The sand beneath his feet suddenly began to stir. Verd caught it before he saw it. The cause wasn't the wind. That always rustled evenly and predictably, driving small ripples across the dunes. This was something else. Small and creeping. As if the wasteland itself had decided to sneak up from behind and see who was walking here, unaware of its presence.
Arktia stood first. Not abruptly, without fuss, just in one instant her relaxed pose disappeared, as if it had never been. She took two steps and stood in front of Verd, shielding him. Not because he was weak, but because she was certain that was how it should be. And from that certainty of hers, Verd felt more uneasy than from the rustle itself.
Soon, a group of people emerged from behind a sandy hill.
The first, a man about thirty, with a face that the wasteland had tanned to the state of old, cracked leather. Every wrinkle on it was not from age, but from wind, sun, and constant squinting. Sand-colored clothing blended with the dunes so perfectly that he himself seemed a continuation of the landscape. Over it, on his chest and shoulders, sat white armor. Simple, without engravings or gold, with a matte, slightly sand-chipped coating. It didn't shine, didn't inspire awe, but held firm, like its owner. Only the sword at his waist betrayed him as a stranger. A worn hilt, a chipped guard, a scabbard bound with rough straps. A weapon that had seen more battles than many people had years of life.
The second, a girl. Light hair pulled into a high ponytail, sharp cheekbones, eyes the color of faded sky, pale, almost transparent. And from the sides of her hairstyle protruded long, pointed ears. Verd looked at them a second longer than he should have. He had never seen such things. Only heard from Kael, in passing, as something almost legendary. Her clothing was light, made of dense but thin fabrics that concealed the body and didn't restrict movement. Layers of sand and pale green shades intertwined, forming a practical yet elegant outfit. The bow behind her back was longer than those of ordinary archers, almost her full height. The string was not of sinew, not of leather, but of something silvery, glistening, that caught the sunset light and threw it back like water.
The third turned out to be a dwarf. Verd had never seen dwarves. This one was a head shorter than him, but twice as wide in the shoulders. Shoulders like stone blocks, arms covered in a network of old scars, intertwined like roots. A red beard descended to his waist, braided into several tight braids. Over a rough shirt soaked in sweat and dust sat leather armor. Thick, tanned, with metal rivets and rough seams, it looked as if it had been worn for decades and never removed. At his waist hung an axe, not ceremonial, not decorated, just a working tool, its blade glinting dully in the sunset rays like a wet stone.
But the strangest thing was not that.
They rode on monsters.
Three lizards. Huge, almost two human heights in length, with dark brown scales shimmering with gold, like old bronze. Long, flexible necks, small heads with yellow eyes that held neither fear nor malice, only calm, ancient indifference. On their backs, leather saddles, worn but sturdy, with many straps and buckles. Bags of supplies, tightly packed, hung at the sides without hindering movement.
Verd looked at them and couldn't tear his gaze away.
'They ride on monsters?'
The thought was simple, but it didn't fit in his head. He was used to monsters being things that kill, things you run from, things that tear apart and devour. But these creatures stood calmly, like livestock, and looked at the world with lazy indifference. Their scales shimmered in the sunset light, and there was something almost beautiful in it. Almost.
Arktia didn't move from her spot. But her shoulders lowered slightly, not relaxed, but gathered, like a predator before a leap. She didn't take her hands out of her pockets. But for a second, for one barely perceptible movement, it seemed she was ready to. Verd was lucky to notice this, though he would have preferred not to see it.
'Have we run into some kind of trouble? I hope my skills are enough to handle them' - Verd shifted slightly into a half-turn. - 'In the worst case, I'll attack the girl. Up close I'll have the advantage.'
The man jumped off the lizard first. The sand crunched under his boots, softly but confidently. He carried himself like a man who knew his weapon wouldn't fail him. The others dismounted after. The girl smoothly, almost soundlessly, as if her feet didn't touch the ground. The dwarf heavily, with a dull thud that made the earth tremble slightly, and the sand under his boots scattered to the sides.
-Rare to meet people in these places, - he said. His voice was even, without threat, but also without friendliness. - Who are you?
Verd took one step to stand closer to Arktia.
'I don't like his tone already!' - Verd gritted his teeth slightly. - 'That tone of self-absorbed bastards who want an answer immediately without conversation.'
Arktia didn't move from her spot. She stood as she had stood, hands in her pockets, but with her shoulders slightly lowered.
-Travelers, - she answered. - Looking for the road to the forest.
The man looked at her. Not as a man looks at a woman, but as a warrior looks at a warrior. He assessed her height, weight, how she stood, where her hands were, where she was looking. Verd saw his gaze slide over her pockets, linger for a second, move on. Then Rein shifted his gaze to Verd.
-To the forest? - something like suspicion flickered in his voice. - May I ask where you're heading after?
The man held his gaze on Arktia longer than necessary. And Verd noticed how his fingers clenched slightly at his waist, near the sword.
-The Snow Temple, - Arktia answered instantly.
And it worked. Verd saw something in the warrior's posture change. His hands dropped along his body, as if the word "temple" was a key that opened some door.
'The Snow Temple?' - Verd understood nothing. - 'Arktia never told me about it.'
He wanted to ask. Wanted to turn to her, look into her eyes, demand an explanation. But he didn't, clearly understanding the situation.
-I see, - the man said. - I'm Rein. Behind me are Lira and Brun.
He pointed back without turning. The girl nodded slightly. The dwarf didn't move. His hand lay on the axe, and he didn't remove it. Verd looked at that hand, at the broad palm, at the fingers covered in scars, and thought about how many strikes Verd could block.
-Mind if we make camp here? - Rein asked.
Arktia glanced at the arriving group. Her gaze lingered on the axe for a moment, but she nodded.
-Arktia. This is Verd. - Wind threw sand in their faces, but no one squinted. - You can stay. We weren't planning to stay here long anyway.
-Thank you.
Rein nodded and turned to his people, giving some sign. Lira relaxed her bow slightly. Verd hadn't noticed when she had taken it in her hands. Just at some point it was in her palm, and the next it was hanging on her shoulder. Brun removed his hand from the axe, but kept it close. So it could be grabbed in a split second.
-You're going to the forest, - Rein said. - We're also heading there. It's still several days away, so maybe we should travel together.
Arktia didn't answer immediately. Her silence allowed everyone to hear the beating of their own hearts.
Verd, who had barely gotten used to Arktia, didn't particularly burn with desire to travel with anyone else. However, the girl had completely opposite thoughts.
-Fine, - she said at last. - Together is safer.
***
The oasis was small. The lake was no more than ten meters wide, but the water in it was so clear that Verd could see every stone at the bottom, every blade of grass, every fish that glided near the shore. The palms grew in clusters, their leaves rustling in the wind, and this sound, along with the crackling of the fire, was the only thing breaking the silence.
The group sat together, but by coincidence Verd ended up across from Arktia. She sat talking about something with Rein. Words weren't audible, but by the movement of her lips he could sometimes make out individual words. "Forest." "Good." "Further." Nothing that made sense.
'Probably discussing the road,' - Verd thought boredly.
The more Verd looked at Rein's armor, the more strange thoughts arose in him. How many strikes would it take to pierce the armor, what danger he could pose to them.
Before the group moved off, Arktia managed to slip past him and drop one word. Quietly, almost without moving her lips:
-Silence.
And he was silent. Sat, looked at the fire, feeling the fire giving warmth to his face.
-You looked at me several times.
Verd raised his head. Lira sat nearby. He hadn't noticed when she approached, but all her actions led him to think she clearly had skills to remain unnoticed. Her bow hung on her shoulder, arrows quietly clinked in the quiver with every movement.
She looked straight into his eyes, and Verd noticed that the girl's pupils were murky. This film made her gaze impenetrable, depriving it of the slightest hint of her true intentions.
-I don't understand what you're talking about, - Verd shrugged.
Not knowing what to answer, he stared into the fire and with each second felt more awkward from the girl's intent gaze.
-When we rode up. You looked at my ears.
She tilted her head slightly, and the long pointed ears moved. He didn't know what she was doing.
'And what did that gesture mean? A test? Or is she trying to tease me?'
-I didn't mean to stare. I just saw something like that for the first time.
Lira smiled wider than before. There was something in that smile that made Verd feel uneasy.
-And how do you like it?
'Why is she pestering me...'
-It seemed strange.
-Strange? - the girl hesitated slightly.
-I'm not used to such... - he stopped, thinking about what to say.
Words stuck in his throat, and he felt Lira's gaze piercing into him.
-...long ones.
She laughed. Quietly, but possibly sincerely. The laugh was light, like the ringing of glass, and from that sound Verd felt even more uneasy.
-Long ones? - her laugh became even more ringing. - You're funny.
Verd didn't answer and just turned away to hide his displeased face.
'Just leave me alone already!'
Soon Verd turned his head back. His gaze unconsciously returned to Arktia. He watched how she sat quite close to Rein, and he was showing her something on a map. Running his finger over the parchment, explaining something.
'Why did she lie to them? Maybe she decided to change the route? Or is something wrong with the dome?'
Lira noticed his gaze, following it. Then nodded toward Arktia, who was still talking with Rein.
-That girl. Who is she to you?
Verd frowned slightly and looked at Arktia.
-She's... My teacher.
In the end, he still couldn't tell anyone about what had happened to him. He couldn't utter a word about how she had turned him into a dog. This secret remained buried in his soul, inaccessible to those around him. Even if he wanted to, he was unable to reveal the truth about his transformation.
Lira looked at him. For a long time. Then shifted her gaze to Arktia.
'Is she really just a teacher?' - Lira thought, catching Arktia's tenth glance at herself. - 'Somehow strange... She looks at me as if I touched her artifact...'
She fell silent, searching for words. And in that pause, Verd felt that something was coming, something he wasn't ready for. Something he couldn't wave away.
-And you...
The elf didn't finish, as she was interrupted by an unexpected crash. Brun was fussing with the lizards at the other end of the oasis. He was muttering something under his breath, adjusting saddles, checking straps. And right now, he accidentally dropped a barrel of beer.
-No! - he shouted loudly, trying to patch a small hole in the barrel.
Beer streamed onto the sand in a thin stream, and the dwarf looked at it as if he were losing not a drink, but a part of himself. Maybe he was.
Verd looked at him, at his broad shoulders, at the red beard that almost touched the ground when he bent over. At how he fussed, how he muttered something, how he tried to save what was already beyond saving.
-Is he always like that? - Verd asked. - So strange?
Lira smirked.
'God, they're all strange here. I'm probably the most normal of them.'
At the same time, Rein appeared before them. By his expression, it was noticeable that he was pleased. Or satisfied. Possibly both.
-I see you've already met, - he said, extending the map. - Arktia and I discussed our route for tomorrow. Take a look.
The edges of the map were worn, the lines faded with time, but the directions could still be made out. Rein stood nearby, leaned in, pointing his finger at the marked route.
-Here's where we are now. By noon tomorrow we should reach the gorge. If we're lucky, we'll pass through it by sunset.
Lira moved closer from the other side. Her shoulder touched his shoulder. Verd didn't pay attention, looking at the map. But when she leaned closer to make out the small marks on the parchment, he felt her chest press against his arm.
Verd instantly froze, holding his breath.
'Why do I always end up in situations like this?'
Under other circumstances, Verd would have laughed. But now, when around him stood those who could cut his throat faster than he could blink, and behind him stretched the wasteland, teeming with creatures surpassing him in strength many times over, he wasn't in the mood for laughter.
Verd felt color rushing to his cheeks and cursed inwardly.
'What are you thinking? She just leaned in to look at the map. It means nothing!'
Lira, it seemed, noticed nothing. Or pretended not to notice. Verd carefully, without making sudden movements, moved slightly away.
-Got it, - he said, handing the map back.
Rein nodded and rolled up the parchment, tossing it into his bag.
-Then let's decide on sleep, - Rein said. - Early morning, we set out at dawn.
Lira stood up, and only when she finally moved away did Verd allow himself to exhale. However, almost immediately, she made him freeze again.
-Mind sleeping with me in the tent? I sleep lightly, and if anything happens, I'll wake you.
Lira tilted her head slightly, and the long pointed ears moved.
Verd opened his mouth to agree or refuse. He didn't understand, everything happened too fast.
Though he still didn't have time to answer.
-No.
Arktia's voice sounded even, without emotion, drawing all attention to herself.
-He'll sleep with me.
Silence. Verd felt the air become denser. Lira shifted her gaze from Arktia to Verd, then back. Rein raised an eyebrow. Brun, who was still fussing with the barrel, froze and turned around.
-I don't want him to disturb you, - Arktia added, not changing her tone. - He's not used to the wasteland yet. At night he might jump up, scream.
Rein looked at her. For a long time. Then shifted his gaze to Verd.
-Do you scream at night? - he asked.
-No, - Verd said. - Probably?
'What am I saying?'
Rein smirked. Not loudly, but rather exhaled.
-Fine. As you say.
Lira said nothing. Only looked at Verd once more, and in her eyes was something he couldn't read. The only thing he concluded was that she felt a certain curiosity.
-Then the watch, - Rein said. - I'll take the first shift, Brun relieves me, then Lira, and the very last will be Arktia.
***
The fire was dying down. Verd lay on a spread cloak, looking at the stars. Arktia sat nearby, leaning her back against a stone.
-What is the Snow Temple?
Arktia didn't favor him with a glance. She looked straight ahead, at the dying embers, and in their weak light her face seemed carved from stone.
-Don't think about it.
Verd raised an eyebrow. He rose on his elbows, and the cloak rustled under him, gathering in folds.
-You told them we're going there. But you never told me anything.
She didn't answer immediately. She took a stick lying nearby and stirred the coals, chasing away a lizard that had run up.
-Because we're not going there.
-Then why?
Arktia didn't answer immediately. She looked at the fire without turning away, without blinking, as if the fire was the only interlocutor worthy of her attention.
-To avoid unnecessary problems.
-Problems?
He said it too loudly. Too quickly. Like a person who wants answers and doesn't think about consequences.
Arktia slowly turned her head toward Rein's group. So that he could see her profile.
-People in the outer world hate those who live under the dome. Same with the dome dwellers. - she said. - If I had told the truth, that we're just going to the forest, without purpose, without direction, they wouldn't have believed us. They'd have decided we were hiding something.
Verd swallowed, considering various options, and his throat went dry.
-What if they find out?
Arktia paused briefly before answering. She looked at him for the first time in the entire conversation.
-Then I'll kill them.
Verd paled.
He had expected such an option. Because it was in her spirit. In that spirit he had already come to know: cold, practical, devoid of doubt. But it was one thing to assume. And quite another to hear.
'Good thing she's on my side...'
The thought was cowardly, but so fitting for Verd.
Arktia noticed his gaze and sat so that he could see only the right side of her face.
-You stare too much. It's annoying.