Heart Stone

by J. A. Culican

  I stood and turned to Nyalla once I was finished, only to be greeted with fabric thrown at my head. “Oomph!” I pulled it away from my mouth, spitting lint out.

  "Here, put this on. Your clothing marks you too noticeably as outsiders. Once you’re done, we’ll separate. We’re too obvious in a large group. Quickly!”

  I considered the item Nyalla had thrown at me, finding what appeared to be a long dress. It was boring, mud-brown, and difficult to tell whether it was meant to be worn by a male or female. At least it smelled clean, which was more than I could say for my current attire. I pulled it over my head as she threw more of the items from the clothesline at the others.

  Once I was dressed, she tossed another piece of fabric to me, this one narrower and longer. I wrapped it around my head the way I'd seen her put on her scarf. It was rough, but I hoped it would pass. Nyalla looked at me and nodded, waiting for the others to be similarly outfitted before she turned to Will, examining him with narrowed eyes.

  "You seem bright." She gave him a quick once over. He was almost unrecognizable in his long, gray robe and head covering. "I want you and the female who’s so attached to the wolves to take one or two of them. Head south and loop around back after a few hundred paces. You'll see a small one-story building with a blue door. Once you get there, turn left and head straight. That'll take you to a small hut with an outbuilding right next to the wall. We’ll meet up there. Don't speak with anyone. If you see any guards, head the other direction. Do not engage with anyone."

  He nodded. "We don't have any weapons. That's gonna be a problem."

  Nyalla shook her head. "I'll see what I can do, but don't count on anything. They took your weapons before you even got to the village. I know of one place on the way out where some of the scavenging is kept. I can look but may not have a chance to liberate anything. It's more important to get to the other side of the wall before nightfall."

  He nodded, his uneasiness at being unarmed against the Oubliee visible as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.

  Nyalla turned to Sel and I. "You two will come with me. You look less useful and you’ll need my help if the guards catch us."

  Sel frowned and crossed his arms.

  I was irritated at her blunt assessment but didn’t argue. I couldn't deny it was an accurate assessment. Will was a trained soldier and Gwen had been hunting with her wolves for years. I had basically been a pampered princess until I left Cliffside and Sel was my loyal manservant. If anyone needed help, it would likely be us.

  "Fine," I casted a longing glance at Gwen. I didn’t want to let her out of my sight, but I knew It was just my feelings getting in the way. Nyalla had divided the group in a way I could appreciated as being tactically sensible. "Can we at least attempt to get weapons before we leave?"

  Nyalla bit her lip. "Maybe. We'll play it by ear. Don't talk, keep your heads down, and the wolves better act like injured dogs if anyone comes near. Most of the strays around here have been thoroughly tamed, so they're unlikely to act aggressive or challenge anyone."

  I saw a muscle twitch in Gwen's jaw before she reluctantly nodded. She crouched down. Swift met her eyes and I watched as they communicated silently.

  After a moment, Swift licked her face before coming to stand beside me, hunching his powerful shoulders in a way which changed his entire appearance to timid as leaned on my leg.

  I could swear he was enjoying acting. When he winked at me, I was sure of it.

  "Rhin, Swift is going to go with you guys to keep you safe. Kiya and Damio will come with us."

  "Good. Now, go. We’ll go this way." Nyalla pointed to the left and we went right. Everything within me screamed this was a bad idea, but what choice did we have? I turned my head as they slipped out of sight.

  Nyalla proved to be as slippery as a shadow, leading us on a zigzagging path through back alleys. Whenever we’d encounter someone, she’d find another alley. Everywhere we looked, it seemed as if guards and locals were searching for us, but even if they spotted us, their alert eyes passed us without recognition.

  Occasionally, someone would see Nyalla and she’d wave cheerily as she kept moving. I kept my scarf firmly over my face and avoided eye contact while Sel, used to being invisible as a servant, followed silently behind us.

  The alarm was still sounding an earsplitting, high-pitched wail, but thankfully it only blared out every few minutes. We focused all our energy on moving as rapidly as possible without running. I was too scared to have questions and Nyalla made no effort to reassure as she guided us on a winding path through town.

  My heart leapt at the large stone wall rising in front of us. But instead of heading straight for it as I expected, Nyalla veered to the right. For a moment, I was certain she was leading us into a trap, but when I saw a building beside a locked cage, I knew this was the place she’d mentioned earlier. My heart leapt at the thought of retrieving our confiscated belongings until I noticed the guards. I almost told her to forget it, but I didn't want to chance anyone overhearing me and hesitated.

  Nyalla put her arm on my arm, holding her other hand out. We stopped with Swift close at my side, alert and watchful as she pointed first at herself, then at our belongings. I knew she meant for us to stay while she attempted to grab things and I winced, unsure of the risk. Noticing my uncertainty, she narrowed her eyes and glared. I shrugged, and she turned away. As gracefully as a dancer, she slipped over to the small building.

  An interminably long time later, she returned with Will's sword, one of Gwen's knives, and the knife I’d been using since the first ur’gel attack. When I tilted my head, impressed despite myself, she merely winked and gestured for us to follow her.

  By now, guards were everywhere. I was glad we hadn't gone toward the main gate, as I was certain they had been barricaded. Nyalla didn't seem worried, continuing to slip through alleyway after alleyway as we tried to keep up.

  Trying not to pant, my breath caught in my throat when I saw the others hiding behind a shed by the outer wall.

  Nyalla locked eyes with Will, then jerked her head to the left before continuing toward the shed.

  Once we reached their position, Nyalla looked both ways before creeping forward and opening the door to a small, battered house. The moment we entered, she relaxed and threw off her headscarf. Looking around, it was easy to see this was her home. It was small, without many personal touches, but looked lived in. The most interesting feature I could see was a door on the back wall.

  For the first time since our escape had begun, she looked at us and spoke in a low voice. "Do not speak, say nothing. We may be safe here, or we may not. The door you see behind you is a hidden exit to the town. No one else knows about it and I want to keep it that way. Grab those packs, put them on, and follow me. We’re about to go into the heart of the desert, and you will need everything I have placed in those bags."

  I looked over to where she was pointing, seeing four large, leather packs which appeared to have been stuffed full. I lifted the one closest to me, grunting with the effort. Once I had slipped it on my back, the straps on my shoulders allowed it to sit comfortably and distributed the weight well enough I didn’t notice it as much. I moved my satchel in front of my body, grateful once more no one else seemed to realize the value inside.

  The others quickly placed a bag on their backs and the moment we were loaded up, Nyalla opened the plain wooden door. We slipped out behind her as the sound of alarms echoed around us.

  Chapter 16

  It was as if we had walked into another world. The sky had darkened around us but in no way did nightfall obstruct our view of the desert. I had no clue how Nyalla managed to hide her secret entrance, and the more suspicious part of me couldn't help wondering why she wanted to come with us if she had such easy access to the desert. But suspicions aside, our other options were exceedingly limited. Without a guide, supplies, and especially without her assistance leaving both the prison and the town, there was no way we would've made it as far as w
e had.

  I looked at the others. Were they were feeling the same mix of emotions as I was? Gwen caught my eye and a smile blossomed across her beautiful face. In all the excitement, our stolen moments together on the ship seemed so long ago. The look in her eyes promised me nothing had changed, and I held out my hand, grateful when she accepted it.

  We stood together, fingers laced, and waited as Nyalla squinted into the oncoming night. When she turned abruptly, I was surprised by what she had to say.

  "The desert is dangerous, even for those who know it well. It is far too hot to travel comfortably during the day, so we need to keep moving to reach a shelter before dawn, and not just in case the Oubliee come looking for you."

  Will nodded, hoisting his bag higher on his back as he straightened his shoulders. "Do you know where we're going?"

  I inwardly winced at the look of admiration on his face. Was I about to watch Will try to put some of his relationship advice into action? I couldn't blame him though—she was a beautiful woman, if a little old for him. Perhaps if the situation was different, I would have had a case of hero worship myself.

  Nyalla pointed off in the distance, but all I could see was sand and clouds when I followed her hand. "There's a place, about eight hours from here. We can rest there for the day. It's a cave system, known only to those familiar with the desert."

  "Would those people include the Oubliee?" Gwen’s eyes narrowed.

  I wasn't sure if it was suspicion I saw, or her merely attempting to see what Nyalla had been pointing toward.

  "Yes, which means we must be careful. I imagine they’ll assume you will be unable to get out of the city for at least another day. By the time they think to check beyond the walls, I’m hopeful we’ll have a significant head start. They wouldn’t set out in the daytime in the desert for the likes of you."

  Her words stung, but as I considered them, I realized she was likely correct. After all, what were we other than spoils of salvage? It wasn't as if we were long-standing enemies or important prisoners. I may have tried to petition their leader for help, but I hadn't told her what we were looking for, had I? I couldn’t remember, which bothered me. Trying to push my niggling uncertainty aside, I spoke up.

  "It sounds like a reasonable plan. Do you know if this is the right direction for where we need to search? We are looking for an item I believe was hidden in the middle of the Desert of Souls. The only problem is all of my maps show lush vegetation, and none of this was there at the time it was hidden."

  I looked around at the flat, barren landscape which was quickly cooling off as the suns set. I told myself the environment was the reason for the chill which crossed my spine and made me shiver.

  "While I’m not certain what it is you seek, we are on the periphery of the Northwestern Lands currently and the Desert of Souls is deeper within these territories. The shelter I have in mind is in the vicinity of where you're headed, if not right next to it. The Desert of Souls is further in. Once we reach the caves, we can discuss the details further."

  I nodded, looking at my companions.

  Will appeared as if he would gladly follow her to the ends of Lynia, and the reassuring squeeze of Gwen's hand in mine told me all I needed to know about her willingness to come with me.

  Sel caught my eye, dipping his head in a faint echo of servitude from home, a time which seemed like years ago now. Seeing we were all in agreement to carry on, we followed Nyalla deeper into the Northwestern Lands.

  Over the next few hours, I became even more grateful for our disguise than I had been when we’d been attempting to escape the Oubliee.

  We’d worn it to disguise who we were at that point and now we used it to hide from the brutal winds.

  I had thought they were bad when we'd been led single file from the mountain range to the village, but the intensity now was double that experience. If it hadn't been for the scarf and rough clothing I wore on top of mine, my face would have been rubbed raw.

  As it were, my teeth were full of grit and my eyes burned, tearing perpetually in a futile attempt to moisten themselves.

  Nyalla seemed to be a brilliant guide, knowing unerringly which direction to travel in a landscape which was unending and undifferentiated to me. At least, I hoped she was. There was no way for me to tell if we were lost or not, other than the fact she was satisfied with our progress.

  She allowed us to stop a few times for short breaks whenever there was a sheltered alcove, and I was pleasantly surprised to find she’d packed not only water, but also dried food in each pack. It was almost as if she’d done this before, which again made me wonder why she’d wanted us to bring her along. From everything I could tell, she obtained little benefit in exchange for taking a huge risk on us.

  "Is everything okay, Rhin?" Nyalla was looking at me curiously, her face open and friendly.

  She’d taken off the headscarf to eat, and we’d all followed suit. With the rocky ledge we’d tucked ourselves into, it was a break from the wind and the stifling heat of the material.

  Shame filled me. I didn't know when I’d become so guarded and suspicious about someone's motives. I couldn't help but feel the Library was telling me to be careful, but at her question, I felt ungrateful and rushed to reassure her.

  "Yes, everything is fine." I lifted a shoulder, making a show of wiping a bead of sweat off my face as I gave her a smile. "I guess I'm tired. I’m not used to how fierce the winds are."

  Nyalla nodded sympathetically, pressing her lips together. "They are why people mostly stay within the village walls. Unless you're a scavenger or have business at one of the other villages, no one enters the deserts voluntarily."

  Gwen narrowed her eyes, moving closer to where I sat. "So why are you out in the desert?"

  Her words were clipped, and a little abrupt, but Nyalla didn't take offense.

  "Because they don't treat me very well there," she said, gazing back in the direction of the village before shaking her head. "I'm not from there, originally. I have no family, and after my betrothed died, I had nowhere else to go."

  Gwen looked at me, a stricken expression on her face.

  I could tell she felt sorry she’d dredged up bad memories, but I wondered if maybe she was acting so harsh with Nyalla for the same reason I was uncomfortable—because we both felt there was more to our mysterious helper than simple benevolence at play.

  Will sat beside Nyalla, cautiously putting an arm around her.

  Nyalla put her hand on the one he had placed on her shoulder and patted it briefly before she stood and looked down at us all.

  Interesting.

  She hadn't rejected him exactly, but neither had she actively encouraged him.

  "It was all such a long time ago. Most of the sorrow has faded, but unfortunately, I discovered shortly after moving the village where the Oubliee lived would never be my home."

  She began repacking her bag as we waited for her to tell us more, curious what she would say next. But to my dismay, when she finished packing, she turned and pointed toward the caves again.

  "It's time to go. It will be daylight soon and we don't want to be exposed when it gets hot. If you think the sand and wind is bad now, you are not prepared for how the sun can burn you alive."

  I wasn’t excited about the possibility of worse weather but didn’t complain. In minutes we’d repacked and were on our way again. Except for the harsh climate, I think I would've found the walk enjoyable. The stars in the desert sparkled and although it was dark, they lit our way, highlighting the stark beauty of the barren land.

  Before much longer, a large outcropping of rocks became visible, jutting from the ground as if a building had been dropped in the middle of nowhere.

  When Nyalla spotted them, she smiled. "We're almost there. In the rocky terrain ahead are the caves where we’ll spend the day resting."

  I looked at the horizon and my breath caught as the sky appeared to catch on fire as the sun rose in the distance. It looked enormous against the desolate
landscape. My mouth was dry by this time, and my flask was as well.

  We’d drank almost all the water Nyalla had packed and I hoped she had an idea where to find more. I knew we could go sometime without food, but I thought it quite unlikely we’d be able to make it for long without liquids.

  When we finally began to pick our way through rocks, part of me was disappointed to find she hadn’t exaggerated about it being a set of small caves. While far from roomy, and with nothing but sand for our beds, the shelter provided enough protection for us to unwind our scarves and cloaks and place them beneath us. Once accomplished, we swiftly fell asleep from exhaustion.

  The next night, we woke at dusk and ate quickly. Nyalla had solved the issue of our near depleted water supply on waking by taking one of the long sticks from the floor of the cave and digging down into the center of the room. It looked like magic to me. The way she’d used a forked stick to guide her to a dig site, and water had been there? Maybe anyone could do it, but it amazed me.

  Seeing my look of bewilderment, she grinned. "The water table is just below ground. That's why no one can live out here. On one hand, the sand and sun are too powerful to support life, but on the other, it’s almost impossible to dig any distance down to construct buildings without flooding the area and wasting the limited water resources. But for travelers such as ourselves, it provides just enough water to keep us moving toward the next oasis."

  Impressed with Nyalla's resourcefulness, I made a mental note of her trick. I'd never read anything about finding water in that fashion in any book I’d ever read. I drank my fill and topped up my flask after the others took their fill. Once satiated, we followed Nyalla into the desert again.

  We fell into an easy rhythm, with Will walking beside Nyalla and Sel a few paces behind. I watched as they talked, observing Will on his most charming behavior.