A friend, she thought again. The idea filled her belly with a warm, fluttery feeling.
She wondered how she might describe him to Nebet, while her attendant brushed out her hair at night like she used to do.He’s insolent, abrasive, unapologetically rude,anda criminal, she imagined saying.
Karim caught her looking at him. “What?”
“Nothing.”
You’re being stupid again, Sita told herself.Letting yourselfbe fascinated by a man totally unsuited for you.It was true, of course, but with only sand and sky to look at for hours on end, Sita couldn’t help filling her mind with silly, impossible thoughts of him.
When, later that evening, they came upon a gathering of rock formations, they decided it would be a good place to bed down for the night. Sita surveyed several options before choosing as their campsite a natural arch that allowed them a view of the entire landscape and provided shelter from the elements. After eating a small meal from their provisions, they both fell into a deep sleep, exhausted by the day’s travels.
They got an early start the next morning, taking small sips from their waterskins before wrapping dark scarves around their faces, donning their hoods, and setting off. They talked about trivial things—the heat, the herd of twisty-horned addax they saw in the distance, the food they wished they were eating. Barely a day had passed since they’d begun their journey, but already Sita had started to adapt to her new environment, shedding her old self like a snakeskin. She was still hot and sore, but the strenuous activity also made her feel strong. Perhaps Karim was rubbing off on her. Like the twisty-horned addax, the thief was at home in the desert.
The two of them were arguing about the best way to eat fava beans when Sita spotted a strange vision up ahead.
“Is that…a girl?” she asked.
Karim squinted at the distant figure, putting a hand to his forehead to block the sun. Dumbfounded, he said, “It appears so, sena. But where would a child have come from? None of the Red Lands tribes venture into the eastern desert. It’s too close to Khetaran trouble.”
“I don’t think any of our trade routes go this way either,” Sita added. She studied the small form walking toward them, dressedin brown, wide-sleeved robes, her dark hair blowing in the wind.
She doesn’t look more than eight or nine years old, Sita thought.
The girl carried a beautifully woven cloth bag slung across her chest, so full that it was nearly bursting at the seams. She was focused on the ground in front of her and didn’t seem to have noticed their approach.
“Greetings to you, young sena!” Karim called out, waving a friendly hand at the girl. “What are you doing out here, hey? It’s not a safe place for someone like you!”
The girl’s head jerked up, her concentration instantly replaced by wide-eyed terror.
Undeterred, Karim soldiered on. “Do you want to come over here and pet my dog?”
In response, the girl turned her back and ran in the opposite direction.
“Brilliant move, genius,” Sita said, tearing off her hood and scarf.
The tomb robber threw up his hands. “What? What did I say?”
Sita sighed and took off after the girl. Not only was the child in danger, she might also have vital information about the place they were looking for. “Wait!” she called out. “Please, we only want to help you!”
The girl glanced back at her—surprised, perhaps, by the female face and the strength of Sita’s command—and tripped over the uneven ground. Before she could recover, Sita caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
“Leave me alone!” the girl yelled. When Sita wouldn’t let go, the girl punched her in the stomach.
Sita doubled over, the wind knocked out of her, but she managed to hold on to the writhing child long enough for Karim to join them.
He clicked his tongue. “Now, now, young sena,” he said, suppressing a laugh, “that’s no way to treat a lady.”
Sita grumbled at the amusement in his voice. “You find this funny?” she said.
Karim tugged his own hood and scarf down and shrugged. “A little.”
The girl seemed to recognize that violence wasn’t going to get her out of her predicament. She stopped struggling and stood there, panting, eyeing them both with suspicion.
“I’m going to let go of you,” Sita said softly. “Don’t run, all right? We truly just want to talk.” Slowly, she released her grip.
The girl didn’t move.
Sita blew out her cheeks and bent slightly so that she was face-to-face with the child. She had gold-green eyes, like one of the palace cats. “Now then, my name is Sita, and this is Karim. What’s your name?”
