Chapter 7:

The sun of the desert scorched the sands below it. The arid winds blew through Emily’s blonde hair.

Emily cursed loudly, “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

After the events of the other night, she had fled from the city. The following day, she had drawn yet another card, unable to resist the temptation.

She had pulled a card with the picture of an old man carrying a lantern. The card was: THE HERMIT.

She had felt the air warp around her and before she could blink, she found herself in the desert.

“I don’t want to be a freaking hermit,” she muttered inwardly. She knew where she was. According to Yurat, it was likely that she was in the Ria Desert, a location far from civilized lands.

She trudged across the sands mindlessly, thoughts twirling through her mind.

“I really should stop drawing cards without care,” she sighed.

After walking for a few hours, the moon rose into the sky. Emily pulled out her deck of cards.

“Damn it!” she cursed. She had pulled: The Ace of Pentacles.

A bag materialized in the air. Emily opened it up and was flabbergasted. It was filled to the brim with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.

However, she immediately frowned. The bag was heavy and she was in the middle of the desert. She would not be able to carry it with her for long. She slung the sack of gems over her shoulder and started walking once more. She was growing thirsty and tired, she needed to find some place to rest soon.

A harsh wind blew, causing her teeth to chatter.

“I need to find shelter, fast,” she thought with worry.

Suddenly, a howl rang out through the night. Half a dozen coyotes dashed towards her from the horizon, snarling and drooling.

Emily’s mind began turning, trying to figure out what to do. She couldn’t outrun the dogs and she couldn’t draw another card for an entire day. She would have to fight.

She dropped her bag of gems onto the sand. She reached into the sack and pulled out a fist-sized diamond.

The coyotes quickly caught up to her and encircled her. They yapped and barked at her.

She took a deep breath to gather her focus. She would have to use all her knowledge of combat if she wanted to survive this encounter.

One of the coyotes suddenly howled, leaping through the air towards her. She ducked under its assault, smacking the pointed tip of her diamond into the eye of the beast, killing it immediately.

The other beasts howled in rage and dashed towards her. She threw herself to the side, summersaulting through the sands. She quickly stood back up and struck out against one of the coyote’s heads, bludgeoning it to death.

A coyote swiped its claws towards her chest. She quickly raised the diamond, using it as a miniature buckler to deflect the claws.

Her energy was beginning to wane.

All of a sudden, a spear erupted from the sand, stabbing into the exposed stomach of one of the coyotes. More spears quickly followed.

Sand whirled through the air as figures appeared from the ground.

Emily was stunned, she hadn’t detected the figures’ presences at all.

The new arrivals were a group of sand people, or at least that’s what Emily assumed they were.

They wore loose rags and had tanned skin. Reddish-brown hair waved in the breeze.

One of the newcomers removed his spear from the coyote’s belly and turned towards her.

“You are in Sojos territory. What do you want?” he asked her, a cold expression on his face.

Ideas quickly raced through Emily’s head.

“Seeking passage out of the desert. Will pay,” she said, tossing the diamond in her hand to the man.

The man snatched the diamond out of the air, wiped the blood from it, and inspected it closely.

After a while he broke out in a toothy smile, “Welcome friend!”

He turned towards his comrades and explained the situation quietly, showing them the diamond. He quickly gained their approval and turned back towards Emily.

“Follow me. We take you out of desert tomorrow. For now, we rest.”

Emily nodded her approval and followed the man, leaving the bag of gems buried in the sand. If the sand people tried to rob her, she would be doomed.

It didn’t take long before they arrived outside of a group of hastily constructed tents made from animal hide. Emily confirmed a thought: the people were obviously nomadic.

“This is guest hut,” the man said, pointing to a rundown tent. Emily frowned at its condition, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. After saying her farewell to the man, Emily crawled in the tent and fell asleep.

Meanwhile, in a castle in Antoire, a group of spies were giving their reports to King Antillus. Yurat was at the king’s side, listening as well.

One of the spies stepped forward.

“What have you observed?” the king asked the woman in front of him.

She bowed before talking, “The Witch of Tarot stopped in the city of Gerya. The purpose for her visit is unknown. She took residency at “The Silver Goblet” inn.”

She stepped backwards, allowing another of the spies to step forward.

“According to reports, a commotion broke out on the tavern floor, involving the Witch of Tarot. Witnesses say she simply removed her hood, causing the hooligans to pass out and flee in terror. The guards that attempted to apprehend her suffered a similar fate.”

Yurat frowned. He hadn’t gotten a good chance to look at her face. Was she truly that fearsome? Maybe his idea that she was a monster in disguise was true after all.

The second spy stepped backwards, making room for the third.

After a minute of silence the king spoke up, “Domus? Your report?”

The third spy awoke from a daze.

“Deepest apologies your majesty! I-I don’t know what overcame me.”

Yurat directed a glare towards the spy.

“After the guards retreated, the townsfolk set up a blockade and surrounded the inn. Numerous adventurers prepared to combat her. However, they all killed each other at her suggestion.”

Yurat frowned and spoke up, “Did she use her power of command?”

“No. She used her power of beauty,” the spy sighed dreamily.

“Pardon?” the king blinked, questioning the spy.

“She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,” the spy said with his eyes closed, “The men fought to the death for her hand.”

“I would have joined too, but you specifically ordered me not to get involved,” the spy said sheepishly.

The king’s cheek twitched.

“I thought she was a horrible demon that caused people to pass out from the sight?”

The spy seemed puzzled, “Of course not! She has a face that surpasses angels, a smile that could cause mountains to tremble.”

Yurat and the king exchanged gazes, thoroughly confused.

“Where is she now?” Yurat asked, knitting his brows.

“I don’t know,” the spy said with a forlorn sigh, “She simply vanished one night. Leaving my heart arching.”

“Did she teleport? Did you trace the magic?” the king asked.

“There were no signs of magic being used. She just disappeared without a trace.”

The king exhaled tiredly. Things would be more difficult than he had imagined.