To Be A Warrior

Chapter 12: Smoke and Mirrors

"Bloody hell," Sam murmurs under his breath. "A moor, a dead tree struck by lightning.... These Edgeware Dragons have picked a bleak spot."

"Have I told you guys I have a bad feeling about this yet?" I ask, and Janine sighs, casting me a sideways glance.

"Yes, and you have repeated it four times now."

"Yeah, that's because I do have a bad feeling about this. I mean, when Jodes, Nicole and I went with Valmont after he rescued us, he said the Edgeware Dragons didn't like us, and they probably don't like us even more now that we stole from them. I mean, they don't know it was us, but they might suspect. And now, about a month later, they want to talk." I wrinkle my nose. "Smells like a trap to me."

"You need not to worry, Runner Five. There will only be two of them today, and they wish to claim asylum at Abel."

My eyes simply narrow, but no words leave my mouth. I know this feeling. I've felt dread before, many times, but there's certain times when you just know something isn't right. I wish I could tell them how I can taste blood on my tongue, smell it in the air, along with something sour and potent, wrong. It's all very faint, but it's still there.

"Not exactly an original idea," Amelia hums, and I cast a glance at the blonde. "With all the new refugees, Abel smells noticeably of cheese and nappies."

"Yeah," Sam sighs. "We're sleeping four to a one-person room at the moment. We even moved Adora's crib into the coms shack yesterday, so there'd be more sleeping space for some of the other children in the nursery."

I make the same face as before. It's not that I don't like new people arriving. Having large numbers is good as long as we don't get too big. But I know why people are coming to Abel. People don't like Abel. It's clear because of how many settlements still want us to prove ourselves. No, people don't like Abel. They like the idea of it, and those who don't like their own settlements try to come in in hopes this place is some sort of paradise...

In actuality, it's far from it.

"Well, Fort Canton's happy to help rehousing the more interesting characters."

"The more useful to you, you mean," He says lowly, and she smirks.

"I find things useful to me interesting. The Edgeware Dragons held a lot of Sigrid's data storage. They might have some useful intel or hardware. And if not, I'm happy for them to join the merry throng at Abel."

Janine rolls her eyes. "Ever the humanitarian." She pauses, squinting as she looks ahead. "That must be them. Two figures by that blasted oak."

I see them. One is larger, a man. His brown hair is long, thick and coiled. He kind of reminds me of mountain men in movies, how they're large and strong. He looks malnourished, though, lacking muscle in comparison to those in fiction. It doesn't make him look any less intimidating. The scar that extends from his temple to his lip makes me flinch.

The person beside him is smaller, but her red hair is just as wild, frizzy patches sticking out from her braid. She has a scar on her neck, and  multiple scratches on her arms and legs. I can only guess what these two have gone through.

But that's strange... The Edgeware Dragons were very tidy people, neat. At least that's what I could see when we went to their territory. How long have these people not been with them?

"Excuse me, are you the Edgeware Dragons?" Janine asks as we approach them. The man pinches his lips, eyeing us with what almost appears to be disgust.

"Who's askin'?" He asks, his Scottish accent thick, his voice heavy.

"I'm from Abel Township-"

"I'm Amelia Spens," Amelia interrupts, which earns her a glare from Janine, "duly elected leader of Fort Canton, happy to discuss any data-"