Waystation 20J was one of the northernmost stations, lining the coast of the desert. I had been a few times, and remember the smell of the salt in the air. It was refreshing, but the sour stench of the people had always overcome it as soon as the breeze left.

I looked at the map I had folded up within my clothing. Thankfully, we weren’t heading to 20J.

“How far do you think they could have gotten,” I asked Fal.

He didn’t seem to hear me, because he continued to look towards the horizon of the desert. We had been walking since sunrise after taking a short break for sleep. Despite the increasing heat, we were making great time. If we continued at our current pace, we would reach the midway point by the early afternoon. There, we would refill on water. We had discussed the plan briefly before setting out this morning, but Fal had been quiet then as well. I cleared my throat and looked back to the map.

“I’m thinking that they likely don’t have the survival skills necessary for roaming the desert, or even an idea of what they’re really up against. I imagine that they’ve set up at a nearby Waystation, and are probably waiting it out. Daya went back the day you sent the letter and said that they were nowhere to be seen. So they must have packed up for good. I don’t think it would be worthwhile to check there again.” I looked out of the corner of my eyes to see Fal doing more of the same. “Once we get to the Waystation, we have some extra coin that we could afford to get a real meal, if you’re interested.”

Fal laughed. I waited for him to say something, but he didn’t.

“What’s so funny?”

“You think I can just walk into a Waystation? Order some goat and falafel? Perhaps some goat cheese to top it off? I’ll have to check with the servant to see if we could get it doubled. You know, for my larger size. Do you think they would give us a deal?”

I rolled my eyes. “Forget that I brought it up.”

“Do you really think they would let a desert orc stroll through their streets? You’re very mistaken.”

I bit the inside of my lip to keep myself from arguing with him. He wasn’t being completely unfair, but he must have known that that was unnecessary. We walked for a few minutes before I spoke up. “Though, I did pack some falafel if you’re interested in that.”

He snickered.

I rolled my eyes.

We continued on.

By high noon, I found myself sticking closer to Durabi. He was moving swiftly, but looked eager to settle down. I went to pet his scales, but thought of how hot they must be. When I retracted my hand, I caught Fal looking at me. “Can I help you with something?”

“How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Just… control it? Saladassi are no pets.”

I shrugged, looking over Durabi carefully. “Daya took hers in when they were younger, nursed one of them back to health using her magic. I think after that, they’ve been inclined to not bite the hand that feeds them.” I scratched underneath Durabi’s chin, and he stopped to appreciate the attention. “They’re pretty normal once you get past the initial push.”

He nodded and we fell into silence once more.

We arrived at the Waystation soon after, and Fallon stopped to stand outside with Durabi. “I’ll wait here with him. I’m not going to test my luck in there.” Fal looked into the archway of the station, his chin low. He shuffled over to the side of the wall, standing in what little shade it provided. “He won’t kill me, will he?”

I looked to Durabi, who was settling into the sand beside Fal. “I think he doesn’t know he could even eat you,” I joked before heading towards the archway. “I’ll be back soon.”

I passed through the walls and found myself in a small but well-kempt station. There weren’t many people around, and the monotonous tones of the sandstone didn’t give me much indication of where the pathways led. Eventually, I found someone lurking beside a wall. “Where can I find a watering hole?”

The man nodded to a wider lane, and I nodded my back to him before heading down. When I finally got to the watering hole, I found that it was surrounded by a small mess hall, a trading post, and what I imagined to be the Wayman’s home. I made my way over to the water pump at the edge of the small oasis and began pumping water into our bags. Upon finishing, I set a few coins in the box tacked to the side. Waystations like these were dustier, drier, and usually more trouble because of it.

As if I had thought it into existence, I noticed a few residents of the station watching me carefully. I headed over to the mess hall, pushing through the curtains to find a surprisingly full room. I pulled down the cloth that covered my mouth and strode up to the counter. The chef leaned onto the wood, looking me up and down. “What can I get ya?”

“Do you have freshly cooked meat? Warm. Or any cold cheese?”

“Both. Quillback antelope good?”

I nodded.

“15 coins.”

I reached into my bag and handed them over. It didn’t take him long as he went into the back to retrieve my food, but as I was grabbing my things, footsteps sounded from my right. I looked over to find someone was wandering over to me. “What’s somethin’ pretty like you doin’ all th’way out here? We don’t have any of that fancy stuff somethin’ like you deserves.” The man leaned over, resting his elbow on the counter, alcohol drifting from his lips.

“I can tell from the look of you,” I said, eyeing him up and down. “Clearly there’s no reason to stay.”

I turned on my heel and made my way out, but could hear him follow me. As I pushed through the curtains, I jumped down onto the sand to get off of the establishment. As soon as the man's feet hit the sand, I lunged forward and grabbed his hand, pressing it down and back until he fell to his knees, crying out like a child. “Don’t follow me.”

He nodded.

As I was letting go, I turned back towards the exit. The closer to the edge of the Waystation I walked, I could just make out the sound of excited voices nearby. I picked up my speed.

“Don’t be a baby, just hit ‘em!”

“Ooooh, Wayman Prifti is gonna like these two!”

I emerged from the archway to see a group of six men circling Fal and Durabi. Fal didn’t say anything, but stood ready to fight. “Hey!” I called out. “Back away from them!”

All eyes turned to me.

A few of the men laughed. “What do you plan on doing about it, little lady?” One of them twirled a double sided blade in his thick fingers, the metal on each side glinting as it hit the light. “You shouldn’t be wandering the desert by yourself. Maybe this will teach you a lesson.” He nodded and the men closest to me started forward. I sighed, tossing our food over to Fal’s feet.

The one who came at me first went quickly. He reached for my arm, but I grabbed at it and twisted it back, grabbing his head and slamming it down onto my knee. When the other two pulled out daggers, I pulled the cloth from around my face, twisting it over them in a flurry until I bound their arms together. With one yank and a well-placed foot, they toppled over with ease. Their daggers pushed into the flesh of their arms, and they sat themselves up hurriedly to tend to their wound. I reached down, yanking the daggers out and tossing them towards the feet of the man with the double-sided blade. Both of them landed in his left foot, and he let out a scream. As he fell to the ground and the other men watched on with nervous, shifty eyes, I retrieved my sash and made my way over to Fal.

“Let’s go.”

Fal was quiet once more, though I suspected it was for a different reason entirely. He had munched happily on the food I got for him, even sharing it tentatively with Durabi, though he pulled his hand away quickly after each treat. I was drinking water when he finally spoke.

“The craziest part is that they thought they could take on the two of us,” he said with a smirk.

“Yeah?”

“I mean, yeah. Me, a desert orc, and a saladassi. A young saladassi.Those aren’t to be trifled with. So why would they bother? Then they saw you and thought they could take you. You, a girl traveling with an orc and saladassi. As if you wouldn’t be able to stand your own ground.” He laughed lightly to himself. “Stupid.”

I smiled, but didn’t say anything.

“And the way you just,” he began weaving his arms through the air, “did that thing? That was fun. I can’t imagine what it would feel like to have two daggers just… in my foot. Do you think he’ll ever walk again?”

I laughed. “He’ll be just fine.”

When our laughter died down, Fal sighed. “So, where are we heading?”

“I think we should definitely check Waystation 18H. It’s just west of 20J, which would mean that they could follow the coastline to reach it, and is closer than 22L. I don’t think they would risk going blindly into a desert. It seems like they were born and raised in the same Waystation, which should mean that their survival skills aren’t the greatest. I think 18H is our best chance. If they aren’t there, we could ask for word of any twins. I’m sure it’s not a common sighting,” I said, thinking about any other potential options. “They wouldn’t have taken a ship, would they?”

“No. Of recent the waters have been more unpredictable. Apparently the Hikakuth has taken down more ships this year than the past decade.” Fal stretched his arms. “After we pass the 15s and Gs, I think it would be a good idea to ask around. They may not have experience in the desert, but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to escape a bad situation.”

“What exactly did your men report after facing them?”

Fal exhaled, and I watched as his shoulders fell a few inches. “They’re likely only a year or two younger than you. Kids, but not really. A boy and a girl. Similar skin to me, well, before all of this. The girl has crazy black hair, is taller, and seems shifty. They said she used magic to fight them off. But… dark magic. Necromancy.”

I nodded. “The boy?”

“From what I heard, which wasn’t much, he seemed to be a typically boy. Just used his strength. Also taller, and his hair is down to his shoulders, but he’s much stronger. I imagine he was a shipwright at their station. That’s just about the only trade up there.”

“I imagine they’re close if their parents died a while back.”

“I imagine so.”

“Well, we’ll arrive there late tonight if we keep going the way we have been, but I think it’s good to rest. I think we should set up camp before sunset, see if there’s anything to hunt, and take shifts sleeping. As sunrise we should be well rested enough to head out, and by then we should be within a few hours of finding them.”

“Can’t argue with a plan like that.” Fal stretched his limbs. “How long have you been doing this?”

“Quite a while.”

“Yes, I can see that, but how long exactly? Is there really any harm in telling me?”

“I went on my first solo assignment when I was thirteen. I had been training in fighting for three years with Daya, but my family was nomadic so I already had some experience.” I focused on the sandy rock at my feet, but I could feel Fal’s eyes staring down at me.

“My own folks were from Arden. I grew up pretty pampered.”

I feigned surprise. “What? You don’t say so.”

Fal laughed, but slapped me gently on my back. I nearly fell forward, and he had to straighten me up. “Say all you want, but I have a survival technique of my own.”

“What’s that?”

“Team up with the biggest and baddest around. Right now, that’s you. But don’t let that go to your head.”

I laughed. “Daya has eyes and ears everywhere, don’t be so sure.”

“Keep in mind, Aumee, that you made a deal with Daya that she couldn’t afford. You stripped her of her best assassin, stopped her from a punishment she would have really enjoyed, and warned my brother of her deeds. Were they risky decisions? Definitely. But here we are, in the desert, because Daya knows there’s nothing else she can do unless she wanted to track the book down herself.”

“I’m not surprised that she didn’t.”

“I think it’s safe to say she’s moved past the desert sand. I can’t imagine what she would say if she got sand in her newest robes, or in between her teeth.”

“Have I shown you my Daya impression?”

“Is it good?”

“I’ve been told it’s the best.”

As the sun lowered towards the horizon, we set up camp near a rocky outcropping. There were a few lizards hiding in the rocks at our feet, and I tried my best to show Fal how to effectively pierce them as soon as the rock was lifted to reveal their hiding place. After we had caught three and let five escape, we decided to call it a night. Durabi, who we had unloaded and tied up to one of the rocks, was scrambling atop the rocks, sniffing about for his smaller, tastier brethren. Each time he caught one, he would present it to us before slurping it down, the small gray tails of the lizards disappearing into his mouth.

Fal decided he wanted to take charge of roasting them, and had set up his own station over a campfire. I watched him, smiling to myself every time he complained about me not having packed the proper spices. As I watched him, hunched like an eroding boulder, I noticed that the gray sunset was beginning to turn a light shade of brown. I whistled to Durabi, and he looked at me funny. I sighed. When I noticed a sandstorm was about to hit, all it took was one whistle for Buro or Suni to burrow in the sand or rocks to take shelter.

“What is it?” Fal asked, glancing over his shoulder.

“A sandstorm.” I pointed it out on the horizon, and just as we watched, the brown haze became darker, taller. “Kick sand over the fire, pack up the food. It’ll have to do for now.” Our belongings were already all tied up, a leather tarp covering them so Durabi wouldn’t sniff around.

Fal jumped into action, fumbling slightly as he undid the campfire and tossed the tools to the rest of our belongings. “What now?”

I motioned towards a rock that jutted from the ground, high and wide, but cutting it close for both me and Fal. “We’ll have to get behind this rock. It should be big enough for the two of us--”

Sand began to blow around us, picking up speed. Durabi took one sniff of the air, shut his eyes, and hunkered down beside the supplies. I followed suit, waving Fal over to where I sat. He came to my side, sitting awkwardly from his size. I used our water to quickly wet the cloth in my pocket, handing him the first one. “Cover your mouth and your nose. Keep your eyes shut. If we’re lucky, it should only last a few minutes.”

The sandstorm hit all at once. The wind howled as it came over us, whipping at my hair and pulling it from where I had tied it back. The desert usually was colder once the sun set, but with the onset of the sandstorm and the wind, the temperature dropped and left me pulling my knees close to my face for warmth. I could feel Fal beside me, unmoving.

When a few minutes passed and the storm wasn’t letting up, I tried to shout, “This could last an hour!” I couldn’t tell if he heard me, but then I felt him shift his position.

Fal moved so that he was covering me, leaning over my head and blocking the winds. I wanted to look at him, but knew I would immediately regret it. Perhaps he thought I had asked for help. I couldn’t be sure, but I welcomed the confusion.

I could hardly tell the storm was over, as Fal had been an effective barrier against the majority of the sand and wind. He moved away from me, and as he did so, sand fell from the crevices in his craggy skin and pooled onto the ground. “Thank you,” I managed.

“Don’t mention it. I figured you were more vulnerable to the sand than I was. And, if it was going to last longer, there was no use in me just sitting there.” He shrugged it off, his eyes focusing only on setting up the campfire once more. “Two of the lizards are ready, but I’ll make you a warm one. It’s getting cold out.”

“Are you not cold?”

He shook his head. “Not really. I’ll make it.”

I gave him a small smile as he began cooking, but eventually turned my attention to our map. If I was right, we would reach possible hiding spots of the twins by early tomorrow morning. I began circling the most probable locations, ones with busy trade or secret circles, and then the ones that suited their survival skills. If two young twins were wandering the Wayst, someone was sure to have seen something. I had done enough rounds to know who to ask. “Have you ever heard of Varragher?”

“Eon Varragher? I’ve dealt with him a few times before. He’s a good informant. Do you think he’ll have information?”

“He’s someone with plenty of feelers. He’s helped me track down a few travelers who were similar-- sore thumbs. He’s the closest to their original location, as well, so that should give us a good chance. I think we should skip the lower stations and head straight for him. He’s sure to have something.” I folded the map up. “What do you think?”

“I agree. Varragher has never let me down before.”

We didn’t talk much more over dinner, which was somewhat tough but I didn’t have the heart to tell Fal that. He seemed to be proud of his meal, and tore at it with a strangely animalistic yet delicate touch. He would ensure that all of the scales and bones were pulled out, using his large fingers to pick each part away from the meat. As soon as he was satisfied with a specific area, he shoveled the bite into his mouth and devoured it within seconds.

“You know,” I said cautiously, “your teeth are probably strong enough to eat it whole with no issues.”

He looked at me as if I had suggested something ridiculous. “What? I’m not resorting to acting like an animal just because I look like one.” He scoffed under his breath, continuing his practice of bone removal.

I chuckled but tossed my leftovers towards Durabi. “That’s fair. Sorry for suggesting such crude actions.”

“You should be.”

“Alright, well as soon as you’re finished you can head to sleep first. I’ll take first watch.”

Fal nodded, and didn’t even finish his meal before turning in. He attempted to lay on a bedroll a few times before giving up and using it as a makeshift pillow. I sighed and settled in to my own position, on top of a flat rock with a good view of what lay around us. The stars were shining brightly, but the moon was beginning to wane. If we had started this trek any later in the week, our nights would have been much darker.

Something shifted, and I drew my dagger in a flash. When it shifted again, I realized it was just Fallon, his limbs kicking gently as if he were fighting something off in his dreams. I returned my daggers to their places and watched him for a few minutes. How strange it must be, being in a body that isn’t your own.

If all went smoothly, I needed to speak with Daya. Fal had already proven himself as a friend. Or, at least, an ally. I couldn’t let him stay like this forever. His broken horn was still in my own bag, and I carried the weight of it as we walked.

My life wasn’t the only one on the line, and the horn reminded me of that.