Page 3 of The King of Koraha
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 commandreturn. 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.
As the new Water Prince, he couldn’t have an unfair advantage over his citizens. Shyla didn’t regret taking his magic from him. Her worries focused on how he would handle the job without his power. Mojag promised to keep an eye on him from a distance. The boy hadn’t forgiven Jayden for betraying the Invisible Swords. And Aphra, Jayden’s new archeologist, also said she’d watch him for signs of trouble. The citizens of Zirdai deserved a qualified, compassionate, and incorruptible leader.
When it grew too cold, she ducked inside the hut to warm up and check the gamelus. They had curled up together with their long legs and snouts tucked in tight, looking like an oversized yellow bush. A few gave her sleepy half-lidded looks. Shyla wondered how anyone could tell them apart. But Faizah and Anwar knew them all by name. Come to think of it, so did Rendor.
Once warm, she returned to practicing with the sand until Rendor arrived to take his turn. Another reason she enjoyed guard duty was when he pulled her close and kissed her like he hadn’t seen her in circuits. Heat immediately speared her and she deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around him.
Rendor’s sense of duty always kicked in and he broke off the kiss to scan the surrounding desert for trouble. She rested her head on his chest and just soaked him in, listening to the thrum of his heart.
“Go inside and get warmed up,” Rendor said.
She reluctantly let go. If she pushed to remain with him, he’d insist she get some sleep. If she stayed despite his protests, he’d physically escort her to the shelter. She could use her magic to stop him, but she’d never do that to him. In fact, she’d promised not to use magic on him without his permission. Unless it was an emergency. As for the power of The Eyes, she didn’t need to read his thoughts and emotions. Over the last two hundred and thirty-three sun jumps they’d been together, she’d learned to read his body language pretty well. Besides, she already knew his heart.
“Go,” he ordered.
He wasn’t in charge, but he could out-stubborn her. So she stole another kiss and went into the shelter.
The sun jumps blurred together, piling up. Shyla was both comforted by the routine and frustrated by it. Soon after they left the travel shelter at the start of their fifty-second sun jump of travel, Shyla sensed a strange thickness to the air. Beside her, Lota appeared unconcerned. Shyla glanced back at the other guards and caravan drivers, but no one acted anxious. The kids were having fun pretending to be racing the gamelus. Yet there was a hum of anticipation and excitement that danced on her skin.
It took her a couple of angles to spot the small shapes in the distance. Monks? Had they traveled close to another city? The monasteries were always built near a major city so the monks could spy on the people and report any problems to the King. They also wore special clothing that blended in with the color of the sand when they were out on patrol.
Rendor moved up from his position, joining her. “Do you see them?”
“Yes.”
“I count ten,” he said.
“I see a dozen.”
“There’s eighteen,” Lota said.
“Are they monks?” Shyla asked her.
“Not out here.”
“Sand pirates?” Rendor gripped the hilt of his sword.
“No. They don’t strike in sunlight, and they wouldn’t be lying half buried in the sand.”
Shyla squinted. The woman had a keen eye. “The King’s guards?”
Lota scoffed. “No. If the guards ever bothered to leave Qulsary, they wouldn’t hide.” She paused. “We are near a major crossroads so there are travel shelters in each direction.”
“Who are they?” Rendor asked.
“I’ve no idea, but they’re lying in wait for us.” She signaled the rest of the guards to get ready. “I hope you two are as good as you claim. This is going to get rough.”
Two
Lota yelled at her kids to get inside the wagon and stay there. Then she ordered her muscles to arm themselves. The caravan slowed but didn’t stop. They were on a tight schedule and stopping could result in death.
