Page 10 of Blood of the Sands

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, I squinted at the horizon, wondering if the light was altering my vision as it slowly transformed from endless golden sands to sharp rocks. My doubts melted away as mountains came into view, reaching up to the sky in jagged gray peaks. Relief filled me, palpable as cool water dripping over my burning skin. We were headed in the right direction.

After hours, Daiti’s gait flagged, hooves dragging in the sand as he walked. He continued on doggedly though, as if he could sense our destination ahead.

At first, I didn’t recognize what I was looking at as the city, instead just seeing an odd texture in the rocks at the base of the mountain in the distance. Getting closer, the pattern became more regular, rectangular and organized in a manner at odds with the rolling curves carved into the dunes by wind.

Squinting at the rock formation, squares organized themselves into tiers of buildings, carved from the same gray rock of the mountain. Growing ever closer, it became clear the buildings weren’t just made of the same stone, but the whole structure was carved directly into the side of mountain. Dozens of buildings climbed up the face of the cliffs, stacking on top of each other in an incredible feat of architecture. So seamlessly did they fit with the rocks that it seemed they had grown from it instead of having been carved.

Even now that Kelvadan was in sight, it took ages to traverse the distance, the base of the mountains seeming deceptively close. Even as Daiti plodded determinedly along, the shade of the high stone peaks grew no closer. I wavered on his back, barely keeping my seat as the heat and dehydration clawed at me. I kept my eyes fixed on the arch in the stone wall that had just come into view, repeating to myself that if we could just make it there, everything would be alright.

What seemed like a day but was probably only an hour passed. My vision narrowed to the opening in the stone wall by the time we reached it.

From far away, it had seemed small, like the opening flap to a tent. Walking through it though, it was wide enough to fit at least five horses abreast, and twice that tall. Daiti’s hooves clopped against the ground as it transitioned from sand to stone. I swayed in my seat, ready to topple to the ground as the determination of reaching my destination faded. I had made it.

I had no clue what to do next.

People milled about in a courtyard, streets branching off in half a dozen directions. My eyes refused to focus on any of the figures—where to go? Who to approach? Who would even heed my warning to in a place like this?

Daiti’s sharp whinny cut the air, and he pranced sideways. I glanced down to see the source of his displeasure—a woman, with her arm outstretched as if she had been patting Daiti’s withers. A burnished breastplate topped the leather tunic covering her down to her thighs, but my gaze zeroed in on the large, curved dagger sticking out of her thick crimson sash.

“Are you all right?”

I opened my mouth to respond, not sure if to insist I was fine or beg for help. With my dry throat, I only managed a croak. This was a theme as of late, a challenge of thirst that rarely came up in my life, as isolated as it had been.

I choked around the sand in my throat and hacked a cough. My eyes watered, and I began to slip sideways.

“Kelvadan… in trouble,” I managed to grit out as my surroundings blurred, dismayed that I had come this far only to be unable to deliver my message.

Daiti shifted under me as if to try and help me keep my seat, but it was too late. My already tunneled vision darkened, and I toppled sideways. I was too tired to even brace for impact with the stones below but landed in strong arms instead.

Chapter Seven

The Viper

The clash of sabers drowned out any noisy thoughts, for which I was glad. The warriors of all three clans trained together now, and I threw myself into their midst. The man I faced now was a member of Clan Miran, and so I had not faced him before. I relished the opportunity to hone my skills against new foes, to practice reading the movements of somebody who I didn’t already know.

Izumi was the best combatant besides me in Clan Katal, but sparring against her was rarely productive anymore, with us so used to each other’s strengths and weaknesses that it became a game of wits more than a proper fight. Still, she challenged me to practice with her nearly every day I trained with the riders, so determined was she to surpass me in skill.

My opponent came at me quickly, feinting and slashing with great speed, a move that had worked on his prior opponent. His blade whistled through the air with the force of his blow. The momentum of the swing carried the blade past me as I ducked instead of parrying like he had expected. I used the opportunity to slash, catching him in the shoulder of his sword arm as he was unable to reverse directions fast enough to stop me.

He stepped back, rubbing the divot between the meat of his shoulder and neck where I had hit him with my blunted blade. It was an unpleasant place for a bruise, but it would teach him to measure the force behind his blows. Faster was often preferable to harder with a saber.

I nodded sharply at him in acknowledgement, preferring to teach without words, and he raised his guard again. Before we could engage, he froze, eyes fixed on something over my shoulder. He dropped his blade, bowing his head.

I turned, teeth gritted as I already knew Lord Alasdar waited behind me.

“My lord,” I acknowledged, also inclining my head.

“Viper, I have need of you,” he announced before turning and striding away, not checking to see if I would follow.

I handed off my training saber to a nearby soldier and strode after him. He didn’t slow for me, but I refused to hurry my steps to catch up with him. I did lengthen my stride though.

“You must head to Clan Tibel at once,” he said without preamble.

“What of training the soldiers for a fortnight as you suggested yesterday?” I asked, trying to keep my tone free of any opinions on the matter.

“That was before the storm. We need to unite the clans sooner rather than later—before the desert tears herself apart.”

“Even if all the clans agree to an alliance within a week, we will be far from ready to attack Kelvadan,” I pointed out.