Raging Storm {book 2 in SOSfanfic series} [ON HOLD]

Consequences

The sound of shuffling woke Reyna up. She snapped her eyes open. It wasn't yet dawn, the sky alight by the stars, but her condition was the same. Rolling her eyes, she repeated the process from the previous morning.

Two nights in a row? This is not a coincidence.

As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw two figures walk to where Mr. Ambrose lay asleep. Her grip around her dagger softened, the knife ready to be thrown. But her intuition prevented her from lashing out yet.

The bigger man out of the two stepped ahead and crouched near Mr. Ambrose, making no move to kill or rob him. She heard him whisper,"Sahib. Wake up."

Reyna let her breath out in a huff. It was only Karim. Karin's head whipped up towards her.

"I was this close to stabbing you, you fool. Try not to look that suspicious next time." She grumbled. Well, there was no use to keep lying down now, sleep wouldn't come.

Ignoring her, Karim gently shook his employer. Mr. Ambrose's eyes snapped open.

"What?" His voice was a little hoarse from his sleep. Reyna hid her smile.

"Bad news, Sahib. Scouts report a party of thieves heading this way."

Mr. Ambrose looked fully awake by now, meaning to say his cold glare was back. Reyna walked over and crouched down next to the boys.

"Lord Dalgliesh's men?" She pondered wih a frown. Karim shook his head.

"I don't think so. I think that the gang of thieves you killed yesterday were part of a bigger group, and now the group is hunting the killers, which is us."

Reyna nodded. A community of thieves was common in the desert.

"So what are our options? Either strategize to fight or hide or run."

She looked at her employer, he was busy in thought but he manages to snap,"We're not fighting. It will waste more time. We can hide till they pass us."

Reyna looked up at the clear sky. She wet her finger wih her tongue and held it up. She felt nothing.

"No wind. They can track us."

Karim cursed. Mr. Ambrose twitched his finger. Yes, it was bad.

"What do we do now, Sahib?"

Everyone was lost in their own though, brainstorming.

"We have no option but to fight." Reyna mumbled.

"We can outrun them." Karim said.

Reyna considered it. Then she nodded slowly.
"Yes. The hunting parties of the gangs have horses. They are fast, but cannot run in the sand for long. They tire quickly. If we leave right now, we might be able to outrun the entire gang, which would be on camels, Same as us."

She looked at Mr. Ambrose, awaiting his judgement. He have a curt nod.
"We leave now."

It was an order. Everyone dispersed. Reyna packed her bed while Mr. Ambrose did his. Karim woke the riders up and gave them the orders. Within ten minutes everyone was on their camels, leaving the remnants of the camp behind.

Reyna urged her camel to catch up to Mr. Ambrose.

"One of us should stay behind and wait for the thieves to appear on the horizon. As soon as he can see the number of them and gather basic information he can message us using the bird. He should should manage to stay out of the reach of the thieves. Knowledge is vital."

Mr. Ambrose nodded. He worded it to Karim who pointed at a man and gruffed out the orders. One of the riders with the least burden on his camel detached and walked back to camp.

They rode in silence.

That was how it went on for three days. The falcon from the scout came back day and again, telling them that the thieves were two days away. They used to travel in the evenings, nights and the mornings, the light of the Moon showing them their path and getting stronger by each sundown. In the day they made camp and rested, trying not to exhaust themselves in the most punishing hours of a day.
Another rider went to relieve the scout. He sent the same message with the falcon.

They were making good use of their time, rationing yet making sure the camels had sufficient energy to win in the chase.

But it wasn't enough to shake the thieves off. Everyone was growing increasingly restless. But there was nothing to be done. So they spent their time on improving the efficiency of the plan.
The falcon came. They were three days away.

The night was of little celebration. At dawn, they kept up their routine, encouraged by the good news.

After two days, the falcon came again. They were five days away.

"They are giving up. We can relax now." Karim breathed a sigh of relief but Reyna didn't. She shook her head, her frown still etched on her brow.

"No. We should keep up the routine for another five days. Just to make sure. Better safe than sorry." She looked at Mr. Ambrose. He was already looking at her.

"I, for one, think that we should follow this pattern till we reach our destination. It is extremely efficient. I see no need to abandon it."

Reyna tried to hide her smile. She was the one who came up with the idea, and she liked to hear that Mr. Ambrose appreciated it, even if he gave her no acknowledgement for that at all.

"The men are growing tired." Karim pointed out.

"It may be because of the threat of the thieves. After five days, when we've shaken them off for good, the riders might grow more relaxed and accustomed to this." Reyna countered.

Karim grumbled in agreement. Mr. Ambrose looked no different.

So it be.

The falcon came again after another day. The thieves were a week away. That day was one of a better celebration. the men were convinced that they were out of the deep water. Or deep sand.

Reyna pulled Karim and Mr. Ambrose behind a tent. She was not celebrating.

"Don't you think that this is a little suspicious?"

Karim frowned in confusion while Mr. Ambrose remained stone-faced as always.

"Look, if the thieves were giving up then how come they're still coming this way, even if slower? All their prospects and opportunities lie on the outside of cities. Not in the heart of the desert."

"What so you mean? Maybe they are just travelling as us." Karim grumbled.

Reyna rolled her eyes. "Thieves don't travel."

"Then what does the message mean?" He was clearly confused now.

Reyna gulped. She wants to be wrong. Ignorance is bliss after all. But she didn't want to jeopardize everyone present here.

"What if.... the message..... What if it wasn't sent by the scout."

Mr. Ambrose sucked in a harsh breath.
"Do you think they caught up to him?"

"It is a possibility."

"Then what do we do?"

"The only thing we can do. Run."