Page 30 of Joy Guardian
“It’s the highest purpose in the world to tend to the most precious treasure our kingdom has ever had. It is an honor and a privilege to spend my life close to our one true Joy.”
The words that would normally fill me with reverie, came out sounding flat even to my own ear. Not backed up by a genuine emotion, they were nothing but a sound, and I wasn’t certain why that happened or how.
I wished I could return to the temple at once, longing for the peace and order that connecting to the Joy always brought me. Thoughts and feelings were so much easier to sort through in its divine presence.
“We should cease our conversation and preserve our strength,” I said promptly.
That was true. With every word, the desert sucked more moisture from our bodies. Ciana’s ragged breath turned even more labored as she trudged through the sand over the crest of a dune. The wind had picked up even more, blowing the fine dust from under our feet.
“But talking is distracting me from this heat.” Her tongue darted out in an attempt to wet her chapped lips.
“Let’s have some water.” I took out a leather bag, and her eyes lit up. “Just a sip for now. We need to ration it.”
Her delicate throat moved as she took a drink.
“Thank you.” She licked her lips again, then watched me put the bag away. “Aren’t you having some too?”
“I can live without water much longer than you.”
The words made my dry throat sore. Despite the pain, however, I could make the entire journey to Himerum without a drop of water if I had to. Ciana needed it more than I did.
Wind tossed a blast of sand at our backs. The storm was growing stronger.
“We’ll stop there, by these rocks. You’ll need some sleep.” I said, choosing a place for us to weather the worst few hours of the day.
Her features pinched into a pensive expression, but she didn’t waste time to argue.
“Fine. Keep rubbing it in how weak and fragile I am, magic boy,” she muttered.
There was no bite in her voice, however. On the contrary, it sounded soft, almost caressing to my ear. I’d learned her expressions well by now to read gratitude in her eyes when our gazes crossed.
“It’smewho’s weak and fragile, Ciana. Can we stop to letmerest please?” I asked with a smile that was very real, despite being my own. The anticipation of her laughter at my joke lifted my spirits.
She gave me a look that told me she didn’t buy my claim in the slightest. But her giggle was my reward.
“Alright, let’s rest, my weak and fragile one,” she teased.
In reality, I wasn’t the weak and fragile one, just like I wasn’t hers. I could never be hers. But just for one moment, I allowed myself to imagine what it would feel like if we belonged to each other, and that moment was truly magical.
Ciana tripped, and I reached for her instinctively.
“I’m fine.” She waved me off, taking another unsteady step forward.
Our third night in the desert was coming to an end. The sun was about to rise, and I was considering calling for a break early today.
Days stretched into an endless torture of heat and storms. Nights had been long stretches of plodding through the black sand. Ciana didn’t complain, but I knew she was hungry and exhausted. She’d been without food for a long time now, which took a toll on her human body. I was tired too. Our water was running low even without me drinking it. We both could use a filling meal too.
“We’ll be at the well by nightfall,” I said. “But we need to rest soon.”
She nodded, then tripped again. Swaying sideways, she stumbled away from me in an attempt to regain her balance. With her arms flailing, she spread her feet wide, but they sank into the sand up to her ankles, and they kept sinking deeper.
“Kurai?” Her voice was small. She stared at her feet in horror, then lifted her wide-open eyes up at me. “Is it quicksand?”
I had no idea. But the ground was literally swallowing her.
“Ciana. Don’t move,” I tried to speak calmly through the rising panic.
I fought the urge to jump after her. But to be in the position to help her, I had to stay on solid ground.
