Read Online Jalia on the Road (Jalia - World of Jalon) by John Booth - Free Book Online

was brought under control.
    He was not alone, as a flood of traders took advantage of the confusion to leave unchecked. Traders always have something to hide and take their chances when they find them.
     
    Daniel planned to return to Delbon as quickly as possible. He had done so well with Jalia’s help that he had enough money to support his brother for another year and buy goods to trade in Delbon as well. He was pleased with his first attempt at trading alone. He had done much better than the last time he and Yousef visited Enbar Entar.
    He was an hour along the trail when he heard a voice cursing, coming from one of his donkeys. On closer investigation, he discovered the voice was coming from the lumpy sack. Drawing his dagger he moved closer to investigate.
    Spilling the sack onto the ground brought forth another round of curses in a voice he recognized. On opening the sack he found Jalia, along with a third of the things he had packed in it.
    “You didn’t have to be so rough,” Jalia complained as she wriggled her right elbow. It didn’t appear to be broken despite landing hard on it when the sack hit the ground
    “You seem to have disposed of a lot of my property.” Daniel said a little angrily, despite being glad to see her again.
    “I will pay you back, trader boy. I needed a quiet way out of the city.”
    “What have you done to need such a thing? I noticed the Caliph’s guards were running around like angry ants.”
    “They were searching for me.” Jalia admitted and smiled at Daniel. “I had a really good time yesterday, did you?”
    Daniel sighed at her smile. She had something to do with the disposition of the guards. he was sure.
    “I think we had better get back to moving down the road, my lady. We better put some distance between ourselves and the city, don’t you think? Before your good time comes out to bite us.”
     
    That night they camped at the edge of the desert in a small gully. Jalia told Daniel what happened as they ate the delicious meal he had made. Jalia showed him the ring, which was finely engraved with runes and arcane symbols. Jalia put it on the third finger of her right hand where it fitted perfectly, much to her surprise. Sador’s fingers had been bigger than hers.
    “Try it out,” Daniel suggested as he sipped at his tea.
    “What do you mean? Do I rub it or something?” Jalia asked. She tried rubbing the ring with her left index finger, but nothing happened.
    “Try saying ‘Magic Ring bring water’, we could do with some, as I wasn’t expecting to have you with me when I packed my supplies.”
    “Magic Ring, bring me water!” Jalia said waving the ring around. There was a rumbling sound and they picked up their bags and ran as the gully began to fill up with water. The donkeys made their own way to safety and Daniel was lucky not to lose a trade sack to the flood.
    “I was thinking more in the order of a couple of water skins full,” Daniel remarked as they looked down at the deep pool, “Do you always do everything to excess?”
    “Very funny,” Jalia said irritably. She was wet from the experience and didn’t appreciate it. The desert was rapidly cooling as the sun set and she shivered.
    Jalia looked at the ring in awe. She had never believed in the tales of the Magician Kings who, it was said, ruled the entire human world over a thousand years ago. Perhaps those tales were true after all.
    The two companions settled down for the night in a camp they made on higher ground.
    As they doused the fire and prepared to sleep, they were watched by a horde of eager sand fairies. The fairies had sensed the magic Jalia used and followed its emanations to its source. They waited patiently for the companions to go to sleep so they could kill them and take the ring.

The Sand Fairies
     

     
    The people of Jalon know little about the sand fairies of the Atribar el’Dou desert except that they are manifestly evil. Unlike the Fairie sometimes seen from a distance in