“Do you even know where we are headed?” Sir Esteve is extra snarky tonight. Ren shakes his head low. “You know the answer to that.”

We have been riding for what felt like days but were only hours. The cold desert night chilled me to the bone. Rubbing my hands I bring them to my mouth blowing warm air into my icy fingers.

“Are you cold?” Ren pulled his horse beside mine. His eyes gleaming in the moonlight. I gesture my head ‘yes’ watching the white air form from my nostrils.

“Let’s stop and make camp. It’s been a long night.” Ren motions to Esteve, and he nods in agreement.

As we stopped our horses, I looked out into the horizon for any sign of life, but to my disappointment, all that was visible was the dry pale desert and an open starry sky. Dismounting was a relief. My lower half ached with saddle soreness. It was refreshing to stand on my own two legs again.

Esteve was quick to form a fire. I am very thankful he brought a fire rock, or else we might have been in the cold much longer. Taking a seat close to the hearth, I rub my arms trying to keep warm. It was as cold as a winter's night, but there was not a snowflake in sight.

“Would you quit that chattering... I can’t even hear myself think.” The knight snapped.

I didn’t even notice it until he spoke, but I was indeed chattering my teeth. Afraid to annoy him further, I bite my lip, hoping to muffle any more noise. Suddenly a warm fluffy cloak hugged my shoulders, easing my discomfort. I look up to see Ren without his coat.

“Th-thank you.” I shiver. Moving to his horse he unpacks two blankets from one of the satchels. With sharp aim, he tosses one to Sir Esteve across the fire, and the other to me.

“What about you?” I ask.

“I’ll be just fine by the fire. This is not my first desert evening.”

Although I was thankful for the extra warmth, something tells me that he was not being honest. Taking the blanket I spread the fabric over my body, laying my head gently on the hard ground.

Listening to the crackle of the fire warmed the blood in my veins as I drifted off to sleep. Even though I was comfortable, I could not get Ren out of my mind. Opening my eyes slightly, I see him shaking on the ground by the fire. His nose red bitten from frost. Feeling the warmth of my layers I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, not just for his cold rest, but he lost his family and his kingdom today too.

“Ren.” I hush, hoping not to wake the iron grizzly bear inches away from me. Slowly he looked up to me, “Yes?”

“We can… um, share if you would like. The blanket I mean...” Ren’s eyes filled with excitement.

“That would be delightful.” Eager to get warm, he rushed to my side, sliding under the cover of the wool. I could feel his body was as frozen as ice against my back. As his frame twitched in chills, I rolled over to face him. Wrapping my arms around him I began to caress his arms, hoping that the friction will be enough to stop his movement. Slowly but surely I felt his skin heat under my fingertips. His breath calmed and was reduced to a faint flutter.

“Thank you, Arie.” He whispers. Closing my eyes, I could feel his forehead rest softly on mine. Our faces are so close that now our breath is helping to maintain the heat between us.

“Ren… are we going to die out here?” His dark lashes blinked as if processing the question.

“Not if I can help it. The city of Shepenaput may have been rooted in myth, but I believe that all myths are lined in truths. We will find it. Somehow…” I could hear a slight bit of doubt in his voice.

“Then what?”

“Then… we convince the Sandsperpant people to fight for our cause. With their soldiers, we can take back Xosta, and restore Theora.”

Restore? How much of Theora has been destroyed? My chest tightens as I picture my home in ashes. Taking in a deep breath I summon the bravery to ask the question I needed to know the answer to. “Is what your Father said true? Is everyone in my family dead?”

Ren cleared his throat, avoiding all eye contact. He didn’t want to answer.

“I need to know.” I jeer.

Seeing his gaze was both a relief and terrifying. Ren swallows hard before opening his mouth. “From the militia's report on the invasion, the only confirmed bodies were of your Mother and Father.”

A glimmer of hope flickered in my heart. “Just my parents?”

Ren took my hand weaving his thawing fingers in between mine. “Yes, but I don’t want you to get false hope. The battle was bloody, and the Xosta army was ruthless. It could be that they just have not been able to identify a body for him.”

“Or… he is alive.”

Nuzzling in closer I take in a deep breath of hope. Hope for a better tomorrow, and hope that my brother is out there somewhere alive and well.

🜃

The next morning I awoke in a sweat under the bright sun. the embers of our fire had completely extinguished, reduced to a blacked coal.

“Good morning.” Ren yawned in my ear.

“Morning, love birds.” Sir Esteve stood tall over us, gawking at the two of us spooning. Feeling put on the spot I jump up from under the covers, and dust off the sand from my clothes.

“Ugh! Just a few more minutes!” Ren wined.

With the heel of his boot, Esteve pushed his shoulder, rolling him on his back. “Let’s go,” he ordered.

Walking to his horse Sir Esteve packed the last of his belongings. “You are the worst!” Ren’s aggravated tone, made Esteve stop in his tracks. I stood there silent, feeling the tension thicken around the two of them.

“I’m the worst? No! Gale! You are the worst!” The angry knight turned on his heel facing his opponent.

Ren kicked himself off the ground to his feet. “Don’t call me that! It's a girl's name and you know it! And by the way, how am I the worst in this situation? Please! Enlighten me! I am just trying to get us out of the mess that you put us in!”

Sir Esteve stomped his iron foot in rage. “Me?! You are the one who got us into this mess! How could you not have known this was King Thybaut’s plan?! You are his son! His closest confidant! Now we are stuck in the desert waiting to die!”

Ren’s face grew red with fury. Looking down at his hands I could see the whites of his knuckles as his fist was clenched tightly. “Ha! That's funny! Aren’t you my appointed guard? Shouldn’t you be the one to be a step ahead of anything that might happen to me? Let us not forget that you are a spy for the King! Who is more trusted to him than you?!”

“Stop! Both of you!” I couldn’t let this unravel any further. I need to calm them down. “If you have anyone to blame for this situation it’s King Thybaut. Now please stop this bickering, we have a long journey together and we need to work together if we are going to survive. Now I want you two to apologize to each other.”

Ren looked at me like I was crazy, but I was dead serious. If they can’t put their differences aside, we are going to fall apart. “Now please.” I cross my arms like an impatient mother. Ren looked over to Esteve and mumbled a few incoherent words. “I can’t hear you.” I snap.

“I apologize…” He blurts. I turn to Sir Esteve waiting for the magic words. “Sorry…”

Beaming with pride I clap for their achievement. “Excellent! I am proud of you two. Honestly for a moment there, the two of you were arguing like siblings.”

Ren’s eyes widened. “Do you feel that?”

As soon as he uttered the words the soles of my feet began to shake beneath me. As the earth began to move more rapidly, I grabbed the reins of the nearest horse for balance.

“An earthquake?” Cracks in the sand began to form dividing the three of us. This was no earthquake… This was sorcery.

“Ah!” Ren’s scream alerted me in his direction. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared. “Ren!” I cried out for him, but there was no return. It was as if he disappeared into thin air.

“Esteve, what is happening?!” When I turned to the knight’s direction my heart stopped. He was gone. There I was left alone in the middle of a desert earthquake.

Suddenly a scaly hand rose from the opening in the earth and grabbed my ankle tightly. In a panic, I began to kick violently. “Get off!”

But the creature was too strong. With a few small tugs, I was pulled into the ground. I looked up to see the sunlight slowly close above me, then everything went dark.