Sahara Desert, Mali

  The horizon slowly faded to lavender, stars vanishing one by one. As the last one winked out the sky turned blue, and the temperature rose sharply.

  Sophie helped Peter set up the tent, angling the cloth to provide as much shade as possible.

  “Is there anything else we can use for shade?” Marie asked, looking thoughtfully at everyone’s jackets.

  “A tent might be one of the supplies available,” Sophie said. “We could ask.”

  “Oh, this is your first time in a contest like this,” Lydia said, looking around.

  “Second for us,” Innoka said. “But we didn’t get a pad last time.”

  Lydia sat up. “Tents are available, but getting one removes the barrier. They have walls that can be rolled up, so we get to choose between being blind and being open to ranged attacks.”

  Sophie looked at Marie as the group debated. She was already feeling sunburned, and wanted shade more than anything.

  “We should get a tent,” Peter said. “If we’re blind it just means the enemy won’t know there’s seven people here. We can watch whatever side isn’t facing the sun.”

  Marie nodded. “Nop!”

  The raven appeared with a blue shimmer. “Yes?”

  “We would like a tent, please,” Marie said.

  “Very well,” Nop said. “I must warn you, getting a tent will remove the safety barrier.”

  “We are aware, thank you,” Marie told her.

  She bobbed, and the supply pad was surrounded by a blue glow. Suddenly a tent appeared; four long, thick fabric sheets that crossed over each other, draped over a metal frame. The fabric was tan, making Sophie wonder how people would know which group owned it.

  Peter walked to a “wall” and pushed. The fabric moved, but was hooked in place at the bottom. He unhooked it from the frame, pushing the sheet up and over the top of the tent.

  “Very nice,” Chimeg said, doing the same to the next sheet over. “I wouldn’t mind living here.”

  “Nop, is there a ten-minute hourglass?” Marie asked.

  “Yes,” the raven answered. An hourglass appeared in front of her.

  “Thank you.” Marie picked it up. “Whoever is on guard duty: walk around the tent every ten minutes.”

  They all agreed, already relaxing in the shade. Back on the ship it was just past ten at night, and everyone was tired.

  “Do you think anyone else will pass by?” Innoka asked Lydia. “I’d guess not, but you’ve been here longer.”

  “There might be a team or two wandering about,” Lydia said. “Some might leave their areas to go raiding. And when morning comes people will make one last push to remove other groups.”

  “Should we do that?” Sophie asked. “Leave in a few hours to raid?”

  “No,” Chimeg said, looking at Lydia. “Come morning we should fight. Foxes against Wasp. We’re all still in the contest thanks to our truce with the Drifters, but to prove we aren’t cheating we should fight before the end.”

  “Two against one? That’s hardly fair,” Lydia said.

  “I’m injured,” Innoka said, holding up her bandaged arm. “Chimeg can take the wings off a fly with her crossbow, but she doesn’t know how to use any weapon other than that.”

  Chimeg nodded. “If you want someone else on principle, Sophie would do.”

  Sophie smiled, then realized she’d been suggested because she had no fighting experience. She was useless in a fight. Peter had taught her how to hold a knife and make a fist, but that was about all.

  “I’m not lending you Sophie,” Marie said. “We’re not losing a team member to even out your battle.”

  “It’s fine,” Lydia said. “If you arbitrate, that will be enough.”

  Marie nodded. “Of course.”

  It was Peter’s turn to keep watch. On the ship the clocks read two in the morning, but here it was noon.

  The sun burned everything. Heat rose from the sand in visible waves, creating mirages.

  This wasn’t his desert.

  He now knew how Marie had felt in the ocean.

  Peter got to his feet, staring into the distance. Something called to him. He took a step out of the shade, barely aware of his actions.

  He was… a ghost. Peter had died in his desert, leaning against a tree. Whatever was happening now wasn’t… real. It couldn’t be. He was dead, and his spirit was cursed to drift about the Earth.

  Peter realized he hadn’t prayed since meeting the rostari. He tried to feel remorseful about that, but kept getting distracted by the desert’s call.

  He stepped back into the tent, grabbed three canteens, and walked back out.

  A hot breeze played with the fringe of his poncho as he moved with long steps towards the horizon.

  Razan woke with a searing pain on his hand. He jumped to his feet, grasping his wrist as he looked around.

  Sunlight poured into the tent, touching the area where his hand had been. He focused on his hand and saw the skin was dark red and already blistering. Cursing under his breath, Razan scanned the tent for whoever was keeping watch.

  Everyone was asleep, and Peter was missing.

  Razan stormed outside, ready to punch the cowboy. Or kick; his fingers wouldn’t be able to form a fist.

  Peter wasn’t there.

  Razan stomped around the outside of the tent, paused at the opening, and walked around again.

  Peter was completely gone.

  Deciding he didn’t care, Razan cradled his burnt hand to his chest. He used his other hand to pull the sheets down, closing the tent. He secured them before carefully stepping over everyone to unfasten the sheets on the opposite side. After pushing them up to allow air in, Razan sat down and glared at a split blister.

  Nop had provided a box of medical supplies earlier, to bandage Innoka’s arm. Razan had seen something in there for sunburns, and now he hoped it was a miracle salve.

  Marie sat up, turning to look at him questioningly. He held up his hand, and she immediately moved to his side.

  “How the hell did that happen?” she asked, her voice quiet.

  “Sun came into the tent,” Razan answered. “Touched me as I slept.”

  She upended the medical box and spread everything out, cursing in accents that designated three languages. Razan clenched his good hand around his wrist, somehow calmed by the words. They validated his pain and worry.

  “Your skin is already dead, all we can do is save the hand,” Marie said, holding up a small bottle. “The pictures say this is for burns, aye?”

  He nodded. “I believe so.”

  “Good.” She pulled his hand towards her and paused. “This will hurt like the devil.”

  Razan tensed as she squeezed cream from the bottle onto his skin. Marie gently rubbed it in, her fingers moving in small circles. He watched her for a few seconds.

  “That doesn’t hurt at all,” he said. “It feels quite good, actually.”

  Marie turned his hand, massaging his knuckles. “There was a chance it might. Felt it best to prepare you.” She squeezed more cream out. “First contest I nearly died, second contest Sophie passed out. Now this. I wonder what will happen to Peter next contest…”

  She finished rubbing the cream in, then took a long bandage and, after dampening it, began wrapping his hand. Razan watched her expertly wind the cloth through and around his fingers, wondering where she’d been trained.

  “There,” she said, tying the end. “Don’t touch that until after lunch tomorrow.”

  “Yes, Captain,” Razan said, bowing low. “Thank you.”

  “As you were.” She looked around. “Where’s Peter? Who’s on guard?”

  He sat back up. “I have no answer for either question.”

  Peter walked. There was a big rock formation in the distance, and he was determined to reach it.

  The sun was so bright it wound back around to seeming dark. The air was so hot it moved like liquid. The hawk circling him in the sky could just as easily have been a vulture.

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  And Peter felt more at peace than he had in weeks.

  He realized that on the ship there were always people around. Even when asleep in his room, Sophie would come in and take things. Most of the time he spent outside his room, he was with Marie or Sophie. And at no point in the contests had he been truly alone.

  Until now.

  Peter smiled, feeling the sand under his boots change. The ground was becoming firmer.

  During the war, Peter had spent a fair amount of time traveling between camps. Enemy camps tended to stay, at minimum, several hours away from each other. A distance of a day or two was preferred. And only an idiot would go in a straight line from one camp to another. Peter had passed full nights circumnavigating camps from both nations. During that time, the most important thing was that he not be seen.

  The desire to not be seen or noticed hadn’t left him. He’d craved time alone, and finally his need was being met.

  Eventually he reached the rock formation. It towered above him, red stone pockmarked from wind and rain. He had no doubt every living thing within a mile was somewhere in or around this monolith. That would include snakes and scorpions.

  Still, he knew snakes and scorpions. They were simple, straightforward, easy to understand. Not like humans.

  Peter made his way into the shade of the towering rock, wondering if there were any carvings or drawings at the top. Probably. Since the dawn of time people had climbed rocks in deserts only to draw stars and spirals on them. Some claimed the stars and spirals had meaning. Peter suspected they were the doodles of teenagers who just wanted to leave some mark on the world.

  He sat down on the sand, suddenly exhausted. He finished his second canteen of water and yawned. His internal clock told him it was some ungodly early hour of the morning.

  He was alone. He was safe. He was finally in a familiar environment.

  He fell asleep.

  Sophie woke up to the sound of a gunshot.

  She sat up, wondering what was going on.

  Marie and Chimeg were at the tent’s opening, focused on something outside. Razan was reloading Marie’s rifle, a bandage around his left hand. Innoka and Lydia were peeking between the sheets that made the tent, looking for other attackers.

  “Here,” Lydia called. “Poisons. Rosa and Kesi.”

  “Don’t know them,” Marie said. “Chimeg, if you don’t mind…”

  Chimeg nodded, going to where Lydia was. Sophie took her place next to Marie, scanning the desert.

  “Stay back, girl, we’re facing a sniper,” Marie said softly.

  Sophie retreated. She looked around. “Where’s Peter?”

  “No one knows,” Razan grumbled. “He would be very useful in this-” He cut off with a yelp as an arrow came through at an angle, hitting him in the arm. Olive green paint stained his shirt.

  At the same time there was a cry from outside, where Chimeg was sending a barrage of crossbow bolts into the desert.

  “Got one,” she reported. “Other bitch keeps- Ha! Both down.”

  “Well done,” Marie said. “Sophie, watch north. Innoka, south. I have my eye on this man, we need to find the other.”

  “Do we know there’s another?” Lydia asked. “This late in the game it’s likely the team was already down to three.”

  “It’s best to overestimate the number of enemies than underestimate,” Razan said.

  “Exactly,” Marie agreed, taking careful aim with a pistol. She hissed through her teeth. “Too far.”

  Sophie looked through the sheets, scanning for people. She saw the man who’d shot Razan, but no one else.

  Lydia walked over to Sophie and peeked out. “Oh. That’s Alex.” She smiled. “I know something you don’t know.”

  “Do tell,” Marie prompted.

  “He thinks it’s impolite to fight or hurt women.” She lifted her halberd. “Let me take him.”

  Sophie watched as another arrow shot into the tent, barely missing Marie.

  Marie didn’t even flinch. She raised her eyebrows at Lydia and motioned towards the man. “Be my guest. I’m not responsible for you.”

  Lydia bowed, then turned to Chimeg. “Would you mind covering me?”

  Chimeg grinned, walking over and pushing Sophie out of the way.

  Sophie backed up, then went to stand behind Marie as Lydia walked out of the tent.

  The man on the dune stood. “Wasp! What the hell are you doing in there?!”

  Lydia twirled her weapon gracefully. “I was having a lovely nap, which you interrupted!” she called laughingly. “Where’s David?”

  “Stars took him out hours ago,” Alex answered, readying an arrow. “We got two of them, though, so I’m not complaining.” He pulled his arm back and let it fly.

  Lydia moved to the side, knocking the arrow out of the air with her halberd.

  Chimeg let her bolt loose.

  The man recoiled as it hit. “Ow! That’s hardly fair!”

  “Terribly sorry,” Lydia taunted. “I didn’t realize I was playing tag with a child!”

  Alex set his bow down, pulling a sword off his belt. He said something, but Sophie couldn’t catch the words. Lydia replied, no longer shouting. Alex got into a fighting stance, then charged.

  Lydia dodged his strike, spinning to hit the back of his leg with her weapon. Alex fell to a knee, grabbed her ankle, and pulled her off-balance. He swung at her with his sword again, but she intercepted the blow with the shaft of her weapon.

  Chimeg took the opportunity to hit him in the back with another crossbow bolt.

  Alex yelped when it hit, spinning around to face the tent. Lydia scrambled to her feet, swinging her blade around to hit his shoulder. He cursed, staggering as blood poured out.

  A blue glow surrounded him, and he was gone.

  Sophie cheered the win, but stopped when Chimeg hit Lydia with a crossbow bolt.

  “You’re outside the neutral area,” Chimeg called to her. “We are enemies.”

  Lydia glared, blocking a bolt with the blade of her halberd. Orange paint mixed with red blood as she spun the weapon around, stepping towards the tent.

  There was a bang next to Sophie, making her squeak and jump back.

  Innoka had fired Marie’s rifle. She smiled apologetically, handing the weapon to its owner.

  Lydia, clutching her thigh where the ball of paint had hit, was unprepared for Chimeg’s next bolt. She grinned, holding up her middle finger as blue light surrounded her.

  There was a pause as Sophie felt her heart rate slow. All possible enemies were gone. The fighting was over.

  Marie climbed to her feet, yawning. “Well. That was exciting. I’m going back to sleep.” She went to the wall and laid down, facing away from everyone.

  “Whose turn is it for guard duty?” Innoka asked.

  “I think it might be mine,” Sophie said. “I’m certainly awake enough to take it.”

  “The job is yours,” Chimeg decreed, curling up around her crossbow.

  Razan cleared his throat. “Going by the agreed schedule, we are in my time to guard.”

  “But you took over Peter’s turn,” Innoka told him, picking up the rifle to clean and reload. “And you got hurt. Let Sophie start her turn early.”

  “Yes, I don’t mind,” Sophie said. “How did you get hurt?”

  “Shush,” Chimeg hissed. “Sleep.”

  Razan and Innoka shared a smile, then he turned to Sophie and bowed. “Thank you for starting early. I wish you luck.”

  “Thanks! Good-night.” She settled down, staring out into the desert.

  “There is now only one hour remaining in the contest.”

  Marie jolted awake at the announcement, looking around.

  Everyone else was sitting up as well, yawning in the heat.

  “Will we get breakfast here or at home?” Innoka asked.

  Nop, standing in the center of the tent, hopped. “Drinks are available. Food will be served once you return to the ship.”

  There was a chorus of “thank you”s, and everyone requested tea. It arrived a few minutes later, and in the blazing heat the warm liquid felt cool.

  Marie looked at her cup, debating. The rostari were capable of many things. Surely… “Nop, would it be possible to get ice for the tea?”

  “Of course!” she answered, and hopped back. A box appeared in front of her.

  Marie lifted the lid to find it full of ice pellets. She took one, looked it over, and popped it into her mouth. The water tasted sweet as it melted on her tongue, cooling her down. In her life Marie had hardly ever seen ice, and had never attempted to eat it. She crunched down on the piece in her mouth and found it somewhat addictive.

  She set her tea aside and began chewing ice like candy.

  Chimeg was the first to join her, then Sophie. Razan and Innoka stayed back, judging them. Marie didn’t care.

  They’d gone through three boxes of ice before Nop announced there was half an hour left.

  “Think anyone else will come?” Sophie asked, glancing out the tent’s opening.

  Razan and Innoka had taken it upon themselves to keep watch there, but Marie noticed they were mostly watching each other.

  “Lydia said they might,” Marie said, sitting back. “If they do, they'll be cutting it very close.”

  Chimeg shook her head. “I don’t think anything will happen. The pads are two hours apart, so they would have had to leave about two hours ago. And then there’s no promise whoever’s on the next pad over won’t have a truce with them. All that walking, in this heat, with no breakfast? No.”

  Marie found that argument logical.

  “I’d complain about stepping outside, never mind being asked to walk,” Sophie said.

  “We’re in agreement, then,” Marie nodded. “No one’s coming. Where’s that game you all were playing earlier?”

  Razan watched a hawk in the sky as it slowly circled closer.

  “How much time is left?” he asked, glancing at Nop.

  “Two minutes and thirty seconds,” the raven answered.

  “It might be Peter,” Innoka guessed. “Returning from wherever he went now that the danger is over.”

  “He wouldn’t hide,” Razan said off-handedly. “He may be returning from aimless wanderings, though.”

  Behind them, Sophie cheered. “And I win again! This is quite a fun game.”

  Razan rolled his eyes.

  “Have you lost at all?” Innoka asked, turning towards them.

  “No,” Marie answered flatly.

  “Four games in a row,” Chimeg said, sounding exasperated. “That shouldn’t be possible.”

  “It’s just strategy,” Sophie said. “Nothing complicated.”

  “If it isn’t complicated then why can’t I beat you?” Chimeg demanded.

  “Because I’m the best,” Sophie said simply.

  “Humble, too,” Marie said dryly.

  Razan smirked at that, looking back outside. Innoka turned back as well, and squinted at a spot on the sand. Razan followed her gaze, trying to see colors in the blinding sunlight.

  “Is that… brown?” Innoka asked.

  “Brown or gold,” Razan said, standing to get a better look.

  “One minute,” Nop announced.

  Razan suddenly realized that meant his time with Innoka was nearly over.

  “Well, Foxes, it was a pleasure,” Marie said, getting to her feet.

  “Indeed,” Sophie said.

  “Likewise,” Chimeg agreed, leaning back. “We benefited most from the truce, so I must thank you.”

  “Yes,” Innoka said softly, smiling at Razan. “Thank you.”

  Razan bowed slightly. “I enjoyed our time together. I hope we can continue this truce in the future.”

  Nop hopped. “Thirty seconds.”

  Innoka ignored the bird. “Of course. We should continue this… friendship.”

  Chimeg folded her game board with a snap. “Just kiss already,” she said, her grin audible.

  “Please don’t,” Nop said quickly. “It is not recommended for people to be touching when the transport activates.”

  “Why not?” Sophie asked.

  “Things can get fused,” the raven answered. “Ten seconds.”

  Innoka’s gold eyes sparkled as she smiled her catlike smile. “I don’t know what they’re talking about, we’re clearly only friends.”

  “Yes, friends,” Razan agreed, keeping his face and tone neutral. “Like Marie and Ebba.”

  Marie, who had been finishing her tea, choked and coughed.

  “Five,” Nop said.

  Razan couldn’t help but smile. He’d guessed correctly, then…

  “Four.”

  Marie glared, taking a deep breath. “Samurai, you-”

  “Three.”

  She stopped, laughing faintly.

  “Two.”

  Razan looked back at Innoka, wondering how quickly he could find her on the ship.

  “One.”

  A blue glow surrounded them, and the desert vanished.