The Expedition, Chapter 12

 "We have a problem," he said bluntly.

Amelia swallowed hard.

"I am going to the temple in the morning with some men to set things right. You're coming with me."

"I can't."

"I need my daughter with me."

Amelia shook her head at him. Her voice cracked with tears. "Why? Why would you want someone like me when I don't know anything? Why would you bring me into your world? To die?"

"No!" her father shouted in anger. He looked down to stare at the floor, ashamed of what he said next.

"You must come with me," he told her again, more softly this time. "If you go with them, they will kill you, and I cannot let them do that. Do you understand? This isn't about your feelings; it's about doing what needs to be done to save lives.

"If we fight and they win, they will turn us against each other and tear our country apart. We've seen it happen before. The heathens here now, like the nomadic tribes of the desert and those who call themselves the Hesht-Sharif, which means 'people of the desert,' have fought wars amongst themselves for centuries over the smallest differences. There were once five great tribes of nomads in these lands, but only two remain. One is ruled by the High Priestess and her priestesses, and another tribe rules itself. If either side wins control over all of them, no one will stand up to protect anyone from harm because we won't care if we're dead or alive. No one cares about us. If either side wins control over all of them, no one will stand up to protect the innocents here who want to trade, build schools, and bring them into the world. They are not for peace. This is our chance to let them know."

Amelia could not look him in the eyes. "How did you know I joined them?"

"We have magic, too," her father said. "We knew where you were and what you did."

Amelia felt violated and hurt that her father had spied upon her.

She did not look him in the eye. "I love her."

"This has happened before, my daughter," her father said. "Outlanders, joining the tribes. Within a year, almost all of them are strung up dead outside the port city as a warning to our people. Once you lose the protection of the tribe, many in the desert would blame you for bringing bad spirits upon them, called Genies and Djinn, and they would kill you as a sacrifice to calm those spirits. Many have been kidnapped too, but other tribes and the death cult, and the same result happens."

Amelia held the lamp in her pocket tightly. She stared at her father without seeing him, feeling numb inside but still scared she was about to make the wrong choice.

He took her hands into his own; he didn't seem angry anymore. His face softened, though it never lost its stern expression.

"You don't understand everything yet, Amelia, but I promise you will one day." After a moment of silence, her father let go of her hand and walked away. Nothing isg more important than protecting what's ours: our family, our home, and our lives."

He stood and gave her one last look before he left the tent.

"Help us, and I will forget any of this happened. We will put this memory, this mistake, behind us, and you can return and finish school."

"The temple will open the doors for you," he bit his lip, "and this will allow Sapphire and us in. Then it shall all be over."

He gave her one long last look in her eyes, shook his head, and left.

Amelia sat alone on the cot again. Why did she come here? Why did she want to join them now? Everything had gone so terribly since leaving home with her father. All these school years seemed worthless to her now because no matter how hard she worked or fought against him, things always got worse instead of better.

She knew the attack on the camp she was in would happen soon. Death would descend upon the world around her, and she knew she could only run and hide, hoping to avoid being killed in the crossfire. There would be death everywhere for days to come, maybe even weeks, depending on how well the dragon fared attacking the temple and if there were other casualties besides the tribespeople and mercenaries who died while fighting off the dragon. She didn't know what to do; she couldn't decide whether to follow her father into battle and fight the priestesses who controlled the temple or find another way to survive.

Ultimately, it came down to a choice between dying like a fool and running away into the desert, hiding somewhere they wouldn't find her until everyone forgot about her.

But that meant never seeing anyone again, including Fayla, who might never forgive her for abandoning them all. They were friends and allies, but that was all, and Amelia felt terrible for putting such friendship at risk by refusing to help defend their people from an evil outsider.

If she followed her father and helped him conquer the temple, she could return to her old life once everything settled down. Her family would be safe, she would be safe, and the kingdom she loved would always be protected. That's why she went with him now. To protect her family and her country? And to betray the very people who helped her.

She closed her eyes and rubbed the lamp in her pocket to soothe her frayed nerves.

When she opened her eyes, Shayana the Genie was standing before her with a cross look.

"Why?" the woman asked in a tone so soft that Amelia barely heard her. "Why did you come here? It doesn't make any sense."

Amelia stared back blankly. What could she say to someone like her who had lived for hundreds of years and watched countless generations come and go since time began? She didn't know anything more than anyone else, even though she knew the truth behind magic and what it meant to live without it; no one cared what she knew or thought, but it still didn't mean they listened to what she said or agreed with her.

"I wanted to warn the temple!" Amelia said. "But when I realized there was no way for me to climb the mountain, I surrendered to my father's men."

The genie nodded. "You could have gone through the desert instead of following your father into danger. The tribes will be after you if he fails tomorrow morning."

"No," Amelia argued. "They're loyal to each other because we worship the goddess Kayala together, which protects us against outsiders from their world trying to conquer our land. That's why the priestesses hate them and want them dead so much—because outsiders from their world try to take away their rightful place in our lives by imposing their beliefs upon everyone."

"Not all those in power feel that way," Shayana said flatly. "Some in power use their wealth and ability to help others."

Amelia sighed. She didn't know what to think anymore; she had been raised with a single belief: protect your own before helping anyone else, especially an enemy.

The genie put her hands on her hips and stared at Amelia with a frown. "You could have asked me for help."

Amelia sighed. "You know I am not used to using magic at all. I have no idea what you can do! And I thought your magic power was still drained, so I did not bother to ask."

Shayana gave her a cold look and then turned around. "You must leave now if you don't want the death cult to find you here."

"Death cult?"

The genie waved her hand dismissively. "They are coming. Your father and his men will be sacrificed before your friends in the tribe ever get here."

"What? No."

"There will be bloodshed before the sun sets tonight. It has already started. Please, we must get you out of here as quickly as possible."

Amelia felt the tears running down her face. "Let me warn my father!"

The woman shook her head sadly. "I wish it could happen that easily, but there isn't time." She looked up at Amelia with one eye narrowed. "Listen to me carefully now: If they kill or capture him alive, you'll never see him again."

Amelia stood silently momentarily and stared back at the genie in shock. Shayana walked over to her, put her arms around Amelia's shoulders, and hugged her tightly in sympathy while she cried into Shayana's shoulder. After a few moments she held her close, she pulled away from Amelia's hug slowly until she saw the look of confusion on her face.

"Now, come with me," Shayana said quietly after smiling sadly at Amelia. "Maybe he will survive. But you hold the lamp. Without you, there is no me and no future for us all."