They were finally approaching the checkpoint, slowing down as the terrain shifted beneath them. The path they'd taken away from the city veered far from the usual trade routes—empty, lonely, and vast. It felt like they were the only ones left in the world.
The sun was no longer scorching, but its heat still clung stubbornly to the body—thick and clingy, like a damp blanket you couldn't shake off. Caspian felt utterly filthy. Sweat caked every inch of him, sticky on his back, slick in his hair. His legs ached in that deep, hopeless way that made him question all of his life choices.
The others looked just as worn, except for Seti—of course. There was never any telling what that man felt.
Malem was the worst off, twisting and groaning on his camel like a restless child. Even when Caspian wasn't looking, he could feel Malem's constant movement. Dark's camel had slowed to a crawl, his posture drooping and unsteady. Even Amara, ever composed, was no longer sitting perfectly upright—her shoulders had dipped ever so slightly.
"We look for somewhere with cover to stop," Seti said.
"Thank the gods," Malem exhaled, dramatically clutching at his chest.
"There," Amara said, pointing ahead.
A short distance away was a patch of green nestled against the sand—a rare and welcome sight. An oasis.
They veered toward it, guiding their camels carefully. The oasis was a small miracle, a slice of paradise breaking the monotony of the desert. Grass spread across the earth like a rash, giving way to shrubs, and finally, a ring of thick trees. The air shifted the moment they entered—cooler, quieter, with a strange stillness to it. Even the wind sounded different here.
The moment they stopped, Malem practically fell off his camel, landing in a crumpled heap on the ground.
"Yes!" he cried, kissing the sand. "Oh, my thighs—my poor thighs—ache!"
The rest dismounted more carefully. Caspian focused on coming down with at least a shred of grace. His legs were stiff and sore, but he managed not to embarrass himself this time.
"We move again in two hours," Seti said without turning. He was still seated on his camel, already facing away. Then, without another word, he rode deeper into the oasis.
"Is he even human?" Malem muttered, staring after him.
"I don't know," Caspian replied, a little too honestly.
"His magic runs deep…" Dark added, voice low and almost ominous. "He is very mysterious. I wonder…"
Caspian blinked. If even Dark the Voodoo Whisperer found Seti mysterious, then what hope of ever understanding seti did the rest of them have?
"He is a skilled warrior," Amara said quietly. "I shall challenge him when the time is right."
Caspian turned to look at her, a little surprised. She was staring dead ahead, her face calm.
"Well, I'm hungry," Malem announced, breaking the silence again. He shuffled toward his camel to dig out supplies.
And just like that, the group fell quiet once more, each slipping into their own rhythms, grateful for the stillness the oasis offered.
Seti stood at the edge of the oasis. His camel's hooves pressed into the fine line where sand gave way to grass. The sky stretched pale and hazy overhead, and before him lay nothing but the endless yellow sea of the desert.
It hadn't even been a full day, and already… they were being followed.
He narrowed his gaze, eyes locked on the emptiness ahead. To anyone else, there was nothing to see—just dunes and sunburnt silence—but Seti extended his magic, letting it wash out like a net across the landscape.
If he could catch even a thread of them, he could eliminate the threat before they ever reached Caspian.
But the ones following them… were good.
Too good.
Whatever enchantment they were using to mask their presence, it was strong—stronger than most. Their energy scattered like mist, appearing in fragments across the desert, vanishing just as quickly. A trick of movement, a ghost of presence—uncatchable.
Seti's frown deepened. He didn't like this.
≈≈≈
From beneath the curve of a sun-warmed rock, one of the cloaked figures watched.
He'd taken shelter there—a perfect vantage point, hidden and cool in the oasis' shadow. But then he saw him.
A man.
On the far side of the oasis, poised atop his camel, his figure sharp even from this distance. The watcher had stilled the moment he felt that gaze sweep past him—not just a look, but a feeling that brushed over his skin like icewater.
His heart thundered in his chest, loud and urgent.
"…Brother," he whispered, voice catching, but his brother had already turned toward him, finger raised silently to his lips.
The strange man's gaze lingered—for too long.
And then it shifted.
"Who is he?" he finally asked, barely above a breath.
His brother didn't look at him, just stared forward with clenched jaw. "Someone very dangerous."
He exhaled shakily.
"Do you think the Tahran will keep their promise? Keep sister safe?"
"They will," his brother said, but the pause after was too long. "As long as we're faithful. As long as we complete the mission."
His voice faltered. The words sounded empty.
"…And if we fail?"
"I don't know, brother," he said. His voice was quieter now. "I don't know."
An hour later, Seti returned to the group.
"We should start moving again," he said. His voice was quiet—but it didn't leave room for argument.
"Whyyy," Malem groaned dramatically, slumping further into the grass. "You said two hours! That wasn't even one!"
"It's been an hour," Seti replied flatly.
Caspian studied him. There was something off about Seti—something sharp in his movements, the way his eyes kept flicking to the horizon, like he was scenting danger. His entire posture was tense, alert.
"Someone's on our trail already," Dark said, cutting through the silence. He tilted his head toward Seti. "You think… if we move, you might be able to pinpoint their location?"
He let the statement hang there.
Seti didn't respond. He just frowned slightly. He didn't refute it.
"On our trail already?" Amara echoed, voicing what Caspian was thinking.
"I don't see anyone," Malem said, as he tried to squint into the distance. Caspian looked too. The desert beyond was still, golden—only waves of sand and the long shadows cast by the afternoon sun.
"Powerful cloaking magic," Dark said simply.
There was a beat of silence.
"What do we do?" Amara asked—and Caspian noticed the way her eyes went straight to Seti.
Seti turned back to them, face unreadable.
"Mount up. We leave now," he said.
And this time, no one questioned him. They moved quickly.