The Expedition, Chapter 13

 Amelia stepped outside her tent to find everyone had gathered to listen to their father speak to them about what would happen during the attack and what would likely occur during the chaos. Her father was standing in front of the tents next to several other men dressed in full armor carrying shields made of leather-covered wood and spears with black tips that shone brightly in the light like polished iron. The mercenaries were arranged around two large fires, sitting around the flames drinking beer and eating meat pies, flatbreads, dried fruits, cheese, and roasted boar.

She slipped between the tents with Shayana right behind her.

"How much time do we have before the attack begins?" Amelia asked nervously.

Shayana took her by the hand and led her toward the edge of the camp as quietly and unseen as they could manage. She pointed out over the desert and pulled Amelia beside her under some rocks where they could hear and see everything without being seen. She looked back at the tents they left behind and saw many people watching for signs of an impending battle, but none noticed that they left. It felt good to be hidden away in the desert, away from all eyes, away from all danger; it felt safe, even if she didn't know why.

"Your father wants to leave now," Shayanna whispered. "To go on the attack. When he finds your tent empty, he shall order a search."

Amelia sighed. "And we can't exactly go back into the lamp since there is no one to carry it around, and I am guessing you can't."

"That is true." The woman's voice grew serious. "You must find another way. Go through the wastes or follow the dry river upstream until you reach a cave system and hide inside until things settle down again."

"But the death cult," Amelia sighed. "If I can't warn my people-"

Shayanna sighed. "Who are your people? You need to choose." She paused momentarily and watched carefully as several mercenaries laughed loudly at something one of their numbers said while drinking beer. "It doesn't matter who your real parents were—you joined a tribe that worships a goddess, so you will always feel close to her. And if your father survives today, you will see him alive tomorrow morning, whether you like it or not; without hope, death draws near."

The day seemed darker than it was around them, but she could see everything clearly in the light. The air felt like it began to hang heavy in the sky.

The same feeling she got when the death cult was near.

Amelia took Shayanna by the hand but couldn't say anything; instead, they stared silently into each other's eyes. She gave her genie a nod, and in a poof of pink smoke, Shayanna disappeared into the lamp.

Amelia ran towards the dry river.

She could feel death all around her. It hung heavily in the air, and she knew she would be dead within seconds if she stopped moving even for a second. The only thing keeping her safe from the dark forces at work here now were those moments when the sun shone brightly above, and it didn't seem so dangerous. But as soon as it went behind the mountain and the moon rose from its place on the horizon, the danger grew more pronounced, and the fear grew along with it.

As she ran through the waste with the dry river to her left, Amelia looked over her shoulder to see what had become of her tribe and her people; she wanted to know if everyone else was okay after hearing that some of them might die in battle today. She prayed to Kayala that none of them died, especially not her friends, whom she had thought of every day since leaving home with her father.

And especially not Fayla.

It wasn't fair. All those people who never bothered anyone should not die while fighting for something they believed in. They shouldn't have to give their lives while the others continued living theirs free and unencumbered. That made no sense. It made absolutely zero sense! And the fact that it felt like it was their fault somehow because they were alive, and they were a threat...it sickened her stomach and filled her soul with sorrow and anger. It felt like it would drive her crazy, but she knew it wouldn't stop until she found a way to change things, one way or another.

Amelia's mind swirled, trying to devise a solution, but nothing seemed possible anymore.

She spotted a bend in the river, and on the inside of the turn, a large black cave worked its way into the earth.

This was the cave. This was where she needed to go.

She turned away from the dry river and sprinted for the cavern’s entrance, peering in when she reached the dark opening, peering into the darkness. It was large, dark, and cold. The walls looked old, worn down by years of wind blowing through them. The ground around her feet had many small rocks scattered about, which had been brought there by animals long ago that had left tracks behind. The path led deep underground, far below the surface—which meant it would be difficult for anyone to find her if someone came looking for her while they searched this part of the desert for her father and his men to kill.

She wondered if the death cult would be out here looking for those who survived. She stayed where she could easily hear those near the cave entrance, giving her time to duck behind the rock and stay unseen.

She was sick of running and hiding.

She wished she was more like Fayla and the magic warrior women of the tribe. Assertive, able to leap into the sky and bring down death with the swipe of a blade or a spear thrust. They were imbued with battle magic, powerful, beautiful, and attractive.

She missed them already.

She wondered if her father lied to her about outsiders living with the tribes being turned on and blamed for misfortune. That could be just a tale to keep people away and to keep people apart.

Then again, human nature being what it was, she knew there had to be some truth to the awful story.

She found a large rock close to the light of the entrance, big enough to hide behind, and she sat on it, watching the outside world. She closed her eyes and took slow, even breaths so she could focus all her energy on listening out for anything moving near her hiding spot: footsteps or voices that might signal danger approaching from any direction. But aside from her breathing and heartbeat thrumming in her ears, everything else was quiet. There was no movement in the sky or across the sands surrounding the cavern.

She would wait.

If her tribe found her, she would go with them.

If her people found her, she would go with them.

If nobody found her and it grew dark, she would rub the lamp and summon her genie for advice.

Amelia breathed a few more times deeply, trying to stay calm as she tried to ignore what Shayanna said, hoping this nightmare would end and she could go home to her bed and forget any of this terrible adventure that ever happened.

She sighed. "I wish I was home."

A deep voice that rumbled the stone she sat on, one coming from behind her, replied.

"Why?"

Amelia turned quickly in surprise, knocking over her rock and sending herself tumbling backward onto the cold cavern floor with a loud clack. She peered up and saw nothing, only darkness.

"Who are you?" She whispered into the silence, turning back to look at where the noise came from with wide eyes full of fear—but nothing appeared.

She gasped for breath, clutching her chest, where the fear had almost paralyzed her before she rolled away to stand up slowly on shaky legs again. Her heart raced wildly while she listened for any sounds, but she still heard nothing except her pounding heartbeat.

"Where am I? What's going on here?"

"You can't help anyone if you're dead," A low voice answered her this time. "But you are not from here, are you, child?"

Amelia shook her head furiously, causing loose hair from her braids to flutter about her face. "No! Who are you?" She looked around the cave in shock and fright.

"If I wanted you dead," the voice answered, "we wouldn't be talking. Calm yourself, young one." The voice chuckled softly like a rumble of thunder far off. "Your life is not in danger. Yet."

She gulped hard, trying to control herself so she didn't start shaking uncontrollably or pass out on the floor. She couldn't take her eyes away from that spot on the ground near the entrance where she thought she saw something moving...

Amelia felt sweat pouring down her body under her clothes even though it was cold underground, and her breaths were coming quickly and shallowly because she was terrified.

And then she heard something moving deep in the cave.

Something big.