The sun was still high. It had now been a few hours since they had restarted their journey. This time their pace of marching was faster than before because of Sir Garran's wish to get out of desert before the sun set. Solen walked with his usual group now, Borin and Mera keeping close on either side. The three of them had become an odd little trio over the past days, because of their mutual understanding about their need to survive.
Not far from them was Jaron, as cold as ever. He was always a few steps away- He was close enough to listen to them but was far away to not be considered as a part of the group.
They had been moving for quite some time now, but now suddenly something changed.
Some more distance ahead of them, the sand was starting to finish. There were no dunes ahead, they had reached the end of the western stretch of Saharan. They were finally out of the desert.
Someone shouted. "We're almost through."
The mood was lifted instantly, their morale increasing. Even the most exhausted and injured among them smiled with happiness. After so many days buried in the heat and sand, the thought of leaving this cursed desert behind felt like salvation from their misery.
But then suddenly, without warning, the front line stopped.
Sir Garran had raised his hand, signaling them to stop. His voice rang out — sharp, low — saying something to the men near him. But Solen and the others were too far to catch the words and know what the knight was saying.
Borin frowned, slowing his steps. "What's going on?"
Mera squinted ahead. "Can't tell... Did he see something?"
The company gradually came to a full stop, the sound of shifting sand was the only thing they could hear between the silence. Solen strained his ears and tried to listen but still couldn't make out Garran's voice from that distance.
A few murmurs started spreading among the rear guards. The men shifted uneasily, looking toward the front where Garran still stood unmoving.
One of the younger guards near Solen frowned, his brow slick with sweat. "Something's not right…" he muttered under his breath. "We are here too soon."
Borin turned to him. "What do you mean, lad?"
"We shouldn't have reached here so soon. Even at this pace, we shouldn't have made it before sunset."
The words spread like ripples through the ranks and confused murmurs broke out among the men.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Did we take a wrong path?"
"No, that's impossible. We have got many guides up in the front line how can we lose direction."
Solen glanced at Borin, who looked equally lost. "What do you think does this mean?"
Borin's jaw tightened. "I don't know, but if Garran's acting so cautious, something's wrong. The man's not one to panic for nothing."
Solen watched Garran closely — for the first time, the man's expression had shifted. It wasn't fear, nor was it tension. It was the look of someone silently calculating whether what he was about to do was truly worth it.
Mera seemed to have come to the same understanding as him as she said, "Garran! He knows something."
Then suddenly Garran turned away from the front, striding back toward them. The noise around the guards died immediately as the man approached, the tension almost physical. His steps were fast, for the first time since Solen had joined them did Solen see Garran in such a hurry.
His expression gave nothing away, and for a second Solen thought Garran was coming to him.
But he said nothing as he passed Solen, Borin, and Mera. He didn't even glance at them. He just kept walking — straight toward one of the carriages in the middle of the convoy.
Without hesitation, Garran pulled the curtain aside and stepped in. The door closed once he had gone in, and silence fell once more.
More whispers came.
"Where is he going?"
"Is he hiding in?"
"Will we die?"
Borin scratched his beard, frowning. "That's strange. Garran doesn't seem the type of guy to hide in the face of danger."
Mera nodded. "Maybe he has gone in to talk to someone inside."
"Someone?" Solen echoed quietly.
"There's must be someone he is reporting to." Borin muttered. "The question is who he's reporting to and also what exactly is he reporting?"
Around them, the whispers began again — louder this time, edged with unease. Some guards looked toward the carriage as if thinking whether they should go in too. Others tightened their grips on their weapons as if instinct told them that something dangerous was going to happen anytime soon.
Mera folded her arms. "Whatever it is, it can't be good. He didn't look surprised… more like he already knew. No, seeing his face, it felt like it had already happened to him before."
Jaron who had been silent till now, suddenly spoke, his voice less than a whisper. "Let's see what they will do this time?"
None of them had heard him clearly. So Mera looked at him and asked, "Did you say something?"
Jaron looked at her, his gaze cold as ever and spoke in a tone that was as icy has his eyes. "Nothing of your concern."
If the situation were not so strange, Mera might have given him a tacky reply back. But because of the situation, she neither had any energy, nor any wish to talk back.
Meanwhile, the focus of Solen's gaze was still on the still carriage. He couldn't explain it, but he felt if he didn't do anything on time then they are all doomed. He didn't really understand what he was supposed to do, just that he should do something.