64. Gatekeeper
64. The Gatekeeper
{Uriel}
A closer inspection of the hinn revealed that it took on the figure of a pot-bellied wallaby. Unlike its wild cousins, however, one could easily identify humanish features in the face.
"Why are you following us?" Uriel asked. There was no point in exchanging pleasantries or manners with a djinni such as this. This hinn, whoever he was, wanted something. And Uriel had a feeling that it wasn't to help a group of lost tourists out of the comfort of his own heart.
The wallaby-man tipped one of his long ears to the earth with an incline of his head and said in a low, conspiratorial voice, "I'm not the only one. There is a band of ifrit brothers about a day's journey behind me."
Uriel sucked in a sharp breath. Lord Zahim!
In the midst of his internal panic, the hinn began to casually clean himself, lapping up microscopic grime from the fur on his forearms. He waited a long moment before coming forth with his proposal.
"I have a clan not far from here. We can help you. Provide you safe passage to the place that you seek."
Uriel narrowed his eyes.
The hinn grinned. "Nastarajan. The city to the east. I overheard you and the death monkey talking about it."
"What's your price?" Uriel clipped. He didn't need to waste another moment listening to this hinn brag about his spying prowess.
The wallaby-man did not speak until he had licked his fur to completion. Uriel knew his tactics and silently stood there, fighting the urge to grind his teeth. His left leg twitched in anticipation to kick the little man-creature.
Finally, the hinn raised his large, dark eyes to meet Uriel's, and explained his demands.
"Before I grant you anything, you must be cleared for dark magic and tracers. Sorcerers these days like to send their servant djinn out into the wilderness to . . . work undercover if you will. These servants convince wild djinn to trust them and then they are traced by the capturer. It's tragic, really. So my clan makes sure that we stay ahead of the game." The hinn jutted his chin in the direction behind Uriel. "While my clan members are checking you and your comrades, you will have to leave your pipe with me."
Uriel could feel a frown forming. "Why? That's just our shelter. Nothing more."
The hinn smoothed down the fur on his chest, reminding Uriel of Ritsu's own nervous habit.
"With all due respect, my friend, the only way I can know for sure that you are telling the truth is if I inspect the pipe myself. After I and my people are confident that you're not hiding anything, then we will discuss payment for our services."
Tired of looking at the hinn and standing in the middle of the desert, Uriel blurted, "Fine."
Lord Zahim was catching up to them and the hinn knew it. Still, Uriel didn't really have a choice in the matter. Plus, he was still fairly exhausted from his recent eruption of power.
It's better to just give the hinn what he wants. Let him feel like he's in control so we can be on our way to Nastarajan.
Without beckoning the hinn, Uriel turned on his heel and headed back to hookah pipe. Once he arrived, Ritsu looked up at him expectantly, every now and then darting a suspicious glance at the hinn behind him. Not quite ready to face Naya yet, Uriel gently commanded Ritsu to go get her.
Soon the three of them were standing near the remaining camel, watching the hinn approach their pipe.
"Why do we have to hand over our hookah?" Naya asked Uriel while the hinn was busy looking it over.
Uriel said, "He told me that he wants to check it for dark magic, but I think it's more for collateral while his clan members are taking our payment."
Naya craned her neck towards the wallaby-man. "Where are your people by the way? We need to speed up this process."
"Oh, my apologies, djinniyah," the hinn paused in his inspection and pointed northeast. "They're waiting for you just over that dune. By the time you three get back, I should be done here."
"Let's go, Uri." Naya said as she swooped Ritsu into her arms and trudged away from the pipe. Uriel shot the hinn one last impatient look before stealing after her.
+++
{Naya}
I was the first one over the dune. I almost fell face first into the sand trying to skid down the incline. Usually I wasn't so careless, but my mind was too occupied by everything Uri said when we were in the hookah bowl.
It seemed like every time Uri got a little stressed out, he would start talking about how we couldn't be together. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of devastating disappointment and loss, but I'll be damned if I let it give me a reason to sabotage anything good in my life.
{You must take time to understand him. Djinn held in captivity for as long as himself aren't allowed to keep anything or anyone precious to them.}
Though I didn't respond to my fire, I could acknowledge that she was somewhat right. Uri had become used to being denied the things that he loved the most.
Love.
I paused. Who was I to think so harshly of him? Uri could sometimes let his paranoia get the best of him, but for better or worse, he loved me. And I didn't even have the guts to say it back to him.
What is wrong with me?
"Where are they?"
I looked down at Ritsu, who was curled up in my arms. He squeaked again, "Where's the clan?"
I put my monkey down and fixed my eyes on the valley before us. Left and right I scanned the area, but there was no sign of any more of those wallaby-looking people.
"Uri?" I called, my voice growing unsteady in the confusion. I could hear his clothing rustle as he picked up speed down the dune and met us where the sandy ground levelled out.
It was interesting how all of that frustration and tension that existed between us moments before could dissolve in an instant.
I held my breath as I watched Uri's eyes dance from left to right.
"No," he breathed. He repeated the word over and over as he took hesitant steps forward.
Ritsu slammed both fists on the ground and screeched. "That hinn lied to us!"
"No way!" I spun around and pumped my legs as hard as I could up that sand dune. I knew Uri wouldn't have the strength to go that fast. So it was up to me.
In the end, it did not matter how fast I ran or how hot the blue fire burned at my fingertips. The little wallaby-man was gone.
So was our only camel.
And of course, our hookah.
We had no shelter. No means of transportation. All of the food I packed for Ritsu – gone.
I dropped to my knees and stared at the empty spot where all of our stuff had been. But to tell you the truth, I wasn't sure if I was staring at the right spot because with no land markers, everything in the desert looked the same.
North. South. East. West.
It all looked the same.
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