by RJ Crayton
“Then how can we find them?”
Pylum shook his head. “We must use ways that are not magical,” he said, then paused. “Though I fear Talitha, in her panic, may have unbound the girl. If that’s the case, Kadirah will figure out how to use her magic. As she taps into it, her magical footprint will grow stronger and Zygam will be able to track her.”
“Can’t we track her, too?” Akilah asked.
Pylum nodded slowly. “Yes, we can, but Zygam has a better chance.”
Akilah considered keeping her mouth shut, but Pylum had told her over and over again that the only stupid questions were the ones that went unasked. “Master Pylum,” she said respectfully. “You have always taught us that light magic burns brighter than the darkness. Shouldn’t our magic be more powerful and able to track the girl more quickly? He’s using dark magic.”
“Yes, he is, dear,” he said. “The truth is, all things being equal, the magic of light will burn brighter, will eat away at the darkness. But dark magic can be fueled by powerful urges. We are resolute in our desire to find them, but he is obsessed. For ten years, he has sought this girl nonstop, and there is power in time and urgency, as well. Plus, Kadirah may help him find her.”
Akilah’s eyes widened. “Why would she do that?”
Pylum didn’t speak for a moment, considering her question. “Because she doesn’t know that she’s helping him find her. If the binding has been removed because Talitha was weakened or killed, then Kadirah will be in pain and sorrow. The dark magic will be able to hone in on that much quicker, especially if it was Zygam who caused the pain. A mage who causes pain and sorrow can track his victims, just as we who bring light and joy can find those we have assisted. I think that is why Nigel avoids your help. He knows you’ll find him then.”
Akilah sighed. She had been trying to convince herself that wasn’t the case, but there was really no other explanation, especially in light of what happened today. She frowned.
Pylum narrowed his eyes. “Did you see something today?”
Akilah explained what happened in the marketplace. Pylum listened dutifully. Then, he frowned. “What was the girl’s name?”
“She didn’t tell me, and I thought it best not to push.”
He stroked his beard again. “Is it possible the girl you saw was Kadirah?”
Akilah shook her head. “No,” she said. “The girl was no more than eleven, probably ten. And she was alone. You said she and the aunt would be together. You said they were close, that the aunt would protect her at all costs.”
“I said they had been together,” he corrected. “And Talitha would protect her at all costs, even if that meant sending Kadirah off on her own while she dealt with Zygam.”
Akilah got a creeping feeling in her stomach that she had just blundered majorly.
Pylum sighed. “You know who Fatima was, don’t you?”
“The girl’s mother. A powerful mage who was married to one of our most powerful and brave mages here. She gave birth to the girl, and Zygam eventually came to believe she was the girl spoken of in the prophecy. That she had the power to unite the world of mages, and bring either darkness or light to power. Fatima did not want her child used and fled. Zygam caught up to them and murdered her, but luckily the sister fled with the child before Zygam could stop her, and they’ve been in hiding ever since.”
Pylum smiled. “Yes, very succinct. You’ve been listening, which I appreciate. However, my question was more local than that. I meant, did you know that Fatima was my cousin?”
“She was a dwarf?” Akilah asked, realizing it had come out sounding as if she thought less of dwarfs. She wanted to try to correct the impression, but Pylum spoke.
“Half dwarf, so she was petite in stature. This girl may be, too. Do you think it’s possible the girl you met was Kadirah?”
That sinking feeling reared in Akilah’s gut. She’d been right there. She’d been with the girl. The girl who had melted into the shadows. Oh, my. How stupid she’d been not to see it.
Pylum grimaced. “It’s alright,” he said, patting her arm. He reached for the crystal ball on his desk, and he handed it over to Akilah. “Show me everything that happened.”
Chapter 5 - Dinner with a Dwarf
I didn’t know where I was going, exactly, but I knew I needed to go there. I felt the pull of it in the air. It crackled and sparked and drew me to it, like metal to a magnet. I felt the pull, even though I couldn’t see it.
It was something powerful. I wasn’t sure what I’d do when I arrived at the source of whatever was pulling me. I didn’t know what else was at this temple that held Auntie. I just knew I had to go. I didn’t know glowing symbols that could create a hole in the ground or those that could trap a woman in stasis, but I knew I loved Auntie, and I knew she needed my help. I also knew that the girl, Akilah, hadn’t seen me when I’d stood in the shadows, so I knew there was at least a little magic in me. I just didn’t know how to get it out.
But I could figure it out. If there was anything that life on the move had taught me, it was that you didn’t have to have all the answers when you started your journey. You just needed to know that you wanted to move forward, and you could figure out the rest as you went. I knew this was the path to Auntie. I’d figure out the rest as I got nearer.
I’d left the crowded market and ventured toward the northern edge of the city, where No Man’s Land lay. It was the opposite of an oasis. Nothing but hot sand and wind. On the other side of No Man’s Land — if you dared to cross it — were the northern sections of the Midlands. But no one crossed it. Everyone went around that barren stretch, making their journeys longer, but ultimately safer. The city of Halcyon was the first real city outside of No Man’s Land, but it was set a decent walking distance from the edge of that abyss. No one ventured in there unless they wanted to die. I didn’t want to die, but I did want to find my aunt. And that was where she was: No Man’s Land. That had to be the location of the temple Zygam spoke of.
There were some temples in the city, but they were always filled with the masses, with people praying or having ceremonies — funerals, weddings, infant blessings. I couldn’t imagine anyone walking in with Auntie in her state of stasis. Plus, I had never seen magic performed at one of the temples in the city. So, it made sense that the temple would be far away. And what better place than the land no one went?
I was close. A little tent city was nestled on the edge of No Man’s Land. It was like a border town, but no one went beyond the border. It was as far as you could go, before the terrain turned treacherous. The tent city offered a place of refreshment for the weary traveler making their way around that desolate stretch of desert.
I walked toward a row of large tents, my coin bag still with me, but lighter. I had tied the extra sufta buns in a sack and hitched it to a strap around my waist. I’d bought a flask for water before leaving the market. My plan was to stop in the large tent marked as an eatery. There, I’d fill my flask and buy something cheap to eat, perhaps balthy, a flat bread with cheese in it. Not as filling as the sufta, but sufficient. I would need to buy something in order to sit for a while.
It was a couple of hours after midday and still hours until sunset. My plan was to bide my time and sit there, unnoticed, until evening. Once night came, I would head into No Man’s Land. My brain was telling me it was a stupid idea to go there, but my gut was telling me it was the right thing to do. I could feel No Man’s Land calling to me. It was whispering to me, begging me to come there to claim my birthright.
“No,” I mumbled, startling myself. I stared into the distance at the seemingly unending sea of sand dunes that I would venture into later, trying to figure out why I was thinking about birthrights. I needed to go there and find Auntie. She was all I had left, and I wouldn’t lose her.
The eatery tent was a pretty good size, and had several small, woven tables that looked a bit like baskets. The table surface was woven, too, and round, colorful cushions were used as seats. I se
ttled at a table in the rear corner. There were at least two dozen small tables in the tent, and it was only about half full. An eclectic mix of people were here. A lot of men, who seemed to be travelers, sipped coffee and ate breads or goat stew. I saw a family with small children in the center of the tent. A mother and father sipped coffee while the four children, three boys and a girl, chewed on bread. They chattered. It was nice to sit and watch. It was one of my favorite pastimes. Auntie didn’t like it when I talked to others, so I spent a lot of time watching.
A man in a tunic and a turban walked over to me. He eyed me as if I didn’t belong. I told myself to sit up straighter, to try to look larger, more adult like I belonged. His scowl melted away after a moment, and he passed me a menu.
Looking at it, I realized the place was more expensive than I expected. Still, I needed to stay until it got dark. It was too hot to navigate No Man’s Land during the day. I asked for a carafe of water and some balthy. The waiter nodded and went away.
I spent the next few hours watching the crowd, nibbling at my balthy and waiting. The crowd increased and changed in tenor as the day waned. Men with scarred faces, rough clothing, and mean accents came in. They were probably bandits or thieves. Auntie had called their type “unscrupulous” and “a scourge upon the nation of Halcyon.”
I pulled the wrap covering my hair deeper over my face and tried to slink into nothingness. I wanted no part of these people, but it was still a bit too bright to go out. The sun was definitely receding, but the heat of the sand would linger even after the sun went to sleep. I needed to wait until nightfall was in full swing. Until the rays of the sun wouldn’t make me so thirsty that I collapsed after half an hour. Only by the moon should you venture out, some voice deep within me urged.
I gave myself a shake to banish the thought. I focused on my plan. I lived in a desert nation, so I inherently knew the dangers of the sun. Too long in it could cause anything from blistered skin all the way to a painful, dehydrating death. Of course, your corpse wouldn’t even rot; it would be picked away by scavenging birds who flew in to savor a meal from those foolish enough to tangle with the desert.
I looked around the little eatery but didn’t see the man who had been my server. He had gone or forgotten about me, which was for the best. I didn’t want him to tell me I was keeping a spot away from better paying customers.
I watched as the service changed from simple coffee in the afternoon to drinks that caused people to become merry and fall over. It was really no place for a child, and I sank further into the shadow of this corner, hoping to go unnoticed. I didn’t want to be forced out before I was ready. Before the darkness had allowed the sand to cool. I turned to the entryway as the tent’s flap opened yet again, admitting someone new.
This man was instantly curious to me. For one, he was a dwarf. You didn’t see dwarves that often around here. There was supposedly a nation of dwarves just a few kingdoms away. But it was a land that was more plentiful than this, with trees and lagoons and fruit growing everywhere. The dwarves were supposedly imbued with power by the gods to protect their kingdom. Otherwise larger men would’ve taken it from them. Or so the story went.
I didn’t know if the story was true. I’d never actually seen a dwarf. There were people who were shorter in stature, but none with the shortness and squatness that so clearly said “dwarf.” This dwarf was particularly interesting. He had rich caramel skin, a bald head, and a goatee. He wore a dark tunic and the parts of his body I could see were covered in strange tattoos. His arms read like a tapestry of foreign symbols, and he had the symbol of the sun inked on his neck. But inside the golden orb was a strange mark that looked sort of like a snake, but I didn’t think it was. The mark looked familiar, but I wasn’t sure why.
At that moment, the dwarf turned and looked directly at me. I wanted to shrink away, but his gaze was mesmerizing. It kept me locked in place. It was almost as if he was telling me to stop. Instead of heading toward an empty table — and by now, there were few empty tables here — he came straight to my table and nestled himself on the cushion across from mine.
“Salam,” he said, and smiled so I could see his pearly white teeth.
I simply nodded back, making sure my face was mostly covered. My eyes were still visible, and I had trouble tearing them away from him
“May I help you?” I heard from behind me. The gentleman who’d taken my order earlier had returned.
The dwarf put two silver coins on the table and smiled. “We’ll have two of your dinner stews, a sufta, and some cider.”
The waiter nodded, slipped the coins in his pocket, and hustled away. I didn’t say anything. The man had ordered me food as if I were his friend. It was odd and overly generous. Such acts could mean he was someone incredibly charitable, or someone who wanted something in return. I wasn’t sure which. I stared at the tattoo of the sun again. For a moment, the dark edges of the sun’s flame glowed. My eyes widened, and he turned his head so the angle of my view changed and the sun tattoo looked simply like a tattoo again.
“I had a friend,” the dwarf said. “A very good friend, and I’ve lost contact with her.”
It was an odd thing for him to say, and I could think of no response. The waiter returned with two large bowls of stew and the bread. I was hungry, so I ate my food without looking up at the stranger. It was good. It filled my belly much more than the bites of bread I’d eaten today. It would serve me well for my night’s journey. I found myself feeling grateful to this man I barely knew.
When I finished, the carafe had been refilled, so I poured myself a glass and drank it down. I turned to him and asked, “What is it that you want?”
“To help,” he said.
“I am not in need of help,” I told him.
“Where is your aunt?”
I squinted at him. “Who are you?”
“Pylum,” he admitted.
Was he serious? I oscillated between shock and anger, momentarily before settling on anger. He had caused this. He was the reason I was here and Auntie was gone. I leaned in and grabbed the dwarf by the edge of his tunic. “You betrayed her,” I whispered. “You told her we would be safe in Halcyon.”
He shook his head, unfazed by my anger. “No, I didn’t betray her. I thought you were going to be safe. The Seas of Time indicated Halcyon would offer you protection.”
Seas of Time. What was he talking about? It made no sense. I stared at him and then released him. “I don’t want your help,” I said finally.
“But you need it,” he said. “You don’t understand how powerful Zygam is. He’s …” he started, and his eyes got this far away look of terror. I wondered for a moment if that is how Auntie felt when she had faced the evil mage last night.
“Why does he want me?” I asked.
He shook off his concern and said, “Not here. I need you to come with me. It’s not safe here. He can find you, same as I did. You’re leaving a trail now.”
I stared at him. Leaving a trail. A trail of what? I didn’t trust Pylum. He’d led Auntie astray, and who knows where he’d lead me. I had to get away. I smiled at him and said, “Alright. Just let me use the restroom.”
He looked relieved and nodded. I left the tent and went outside to the little hovels where we could make waste. I peed, and then walked away. Not back toward the eating tent, but toward the desert, the sand. The wind was strong tonight, which was good. I could disappear into it, and Pylum would be none the wiser. I had to find Auntie, and I was certain she was this way. She was somewhere in No Man’s Land.
Chapter 6 - No Man’s Land
There were times when you just knew things. You couldn’t explain how or why. You just did. This was one of those times. I knew I was right, even though every outward sign told me I had done the wrong thing. The winds swirled around me, sand clouding my view. I had no compass, so for all I knew, I could have been going in circles. The moon was in the sky, and I could make out a few constellations. But I had no idea where I was going,
really. Still, something inside me told me this was the place I was supposed to be. This was the only path to Auntie.
The winds pelted my tunic, and I squinted to avoid sand blurring my eyes. As hot as it had been in the blistering sun earlier, it was now chill in the darkness. I always marveled at the difference that golden orb could make on a place. Under its glow, the land was an inferno, but remove it, and the land cooled rapidly to something equally uncomfortable.
I’d walked for almost an hour, and despite things not looking different, they felt different. Something about the air had changed. There was a static about it, an electricity. A gentle hum that spoke to me. It was as if it was saying that something important was here.
And then, just like that, the wind stopped swirling. There was no need to shield my eyes. The cool of the night seemed to disappear, and the air became temperate. In the distance, I saw it: a temple. A temple made of dark stones, bathed in moonlight and mist. It was as if it had risen from the ground quietly, without my notice. I stared, wondering if it could be a mirage. I took a step toward it, and then something odd happened.
Right in front of me, a tiny light appeared. At first it was the size of a coin — a silver, watery bright coin. But it grew wider, stretching out like a pool, becoming oblong, until it was the shape of a large ellipse, about seven feet tall. It was a shimmering pool of glittering water that faced me rather than lay flat on the ground. It was the oddest thing I had ever seen.
At least, until the man emerged from it. I took a step back, seeing him step into the desert, dressed in a tunic of black, with a small black cap on his head. As soon as he stepped out of the shimmering pool, it receded into itself and then disappeared. It was gone. My mouth hung open in shock.
“No need to be frightened, Kadirah,” the man said.
I focused in on the man now that he’d spoken. His skin was white, lighter than most of the people of this region. He had brown hair that crept out from the edges of his hat and green eyes. His face was friendly, a big smile on his lips. He looked fit in his tunic and seemed to want me to like him. Everything about him was calling out for me to join him.
