Chapter 20
Nahlah
Shifting restlessly, I tried to find some semblance of comfort while being ensnared by Rami’s vines. My impulsive escape plan and the resulting confrontation had left me feeling embarrassed and frustrated. Logically, I knew how flawed it was, but desperation often led to recklessness, and I”d been desperate.
I fidgeted on the plush sedari; the minutes stretching into what felt like hours. The distant echoes of music and celebrating only heightened my unease, my thoughts tangled in a web of worry and regret. Would anyone realize that the Sahrandian siblings were missing? What about Princess Luna and her sisters? Would they come looking for me?
My focus shifted to the entrance as heavy footsteps broke the silence, solidifying my resolve. I decided to go along with whatever they had in store for me, knowing I needed to be smarter and more strategic from here on out. I would watch and wait, biding my time until an opportunity presented itself.
The door opened, and Rami stepped inside. Carrying one large satchel with another slung across his chest, he wore a clean black jellaba and sturdy boots similar to mine.
”Here.” His voice was hard as he steadily avoided my gaze. Snapping his fingers, he released me from the vines” grasp, handing over the extra bag. “There are additional provisions in this one, along with the tome.”
”Oh.” Unsure what to say, I took it hesitantly, feeling an unexpected stir of guilt at the sight of the bruise forming beneath his left eye and across the bridge of his nose.
“We need to hurry,” he said curtly. As he spun on his heel and marched back outside, I slipped the satchel over my head, hurrying to keep up. Under the cover of the clementine trees, the silence between us stretched as I tried to keep up with his brisk pace. His stride was stiff, betraying a bottled rage that disjointed his movements and disconnected him from his usual grace.
As we approached the stables, a commanding whinny directed my attention to where a magnificent stallion galloped toward us, his hooves pounding against the earth like thunder. With a powerful build, broad chest, and muscular legs, he was easily twice as large as a regular horse. His sleek, lustrous, midnight-black coat caught the light in a mesmerizing display, while a mane of midnight silk cascaded down his neck, flowing in the wind.Skidding to a halt, he tossed his head, whinnying as he nudged Rami”s stomach, as if searching for something.
”Okay, okay,” Rami said, a genuine smile unexpectedly spreading across his face as he affectionately patted the steed”s neck. With a flick of his wrist, a large apple appeared in his hand, and the horse nickered happily, biting down on the entire thing with a satisfied crunch.
”I need to get his saddle.” Rami”s expression became blank as he strode past me into the stables. When he addressed me, the horse whipped his head around in surprise, as if only just realizing I was there. Tilting his head, he regarded me curiously before charging forward, his enthusiastic nuzzle nearly knocking me off my feet.
Despite the fear of being trampled by his massive frame, I felt a surge of warmth from his unexpected display of affection. As I reached out, gently petting his muzzle, he leaned into my touch, his eyes half-closing in contentment. When Rami reappeared a moment later, carrying a large saddle, a frown crossed his features as he took us in. He whistled sharply, and immediately, the horse spun back in his direction.
“Where is my horse?” I asked, glancing around.
“We’ll be sharing him,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument as he quickly and efficiently saddled the stallion.
“What?!” I exclaimed. Sharing a mount with him was not something I was eager to do.
”You just tried to escape.” His incredulous look would”ve been comical if I wasn”t so horrified. ”Providing you with your own horse would be unwise.”
“I was going to join you after I’d completed my business!” I protested, crossing my arms defensively over my chest, my cheeks flushing.
“You should’ve considered the consequences beforehand,” he shrugged, then with an ease that spoke of his familiarity with the beast, mounted quickly, extending his hand to me. “We need to go.”
Although I was reluctant to accept his help, the sheer size of the horse left me with no other option. Grasping my hand, he pulled me up into the saddle in front of him with one fluid motion, his arms encircling me to grasp the reins. With a click of his tongue, the horse launched into a gallop, and my back instantly pressed against Rami”s broad chest. Striving for composure, I attempted to distance myself from the memory of the last time I’d been in his arms.
We rode past the observatory, its domed roof gleaming under the moonlight, and circled the menagerie, the sounds of the animals echoing through the quiet night. As we veered off the main path leading away from the more frequented areas of the palace grounds, I turned to glance at him in confusion.
”We’re going the wrong way.”
His reply was curt. ”There’s a hidden route that leads straight into the desert. It”s only accessible to a select few.”
“A portal?” I guessed, his silence serving as confirmation. After a few minutes of riding, we approached an impressive fountain. Its vibrant zellige design featured geometric patterns in deep reds, blacks, and golds. The water within was clear and sparkling, cascading over the beautifully crafted edges with a soothing murmur.
Without warning, Rami urged the horse into a rapid sprint, steering him straight toward it. Rationally, I knew the hidden entrance must be located here, but my heart still raced as I braced for impact. The horse leapt into the air, his front hooves briefly touching the water before the sudden lurch in my stomach signaled our passage through a portal. When we emerged on the other side a moment later, we skidded to a halt, the beautiful Marasynth desert stretching before us, an endless sea of sand.
“Check the tome,” Rami ordered, dropping the reins and drawing his arms back, as if he couldn’t stand having them around me any longer.
Retrieving it from my satchel, I quickly flipped to a new page. As a map rapidly arranged itself, showing our current position, another riddle materialized beneath it.
In darkened sands where shadows creep,
Where the night and secrets never sleep,
Seek the wind’s whispered call,
Through her lair, you’ll conquer all.
Her price is a treasure from within your own mind,
A memory, a dream, a tale entwined.
”Wonderful.” Rami’s jaw tightened, lines of concern etching his face.
“What does it mean?”
“We need to find the Zephyr’s Lair,” he finally said. “Which is in the Shadowed Sands.”
“It’s real?” I gasped in horror. The Shadowed Sands were the essence of nightmares, a myth used to frighten children into obedience. It was a place rumored to harbor the dark underbelly of the realm, where secrets and dangers lurked in every shadow.
“It is.”
“But,” I hesitated, trying to hide the all-consuming fear overwhelming me, “isn’t it dangerous?”
For the first time since he arrested me, his gaze softened. “It can be. But I have a friend within who can grant us safe passage.”
“So you”ve been there before?”
”Yes, many times, in fact.”
”Why would you want to?!” I blurted out, still reeling from the revelation that it actually existed.
”That”s not important,” he replied, his tone hardening.
Despite the many questions about the Shadowed Sands swirling through my mind, his shuttered expression caused me to switch topics. “What is the Zephyr’s Lair?”
”Well,” he cocked his head to the side. ”It”s a lair for the Zephyr Wraith.”
Ignoring his condescending tone, I wracked my brain, trying to recall if I’d ever heard of such a creature. It didn”t sound familiar, even with all the books I read. “Why do you think we need to go there?”
“The riddle mentions the ‘wind’s whispered call’ and ‘through her lair, we’ll conquer all.’ It makes sense,” he added, tapping a finger on the page where a red line had formed on the map, “especially since it’s leading us to the Sands.”
“Oh,” I glanced briefly at the tome before meeting his gaze. “But what does a zephyr have to do with anything?”
Rami shot me an exasperated look. ”She’s a gatekeeper. In fact, she guards thousands of lands.”
My jaw dropped. Thousands? Usually, gatekeepers could only manage a maximum of four gates at a time, and even that was rare. It was hard to wrap my head around the fact that the Shadowed Sands not only existed but that within it dwelled a gatekeeper to thousands of other lands.
”How far away are we from the Sands?”
”If the weather behaves, then about eight hours,” he said, rubbing a hand down the scruff on his face.
Eight hours in such proximity to him felt like a nightmare, but the sooner we set out, the sooner I could return home. “Let’s go,” I said, closing the tome and sliding it back into my satchel.
As I settled back in the saddle, he wrapped his arms around me again, taking the reins. With another click of his tongue, the horse broke into a full-out sprint. This time, our speed and the force of the wind made it impossible for me to maintain any distance between us, and I quickly found myself plastered against his body.