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um derega?”

      Alek looked at Tallyn, who nodded that it was fine. He spoke back to the leader in his own language. “Et vu embala Tallyn Faolin. Vena un malago Vallis.”

      A surprised expression crossed the nomads face. He had obviously not expected to be answered in his native tongue. The leader glanced over his shoulder to his men, then smiled at Tallyn.

      “You long way from home, young Tallyn of Vallis?”

      Now Alek was surprised. They knew Aelethian. All he had ever heard about these people were that they were uncivilized barbarians who killed for pleasure. Alek admonished himself for listening to superstitious rumors.

      Tallyn answered him, “Yes, and I would love to be back there where the air is not so warm.”

      The leader laughed. “You elves have it too easy in Vallis. Everything too perfect. This terrain make you more a man.” He laughed again and looked at Alek but addressed Tallyn. “What bring you to desert, young elf?”

      “We have come to beg for word with your Chancellor Jaxon. There is something of urgency that he needs to hear. We would like an audience with him.”

      “Who is men?”

      Tallyn motioned to Alek at his side. “This is Alekzand’r Morgan, Royal Advisor and Bounty Hunter for His Majesty, King Dainard Grayson of Azlyn. These are his men, and his squire. This is my companion, Cai Eyrelin, also from my tribe.”

      “This no place for mere men to be travel. Not safe. Lots of hungry wolvins at night.”

      “We heard them. Our fire kept them at bay, and we had watches all through the night.”

      “You lucky. Lucky too we come and not other clan. They not like any outsiders. No give you chance to speak before kill.”

      “I would say we are quite fortunate then.”

      “I Najwa. This hunt party. We take you to caravan stop and give food and water. Then you speak what want. We see if we take you to chancellor.”

      “That is most generous, Najwa.”

      He turned his creature around, and they followed the group to their tribe. It was another two leagues, and Alek was glad to be anywhere other than the open desert. The caravan stop was small, but it was cozy (for the desert, anyway). There were twelve tents, all large and ornately painted, with awnings that jutted out from each one, where fires burned in pits at night and men and women lingered out of the heat. The women wore long dresses, and veils covered their faces. Their hair was coiled up in ornate coifs, and they wore silken slippers on their feet. Hardly what Alek would have suspected for desert dwellers, but apparently their women were treated well.

      Alek and his men dismounted their horses, after the tribesmen did so, and allowed some of Najwa’s men to take the reins and put the horses in a separate pen off to the north side of the camp. Then Najwa led them over to a tent on the far side of the camp and motioned them to sit down. Najwa called out to a woman who was talking a few tents away with another woman, and she came over immediately. He said some words to her, and she disappeared into another tent closer to the center of the camp.

      “Palani get guests nourishment. While you rest out of heat, you tell Najwa what you need with chancellor. Story good, take you to chancellor.”

      Alek and Tallyn looked at each other. Tallyn explained, “We have come to warn the Isamarian people of a menace that is rising in the east, that if not stopped in time, will take over all of the kingdom. A black sorcerer has risen up and has made a pact with the Dark One himself to rule over all the land. He has already started to eat away at the land bit by bit, usurping kings from their thrones and killing all those that stand against him. He has placed himself on the throne of Aaralyn and will start a campaign to take over the cities in the south as well. We need to stand together in order to gain enough power to overtake him. There are giants in his ranks and creatures from the darkest reaches of hell helping him, and the only one that can stop him has heard the call. We must stand with her.”

      The tribesman looked to the two other men who had accompanied him to the tent, then to Alek. “I never seen elf lie. He speak truth, inlander?”

      “Yes. It’s the truth. The Chosen One from the prophecy was born twenty-one years ago and now knows of her destiny. But she needs everyone. All of the land must stand with her or she may lose. We have come to ask for help. I bring a message from the kings of Aelethia, His Majesties Dainard and Kevaan, to ask for the Free Province of Isamar to stand with us in this fight, with no future fealty to either sovereign when the war is done.”

      Najwa stopped when the food was carried over by the same woman who had left before. She placed a wooden tray in the middle of the circle where the men all sat and motioned for them to take what they desired. The plate was full of strange looking fruit and berries and some kind of dried meat. The men were unsure at first, but Tallyn assured them without words that it was fine. The woman also placed a large crockery of water in front of them as well. They would share from it. When the woman left them again, Najwa looked to the elf again and frowned.

      “We not fight with man on eastern border lands. It not our way. We know what eastern man think of Isamarian. Think us barbarian. Think we kill for sport.” Alek visibly winced. “See. I know what man say about us. Why would we fight with men who hate us?”

      Alek decided he would answer that. “You’re right, Najwa. Men are superstitious and make up stories when they don’t understand something. It has been the blight of human existence since the beginning of time. We’re wrong to choose rumor over what is fact if it means finding out for ourselves the correct answer. For that I can apologize for men. But not all men do this. Some men see the good in all people. Like the Chosen One. Her name is Melenthia, and she has a heart of purity and love. She sees the world as full of endless possibilities and is kind to everyone.”

      “Why you here, not she?”

      “Because she has other preparations to make. She is preparing for war just as King Dainard and King Kevaan are. We were sent as representatives. We just want to speak to your chancellor. If his answer is no, we’ll abide by that, but I think he’ll see why his stand with us is so imperative.”

      Najwa sat very still and said nothing. He stared at Alek for the longest time, chewing on a strip of dried meat. “So woman not just eastern lore. True?”

      “She is very real, Najwa. But she can’t fight alone, Chosen One or not.”

      There was silence again for a long time. Then Najwa spoke again and Alek was surprised by his words. “Take you to Salador. No guarantee let in, but guide you there.”

      Alek almost let out a breath. “That’s all we ask.” He bowed to the clan leader. “You have our thanks.”

      “Eat, drink and get sleep in cool tent. Long ride through heat. Leave at dawn.”

      Tallyn and Alek looked at each other, not smiling, but sharing a thought of relief nonetheless. If they could at least get to the chancellor, they would have a chance, however small, of getting him to see their side. He knew that the chancellor, just as his predecessors, have never trusted eastern men, but Alek would be damned if he’d leave before he could try to change his mind. Aelethia depended on this alliance. Whatever logic Tallyn could spin, or whatever words they spoke, it had better be good or they would have to go back across this desert empty handed.

      ***

      Melenthia, Tomaz and Sol were only a day out from Eston when the sky opened up and started dumping freezing rain on them. She was dressed adequately but the drops of cold water ran down her hair into her face and down the back of her cloak and tunic. The clouds had been building for over a day, the night prior the moon was invisible through the thick cloud cover, and she could smell the scent of rain and hear the distant thunder rolling through the mountains. Traveling in the weather made her irritable. She liked rain and didn’t mind being out in it most of the time, especially a nice spring or summer spate, but, at this time of year, it slowed the pace and made the muscles stiff. She knew she should be excited about

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