Shadow Betrayal: An Assassin's Story

4 - QUICKSAND, LAUGHTER AND BLOOD - 4

Raven's POV

"Why is it so freaking hot!" Kaemon complains for maybe the millionth time in an hour. I grit my teeth in annoyance trying to force down the violent thoughts that invade my mind. I flex my fingers, avoiding the urge to turn around and smack him. I take a glance at Nasir, his face twisted in pain at the shrill voice that Kaemon possesses. The same thoughts are going through his mind as well it seems. I give a small smile. Great minds think alike I guess.

"I mean, look at the sky! It's so blue, almost too blue, you know? Like, unnaturally blue. Do you think it's always like this? Maybe it's a sign or something. Or maybe we're the first people to notice the desert sky is magical! Or cursed. Yeah, cursed skies."

Nasir, walking beside me, let's out an irritated grunt."It's just a sky, Kaemon. Stop overthinking everything."

I would bet life that he's glaring at Nasir.

"Oh, come on! You don't get it. Maybe this desert is like, alive or something and Faolan's just—"

"Faolan's what?" I spun around, cutting him off as my eyes try to locate our missing member. He's been right behind us an hour ago. So where the hell did he go?

Nasir just grunted again, his face hardening. Kaemon threw his hands up. "Of course, he's gone! Leaving us to deal with this stupid mission. What an ass."

I brush a strand of hair out of my face, a habit I've acquired over the years. My tell tale sign when I was either annoyed or pissed off.

I turn back around, willing my tired feet to move through the heavy sand. "Faolan will be back. He probably has something important to do, he hasn't ever abandoned us on a mission in past and he never will. Which means this is really important to him. We'll see him later." Nasir spoke.

"But how could he just leave us here! And how the hell is he that quiet? Its not fair. I have important things to do, but noooo I have to be here!" Kaemon continues.

"Kaemon, shut up."

He continues

"But still. What if he didn't leave to do something important? What if the desert is cursed!? We're probably next. One by one, we'll disappear, poof, gone from the world! Maybe Faolan's been swallowed by the sand—"

I stopped dead in my tracks, spun around, and sacked him over the back of the head."Kaemon, I swear if you don't shut up now, I'll be the one making you disappear and I'll leave you here for the desert to actually swallow you up!"

He purses his lips together, resisting the urge to speak. Such a freaking chatterbox. I gave him one last glare before turning back around continuing on the trek. We were still an entire week away from Suncrest. And with the way things were going, it probably would be a lot longer.

"We'll reach the town of Razak by nightfall. As long as nothing happens." Nasir grunts. Let's hope.

*************
The desert seemed to stretch on forever, the late afternoon sun still blazing down on us. The only sound was the crunch of our footsteps and, of course, Kaemon's constant muttering. I had started tuning him out when a sudden, high-pitched cry pierced the air.

"Raven! Help! HELP! I'm sinking!"

I whipped around, heart pounding, and sure enough, Kaemon was waist-deep in a patch of quicksand, flailing like a trapped animal. His eyes were wide with panic, his arms flapping uselessly. "I'm too young and beautiful to die this way!"

"Kaemon, stop moving!" I yelled, rushing toward him. My boots sank slightly as I neared the edge of the quicksand, and I crouched down, reaching for his arm. "Don't make it worse!"