Setarek alternated between chills and waves of heat. His head throbbed at the temples, an insistent pressure that grew worse with every movement. Sweat ran easily down his face. He leaned back against the cushions of the reclining chair and brought to his lips the cup with the drink that Merit-Haset had given him. But it wasn't having much effect, because he could still see DiptsurRá burning in his mind.
"Dude, you look really bad," said Horemheb, leaning against the window. He was a young man with a large nose and very dark skin, a friend of Setarek's.
"I understood, Setarek... he was the dragon that came to burn the city," said Izhmose, thoughtful. The chubby young man was sitting in a chair. "So why did he leave? Your father said he was a messenger, right?"
The news had reached them that the population had followed Krarvathar until he left the city. Setarek looked at his friend and shook his head with a sigh.
"Maybe he didn't like us. What do we know about the Gods?" said Manesei, the other young man, who was filling another cup of wine to drink.
"A lot," Izhmose shot back. The air entered through the windows, making the curtains sway. To the prince's relief, the room felt cool.
Setarek rubbed his eyes. He wanted to be alone, but his friends had found him because their parents were in the palace talking with the pharaoh.
"He went to exterminate the elves," said the prince, taking another sip of the drink Merit-Haset had given him and frowning because of its not-so-pleasant taste.
The three friends looked at him and smiled.
"I believe it," said Izhmose, in contrast to the other two, who doubted. "I've read a lot about this. Besides Deshret, there live spiritual beings, but the desert kills them before anyone can see them... except to protect."
Setarek knew his friend intended to become a scribe in the future, so he didn't want to correct him.
"Yes, because the red desert is the home of Setesh, the plague of chaos. Whatever comes from there belongs to him," said Horemheb. "My mother was born in one of the southern tribes and lived among tribes that worship him. She used to say that one day the spawn of chaos would appear and would have our form—"
"Shut your mouths!" Setarek stood up quickly from his seat, bringing his hand to his head as dizziness hit him. But he couldn't let them talk about Ishara that way.
"You don't know anything," said the prince, and he began walking toward the exit of the room.
"Where are you going?" asked Manesei, stepping in front of the prince.
"Get out of the way. I need to go—"
"Doctor's orders: you're not leaving here until you're better," the friend interrupted.
Setarek realized they weren't going to let him leave and stared at them with a furious look.
The prince sighed and turned toward the window, adjusting the golden armbands on his arms and the necklace around his neck.
"You idiots," he said. "Something is about to happen. They're coming to kill me. If you stay with me, you'll die too."
The other three looked at each other.
"We're your friends. If you're sure some assassin is coming, then we definitely won't leave you alone," said Manesei.
Footsteps sounded in the corridor and someone knocked on the door. It was soldiers.
"Prince," said one of them. Setarek recognized him. "General Nahkit-Sen wishes to speak with you. He said your life is at stake."
Setarek nodded, already imagining this would happen.
"Very well," replied the prince, feeling a little better. "Let's go."
///
"It didn't work, did it?" said the old elf.
Ishara looked back as Bialieash entered the black marble chamber, accompanied by a group of three elven warriors.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," said Jóarnaliel, rising from the table. His large dark-blue tunic was slightly wrinkled.
This was a place of worship to the Mother Goddess. The air was almost pure harphesh, pleasant to the elves.
"Sorry." Ishara didn't understand why it hadn't worked. Healing power was basic among elves, and she had managed to heal Setarek even in the divided form of Transponence. That made her question why she hadn't succeeded in her complete form.
"It's all right, girl." The old elf straightened his posture. "We have work to do, don't we, Bia?"
Ishara stood up and asked:
"Are you going to the fissure?"
"No, girl," Bialieash looked at her seriously. "We're going to do what we should have done before. We left the humans loose and unchecked, we trusted them, and we were betrayed."
Ishara looked at Jóarnaliel, who returned the gaze with one of regret.
"While your father and the others kill the creature, we will free the humans from the evil part that rules them: we will kill Pharaoh Uras and the priestess Neftraya Maelis."
Ishara understood why they wanted to kill Neftraya — she herself had already tried — and the pharaoh for having allied himself with Krarvathar and refused the alliance with Jóarnaliel.
"And what will happen afterward?" Ishara asked.
"And afterward, my young one, we will command the humans. Their studies, worship, and cults will not be carried out without our permission," said the old elf woman, smiling confidently. "We will not allow the evil of Baræshadã to rise again."
"Understand, Ishara," Jóarnaliel placed his hand on her shoulder. "Humans are like the animals of the desert: they can be trained, but if we loosen the reins, they flee as soon as they realize they have freedom and develop the boldness to try to control themselves." He closed his eyes and opened them with a sigh. "I trusted that they could remain free, but camels cannot guide other camels without getting lost in the desert, without running the risk of being led off the path."
"And humans cannot guide themselves without falling into wickedness and perversion," Bialieash completed.
"That is why," Jóarnaliel continued, "it is necessary that, as in the distant past, we elves command them once again. That is why… I will have to kill the pharaoh."
"You will also have an important role, Ishara," Bialieash walked toward her with calm steps. "You spent a good amount of time there and formed a friendship with the prince. That will be useful, because you will be the one who kills him."
Ishara stared at her. Her head shook in denial, not knowing what to say.