Satisfied they were alone, she descended into the cooler air. It was a straight shot down, ending in a long rectangular chamber about seventeen meters underground. By the time she reached the bottom, the temperature had dropped to twenty degrees Celsius. She waited at the base of the ladder for her eyes to adjust to the semi-darkness. The yellow glow from the druk lanterns hanging around the chamber were weak compared to the sunlight.
Once the black shapes inside the shelter solidified into the caravan members, Shyla nodded at Rendor, giving him the all-clear signal. He had waited nearby with his hand on his sword just in case. This habit of theirs amused the other guards, but they didn’t know what magic could do. They had no idea that magic wielders could hide under the sands or disappear inside a dune.
The chamber was about five meters wide by fourteen meters long and identical to every other shelter they’d stopped in since Zirdai. Cushions for sleeping and sitting littered the floor. A few long low stone tables lined the walls.
Shyla and Rendor headed to an empty sleeping cushion, weaving through the small clumps of caravanners. Some were already sprawled on cushions, others shared meals and gossiped, while a few rolled dice in order to pass the forty angles until the surface cooled to a safer temperature. Unaware that Shyla and Rendor had been involved in the turmoil in Zirdai, they didn’t pay them much attention. Only Lota and her husband knew the truth because Shyla had wanted to be honest with the owner.
Once they reached the cushion, Rendor stripped off his sun cloak. Underneath he wore a sleeveless tunic. The soaked fabric clung to his well-defined chest. She relished the view as he wiped the sweat off his face, watching his muscles flex. Before he could catch her ogling him, she removed her own cloak.
Shyla welcomed the cool air that caressed her overheated body, sighing with relief. Too bad the water in her water skin was beyond tepid. Any hotter and she’d use it to make tea. Rendor handed her a couple rolls of velbloud jerky.
Taking her blanket from her pack, she spread it over the stained and lumpy cushion before lying down. Rendor joined her. This was one of the few times they spent together in relative privacy—not that they could do anything other than talk quietly and sleep.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to take fifty more sun jumps of this,” she said, snuggling close, breathing in Rendor’s unique spicy scent.
“This?” He squeezed her tight for a moment.
“No. The endless sameness sun jump after sun jump for the last twenty jumps.”
“Traveling the world not as glamorous as you’d hoped? Or is it the lack of rebellions to lead? I could ask if the others want to overthrow Lota and her husband to generate some excitement,” he teased.
“All right, you made your point. I just…” She searched her emotions.
“You just want to be there.”
“Yes! The wait is killing me. Why couldn’t the King say why he wished to see me?”
“It could be standard procedure when there’s a change in leadership. Maybe he wants to get the details from a reliable source. Or to thank you for your help.”
“Or to arrest me for murder.”
“Ah. Tell me again how many people you personally killed?”
None, and he knew it. “You know what I mean. They died because of me.”
“No, they died because the Heliacal Priestess set off gas explosions.”
“Because she wanted me.”
“She wanted The Eyes of Tamburah. It didn’t matter whose eye sockets they were in, she was going after them regardless. You have to stop blaming yourself.”
Except if it hadn’t been for Shyla, Ximen, Elek, and Lian wouldn’t have been on level ninety-seven when part of it collapsed, killing them.
Rendor must have sensed the direction of her thoughts. “You’re not going to be arrested.”
“And if I am?”
“Then I’ll rescue you.”
She smiled at his confident tone. “What if I’m guarded by one of the King’s elite squads?”
He huffed in derision. “I’ll still rescue you. Just might take me a few more angles.”
“Their fighting skills are legendary. They can’t be beat.”
“Everyone can be beat, sunbeam. And I would be highly motivated.” His words hummed in the air like a promise.
No doubt the big brute would try. She gave Rendor a quick kiss. “Thanks.”
His voice dropped to a husky whisper. “Thank me again when we’re alone.”
She nibbled on his ear before saying, “That’ll be in fifty more sun jumps.”
He groaned.
“Do you still think it’s not that long?”
“Can’t talk. I’m sleeping.”
She’d punch him, but she’d end up just hurting her knuckles.
After the sun moved from the danger zone, the caravan continued its journey. Once again trudging through the sands, Shyla scanned the horizon. The routes between the cities of Koraha were lined with shelters. However, with the constantly blowing sand, you’d never know they were well traveled. The only time the sand stopped moving was when the sun reached the apex of its jump. Most times a steady breeze blew the grains, but on rare occasions, they were blasted by a howling sandstorm.
When the sun hung low in the sky, Lota stopped them at another shelter. This time the wagons were parked in a circle to keep the gamelus inside. The sun shade was draped over all the wagons, creating a thin ceiling for the herd. It also blocked the wind and trapped the sun’s heat emanating off the sands and off the animals. Enough warmth so the guard on duty didn’t freeze.
Shyla admired the design as she circled the outside of the hut during the start of her twenty-five-angle shift to protect the wagons, checking that all was well. Then she turned her attention to the wider surroundings. The starlight from the Five Brothers constellation illuminated the sands just enough to spot the approach of any sand pirates without having to use a druk. But Shyla still used her power to seek the souls of any hidden attackers. Rendor and the others were just a shout away. He wouldn’t admit it, but Shyla knew he remained awake when she was guarding the wagons.
Satisfied no threats lurked nearby, Shyla practiced manipulating the sand with her magic. Sand was a powerful weapon, and she still hadn’t mastered moving large quantities of it. Starting with the easiest task, she focused on her footprints in the sand and used the magical command return. Her prints disappeared. Then she moved on to the more difficult task of hiding her body underneath the sands by creating a furrow she could lie in, before settling a layer of sand over herself so the ground appeared to be undisturbed.
So far, her attempts to walk through a dune had not been successful, but not for lack of trying. Shyla climbed to the top of the nearest dune. Using her magic, she removed the sand underneath her feet so she sank down into it. At least she no longer panicked when the sand closed above her head. In fact, she took a moment to savor the protection and warmth that built from her body heat. But when she focused on creating an exit in the side of the dune, the sand exploded from the hole instead of pouring gently out. The noise alone would alert anyone nearby that something strange was going on. Stealth was key for this maneuver. Frustrated, Shyla smoothed the gaping hole, returning the dune to its unblemished state. Jayden had done it with nary a ripple. Then again, Jayden also had eighteen circuits of practice. Except now his magic was gone.