They crossed the wall just after dawn and rode for most of the day across the sun-baked earth. They had grown used to desert travel – tired of it – but used to it. About halfway to Dale, Ling offered them each a draught of one of her potions, and they felt it soak through to their bones and fill them with life! The mixture was a little off, however, because Victor didn’t stop talking about the history of Vampyres until he fell asleep accidentally by the fire that night.
They passed through Dale without much issue, although there were one or two men strutting about in their uniforms, keeping a hard eye on things. Victor would have assumed for the worst, if it weren’t for Miss Ling’s calmness. Still, he was keen to get back to the desert – oddly enough.
Oddly enough once again, Miss Ling disagreed. “You can go wandering off through the sand if you want, but I’ll be taking the road!”
“But the guards!”
“You just let me handle them. You really ought to stop underestimating us Slayers if you hope to become one.”
And so, they went east for ten days, with only one close encounter. Sam and Victor were trying to carve their names onto a piece of wooden board using alchemy when two armed riders came suddenly upon them. The clinking of their armour was heard first, along with the clippity-clap of their horses’ hooves. Victor froze and Hansel drew his sword but Ling stopped them. “Nobody move!” she whispered. “Don’t make a sound. Don’t move. Stay very still.”
One of the riders stared Victor right in the eye, but he seemed to be looking through him. He stayed like that for some time. They stood motionless, hearts beating, not daring to even blink. “What is it?” grumbled one of the guards. “Off with the fairies?”
“I could have sworn I heard something!” He dismounted from his horse, took two very slow paces forward and waved his hand right before Victor’s eyes. Then he was called back.
“Stop wasting time! Whatever it was it certainly wasn’t worth our time. Let’s be off.”
The two riders trotted off along the road, and only after the sound of their hooves had grown dim did Victor turn his head. He let out a heavy breath and fell to the ground in amazement!
Miss Ling had that proud gaze once again. “Whooh! That was a close one! The sooner you learn to that yourselves the better, I think!”
The path went on a little further and then turned south and followed the river. They were no more than five days from home.
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