Shifting Ground

Devrim found the trip from the ravaged fort into the sprawling desert much more peaceful than the last time he had completed the journey.

Perhaps it was the more mild temperatures of the 'late winter' of the desert. Perhaps it was the pleasant company.

Or, maybe…just maybe… it was the fact that he was not being attacked by gnomes nor trying to outrun a tidal wave of sand about to bury him alive.

Devrim looked at the ground below his horse's feet. 'No, we are still fine,' he reassured himself. There was no reason to panic, yet he could not quell the agitation in his gut.

The sand looked pristine, glistening in the relentless sun. The sparkles were gifts of the winter fairies, making the world appear snowy instead of arid.

The heat still came from above and below, but it was nothing compared to the sweltering temperatures of the summer. Devrim did not want to contemplate just how quickly he would melt in the summertime. He knew he wouldn't stand a chance.

Soon the whole world might be subjected to that same unbearable heat. How long would humans be able to live if all the world were as dry as the desert? Not long.

Devrim took a swig of water. The Dunesmen had advised him that the most important thing was that he stay hydrated. Looking over at his wife, the grey-eyed man noted that the kind woman she was riding with seemed to be encouraging Aurora to do the same.

Devrim smiled. He wished he could be the one sitting next to the Empress, but other than Metehan, the men were all expected to ride horses and protect the wagons if necessary.

Not that anyone really would have been foolish enough to attack the caravan. The Dunesman were well-known for their fighting after their brave assault during Cafer's War. And the company of Imperial troops further discouraged bandits from acting on their greed.

Only a fool would try to take down such a formidable force. 

Something moved out of the corner of Devrim's eye. 'At least I think no criminals would come after us.' The Emperor furrowed his brow.

It was possible that many of the people from Taran's army had escaped and not been arrested. Those people would have a good reason to go after the Empress.

This thought was one of the reasons that Aurora and Devrim had left secretly. There were also a few of Taran's associates, including some of the scientists, that had gone underground.

But the Emperor felt that an attack from those forces here in the desert was unlikely. They would have been more likely to come at them from the trees where they had an advantage. The only place to hide here was the dunes, and they were only great cover for those who really knew how to hide.

So if not bandits, who was out there?

Devrim scanned the sand, but saw no source to the movement. Maybe he was just paranoid.

Things had been very quiet. Was he suddenly craving some action?

'Not likely!' Devrim scoffed.

He knew there would be plenty of excitement as soon as the reached the frozen South. There was no need to wish for trouble to find them any sooner than necessary.

Yet his body wouldn't relax.

"Something wrong?" One of the men asked Devrim. Like Hadya, the man had not asked a name of the Emperor, so it took a moment for Devrim to realize that the comment was for him.

"Oh," Devrim felt flustered. "I don't think so, why?"

"You are riding stiffer in that saddle than a tent with too many poles," the Dunesman answered.

By the expression Devrim gathered that the man thought he was tense. "It is nothing, Cevdet. I just thought I saw something."

"Many a weary traveler has seen things out here, both glorious and terrifying," Cevdet comforted him. "Which one plagues you?"

Devrim had heard of mirages. Some of Colvyr's storybooks had tales of people seeing impossible things when lost in the desert. From palaces to pools of water, anything could be seen in the endless golden grains if one were desperate enough. The Emperor thought about the man's question before answering.

"Neither glorious nor really terrifying. Something caught my attention. Movement. But it must have just been the shifting sand." Devrim didn't want to sound crazy.

Thankfully Cevdet seemed to understand. "The dunes take on a life of their own. Perhaps the wolves are feeling extra restless today." The Dunesman chuckled. "It is an expression. Do not worry."

Another large shift occurred, this time just to the far left of Devrim but fully within his vision. "Please tell me you saw that."

Cevdet's eyes squinted. "I did. There is not enough wind for that kind of shift. Something underground must have changed."

"Like a sand wolf?" The Emperor glanced toward his wife. She was chatting happily, unaware of any problem.

"The wolves are skittish creatures. I cannot imagine them coming close to us on purpose, especially during the heat of the day. Perhaps he was here already, and we spooked him. I will check it out." Cevdet whistled lightly and another man came alongside.

After explaining the situation, the pair retrieved spears and headed toward where the dunes had moved. Devrim watched in fascination.

The two men held up their spears in unison. Receiving the signal, the rest of the caravan, seeing the two men's actions, veered wide of the issue and went silent. The wide wheels pushed aside the sand silently as they picked a new path. No one panicked though.

"What is happening?" a child chirped, peeking out of the back of the nearest wagon to look at Devrim.

Having no answer, the Emperor looked around for someone to speak to the child. Another man on horseback took pity on the girl. "The dunes are ever shifting. It is what happens when moving through the restless desert."

"Mama says that's why I should stay close to camp," the child repeated the lesson ingrained in her mind.

The Dunesman nodded. "It was unwise to wander alone in the vast expanses."

"Is it a wolf?" The little girl tugged at the scarf covering her head nervously.

"Most likely. But a large group against a wolf is no match. And the wolves know it. The solitary creatures steer clear of us and look for easier prey--which is what this wolf seems to be doing just now." The dunesman pointed to the retreating sand. "Plus it is not night for many hours. They prefer to hunt when the sun cannot burn their skin. We are much better hunters in the daylight."

The words quelled the worry of the anxious child. And calmed Devrim significantly too if the man was honest with himself. There was still a hint of worry remaining. Something was not sitting well with him, but the Emperor could not put his finger on it.

Devrim watched in silence as the pair of Dunesmen prepared to take down the wolf. The meat would be a good meal for that evening if they could catch the beast. While the caravan had supplies, fresh food was very welcome.

The creature had been most unfortunate to end up in their path. The Dunesman were closing in fast, and were ready to strike.

'The wolves don't move very quickly underground. Must be hard to carry around a mound of sand...'

Suddenly, the Emperor realized what had him so concerned. The second movement from the dunes had not been in the same place as the first. While one had been on the very edge of his periphery. The other was ahead of him.

The wolves could not move lightning fast; there was no way that the two shifts could have been made by the same creature. But the wolves hunted and lived alone. Like he had just heard, they were solitary creatures.

'Unless...something has changed...'

Another movement of sand drew Devrim's attention. It was much closer than either of the others.

Then another and another of the dunes began to move. Suddenly, it was like the whole desert around them was alive.

'No!' Devrim's worst fear was coming true. "Ambush!"