Page 19 of Married By Wind
“Because loving you is as easy as breathing. I’ve never stopped since the day I left.”
“I love you too,” Ulika confirmed, then she drew down my head and kissed me.
24
Ulika
Ionly woke because it was silent. My head was nestled against the crook of Vinn’s neck. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat had lulled me to sleep, along with the confession of love. Vinn had held me all night long, his arm firmly around my waist. Aside from kissing, we’d done nothing more. But my heart was light, and happiness surrounded me.
A sense of determination filled me as I sat up. There was nothing we could not conquer. Together.
My ears rang from the sudden silence as I moved to the entrance. The opening above me let in a tiny stream of golden light, and the pile of sand at my feet made me realize just how bad the storm had been. With a pang, I recalled Nika. She had everything. Our food, water, the tent, the spear…
If we were stranded out in the desert without her, we wouldn’t survive long.
“Vinn,” I called, spinning around, but he was already awake. My heart flipped at the sight of him, unruly hair, open shirt, and bare feet. He looked comfortable, at home no matter where we camped.
He pulled on his sandals and paused, one finger in the air. “Do you hear that?”
I frowned and craned my neck back up at the opening. A low boom echoed, steadily growing louder. “Sounds like drums,” I told Vinn as he joined me.
“Let me go first,” he cautioned, hoisting himself out of the cave.
A moment later, his hand came down, and he helped me up.
I squinted against the blinding sunlight and raised my hand to shield my eyes. The landscape had changed. Sandstorms often whipped across the open desert—another reason my tribe kept to the river—but I had never experienced one for myself. Now my jaw dropped at the swells of sand, the stunted bushes blown over, and—somehow, someway—the cacti that lined either side of the cave entrance, standing firm as though they’d never let the wind knock them down.
The quick look was just enough time to show me that Nika was nowhere in sight, but a group of people marched toward us, playing the drums. They were a small group, men and women, even a few children, dressed in bright colors, hues of red and yellow I’d never been able to accomplish with my paintings. Each one had a drum around their waist, likely made from wood or clay with an animal skin dried and stretched tight over the opening. They pounded with their palms, and the sound wasn’t that of celebration, as it was when my tribe played the drums. Instead, it was a hollow warning, and something stirred within me, as though these people were going to war.
“Have you seen them before?” I whispered to Vinn.
“They are one of the many tribes that roam in the center of the desert. I’ve always wondered why. Maybe they haven’t found the river yet.”
“I mean, are they friendly?” I asked, thinking of Nika and how we needed something to trade for more food and water. Or perhaps they’d seen her.
Vinn shrugged, and I guessed he did not make it a habit to visit tribes and determine if they were peaceful people. It was too late to question him further, for one man waved at us. He must be the leader, for the drumming stopped, and he approached.
He was about the age of my Uncle Noah, with thinning black hair, round cheeks, and a paunch that spoke of many nights of indulgence. He wore a linen shirt and trousers, and kicked up sand as he moved toward us. “Oy! You there! Did you come out of the cave? You killed it, didn’t you?”
“Killed what?” asked Vinn.
My brows knitted as I studied the man, weighing his question.
“The monster?” The man gestured to the hole in the ground. “We’ve been waiting for weeks for it to die or for someone to slay it. Natural springs flow underground where it dwells, the only source of water for my tribe. Every sunrise we come here, playing the drums, hoping to scare it out of its hiding place. It’s already eaten three of my warriors, and the sacrifices we bring won’t appease it. Surely, tell me, you slayed it.”
I glanced at Vinn, for we hadn’t seen a monster. Perhaps the howl of the wind had kept the monster from finding us, if there was one hidden deep in the caverns. “Nothing attacked us last night,” I told the man. “Nor did we explore the caverns. But we’d be willing to make a trade if you’d like us to check.” My cheeks flushed with pride at how naturally the words left my tongue. Was the power my uncle carried when trading? “The sandstorm surprised us, and we lost our camel and supplies. If we ensure the monster is dead for you, will you give us food and water for our journey?”
The man stared at me, rather slack-jawed, then glanced at Vinn, who was just as surprised. “Your wife drives a smart bargain.” He winked, then stuck out his hand. “I’m Leban, and you have yourself a deal.”
25
Vinn
“Why did you make a bargain so quickly?” I asked Ulika as we climbed back down into the hole.
Leban had given us two torches, a spear, and a bucket for water. I eyed the torches tentatively, for ever since what had happened with the lamp, I had an aversion to fire.
“I didn’t see any other way.” Ulika shrugged. “We lost Nika, and we spent an entire night here without being bothered by a monster. Perhaps it’s dead.”
