Chapter 60

Year 163 – Fall – Quintus Mensis – 34th days

Eastern Barrens, south of Almuharib

The sun was high, yet the air was cold. They were advancing slowly.

Has it been a month yet? Has winter arrived? I wonder if you made it out alive . . .

Tiny herbs were growing far from each other in the dry ground. Their shoes were shearing themselves between their moist feet and the rough grip of the barrens.

Don’t get these ideas. Of course she made it . . . She promised me. She must have fled south. Yes, she’s in Rock Eden now. I wish I’d have the strength to fight back. My wound is slowly healing, but my body is weakening. I think I’ll die before I get a chance to run. Maybe I should have accepted her proposal, but it would have been wrong . . . No, I’ll escape. My wound is almost healed. I just need a weapon. I’ll find you, Vatra . . .

They were walking in a long line alongside the 21 guards of Alphael. Dried blood between their toes, dirt and mud across their clothes, they were barely able to keep the rhythm imposed on them. Twelve slaves had been left inside of Almuharib, but a few more were getting too weak to keep going.

Why are we stopping? Is it the break already? How long have I been walking today? No, it can’t be the break, the sun is still high.

Alphael – “WHAT’S THE MATTER?”

Guard – “A SLAVE DOESN’T WANT TO GET UP!”

Alphael walked past Ethen and joined the guard in the back row.

What’s happening? I can’t hear them.

A girl – “LET HIM REST! WAIT! NO!”

A girl cried all the tears of her soul as Alphael went back to the front.

Guard – “FORWARD!”

For hours, the slave kept crying until the wind of the barrens dried her tears away. When the sun was crossing the horizon, the slaves stopped. Half the guards were looking at them while the rest were preparing the firepit for the night. An hour later, close to 80 firepits had been set up to keep light on the slaves during the night. Two mules had been attached at each side of the line of slaves, ready to run if they agitated themselves too much. A third of the guards went to sleep as the rest were looking at the slaves. Every three hours, a third of them went to sleep while the rest were on the lookout.

At dawn, the guards shredded bread and gave a loaf to each slave, as well as a few sips of water from a large waterskin. A quarter of an hour later, they were on the walk again.