone who valued his opinion. He also liked her soft voice and quiet demeanor. After a lifetime spent with the raucous exuberance of his brothers, her presence was soothing.
He unslung the bag from his shoulders and pulled out a length of cord. It measured about five of his strides and was light enough to do the job. He tied one end around his waist and then handed the other end to her while taking care not to make skin-to-skin contact.
“Fasten this around one wrist. If you fall behind, I’ll feel it, and I can let you know what the terrain is like.
She nodded, tied the cord into a neat loop, and slipped it over her hand. “Will we walk all night? How far do we need to travel?”
Havoc set out at an easy pace. “It took us most of the day to reach your camp, and we ran a good portion of the distance. It will take us longer than that to return. And to answer your other question, we won’t walk all night. We’ll both need to rest. My goal is to reach the river at the base of these hills tonight. Tomorrow we’ll follow the river back to our base camp. The trek will be easier than going over land.”
“We’re headed for a river?” Maddison’s voice lifted to something almost cheerful. “Well then. I think I have something that could cut some time from our journey.”
He recalled the size of the pack she wore and tried to work out what she might be carrying that could do such a thing. Nothing occurred to him, but it also struck him he hadn’t asked her what she’d packed. That was an oversight on his part.
According to Bysshe, all the fa’rel were stubbornly independent, a character flaw that frustrated the android. They could work together when necessary, but that levelof cooperation rarely happened for long. In part, that was because the scrawnies had designed them that way. They wanted warriors, but they were afraid of their creations, so they added personality traits that made it difficult for them to spend too much time in each other’s company. They also pitted the brothers against each other, forcing them to compete for rations and other rewards.
“What are you carrying?” he asked.
“Oh, a bit of this and that. Food, water, a fire-starter kit, two thermal blankets, a first-aid kit…” She paused for a moment. “And a packet of Smart Fabric that can form several useful shapes, including a raft.”
He spun around to stare at her. The scrawnies had trained them in the use of such technology, but they’d only seen the items in demonstrations. Their creators never allowed them direct access. Probably out of fear that they’d use the tech against them somehow. “Show me.”
“We’ll need more room than we have here. According to the instructions, the fabric can form a two-man shelter or a raft with a sort of roof. Both forms will take up a lot of space. At least, more than we have right now.”
She was right about that. The forest here was thick with underbrush. At the moment they were on a narrow game trail, but he’d have to lead them away from it soon. While it increased their speed, the risk of runninginto whatever predator hunted the makers of the trail was too high.
“That is a valuable item. What made you consider bringing it?” He was curious about this female’s thought process. Her choice showed surprising foresight, especially since she had no idea where they were going.
“Honestly, I was more interested in it as a shelter. We’ve already experienced one storm, and I didn’t want to be caught out in the open with no way to stave off the worst of the wind and rain.”
Her answer made him smile. Despite her fragile appearance, this female had good instincts, and she seemed determined to survive despite her fears. “The storms here are fierce. That was a good decision.”
