Serpentine Risen by C K Rieke

Author:C K Rieke [Rieke, C K]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crimson Cro Publishing
Published: 2018-08-16T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Just before the cool dawn the following day, Veranor opened his eyes, squinting to avoid the bright glow of the yellowing clouds growing on the horizon. His eyelids were heavy and hard to open, because opening them was like pulling back thick wool drapes from a sunlit window. Lying on his back on his outstretched cloak’s cape on the hard desert floor, he rubbed his eyes with the backs of his hands. He pushed himself up from the sand to look over at Kera who slept less than a meter away. A slow, light-wheezing snore came from the young girl.

Her cape was pulled snuggly over her body, and she had curled her knees tightly up to her chest, only her toes hung out from under the tan-colored cape. Her black hair rustled delicately in the early-morning breeze. Even the hard-hearted Veranor found it difficult to wake the girl from such a sound and peaceful sleep, but he knew time was not on their side.

“Rise, child,” he said, placing his hand on her arm and nudging her back and forth softly.

She let out a sigh that broke through her snoring. He shook her again, this time with a bit more force. Another sigh, this time louder.

“The sun is rising Kera, we need to be off,” he said.

She turned over to look at him, her silver eyes glistening yellow and orange in the glow of the rising sun. Her face had a thin layer of sand, like a second skin. Kera looked as if she wanted to cry with her sad eyes looking up at him, Veranor wondered if she had enough water in her body to release tears or not.

“Come, girl, let's be off,” he said, holding out his hand for her to take.

Again, it looked as if she wanted to let tears fall, but none came. She took his hand.

“If you’re still tired, I will carry you.”

“It’s impossible,” she said softly. “There’s no way we’re going to make it there in time. There’s no sign of Herradax. And I’m so thirsty.”

Veranor knew all of what Kera said was true. But first thing was the water. He’d need to find some water soon, even from a fresh cactus, then he’d need to do the impossible; he’d need to find a way to get to the egg within that week, or Dânoz would send out sure-death to find them.

“Either way, we need to be getting on our way,” Veranor said. “Come, now, hop on up.” He knelt, with his back to her, and she jumped up, wrapping her slender arms around his strong neck. “There you go. I’ll find you something to drink, you just rest.”

Her head dropped to his shoulder, and shortly after he heard the delicate sounds of sleep come from the girl.

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