“One more thing,” he said as he slid open a drawer in his desk, pulled out a book, and held it up for them to see. “This is our wilderness guidebook. We wrote it specifically for those new to Carthem, and it covers all the dangers we know of. I’m sorry I didn’t get this book to you sooner, but I wanted the content to be as accurate as possible, so I’ve spent the past two weeks updating it. I suggest you read it all before leaving tomorrow.” He handed the book to Rex, who eyed it nervously.
Lance continued. “Baylor will take our best radio, which will allow you to communicate with us during the first part of your journey, then with Millflower and Jaden for the last half. Phones work only in the towns.”
He smiled at them, then stood up and reached out his hand to shake theirs. “I’ll let you finish your preparations. Thank you for meeting with me. Please, travel safe.”
Rex and Jade thanked him, and as they stood up to leave, Lance turned to Alina. “Can I speak with you for a moment in private?”
“Oh—of course,” she answered.
The others left the room, and when the door closed, Lance sat down at his desk. “Alina, I have something to ask of you. It’s up to you, but if you’re willing, it will help our cause tremendously.”
“I’ll do anything to help,” she agreed.
He gave her a crooked smile, the first that seemed genuine. “Thank you. Will you donate some of the serum that runs in your veins? You must know by now how powerful it is. With it I may be able to create an antidote to the poison in Sampson’s creatures.”
“Yes, of course! How do I donate it?”
“The only release is through tears. Your skin can’t be punctured.” He pulled a small vial from his desk drawer. “We don’t need much. The serum replicates rapidly under the right conditions, which is why Sampson has an endless supply of it. Try to release some before you leave tomorrow. Think sad thoughts, laugh until you cry—whatever it takes.”
She grinned. “A little more notice would’ve been helpful.”
“I apologize, but I’m sure you’ll do fine. Reading that guidebook can bring anyone to tears.”
That evening after they finished packing, Rex knocked on Alina and Jade’s door with the guidebook in hand. They agreed to study, together, all they could about Carthem’s dangers before facing them. Alina and Jade sat on the bed with their backs against the wall. Rex plopped down in the chair and opened the book.
The preface, written by Lance, warned that the book became outdated almost the moment it was printed, as new dangers arrived daily from Pria. He encouraged anyone who survived any new encounters to report them immediately so they could be added to the next edition.
“That’s reassuring,” Rex muttered. He cleared his throat and began to read.
“‘Carthem’s wilderness is a deadly place, thanks to Victor Sampson and his desire to eliminate all who live here. Some threats, however, are natural and do not have Prian origins. This book will discuss both dangers, with emphasis on the serious and common. We do not guarantee it will cover all dangers. Our best advice: if something looks suspicious, get away.’”
Rex looked up and snorted. “Valuable advice indeed.”
Jade giggled.
He read on. “‘The most threatening of the natural dangers is severe weather, and each season holds some risk of exposure, such as hypothermia, heat stroke, and dehydration. Travel is recommended during the mild seasons of late spring or early fall, and be prepared with plenty of water, warm clothes, and fuel in case of unexpected extremes.
“‘Other natural dangers include wild beasts native to Carthem. They are not confrontational like the engineered beasts from Pria; however, death can occur when people underestimate their instinctual power. Some of the most dangerous are bears, wild cats, and moose in the northern mountainous areas, poisonous snakes and scorpions in the desert, and blood-sucking insects in the eastern rainforest.’”
Rex looked up, confused. “I’ve never heard of any of these things, have you?”
Jade and Alina shook their heads.
“How are we supposed to recognize them? Some guidebook. And blood-sucking insects? I don’t like the sound of those.” But the next page answered Rex’s question, with a picture of each native creature above a descriptive caption.
“‘Be wise with these animals, but don’t fear them,’” Rex continued. “‘Generally, if you don’t seek them out or threaten them, they will avoid you. The creatures to be feared are the ones contrived in Sampson’s laboratories.’” Rex shuddered.
“‘Sampson releases animals of his own creation into Carthem. He makes these creatures innately aggressive. Their instincts are to kill. Wilderness travelers must carry a weapon at all times and should consist of parties of four or fewer. The larger the group, the easier they can be tracked. It’s common for lone travelers to elude all creatures, but we recommend a party of two or three so there can be a guard every hour of the night.’”
“Great!” Alina cut in. “I’ll be the guard every night!”
Rex and Jade smiled, but her words did little to ease the tension in the room. Rex handed the book to Jade. “I can’t read any more.”
“Try to relax,” she encouraged as she took the book and cleared her throat. “‘Prian-made creatures locate to the climate most conducive to their survival. Sampson has picked up on this, so he creates animals fit for certain regions. As a result, we have dangerous creatures throughout all of Carthem. We will describe creatures by region so travelers can prepare according to their routes.
“‘The southwest area of Carthem is a dry desert. It’s the least traveled region as there are few settlements. Only one Prian-made creature thrives here, the skin-sucking carber. This scaly, sand-burrowing animal is about the size of a small cat, has large eyeballs and a long, skinny snout. The carber attacks by latching onto its victim and sucking water from the body. This dehydrates the victim within
