In the desert, they traveled by camel.

Ishakan was afraid Leah would bake in the sun, so he kept her wrapped in a large robe. The sorcerers had made it specially for this journey, absorbing heat during the day to keep her cool, and then releasing that stored heat at night to keep her warm. No Kurkan would ever need such a thing, but it was perfect for Leah. She was spared the suffocating heat all the way across the desert.

But Ishakan was still anxious.

“You’re not too hot?”

“No.”

Ishakan was not reassured. Though he pretended to believe her, he still examined her carefully to see if she was sweating.

“You have to keep an eye on her, Lesha.”

“I will!” Lesha puffed his chest and slapped a hand against it. “Don’t worry, Dad.”

Ishakan’s eyes shifted away, over the desert dunes.

“……”

Leah could only see the endless sand, but Ishakan seemed to have spotted something else.

“Do you want to take a rest?” Ishakan asked.

“Here?”

“We’ll see an oasis soon.”

Sure enough, they had gone only a little further when they spotted the oasis. Lesha was wild with excitement at the sight of the blue water.

As he ran off to see it, Ishakan tied their camel to a tree and then pulled out a map to spread in the shade.

“Rest a while,” he said, kissing Leah on the forehead. “I’ll take a look around.”

“Is this place dangerous?” Leah asked, worried.

“Have you never met your husband before?” They could travel without escort because Ishakan was there, and had never hesitated to show his strength. He tapped the tip of her nose with his finger.

“Huh?”

Quickly, he vanished into the dunes. She was sure he would explain what was going on when he came back, but she couldn’t help but worry.

She smiled to herself. Mura had always laughed whenever Leah worried about such things.

“Mom! I’m going to play in the water,” Lesha announced, walking back to her.

“You know you have to be careful, right?”

“Yes, especially if you’re here.” Lesha paddled a hand through the water. Kurkans were good swimmers, so Leah didn’t worry. She was happy to watch her son playing in the water, sitting in his wake.

As she closed her eyes to enjoy the peace, there was a loud noise. Several camels were approaching the oasis. Those caravans carried expensive goods like jewelry, spices, and perfumes. Estia used to trade with them.

It also made them valuable targets for thieves. Most caravans hired skilled mercenaries to protect them, which meant armed men were nearby.

“Mom!” Lesha leaped out of the water and ran toward his mother. Leah was untroubled. She knew Ishakan would never let anything happen to her.

Together, they watched the caravan approaching the oasis. The line of camels stopped nearby, and their riders snatched up waterskins and brought them over to fill them. They were not expecting to find people in this place.

As they chattered to each other, a middle-aged man who looked like their leader approached Leah, along with a younger man who looked like his son.

“Are you lost?”