Chapter 26

“Am not.” Lina knelt on the deck and proceeded to crawl back into the pile of bedding. There was a short rustling from the shrubs where Lina had just been. She froze in place. More rustling.

“Stay down,” Arabel whispered, turning the palm of her hand toward the cloud skimmer’s deck to illustrate.

Lina nodded and watched as Arabel bent slowly to pick up the push pole from the deck and grip it tightly in both hands.

Arabel whirled around, brandishing her makeshift pike.

“Ho, dere,” Lina heard along with another, louder rustling of shrubs and the slap of feet on stone. “I no danger. See? I bring basket. See? No danger.”

Lina dragged herself upright to look over the prow of the skimmer. There she saw the owner of the voice, not much bigger than the haploids Arabel had chased off earlier, with both hands on their basket, lifting it to eye level.

“What do you want?” shouted Arabel.

“I bring basket. See?” The newcomer lowered the basket and took a step closer.