Chapter 8

Hours later, each member of the group had fallen into a predictable role. Silas led the way, keeping a steady pace and occasionally checking the map for landmarks. Behind him, Rae followed in silence, which she broke only to ask how far they had traveled or to complain about the constant tapping of Jesse’s staff against the rock. Jesse just plodded on, trying to ignore his aching body.

Silas’ voice interrupted his thoughts. “It’s getting late,” he observed, stopping to take a drink out of his water skin.

Jesse looked up at the sinking sun. He had been awake since before dawn, but he had been afraid to slow down, since Rae and Silas showed no signs of tiring. “At least now that the trail is sloping downward, the travel is easier.”

“True,” Silas agreed. “A good day’s journey. Wouldn’t you agree, Rae?”

Rae just grunted and scrambled up the wall of the gorge, finding small crags and footholds Jesse would never have known existed.

Jesse and Silas didn’t bother asking where she was going. From time to time, Rae would scale the wall of the gorge and look over into the nearby Desolation Ravine.

“I can’t see what value it has,” Silas said, “but it keeps her occupied.”

“And the more time she spends scouting out the territory, the less time she has to be angry with us,” Jesse finished.

For the first time that Jesse could remember, Silas smiled. “Exactly.” They walked on in silence.

With a swirl of dust, Rae jumped down from a nearby boulder. Jesse jerked slightly, still not used to how she could sneak up on them without being seen or heard. “I saw some travelers by a signpost,” she said. “We have a few more hours before we reach the end of the mountains.”

“Good,” Silas said, stopping on the trail. “We will stop here for the night, then.” They had reached a place where the trail widened briefly, giving them enough room to comfortably set up camp. “It will be dark soon.”

Darkness would not fall for nearly an hour, Jesse knew. He wondered if Silas was stopping early for his benefit, noticing his lagging pace as the day wore on.

He expected Rae to protest that they should continue on as long as there was light to see by. She just nodded. “I’ll find some firewood.” She had hardly said a word since they had abandoned the horses at noon.

It had been a long day. While he walked, Jesse had imagined himself slaying dragons, daringly attacking a foreign citadel, smuggling secret messages to the troops on the Northern Waste, and defeating powerful sorcerers. It was something to pass the time, and, besides, it was a way to keep his mind off his aching body.

His left arm, not used to the work of supporting his weight for so long, ached with every movement of the staff. He tried not to wince as he sat down on the rocky ground.

Rae was gone a long time, and Jesse felt uncomfortable in the silence. “Where are you from?” he asked Silas finally.

“Davior,” he said, “a major city in District Two, near the Deep Mines. My mother is a weaver there.”

“And your father?” Jesse asked politely.

“A priest.”

“Oh.” Jesse stared past him at the mountain. “So you’re with Parvel, then? A believer in God?”

“My father died,” Silas said shortly. “Any belief I had in God died with him.”

Instantly, Jesse felt sympathy for Silas. In some way, at least, I know what that feels like. “I’m sorry.”

“It was a long time ago.” Silas leaned against the gorge wall. “So, I suppose you know why these are called the Suspicion Mountains.”

Jesse nodded. “Before the king conquered what is now District Four, the mountains were the only thing that separated us from the hostile desert tribes.”

“I thought District Four was a part of Amarias since the beginning.”

Jesse shrugged. “Most people don’t know much history, other than what happened in their own district a generation or so back. Travelers from all over the kingdom come to the inn, and I hear their stories.”

“What do you know about the Abaktan Desert?”

It was Rae, who had somehow managed to climb up the cliff without making a sound. She unceremoniously dropped a few dry sticks and twigs on the path. “It’s not much, but there aren’t many trees in these mountains.”

Silas rummaged around in his pack and pulled out the flint stone. Rae didn’t seem concerned with the fire. She fixed her eyes on Jesse. “The Abaktan Desert,” she repeated. “Have you heard about it?”

“So that’s where we’re going,” Jesse said thoughtfully. That was not good news, but at least he knew. Then a thought occurred to him. He laughed. “And you expected to ride into the desert on horses?”

Rae glared at him. “During training, they didn’t waste time with information about geography. Most of the time was spent on skills like sword fighting.”

Incredulous, Jesse shook his head. “Don’t they know that for any mission, knowledge is the most important weapon?”

Now it became clear why so many Youth Guard members died on their missions. Inexperienced young people blundered into unknown parts of the kingdom, facing countless dangers along the way.

“I agree,” Silas said. He had managed to create a meager fire, just enough to keep them warm as the sun began to sink in the sky. “I myself wondered why we weren’t told more.”

“If we survive,” Jesse said firmly, “I will make sure that King Selen adjusts this training period. It’s foolish to plan missions like this, without proper training.”

“I, for one, plan to survive,” Rae said. “And then collect my reward.”

“Ah,” Silas grunted. He savagely cracked a larger stick in two and threw it on the fire. “You’re one of those.”

Rae shot him a piercing glance. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“You are one who accepted the call to join the Youth Guard merely for the spectacular reward that is promised for those who complete the mission.”

Jesse remembered again that Silas and Rae hardly knew each other. They had gone through three months of training together at the capital, of course, but from what he had heard, it was hardly a time to make friends.

“I see,” Rae said coldly. “And what is your noble reason for joining the Guard, Silas?”

Silas gave a low laugh. “That is none of your concern. But, I can assure you, it’s hardly noble.”

Jesse moved closer to the fire. Somehow, he felt even less safe than before. He had always thought Youth Guard members were heroes who wanted to save the land from its troubles, or at least daring young men and women who joined the Guard for the adventure. Now he was beginning to doubt the truth of that ideal.

“The desert,” he said, anxious to break the tension, “is one place in the kingdom that I know very little about. The few travelers I have met from District Four keep to themselves. I’ve heard of wandering tribes, very fierce and war-like, and of strange creatures, but only from those who have heard from others. I’ve never talked to anyone who has actually been there.”

“Perhaps because there’s little reason for anyone to journey into a desert,” Silas said.

“Or because those who do never survive,” Rae said darkly.

That comment cut off the rest of the conversation, and the three travelers ate their rations, some bread and salted meat from Kayne’s storeroom, in silence. “We’ll need to get some rest,” Silas said when they had finished. “Tomorrow will be more of the same.”

That gives us a lot to look forward to. Jesse bit back his complaint. He did not want to show any sign of weakness.

Silas glanced up at the clear, cloudless sky. “No rain on the way,” he observed. “There would be little use in setting up the tents.” He took out the blanket from his pack and used the rest as a pillow. Jesse followed his lead.

“I’ll take the first watch,” Rae said, standing.

“We’re still a day’s travel from the desert,” Silas pointed out, not even opening his eyes. “There is no danger here. Go to sleep.”

Rae frowned. “I’ll take the first watch.”

Silas, clearly having learned that it was impossible to argue with the strong-willed girl, just sighed and rolled over. “Wake me in a few hours to replace you.”

Jesse pulled his blanket over himself but kept his eyes open. He had never had such an eventful day in all his life, and he was not ready to sleep yet. I might not be able to sleep at all on this hard ground.

He stared up at the stars, beyond the towering peaks of the mountains, and remembered the stories his father had told him about them when he was young. He could see the stars that formed Lorar, the warrior who killed the two-headed snake whose name Jesse could not remember. Marias, the first of the kings, who named the kingdom Amarias after himself. Nigel, who hunted great beasts with his falcons and hawks. Kiondra the maiden, whose singing made the very mountains melt. Jesse could almost hear her voice.

Wait, he thought, cocking his head. I believe I can.

But it was not a mythical heroine who sang. It was Rae. Jesse propped his head up on his elbow and squinted into the darkness. Although she stood rigidly near the edge of a cliff, hand on her sword, her soft voice floated freely across the gorge, like the most graceful of the phoenixes. The song had no words, just rich, lonely sounds that echoed quietly in the dark.

For a brief moment, Jesse considered standing and apologizing for his foolish words earlier. Then he lay back down. She wouldn’t want my apology. She doesn’t want me here at all.

That night, he dreamed of a huge red dragon, pulling Rae and Silas down into a swirling pit of sand. There was nothing he could do to save them. All he could do was beat the dragon with his staff, until he was sucked into the sand too, forever lost to the mysterious Abaktan Desert.