I pulled the blanket up around me. It scratched against my skin and was barely enough to keep away the night cold. I lay awake despite my exhaustion. Somewhere, sand whispered into the room, measuring away the hours. Counting down the minutes until I would have to face Rodric.

CHAPTER

10

Light spilled into the alcove what felt like mere moments after I’d shut my eyes.

I reached for my sword, which had tumbled away during the night. I blinked, trying to make out the figure.

Cion stood at the mouth of the cave with a torch in his hands. “Let’s go.”

I sat up and worked to focus my sleep-addled mind. My whole body ached. I just wanted to collapse back into the sand and pull the blanket over my head, but I didn’t.

I double-checked that my daggers were still strapped against my calves, and I slid my sword into its scabbard. “Where are we going?” I asked as I braided my hair in a poor copy of the style Latia usually gave me for training.

“The shifting hills.”

It wasn’t a location I knew, but I was beginning to realize there was a lot I didn’t know about the desert that had surrounded me my whole life.

Cion offered me a small cup of water and tossed me a spiked kana fruit as he led me out of the alcove. The water trickled down my throat, cooling as it went. It had never tasted so good.

And where did he even get spiked kana fruit? I took small bites off the soft red spines and tried not to show how hungry I was. Juice burst into my mouth with the first bite. I’d never recognized how much I relied on Latia for my meals.

I bet she was scared without me there. What would become of her? Maybe she’d go to work in the kitchens. I hoped Rodric hadn’t kicked her out or, worse, accused her of helping me. The bits of spiked kana settled uneasily in my stomach.

I added her name to the list of those I was here to protect, to fight for, as I followed Cion.

He led me out a different way than I’d come in the night before. We climbed through a small opening in the rocks and emerged above ground. I was surprised to see it was still dark outside.

“It’s a long hike to the shifting hills,” he said. “It’s best done when the sun is down.”

He started off across the endless dunes. I hesitated for a moment, surveying the landscape. There was still no discernible landmark, no way to be sure we were headed to the shifting hills and not back to the city. But at this point, I had no other option than to follow.

Sighing, I trudged after him. I could easily pull my sword if he tried anything.

The night chill clung to me, making me shiver and producing goose bumps down my body.