a hint of panic in
her eyes. “In the house.”
“I’ll go get it.”
“No way. They’ll swarm over you in seconds.
Have you never been bitten by a fire ant?”
“We don’t have them in Rune.”
“They sting. And burn. The best thing to do
is avoid them.”
“Is they natural to this area, or did the
Warlord summon them?”
“Fire ants do live around here, and yes,
every spring and summer I have to deal with their mounds. I keep a
gallon of fire ant killer in the garage.”
“The garage which is now covered with
ants.”
“Right.”
“I’ve got to get inside and get your
medicine. I can’t take the chance of you being bitten.”
“I don’t plan to go anywhere near them.” Her
dry tone didn’t entirely hide her despair. “If they’re all over the
outside like this, I’ll bet there’s more inside.”
Making a non-committal sound, he crossed his
arms. “Looks like the Warlord may have made your decision on
whether to stay or to leave much more clear-cut.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“You’re not going inside your house. You have
no barn. Where do you plan to stay?”
Lifting her chin, she looked at him, her
expression stubborn. “How did he know about my allergy to insect
bites?”
“To him your life is history. Perhaps many
things are known about you in the far future. This would be a
simple spell, to command the ants. He must have believed you to be
inside, asleep.”
She shuddered. “That would have been a slow,
painful death.”
“The Warlord doesn’t care. Dead is dead, to
him.” Alrick decided to press his advantage. “Now are you ready to
leave?”
“Hell, no.”
“Where do you intend to stay? To sleep?”
She gestured wildly. “There. In my pickup.
Luckily I left it out the last couple of nights.” She shuddered.
“Normally I park it in my garage.”
“It’s red. How do you know there are not ants
on it?”
“Good question. Go check.”
With a shrug, he did as she asked. Parked
away from the ant-covered house, he saw no insects on the pickup.
“No ants.”
“Great.” Rubbing her arms, she didn’t sound
thrilled. “Now is there going to be another storm or what?”
He started. “The weather.”
“Exactly. You said—.”
“I know. I don’t want to stick around to find
out. Let’s go,” he urged. “It’ll be much easier to hide from him if
we’re on the move.”
“We can dodge the weather?” She stared.
“You’re serious?”
Pointing to her ant-covered house, he nodded.
“Do you see any alternative?”
He saw the resignation settle into her face,
even as she continued to fight against what she knew to be truth.
“I barely know you. Maybe I could call my mother…”
“You would endanger her?”
“No, but…”
He pressed his advantage. “Do you have more
grain for TM?”
“No. And Kayo’s dog food is in the house. My
food. My emergency kit. The gun. Everything. Except…” Taking a step
towards the pickup, she stopped. “Would you mind checking to see if
I left my purse on the front seat of the truck?”
Slipping on his gloves, he went one better.
Opened the door and retrieved the bright yellow bag. Handing it to
her, he grimaced. “Is that leather?”
“No, vinyl. I can’t afford leather.” She
studied him. “Don’t tell me you don’t have leather in Rune
either.”
He shrugged. “We don’t kill animals for food.
Why would we do so for clothing?”
“Good point.” One more look at her house had
her taking another step back. “Is it me, or are they moving
closer?”
A solid line of fire ants swarmed towards
them.
“Get in the truck.” She climbed into the
driver’s side. “Hurry.”
He did as she asked, careful not to touch any
metal with his bare skin. He’d hate to be trapped in a metal box
covered in ants. Kayo barked and jumped into the back.
She slipped a key into a slot and turned. The
pickup’s engine roared to life. “I keep the horse trailer out in
the pasture. We’ll hook it up, load TM,
her eyes. “In the house.”
“I’ll go get it.”
“No way. They’ll swarm over you in seconds.
Have you never been bitten by a fire ant?”
“We don’t have them in Rune.”
“They sting. And burn. The best thing to do
is avoid them.”
“Is they natural to this area, or did the
Warlord summon them?”
“Fire ants do live around here, and yes,
every spring and summer I have to deal with their mounds. I keep a
gallon of fire ant killer in the garage.”
“The garage which is now covered with
ants.”
“Right.”
“I’ve got to get inside and get your
medicine. I can’t take the chance of you being bitten.”
“I don’t plan to go anywhere near them.” Her
dry tone didn’t entirely hide her despair. “If they’re all over the
outside like this, I’ll bet there’s more inside.”
Making a non-committal sound, he crossed his
arms. “Looks like the Warlord may have made your decision on
whether to stay or to leave much more clear-cut.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“You’re not going inside your house. You have
no barn. Where do you plan to stay?”
Lifting her chin, she looked at him, her
expression stubborn. “How did he know about my allergy to insect
bites?”
“To him your life is history. Perhaps many
things are known about you in the far future. This would be a
simple spell, to command the ants. He must have believed you to be
inside, asleep.”
She shuddered. “That would have been a slow,
painful death.”
“The Warlord doesn’t care. Dead is dead, to
him.” Alrick decided to press his advantage. “Now are you ready to
leave?”
“Hell, no.”
“Where do you intend to stay? To sleep?”
She gestured wildly. “There. In my pickup.
Luckily I left it out the last couple of nights.” She shuddered.
“Normally I park it in my garage.”
“It’s red. How do you know there are not ants
on it?”
“Good question. Go check.”
With a shrug, he did as she asked. Parked
away from the ant-covered house, he saw no insects on the pickup.
“No ants.”
“Great.” Rubbing her arms, she didn’t sound
thrilled. “Now is there going to be another storm or what?”
He started. “The weather.”
“Exactly. You said—.”
“I know. I don’t want to stick around to find
out. Let’s go,” he urged. “It’ll be much easier to hide from him if
we’re on the move.”
“We can dodge the weather?” She stared.
“You’re serious?”
Pointing to her ant-covered house, he nodded.
“Do you see any alternative?”
He saw the resignation settle into her face,
even as she continued to fight against what she knew to be truth.
“I barely know you. Maybe I could call my mother…”
“You would endanger her?”
“No, but…”
He pressed his advantage. “Do you have more
grain for TM?”
“No. And Kayo’s dog food is in the house. My
food. My emergency kit. The gun. Everything. Except…” Taking a step
towards the pickup, she stopped. “Would you mind checking to see if
I left my purse on the front seat of the truck?”
Slipping on his gloves, he went one better.
Opened the door and retrieved the bright yellow bag. Handing it to
her, he grimaced. “Is that leather?”
“No, vinyl. I can’t afford leather.” She
studied him. “Don’t tell me you don’t have leather in Rune
either.”
He shrugged. “We don’t kill animals for food.
Why would we do so for clothing?”
“Good point.” One more look at her house had
her taking another step back. “Is it me, or are they moving
closer?”
A solid line of fire ants swarmed towards
them.
“Get in the truck.” She climbed into the
driver’s side. “Hurry.”
He did as she asked, careful not to touch any
metal with his bare skin. He’d hate to be trapped in a metal box
covered in ants. Kayo barked and jumped into the back.
She slipped a key into a slot and turned. The
pickup’s engine roared to life. “I keep the horse trailer out in
the pasture. We’ll hook it up, load TM,
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