Time Salvager (Time Salvager #1)(64)

She nodded.

He took out a small wad of dried leaves and handed it to her. She accepted it gratefully and put it in her mouth. This was the second time in a day a stranger had handed her leaves to chew. What had happened to all the food on this planet? The leaf tasted vile, but it was something, at least.

Then, to her surprise, the boy took her hand and pulled her southward, deeper into the city. A few minutes later, she realized that they were entering Boston Common, or what was left of it. He was leading her back to his people. Someplace with food, hopefully. Elise didn’t know if she could survive another night without eating. To her surprise, no sooner had they stepped five meters into the park than they were surrounded by a dozen dark figures. Elise counted four spears, two high-tech-looking guns, and a host of other stuff she didn’t even recognize.

“Stay behind me,” she said, pulling the child behind her. She might be able to shoot one of them with her wrist beam, maybe scare them off.

The child tore from her grip and hobbled toward them. One of the figures came forward and dropped to a knee. He inspected Elise’s makeshift splint. There was a rapid exchange of words; the adult seemed to be scolding him. Then the child pointed at Elise.

The adult—an elderly man with a gray mane of hair—approached her and planted himself right in front of her, his eyes looking her up and down as if she were a curious, fantastic animal. That, or a side of beef. He caught sight of the bands on her wrists and hissed. Then he studied her smooth white hands and red hair.

Elise took the opportunity to study him as well. He was only slightly taller than her, though the stoop in his back had a lot to do with it. Like the child, the old man was covered from head to toe by a sort of mud. His clothing was a patchwork of handmade stitching and animal hides but he wore very well-made moccasins.

After he was satisfied looking her over, he spoke. Elise had no idea what he said. It sounded like he had put a bunch of letters in a blender with the top off and just spit them all out.

She shrugged and held her hands out, palms facing up. “I have no idea what you just said.”

The old man was taken aback. “You speak Old World?”

She could barely understand him, but she recognized enough of the words to piece together what he said. Elise spoke World English back in her time, and maybe now it was considered Old World. The two sounded somewhat related, enough for her to make out his words even though a lot had changed.

“It’s just World English where I’m from,” she said.

He frowned, not quite comprehending. “You fix Sammuia?” The old man gestured at his leg and then at the boy.

“Is that his name?” Elise smiled, waving at him. He gave her a shy wave back.

“And you bring home. Th … thank you.”

“Actually, he was bribing me with food.” She emphasized that by pretending to put something in her mouth.

The old man nodded and pointed at his chest. “Qawol.”

She did the same, patting her chest and enunciating her name syllable by syllable.

Then Qawol waved his arms at the group behind him. “We Elfreth.”

She pointed to herself again. “Just Elise.”

He smiled and stepped to the side. “Come,” he said, gesturing toward the thickets. “We share.”

“Get away from her!” a voice above them roared, and a large shadow came crashing down on top of them.

Qawol, surprisingly agile, jumped out of the way as James dropped from the sky and pounded the Earth, kicking up a ring of dust in all directions.

“Elise, get behind me,” James snarled. “Why can’t you stay put when I tell you?”

She saw yellow energy crackle around his body. The last time James was like this, he tore through the Nutris building as if it were made of Styrofoam. He would rip these natives apart.

“Wait, James!” she cried, grabbing his shoulder, trying to pull him back. She couldn’t budge him, though. Her eyes widened when more armed natives appeared, weapons all aimed at James.

James and now nearly two dozen natives stared each other down, waiting for someone to make the first move. This was her fault. She had wandered into their lands, after all. She saw the boy hugging the old man’s leg, too terrified to run. Their blood would be on her hands. She had to do something.

“Stop!” she screamed, louder than she thought possible. “Please.”

Both parties forgot they were about to shoot each other for a moment and stared at her.

“Stop,” she repeated, stepping in between James and the natives near the front.

She looked back at James, then at Qawol. By now, even more of the Elfreth had moved up behind them. They were surrounded.

“We would love to accept your invitation for food,” she said, again putting her hand into her mouth.

Elise glanced at James once more and nudged him with her eyes. He scowled and reluctantly lowered his outstretched arms. She held her hand out to Qawol. The old man, eyes fixed on James, accepted it. Together, they walked hand in hand into the thickets, where presumably, she would either find a decent meal or become one. At this moment, it was a risk she was willing to take.





TWENTY-FOUR

THE ELFRETH

“For abyss’s sake, how many damn times do you have to wander off and get in trouble before you learn your lesson?” James raged, pacing back and forth in the tent-like quarters they had been given by the Elfreth. “Twice now I’ve asked you to stay put until I return, and both times you’re gone when I do!”