Read Online Flecks of Gold by Alicia Buck - Free Book Online Page A

after only a moment holding a folded letter sealed with a green wax blob. A design had been pressed into the wax. I peered closer and saw the design was a tree.
    “Get this to the king when you reach the city, and he will help you.” I took the letter, unzipped the bigger front pocket of my backpack, and slipped it in.
    “And this will help you find your way to Ismar.” She handed me the rolled map that she had shown me the night before.
    “I can’t take this. Didn’t you say that maps are rare?”
    “Yes, but I do not need it. I no longer travel.”
    I grinned at her and saw her lips quirk in response.
    Ismaha distracted me from my gratitude by pointing out that she thought I would attract less attention in the native garb she had bought, so I changed. After donning the unfamiliar shirt, pants, and vest, I turned to my backpack. It was a little looser than before without the huge government book, so I stuffed my dirty clothes in the book’s place.
    I considered leaving my chemistry and anatomy books with Ismaha as well, but decided that if she had found the books amazing, maybe someone else would too. I was also loath to part with anything that connected me to home.
    Ismaha had bought me another pack that I could sling over my shoulder. I stuffed the travel supplies into it, put everything on, and staggered. Traveling would be difficult, but at least I was wearing my running shoes.
    “I wish you a safe journey,” said Ismaha.
    “I owe you so much. I may never be able to pay you back for your kindness, but I won’t forget it,” I said. I was surprised to find myself sad to leave. I hardly knew Ismaha, but I knew I would miss her.
    Shopping hadn’t taken long. It was still morning, even relatively cool. I strode down the village road, crossing the market now in full swing. Vendors yelled to me as I passed, but I ducked my head and walked more quickly. Now that Ismaha wasn’t with me, I felt unexpectedly shy. Everything was so strange.
    There were no industrial sounds. People gibbered loudly. The dogs I saw were dirty yellow and yipped strangely. Children ran around the village half naked, and several sported large lizards on their shoulders that hissed when the children dipped low to the ground. The adults wore colorful clothing in a strange style that mashed together Arabic, Japanese, and Indian clothing.
    Wares in the market stalls reminded me of European antiques, but none of the objects exactly matched any design I’d ever seen. Most women had strands of their hair partially braided back from their face. Their hair flared out in the back, hanging free. All I had been able to manage was a messy ponytail trailing halfway down my back, secured with a leather strip—which was how most of the men wore their hair, minus the messiness.
    Though I was glad when I passed out of the village, the sight of so much open desert distressed me. I wondered if I should’ve waited until the evening to travel. I’d read somewhere that evening was the best time to walk when in a desert, but maybe it didn’t matter if you had enough water. The sun was already warming the top of my head, and the landscape was dauntingly open around me. Ismaha had said the road went straight to the next village, so I walked hesitantly over the hard-packed dirt road.
    At about noon—I couldn’t be sure of the time because my watch had stopped—I knew I was going to be in trouble. My body ached from the weight of my loads and from my now-colorful bruises. The sun beat at me with a relentless fervor. Sweat ran down my face, but my mouth felt like sand. I took a break to eat lunch. I considered throwing my books onto the ground along with my random papers. But I wasn’t totally desperate yet, so I decided to wait and see how long I could stand carrying them.
    The road stretched endlessly, wavering heat mirages always just ahead. I trudged forward, longing to rest, but overruling such desires by thinking of Mom with Kelson. What had he done with