The knocks made a tinny sound against the metal side.
“Hello, can we come in?”
Sylah knew that voice. She reached for the sword, not caring about the sound it made. She opened the latch with the blade and leveled it at her guest.
“Hello, there.” Loot’s smiling face entered the carriage.
Boey’s snout emerged from the sand, followed by her body. Her three eyelids opened in succession, and she cast a disinterested glance at the intruders who had woken her.
“You couldn’t have woken up sooner?” Sylah said to Boey, and she was sure the lizard rolled her eyes.
“Pardon?” Loot was still smiling.
“Not you. This lump.” Sylah jutted her chin toward Boey, who looked like she had already gone back to sleep. Sylah sighed.
“Why don’t you come out of there and we’ll have a nice chat?” Loot held open the door.
“Leave that behind, please.” He flicked his dagger in the sword’s direction. It was fine, because she needed her hands free anyway. She jumped out of the carriage, her feet shifting in the sand, but she kept her balance. Her hands hovered above her pockets. She was ready.
Jond and Fayl moved out of the shadows of their eru steeds.
“Oh, hello friends,” Sylah greeted them both.
Fayl looked sad, forlorn almost.
“Sylah…” Fayl shook his head, his words failing him. She too was sad he was there.
Jond didn’t say a word. It was as if the air around him blurred with the anger.
“What do you want, Loot?” Sylah asked, though she knew full well he wanted her life.
“First I’m going to kill you.” Loot adjusted his yellow collar. “Then, naturally, Anoor…and once that mess is cleaned up, I think I’m going to have a big cup of tea.”
“Loot, none of this matters, there’s more to this world than just this empire.”
“Oh, you mean the mainland Tenio?”
Both Jond and Fayl looked at Loot. Looks like their master has been keeping secrets from them too.
“You can kill me, Loot, but eventually you’ll be dead as well. The tidewind is going to destroy this land.”
“An interesting theory, but the tidewind is just another thing that ebbs and flows with the passing of time.”
“Jond, didn’t you tell him what the wardens were saying? It’s not normal.”
Loot snorted and flicked his wrist at Jond. “End her.”
It was a test for Jond. Of course, it was a test. Kill the girl you love. But still Jond stepped forward, holding his axe high.
“Jond, don’t do this,” Sylah said.
Fayl hovered behind him, his own knife held out in case Jond didn’t come through on his order. Loot watched the exchange like an audience member during a griot’s story.
“Jond, stop, don’t come any closer. I mean it.”
Sylah backed away as he advanced, until her back was against Boey’s cool blue scales.
Jond raised his axe, and Loot clapped in glee.