Jake had a sudden thought. “If we can talk, that must mean we’re still within range of the great temple. The pyramid’s energy only reaches so far.”

Marika frowned, not buying into his assessment.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Papa has charts and maps of all the lands around our valley. They mark where the shield fades, laying out the safe boundaries of our world.”

Of course her people would have such maps.

Marika waved to the desert. “There is no such blasted land near our valley. I would know it.”

Jake stared outward. “Then something must be generating that same field here. Maybe there are other temples in Pangaea with such powers.”

“We should go find it,” Pindor said.

His friend was right. They needed shelter. If anyone lived out here, they’d set up residence in the shadow of that temple. Like the tribes of Calypsos had.

“But where do we even begin looking?” Jake asked.

No one had an answer to that.

In the silence, a crunch of sand reached them, steady and methodical, and clearly heading in their direction.

“Someone’s coming,” Jake said.

“Or something,” Marika added.

Pindor glared at her. He had not wanted to hear that.

Jake picked up a fist-sized chunk of stone. Pindor scrambled to do the same but failed to find one big enough. Jake urged Marika to stand behind him.

Over the crest of the dune, a small figure climbed into view, silhouetted against the sun. Jake couldn’t make out who it was, only that it was clearly a person. The figure climbed out of the glare, not hurrying, just trudging along as if out for a walk. No longer blinded, Jake made out the newcomer’s wide cheekbones and a prominent brow that stuck out from a sloped forehead. His lanky black hair shadowed his blue eyes.

Marika burst out from between Jake and Pindor. “Bach’uuk!”

The Neanderthal boy nodded, swiping his hair back, sweating profusely. How far had he trekked to join them? With his keen hearing, Bach’uuk must have heard them talking and hiked the distance to join them. Which worried Jake. Who or what else might be drawn here by their commotion?

Bach’uuk crossed to one of the rocks and sat down, exhausted, maybe even dehydrated. He wore a loose toga-like robe, belted at the waist. He lifted his arm, showing his wristband.

“All of us are one,” he intoned. So he had also figured out what had happened.

Bach’uuk removed a pair of leather objects from his toga pocket and tossed them to the sand at Pindor’s feet.

The Roman’s expression flashed from sullen to joyous. “Sandals!”

Pindor shoved his feet into them and did a half jig on the hot sand.

“Why do you have extra sandals with you?” Marika asked.

Bach’uuk explained. “Mer’uuk came to me at sunrise. Gave them to me. Told me to carry them. Not say why, only say that they would be needed.”

Marika brightened and clutched Jake’s arm. “The Ur Elder must have known all of this would happen.”