The twins joined each other in the sky, and the temperature soared to unbearable heights. Even beneath the tent, the air felt like an oven; heavy and dry. I sat next to Raithe, half dozing against his arm, while we waited for Solasti to move on.
There was a snort outside, causing me to jerk up. I couldrecognize the different rock beetle voices now, and knew that the sound had come from Ratuk. Rhyne’s indignant bellow followed a half second later, and I leaped to my feet.
“Sparrow, wait,” Raithe said, stopping me before I could rush outside. He rose with Kysa and Halek and grabbed his sword from where it sat next to him on the ground. “No one goes anywhere alone,” he went on, as Kysa gave a firm nod of agreement. “We don’t know what’s out there.”
“Well, except a huge abomination scouring the desert for us,” Halek added as Raithe motioned us all to the door. “Probably not something we want to run into alone. Or ever.”
Pushing open the tent flap, I stepped through, and the searing heat of Demon Hour blazed down on me. The top of my head instantly felt cooked even through my hood, and the sands shimmered relentlessly under the suns. Shading my eyes, I peered at the rock beetles and saw them standing together beneath their shelter. Both were on their feet, and Rhyne was tossing his head up and down in obvious agitation. Alarmed, I looked around for the cause of their distress, but I didn’t see anything.
“Rhyne.” Kysa started forward, and I followed, hurrying to Ratuk. “What’s wrong?” the insect rider asked her mount, who turned with a huff that sounded almost outraged. I reached Ratuk, who turned and gently nudged his head into my chest. I patted his shell, then noticed something glittering in the sands beneath him.
Frowning, I bent down to pick it up. It was one of our canteens, still full of water, lying half buried in the sand. Moisture leaked from beneath the metal cap, which had been loosened.My eyes narrowed. All the supplies, including our precious water rations, had been tucked safely away in the rock beetles’ saddlebags or secured in trunks that were tied shut with rope. It wouldn’t have simply fallen out.
“There’s a thief nearby,” I muttered, as Halek peered over my shoulder. I felt the Fatechaser frown in confusion.
“A thief? Where? There’s no one around for miles.”
I looked at Ratuk’s saddle and saw what I’d feared: One of the cords hanging from the rings had been severed. Cut with something sharp. Or... chewed?
Raithe appeared on my other side. He touched the cut line, and his mouth tightened. “Sparrow is right. Something was in the saddlebags.”
“Yes.” Kysa stepped around Rhyne. She had succeeded in calming the agitated rock beetle and now gestured to the sands where the canteen had been lying. “There are tracks, if you look closely. Something small and very light was crawling around the rock beetles.”
I crouched down beside Ratuk. There were faint impressions in the sand that might’ve been from very light feet. I could just make out four toes, similar to a rabbit, but also a long, straight track between them.
“I haven’t seen this kind of print before,” Kysa said. “It’s definitely some sort of animal, most likely a large rodent, judging from the tail mark.”
“Oh, great, now we have to worry about rats stealing our stuff?” Halek said, also squinting down at the prints. “Giantdesert rats? As if it’s not enough that we have a massive undead dragon out there looking for us, now we have to worry about rats.”
“Where did they come from?” Raithe wondered, looking around. “There is nothing out here. Even rats have to have a lair somewhere.”
“Yes,” Kysa agreed. “But you’re right—there are no buildings, at least none on the surface, no vegetation, no rocks for them to hide under. Where do these creatures make their lairs?”
“They’re coming up from beneath us,” I said.
Everyone looked at me. “We’re standing on the bones of a huge civilization,” I went on, gesturing around the desert. “Like the undercity beneath Kovass. The sands have covered it, but the city ruins are still there. We’ve seen glimpses of them, when the sands blow. Who knows what’s scurrying around beneath our feet? There might be millions of creatures down there.”
Halek made a face. “And now I’m not going to sleep for the rest of the journey,” he sighed. “Thanks for that, Fateless.”
“Unfortunately, I think she is right,” Kysa said. She observed Rhyne and Ratuk. “We’re going to have to make sure nothing can get to our supplies. If too much of our food and water is taken, it is going to be impossible to survive out here.”
“Someone should probably stand guard with the rock beetles, then,” Raithe said. “Just in case the thieves return. I doubt they would attempt to steal from us if someone is there watching, though it takes courage to dig into a strange rock beetle’s saddlebag.”
Rhyne gave a snort and tossed his head, appearing to agree with Raithe. Kysa glanced back at him and nodded.
“Agreed. I will stay with them, then. At least until Demon Hour is over.”
I winced. Sweat gathered beneath my clothes as the twins beat down on the sands, radiating heat from every direction, even beneath the shelter. “I’ll stay, too,” I said. “Ratuk is my responsibility, after all.”
“No, Fateless.” Kysa shook her head. “There is no need for two of us. Return to the tent. I will keep watch here, and make sure we do not lose anything else.”
“Are you sure, Kysa? What if they come back?”
She smiled faintly. “I am certain I will be able to handle a few large rodents. Should they return, they will find stealing our supplies much more difficult.”
Raithe gently touched the back of my arm. We had turned to go back to the tent, but as we did, I suddenly spotted a tiny figure watching us from atop a dune. It was barely noticeable, a black speck against the blue horizon, but I thought I saw large oval ears and a long, tufted tail. It was just a split-second glance before the creature, whatever it was, seemed to dive nose-first into the sand and vanish.
“Raithe, did you see...?”
