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“Faris also mentioned a shadow creeping around the eastern archway,” Ben added as darkness settled on his brow. “Apparently it frightened the guards enough that they retreated into the city and nearly barred his son from entering.”
My eyes widened. “Salil! I forgot about him! Is he okay? What about the wagon?”
“The animal returned to his young master while we continued on our way to the ghasl,” Ben told me. “They waited for several hours before they returned to the city. I was just there assuring the pair that I hadn’t meant to break my word.”
I looked down at the empty bowl in my lap. “So what now?”
Ben sighed and his whole being appeared to droop. “Now I see if the vial was worth the effort.”
“You meanwe’llsee if it was worth it,” I insisted.
He turned to me and gave me a small smile. “I would prefer you stay here.”
“I’m feeling better,” I assured him as I held up the empty bowl. “Dakin saw to that.”
“Ahem,” Qita spoke up as he puffed out his chest. “It was I who stayed by your side these long three hours.”
I snorted. “And Qita, but I do feel better.”
Ben pursed his lips as he looked me over. After a short while he ran a hand through his disheveled hair and shook his head. “I don’t know why I bother to argue with you on this point.”
I set a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. “Because you care. The minute you stop asking me to stay behind is when I’ll start being worried.”
“Then we should be off,” Ben returned as he stood and helped me out of bed.
“Wait a moment,” Dakin requested as he stood and drew out a small vial from his pocket which he held out to Ben. “Take this with you.”
Ben lifted an eyebrow but accepted the gift. “What is it?”
“Just a little bit of insurance in case that stiff trader doesn’t like your vial,” Dakin told him as he watched with some concern as I wobbled a bit on my feet. “A child could catch you right now, so try to stay out of trouble long enough to get back on your feet.”
I grinned at him. “We make no promises, but we’ll try.”
And fail. Miserably.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
Benand I exited the cave and found our footsteps being tailed by a tailed fiend. Qita trotted up to Ben’s other side and looked us over. “You look like you could use a good luck charm.”
I stopped and stepped out in front to face the cat. “You really only have one life left, don’t you?”
Qita plopped his butt on the ground and twitched his ears. “What is your point, human?”
I knelt in front of him and smiled. “The point is we need you to stay near your family. If something happens, you have to find us.”
Qita lifted his nose a little and frowned. “I may be of better use to you.”
I stroked his head, and try as he might he leaned slightly into the petting. “Lila needs you, too. Her dad isn’t feeling well and her mom is worried sick, so they’ll have a hard time protecting her like you can.”
The feline twitched his whiskers but stood. “Very well, but do not go wasting the life I so unselfishly saved.”
I grinned. “A lot of people are asking me for some pretty hard promises.”
Qita scoffed. “A promise is hardly worth the air used to make it. I demand an oath upon your most precious thing.”
I blinked at him a moment before I lifted my eyes to Ben. He had a curious look on his face as I slowly spoke my new oath. “I swear on my most precious thing that I’ll be careful.”
Qita swatted my leg with his paw. “It doesn’t work unless you name it!”
