The Market Thief

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty Two

We head back out to the garden taking a different route than when we came but I recognize the fountain we stop at as the same one we started.

“Stand together” Alfred orders as I feel the tingle in my arm as the spell takes affect. I take one last quick look around the garden; I want to remember every detail so I can have one just like it.

The garden melts away, my eyes hurt from the bright sunlight glaring down from a clear bright blue sky, not a cloud in sight. We’ve only been here a brief minute but I am already soaking wet from sweat. I take off my robe and stuff it into my bag. I shade my eyes with my hands and turn and look in every direction. All I can see is heat waves rising from the sand, lots and lots of sand. It is like standing in the middle of an ocean of sand.

“Where are we?” Even though I have removed my robe I still have sweat running in rivers down my back.

Hulda lets out a screeching neigh. “I can’t believe that they sent us to Arkell. Of all the places to send us, this is the worst. They are really making you work for that spell reversal.”

I am having trouble catching my breath in the heat. “Why are we here?”

“The young wizard they sent here is so full of himself that once he got into trouble he was to prideful to ask for help?” Alfred says.

“Sound like anyone you know?” Hulda tries to neigh quietly. I’m sure Alfred heard but he isn’t showing it.

Alfred continues. “If he had asked for help right away he wouldn’t have lost the faith of the Wizard Council. Now he’s going to have to prove himself again.”

“So what happened?” I use my sleeve to wipe my forehead. I wish I had brought a hat.

Alfred begins to walk, he seems to know where he is going but all I see is sand in every direction. He set us down right in the middle of a dessert.

Alfred clears his throat and adjusts his robes. “Arkell is a desert kingdom. Rance’s only job was to make sure that the crops got enough rain to grow.”

I take the blanket off Hulda and put in into my pack. “Thank you, that feels much better.” Hulda sounds tired.

I look at Alfred. “So why are we here?”

Alfred stops and gestures with his hands. “Do you see any green crops?”

“No, all I see is sand. I think it is even in my hair.” I run my fingers through my hair and watch sand fall out.

Hulda is struggling to keep up walking in the sand; she is puffing. “Alfred knows a little bit about weather magic.”

I look at Alfred who is a little way ahead of us. “You mean the weather can be controlled?’
Hulda shakes her head. “It can’t be controlled but you can help it rain so that it doesn’t wash away crops, or make it rain to help crops grow.

Before we can leave Alfred has to make sure that Rance can make it rain, yet not wash away the crops in the sand.”

“Alfred would you please slow down,” I yell. “Hulda is having a hard time walking in this sand and heat.

This is great; my first spell is going to be something big. I can’t believe I am going to learn how to make it rain. I wish Hulda would hurry up; I want to get to wherever we are going.

I look at Hulda. “I can’t believe my first spell is going to be a weather spell.”
Alfred stops and looks at me. “You’re not going to learn how to make it rain. Where did you get an idea like that?”

“But” I sputter.

“No butts, you’re going to stay with Hulda while I teach the idiot Rance weather magic.”

“Were exactly are Hulda and I going to stay? We are in the middle of a dessert.” Oh I could just scream.

Alfred points to a large mound of sand. “Take Hulda in there, it will be cooler.”
Alfred walks away as I lead Hulda over to a mound of sand. There is a bunch of these mounds clustered together.

Hulda sinks down in front of one of the mounds. “Hulda, do you know what these mounds are?” I sit down next to her.

“These mounds are their homes. They live in tents and I would assume that it has been sometime since it has rained or Rance has created windstorms instead of rain. Whatever happened, their homes are buried in sand.”

“Come on, get up,” I try to get her up. “We’re so close, lets get you inside and then I’ll find you a drink of water.”

Hulda struggles to get up. “Having four legs is not better than two.” She groans as she gets to her feet.

It takes some searching to find the opening to the tent. Once inside it feels cooler, the tent is one large room. There are pillows all over the floor. There is a chest over on the other wall but Hulda and I plop down on the nearest pillows and just lay there.

“I can’t believe how hot it is?” I moan as I get up to look for water. I find a water jug over by the chest and a bowl inside of the chest. I take a big swig of water and bring Hula a bowl. She takes a nice long drink and drifts off to sleep.