Chapter Thirty-Three—Debt Collectors

Jessamine threw her head back and laughed.

“Answer my question.”

She did not. Instead she looked at him indulgently as the lift shook, the ceiling breaking to reveal falling sand and morning sunlight. They both stepped back to avoid the sand fall as the lift came to ground inside of a small stone structure of pillars and no walls.

Shiro glanced about. They were surrounded by palm trees atop a hill, the oasis ravine not far away.

“So it’s still here,” she said.

“What is?”

“The oasis,” Jessamine said. “It must be magically induced here in the desert.”

Shiro lead the way through the hot sands. “My camel is this way.”

“And your cowardly friend?”

Shiro didn’t answer, only grunted.

They came over the sandy dunes and into a thick cops of trees. The turtle nuts were scattered about. Shiro still wanted to collect a few. They contained milk, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to carry a dozen or so into the desert in case he ran out of water again.

As they broke the tree line and came to the river, Shiro noticed the camels were standing and seemed somewhat agitated. To the left there was a high dune with trees, and coming around it, Shiro spotted Ali on his knees, a man behind him with a wicked knife against his throat.

Flanking that man were five others.

Shiro came up short.

“Oh,” Jessamine said. “What is this? More friends of yours?”

“Not quite,” Shiro said quietly in answer.

“Shiro Takeda!” a tall man said, stepped forward. He wore an open jacket and a turban of black cloth, his upturned shoes filigreed in gold. “I am Haydaru—sent by vizier Faridoon.”

Shiro straightened. “What do you want?”

The man had a scar running down his cheek and a bent nose that had evidentially been broken before. “We’re here to collect the money you owe to the vizier.”

Oh, Jessamine conveyed inside his head. I see.

You said you had magic to bestow upon me?

She giggled.

Ali stared at him. His eyes held a look of anger, possibly contempt for Shiro, but it was hard to say in this situation.

Shiro spread his arms. “I have nothing.”

The lead headsman narrowed his eyes.

“Don’t lie, Shiro!” Ali called.

Heydaru glanced toward Ali, then looked at Shiro. “What is your friend talking about?”

“The lamp!” Ali spat. “It’s in his bag!”

Ugh! It was Jessamine conveying her disgust.

“Lamp?” Haydaru asked, looking back to Ali for explantion.

“Yes. Legendary loot worth a fortune!” The last word he uttered with a jerk forward, as if he were spitting it at Shiro.

I guess you two aren’t friends anymore, she conveyed lightly.

Shiro grit his teeth.