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Palla took Uncle’s side. “I remember a time when giant sand lizards that eat people and oversized rock scorpions were only stories too. Now they’re everywhere.”
My family had been one of the first to be victims. But there was a logical explanation. “You heard that philosopher who used to visit. He explained why that happened. How those animals we called monsters were hunted to extinction and thus hid. When their numbers recovered, they expanded their territory.”
“So you’ll believe it of the lizards but not the ifrit? Perhaps they, too, were hunted and waited to gather their strength.” Jrijori apparently just wanted to argue.
I wasn’t falling for it. “Next thing you’ll be telling me dragons are real and have returned as well.”
With a deadpan expression, Jrijori stated, “They began appearing about a decade ago in Weztroga.”
“Now I know you’re teasing me.” I chuckled. “Dragons. Ha.”
“Don’t be so quick to scoff. It won’t be long before you see them too. I spotted one when I was traversing the great desert.”
“Probably a vulture.” I liked to argue because Jrijori spilled even more trying to prove his point.
“I know the difference between a bird and a dragon.”
“What does that mean to us if they’re back?” Palla interjected. “Do we need to organize hunt teams to cull their population?”
“Not in Weztroga, no. We’ve been able to handle them so far. The younger warriors like to practice their skills on the dragons.”
“Let’s get back to this supposed ifrit. What makes you think they’re real and not just legend?” I asked.
“Nothing I can use as proof yet. But I do find it odd that I’ve suddenly been hearing his name whispered by your people as I travelled to the capital.”
“I haven’t heard anything of Zuun or ifrit outside of bawdy songs.”
“But you have heard of the increased monster attacks?” Jrijori pressed.
Some of my clients appeared worried that the desert was in peril, and not just by monsters. This year was bad for storms, but the season would pass like it always did. “There’s been talk they’ve been especially busy of late.”
To which Palla sang a verse from the song with Zuun, “And with a fire, fire burning bright, the most odious Zuun shall smite, smite, smite. First with his army, their eyes like stone. Then with the winds to scour flesh to bone.”
“Zuun’s name isn’t the only one I’ve been hearing bandied about. The gods are being more active too,” Jrijori said.
Palla’s brow furrowed. She followed the Goddess of War, Rotha. So did I, yet I still laughed. “The gods aren’t real.”
“You laugh, but I’m telling you, there is something afoot.” Jrijori finally huffed in annoyance.
“And it led you here?” I arched a brow.
“It appears your country is the one most active with monsters. There must be a reason for that.”
“In the song, the ifrit king commands the monsters to do his bidding,” Palla relayed with wide eyes. “You think he’s back and trying to kill all humans!”
“Don’t be silly,” I scoffed. “No one is controlling the monsters and looking to exterminate us. They’re simply hungry beasts looking for an easy meal.”
“That’s what you believe. I want to know what your king thinks,” Jrijori countered. “He’s the only kingdom who has refused to join in the discussion of how to handle the recent surge. And yet you’re the one most affected.”
“Maybe because he doesn’t think there’s anything wrong.” We’d been living with the threat for decades now.
“Nothing wrong with the fact entire hamlets and towns have gone silent?”
“You’re exaggerating. The ones that evacuated had issues because they were based on the sand. Since the move to solid ground, most attacks were thwarted.” Even as I said it, my mind flashed to the past and the fact goat meat now sold for a premium due to its rarity.
“The cities and towns of stone are no longer safe. Thaasky was only a burned-out husk when I passed through,” Jrijori informed us.
Thaasky had fallen? My lips pursed. “I would have heard.”
