Half Magic | Book 2

Sixteen: A Curse

For two days, we rode hard and slept light. Meon and his hunters were a mixed lot. Some were burly and strong, riding larger horses and dressed in leathers that were probably sweltering in the heat. Others were lean, a mix of women and young men who kept their horses small and their gear light. And of course Tali and her riders were built for speed, but they reigned it in so the whole group could keep up.

We went by night, as to be expected, and slept or rested in the day. Puko contented himself to playing by weaving between the horses, sitting on one of his friends, or taking to the sky and hunting lizards and other poor desert creatures.

But for as content as Puko was, I grew concerned with each passing hour. What curse could be upon the Stone of Souls? I had no experience with curses, my closest encounter was the seal that bound my magic, and that was gladly accepted on my part. I was thankful to be with Nassir and Schula, both of which had much more experience in the world and the ways of magic. I knew they could tell something was getting under my skin, I just wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

It was the middle of the night on the third day when we finally reached a low part of the sands. The earth wasn't buried so deep, the air wasn't so dry. We were reaching the edges of the desert, and I hadn't even realized it until now, it was so gradual.

Tali whistled for a break, and the horses and riders were all rounded up in a circle. The horses were watered, and the people broke for a meal. My rider helped me off the horse, and Schula was already there to see how I was doing.

"I might be getting used to it a little," I admitted. "But I'm still sore."

"It comes with practice." Schula shrugged. "I'm a bit sore too, but I seem to be healing it away faster than you."

"Well we're two different things, Wyldes or not," I grumbled. "Oh, but I was going to ask, does it seem like we've stopped sooner than we should have?"

"Hm, perhaps." Schula looked around at the Khusuru who were caring for the horses. "There is Kai, he may know."

I shrugged, with nothing else to do until I was given food or instructions by Tali and her riders I figured we could talk to Kai. He was giving his horse over to someone who was gathering a few around a water trough. Nassir was nearby, talking to someone about those spear and curved wood things they carried.

"Oh, wait. I want to learn about those," I said, veering away.

"By all means," Schula said with a chuckle. "Go ahead. I'll talk to Kai anyway. Have fun with Nassir."

I wandered over to Nassir and one of Meon's hunters. A lean boy on the verge of manhood at the stage where they are all limbs and big feet but no muscle yet and height they are unfamiliar wielding.

"Hello, aoyi'ka." The man-boy greeted. "I was just showing your attendant my atlatl. Are you interested as well?"

"My attendant?" I asked, looking to Nassir.

He gave me a big, toothy grin and a shrug. "Of course, aoyi'ka. What else would I be?"

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the boy. "You can call me Wren you know. And yes, I've been interested in those since I arrived at your camp. It's called an atlatl?"

"Yes, this piece here is used to assist in the distance and force behind the dart." He held up the spear, and showed me a small recess in the dull end of it. "See, you place the dart on this part of the thrower, and rest the shaft on the other."

He lifted the curved wood, the short spear suspended completely by the wood without him touching it.

"Ooh, I see." I looked closer at how he held it. So how do you throw it?"