“Yes, they are amazing,” I agreed, my ride finally calming. Perhaps it was because I was settled in for the long ride atop her. It seemed they were much like a horse in many ways and unlike a horse in many ways. “Will we be crossing them?”

  He slowed so that I could come abreast. I held the reins tightly to avoid a bite to his quadoth from mine. He peeked at me, gold eyes aglow, from a slit in his robing that he had artfully wound around his head. Mine had come undone during my struggles with the pretty flower beneath me.

  “No, we will be skirting them, keeping to the savannahs at the base. We shall ride to the east and then cut into the desert on the other side. There is a small settlement before the sands begin in earnest. The oasis will be a short respite. With Shamsira’s blessing, we may begin our trek over the Black Sands desert tomorrow night if we keep at pace.”

  That was a surety. We must make haste. My weakness during sea travel had already cost us time that we did not have to spare. I prayed my steed would behave well enough to get us to the other side come daybreak. If not, a cow/quadoth trade would be imminent.

  We rode through the night, keeping to ourselves as much as possible. The savannah was amazingly diverse. There were rolling grasslands, small farms, and sparse trees. Many low-growing shrubs were seen as we ambled past, some quite enticing to Razgol. Turning her from the scrub bushes was difficult even for an experienced rider as myself. Experienced on horseback, I should say, quadoth were totally different animals. I had never missed my mare Gwedel more than I did sitting atop this mulish beast. Still, even with the unruly pack animal under me, I enjoyed the cool air on what was exposed of my flesh, which was not much. Teryn had suggested I wear my coil root armor because once we left the civility of the port town, we were wholly on our own. Our disguises were good, I felt, but the animosity that was present and growing stronger between our peoples could be coming to a slow boil.

  I’d been spat at already. And aside from some fallen angels at the brothel, the glances I had received had been far from friendly. Those were minor issues easily dealt with. My purpose here was to keep Teryn safe. Spittle on my boot, dark glares, or harsh slurs had to slide off like water on a tortoise’s shell.

  “You are quiet,” Teryn said as we passed by a small homestead. Smoke rose from a thin chimney beside the squat, pale stone homestead. Scraggy goats milled about in a pen, and a large dog with short sandy hair sleeping with the goats barked at us. My steed spat at the dog and kicked out at the fence the mutt stood behind. I tugged hard on the reins, the dog moving back to curl up with its charges as we moved by.

  “Keeping this monster on your path requires all of my thought,” I said as I came up astride Teryn, Razgol making those odd guttural groans to Petarh, who seemed to understand as she made her own noises that carried out over the arid landscape.

  “She is a handful,” he commented, swaying in his saddle as if born to it, his face hidden beneath a long pleat of his robes. “Many say that the quadoth was a favored beast of the goddess, for it carried her across the sea from our oppressors to these blessed islands.”

  “Did they have wings or are they incredibly good swimmers?” A nightbird called out to our left. A high, lilting five-note song that made the quadoth twitch their large ears.

  Teryn laughed softly. “That was the very same question I asked of my teacher when I was a child. He swatted my ears and called me a bad boy for being so truculent.”

  “That seems a harsh penalty for a question honestly asked.”

  “I thought so as well. So, I dropped a brown-legged stick bug into his midday meal satchel. My father was not impressed with my conduct, so he made me spend several suns with my younger sister in the nursery instead of in school with my friends. The indignity!”

  I chuckled. “I can imagine.” He was such pleasant company. Lighthearted, kind, respectful. So unlike many dignitaries I had met during my tenure in the king’s guard. “You have never mentioned your sister before. Does she live in Padana as you do?”

  “No, she left us to dwell with the goddess when she was just a small child.”

  “You have my sympathies, Teryn. I did not know.”

  “Thank you, but it was many hundreds of seasons ago. She was a bright, bubbly child, eyes of gold, and a laugh that made even the most sour smile. One day as she slept, a ringed adder slid into her room and bit her on the thigh. She died before anyone could perform any healing magicks to negate the toxin. Her death crushed my mother and father, myself as well, but their grief outweighed mine. To this day, there is no mention of Landa in their home. Their house is a sad place.”

  “A pity to lose a bright life so early.” I sighed as we plodded on, the twin moon sisters sitting far to the western horizon, their light dim due to some clouds creeping by. “If only she had been discovered sooner…”

  “Yes, she could have been saved, but the bite took place in the dark of night while she napped in her bed. Other than delving into the dark magicks of necromancy, there was no saving her when our nanny entered her room. A silent killer, the ringed asp, you must always check your robes and boots when dressing in the morning for them as well as the red-scaled scorpions. Both like to hide in dark places where they can soak up some heat.”

  “Your islands are full of joyous things,” I threw out dryly just as Razgol passed gas so loudly it startled me. The stench was atrocious. I pulled the light white scarf Teryn had insisted I tie around my neck up to cover my nose and mouth. “Now I see why you shield your faces. It is not in case a sandstorm blows up. It is to block the foulness from these blasted beasts.” I waved a gauntleted hand at Razgol.

  Teryn laughed joyfully. The sound was far prettier than that of the nightbird. “As with the mainland, there are things of great beauty here and things that are dangerous. It is all a matter of perspective as to which beasts are the most offensive.”

  That was true. The pigs that many elven farmers raised were horribly unpleasant smelling in the summer. The reek of their pens could make the eyes of a war-sharpened warrior water. We also had wolves that roamed the Verboten Woods as well as the Glotte Woodlands. Large beasts with powerful jaws that could steal a cow from a pasture with ease. The dwarves had large, venomous lizards that called the underground mining tunnels home, and the Bhaston Tundra had packs of brindle wild dogs that ran down the mighty tundra oxen.

  “I still prefer a horse,” I mumbled as we rode up to a small area thick with thin palms surrounding a small pond of water. The winds were calm on this side of the mountains, the surface of the water calm as it reflected the few stars peeking around the clouds.

  “When we return the children to King Aelir, we will go for that ride we never took,” he said as he gently pulled up on the reins lying slack between his fingers. “We’ll rest here. The sun is due to rise soon. We’ll use the trees for shade for ourselves and our pretty girls.” He patted his quadoth and clicked to her. The beast kneeled down, hind legs bending first followed by the front. I clicked at mine. She was eager to be free of the buffoon on her back, for she went down quickly. I gave her long neck a pat when I was on my feet. My back ached from having to continually adjust in my saddle. “They can drink and graze if they wish. They may not, as they were well fed and watered by their owner before we left the city.”

  We removed our gear and the saddles and turned the beasts free. “They are quite docile and will return to humans—us—come evening, or sooner, if they wish to lounge in the shade.”

  I thought to ask about the safety of letting them roam the rocky area but knew that Teryn was more familiar with the animals of these lands. We stood to watch the two quadoth amble off to chew on low shrub with long thorns.

  “Should they eat those?” I asked in alarm. Teryn looked over from where he had placed his saddle on the ground.

  “Oh yes, they love prickly plants and cacti. They are well adapted to such brush. The inside of their mouths is tough as leather. Also, they chew in a way that aligns the thorns vertically so the spines go down in a way that prevents harm.”

  “That is…well, quite amazing.” I had to confess. I lugged my saddle over to where Teryn now rested with his back against the large, four-legged wooden framed seat. He had removed the padded cushion to use it as a backrest and was burrowing about in one of two large satchels. A cooling rush moved over me unexpectedly, the interior of my armor chilling slightly. It was refreshing even though the night was cool. Having this kind of armor while under the blistering sun would truly be lifesaving. Back in Celear, when the summer heat rose, several of my guards have passed out due to the heat inside their full plate.

  The mysteries of these lands never ceased to amaze me. If we had wood such as coil root on the mainland, the wood elves would never break sweat. Of course, my guards and I would still swelter in metal armor. Sometimes I did have to wonder about us mainlanders. Some of our ways seemed rather stupid. If we successfully completed our mission, with Ihdos’ blessing, and trade talks opened ports, perhaps we could import coil root for summer armor. I’d propose it to the guard commander.

  “Sit, drink, eat something. We can rest during the worst of the heat and then head out once the sun sets. Tomorrow night, we should find the settlement that borders the desert. I am hoping to have an update from Celear soon. I worry that my people will be in dire danger should the noble houses press the king.”

  “Aelir will never bend to the bloodthirsty. He is too noble,” I announced with certainty as I dropped my saddle to the ground and took my seat, removing my helmet to let the wind dry my hair. “He would give himself over to the people before he allowed harm to come to those under his protection.” I felt his sight on me, so I glanced from the quadoth now feasting on a thin cactus to him. “Have I said something odd?”

  “You admire your monarch. That speaks well for him, for you are one of the most honorable men I have ever met.” I felt a slight blush color my cheeks and looked away. “I would very much like to kiss you.”

  That brought my sight back to him. “I would like that as well.”

  We shared a tender kiss under the palms before we broke bread, his hand resting on my cuisses when his head settled on my shoulder as sleep claimed him. I watched the sun rise over a foreign land, my sword resting over my right thigh, my shield at the ready beside me. I would happily take the first watch. His soft breaths fluttered over my neck as I marveled at how much faith this man had in me to protect him. I prayed that I was worthy of the trust he, and my king, had in me.

  “NO, THAT IS…BY THE GODDESS…YOU ARE A JOY.” Teryn laughed as we rode along the next night, hoping to see the settlement of Darvaze before the sun rose once more. Our steeds were making good time, or so Teryn kept telling me. They felt slower than my mare but were proving to be much more adept at the terrain and the lack of water. Their pacing gait grew tiring to one used to the movements of a horse, but other than that, and the sour temperament of my pretty flower, they were hardy beasts. Gwedel would have laid down in exhaustion, parched by now, but the quadoth simply kept putting their two-toed feet forward. “No, you just asked me if my mother lay with boars.”

  My face grew hot even though the night was cool. “That is not what I meant to ask!”

  “I assumed not.” He chuckled softly. I glanced over to admire him sitting atop his steed, legs crossed, back straight, proud and comfortable with himself and his lands. The moons played well upon his light robes making him appear to be swaddled in gossamer celestial weaves. By Ihdos, I was deeply infatuated with the man. How that would play out I could not guess. If we failed this mission and our countries went to war—“Try again. You are placing your emphasis on the wrong letters. Try again but with more emphasis on the last vocable. Add more pitch and a bit more duration.”

  “Helah, maman,” I said just as he directed and got a hoot of joy from my handsome tutor.

  “Excellent! That was quite nicely done. And the opposite?” he asked, swaying left and right on his beast as we passed through a small clump of prickly cacti that rose upward into the night, arms upward as if beseeching the gods for favor. “Oh! This is good to see. The Sentinels are a sign that we are closing in on Darvaze. Just another small bit to go, then we can rest for the day.”

  “Nah, maman,” I said in a way that made Teryn groan. “Sorry, my tongue is unfit.”

  “Oh no, Pasil, I find your tongue to be quite fit as well as exceptionally skilled.”

  I should have told him to stop such talk but found myself smiling. “Perhaps we will have to spend more time training my tongue?”

  “Mm, perhaps indeed.” He glanced my way, winked, and returned to my Sandrayan lesson. This man was a temptation like none I had ever experienced before. The lands around us were alive with bird calls, the rustling of mammals with large eyes to match their huge ears, and insects that sang in a steady backdrop. The moons were inching closer to the annual alignment. Time was not our ally. When we cleared the winding path through the mighty cacti, I spied fires. Several at least.

  “There, in the distance. Is that Darvaze?” I asked and got a nod in reply. We spurred our beasts onward, asking for more speed, which mine gave, but it was with reluctance. The grunts of other quadoth floated to us as did the sounds of music and revelry. The small domed houses were in a circle, smoke leaking through holes in the top of them. Adults danced around a fire in the center of the settlement as children dashed about with colorful streamers attached to boards that made a whizzing sound caused by the wind rushing through holes in the flat, thin paddles. Musicians blew on high-pitched pipes, banged on small drums, and plucked beautiful stringed instruments much like the lyres the bards of the mainland played. Scruffy dogs darted around us barking in excitement. I glanced to the left and saw a pen with horses. Horses! Smaller than the ones on the mainland but horses just the same. I threw a look at Teryn, but he was too intent on the celebration taking place. I wondered what it would cost me to buy one of the desert ponies. I would ask as soon as we were settled. Then I could spit back at Razgol.

  “It seems we have arrived during a wedding,” he shouted to me. We halted beside a well festooned with desert blooms. The ancient structure was round, built of the same sandy savannah dirt blocks as the homes. “We will dismount and find the groom and bride to offer them a gift.”

  That seemed an odd thing. We did not know the people being married, nor had any affiliation with these peoples, but if that was the custom. When in the Black Sands…

  A young man of perhaps fifteen seasons ran to us, bowing to Teryn as he spoke in rapid-fire Sandrayan. Teryn replied cheerfully and motioned for me to gather our gear and hand the reins of our quadoth to the young man.

  “He will tend to them for us,” Teryn explained while passing a copper to the lad in the bright yellow robes. The boy grinned at him, gave me an odd look, and waited while I unpacked the now resting quadoth. When I had our bags in hand and on my shoulders, the young man clicked at the beasts to get them to rise rear first and then amble off. “Come with me,” Teryn shouted over the clatter of tiny bells that now joined the performers. “Remember that you are my hired sword and a mainlander, so do not provoke anyone.”

  “Most here make it hard to forget that I am from the mainland,” I confessed softly, which got me a melancholy look from Teryn. We mingled into the crowds, men and women in bright robes, feet in sandals, whirling about, drunk by the looks. Many cast inebriated glares my way, some spat at me, and some tossed bits of uneaten food at me.

  Keeping my eyes on Teryn’s back, I forced myself to ford onward, the dancers splitting in half as we moved through. An older man with a thick gray beard stepped up to Teryn, hands out in a traditional Sandrayan greeting. The two men clasped forearms. Conversation that I could not fully hear took place between them. I felt much like a mule freshly come down the steppes, bags packed with lavender, as they conversed. The dancers began tossing flower petals at me, which was a marked improvement over the cooked orange squash that had hit my chest a mere moment ago. It was not pleasant being looked down upon. No wonder these vibrant, passionate elves had fled the mainland thousands of seasons ago, much like the wood elves had fled to the forests. Piteous how one treated their brethren.

  “We have a small tent to rest in beside the horse pen,” Teryn announced in common elven, his eyes settling on the smears of food on my armor. His eyebrows drew into a deep V, but he said nothing. “Follow us and try to be less offensive.”

  “Yes, of course,” I mumbled as we moved back into the celebration, veering left to pause in front of a striped tent, flaps closed, the smell of horse dung strong. That was a smell I did not mind at all. It reminded me of home: the barracks, the stables, the cool touch of sea spray on Gwedel’s golden flanks. A pang of homesickness hit hard. I shook it off to open the flap for Teryn. He gave me a look and ducked to enter. I followed. The inside of the tent was lit with one small brazier in the center of several sleeping mats. An urn of water sat beside a basket lined with fabric, the striped weave covering something within the wicker hamper.

  “Close the flap,” Teryn barked. I did as asked. No sooner was the linen in place than he was pressed to me, tearing at the wraps on his lower face with one hand as the other cupped the back of my head, his mouth covering mine. His kiss was voracious. When I pulled back to catch my breath, I scanned his gaze before reaching up to loosen the rest of the wrappings. “I loathe speaking to you like that, Pasil.”

  I ran the back of my fingers along his jaw, the dark whiskers coming in slowly but surely. It amazed me how similar we were and yet so different.

  “It is part of the ruse. I understand.” His gaze was pained as he studied me, his fingers curling around the back of my head. “It is nothing that I cannot bear. I grew up being called names, so this is much like that, only back as a child, the food tossed at me would have been picked up to take home to eat.”