The escape from Thonis. The journey through the desert. The sandstorm. The lost city and the Red Lands tribe living there.
You’re one of us now.
Sita sat up from where she lay on the floor. She rubbed her eyes, and the sensation of being back in the palace quickly faded.
“Sitaaaaa!” the voice called again, not her mother, but a visitor at the door.
Next to her, Behkai rose and stretched his long black body before trotting eagerly to greet them.
As if taking the dog’s appearance as an invitation, a stout elderly woman marched in, laden with parcels.
“Nice boy. Good boy. Now move out of my way, will you?” she said, trying to get past Behkai, whose curious snout found its way into the baskets she was carrying. “Ach! No! Get!”
The woman turned to Sita, exasperated. “Well? Raise yourself from bed and help me, you lazy girl! Before your guard dog eats your breakfast.”
Sita scrambled to her feet and pulled Behkai back by the scruff of his neck. “Sorry, Miri.”
Elyas’s wife had been the first in the tribe to introduce herself to Sita and Karim, and she had taken responsibility for their care. Clearly, she was grateful for what they’d done to protect her granddaughter. She set them up with a house, showed them where to get water for drinking and their washbasin, and made sure they each had a woven rush mat to sleep on.
Sita noted that the house Miri chose was in the center of the community, where there were always many eyes to watch them. The Hudjefa didn’t trust her and Karim not to sneak off in the night, despite the fact that they’d never survive the journey back without provisions or a map. They had no choice but to stay long enough to secretly gather supplies and look for an opportunity to escape.
For the time being, though, they were safe. Knowing this, she and Karim had decided they might as well use the time to explore the city and see what they could uncover about Setnakht.
The old woman set down the baskets and began unpacking a stack of flatbreads, a jug of fresh sheep’s milk, and some dried dates. “You and your husband had better hurry. They’ll be expecting you both in the bakery for the day’s work. Where is he?” She looked at the solitary rush mat and quirked an eyebrow at Sita.
“Um,” Sita began, but Karim’s appearance on the ladder from the roof saved her from having to explain. He wore only a loincloth, and Sita couldn’t help but watch the muscles in his back contract as he climbed down to their level.
“There you are!” Miri exclaimed.
Karim ran a hand through his mussed, wavy hair and stretched like the dog. He gave Behkai a pat on the rump and looked between the two women with apprehension. “What? Were you looking for me?”
Miri put her hands on her hips. “Yes, I was looking for you, sen—why are you sleeping on the roof and not next to your wife?”
Sita and Karim’s eyes met. They’d lied and told Elyas and the others they were married so the tribe would allow them to live in the same house and not think their traveling together was suspicious. The tribe had been universally shocked at the concept of a Red Lander and a Khetaran being wed—for they could tell right away that Sita was one of the river people. But Sita had woven a story about how they’d met at the marketplace, how Sita had shown Karim an old Khetaran map in hopes that he could lead her through the desert to find where it led, and how they’d fallen in love and gotten married along the way. That same map, Sita claimed, had eventually brought them to Perset. The tribespeople, particularly the women, had been so riveted by her tale of adventure and romance that they didn’t think to question its validity.
Sita knew telling the Hudjefa they were husband and wife was a strategic move, but keeping up appearances had proven to be a challenge.
Miri stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for an answer. “Well?”
Karim frowned at Sita, eyebrows raised, as if to ask,What do I say?
Sita subtly shook her head.Say something, you fool, or else I will!
“She snores,” Karim blurted, at the exact same time Sita said, “He snores.”
Sita glared at him.
Karim shrugged.
Miri guffawed and patted Karim’s cheek with affection. “Then perhaps you should both consider putting wax in your ears rather than distance between you.” She made to leave, telling Sita as she passed, “If I had one like him, I wouldn’t allow a little snoring to keepmeaway. But I’m an old woman who’s been married for forty-three years. What do I know?”
Miri left with their thanks. When she was gone, Karim leaned against the doorframe and grinned. “Apparently, I’m quite the catch, sena.”
Sita rolled her eyes. “What you are is late for work. Come on. We have to eat and get going if we want to finish in time to do more exploring before dark.”
In the two afternoons they’d spent scouring the city, they hadn’t found anything of note, but they still needed to search Setnakht’s palace. Sita was certain that if they were going to find something important, it would be there.
She cleared her throat, working to keep her gaze level with Karim’s. “Maybe you should get dressed first?”
