The beast appeared at her cart when the dome came down. Without a word, he leaned over and he picked her up, one arm under her knees, the other supporting her back.

Naya stiffened. “What are you doing?” She’d asked a question, but he seemed too preoccupied to realize it.

He carried her to his nnirae, and placed her on the huge saddle. Naya clung to the creature’s silky neck, suddenly alarmed. Whatever was happening had to be serious. The beast climbed up behind her, his thick arm caging her as he grabbed the reins.

Naya tried not to breathe him in while he spoke with someone on the ground, but it was almost impossible not to. His scent pressed in all around her. Thick, heady, and beautiful. She leaned forward and lifted her head, trying to find fresh air, but it wasn’t enough.

Suddenly they began moving.

Naya turned to look at what the rest of the fleet was doing, but the beast growled and forced her body to face the front. Annoyed, she twisted the other way and saw the fleet breaking off in different directions. Four others, who looked like guards, rode next to them on their own nnirae and with no carts attached.

She watched them ride alongside, questions cramming into her mind. Where did the fleet go? Why did they split up? Were they being chased? She tried to think back to when everyone started acting strangely.

In the distance, dark clouds caught her eye. Underneath them, the sand churned, swirling wild and high. Naya leaned forward, trying to see what was causing the sand to kick up like that, but the beast slipped his arm around her and pulled her back against his chest, punctuating the action with a low warning growl.

Naya breathed shallowly, her mind racing. Either there was a violent sandstorm or a large group of people were heading straight for them. She wasn’t sure how she felt about either. Other people could be useful, but without her magic, she didn’t have a way to protect herself against a large group of them, and she was still physically weak. A bad storm might kill her—but it could also mask an escape for when she had a plan. Then again, if the beast had enemies, that could provide an excellent opportunity to disrupt his plans or destroy him.

She filed away that information for another time, unable to think of anything else but the hard ride and the Alpha, whose scent she was trying not to breathe. The beast leaned forward, and the nnirae galloped even faster than when he was attached to her cart. The wind and sand hit her face so strongly she could barely breathe, but the beast wrapped a cloth around her lower face, like she’d seen the riders wearing.

They rode for hours, only stopping for short times to give water to the nnirae. Finally, as the sun began to inch toward the horizon, tall buildings of a city rose in the distance.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The city was, in fact, just a collection of decayed structures—slabs of rock, shapeless and worn. They were built on strange angles, as though following a design that was no longer visible.

The beast and his companions slowed down and weaved through them. But as they progressed, making their way through intricate dusty paths, the chunks of rock took on form and shape until they became intact ruins.

The placement of the buildings and the way the roads interlocked had been designed with intention and expertise. Although crumbling and in disrepair, they’d been designed to be aesthetically pleasing, with shapely roofs, carvings, and decoration. This had once been a beautiful city.

They continued through the roads and the ruins gradually improved, until they came upon several of them that weren’t ruins at all but a series of buildings, untouched by decay.

They formed a circular labyrinth of homes, their surfaces painted in shades of orange, brown, and yellow, which the late afternoon sun transformed into a breathtaking display of amber, russet, and gold. It was a gorgeous sight. The homes were small and homely, framed with pots of plants and decoration, and children ran between them.

People came out into the road and called out to the beast, waving and bowing as he passed, but they also stared at Naya. The faces here were a stark contrast to those at the camp. This time, tense expressions of bewilderment, fear, and anger suggested a collective concern. Had they been told she would be kidnapped?

Naya watched them back, meeting their eyes with her own determination. If they knew she was taken, then escaping would mean working against the entire city, not just the beast, who definitely appeared to be an important figure to them.

She kept her chin up, and her expression blank, but her mind raced.

The beast and his companions rode on, and the buildings of the city transformed again to bigger and more impressive designs following the labyrinth design that began from the very outskirts. They passed markets and communal areas, and the population became denser and louder. The air became a catastrophe of noise and odor—metal clanging, smoky bitterness, and raucous voices all competing with each other.

Citizens lined the streets to call out and bow to the beast, rows of them in colorful clothing and glittering jewelry.

Finally, by the time dusk had taken hold of the skies, they turned into quieter roads and arrived at an enormous palace. With its walls a shade of rich golden brown, it seemed to have been created directly from the desert itself. From what she could see, it was beautiful, punctuated by an array of windows and panels and stately pillars, and encircled by a wall that was similarly designed—with intricate lattice decoration carved in the top half and rimmed with spires. There was a timeless magnificence about it, like it had been standing for a long time, yet remarkably well-kept—a far cry from the ruins on the outskirts of the city.

The traveling party trotted straight through the gates and finally stopped in the forecourt, where guards had gathered. Naya took in her surroundings as the beast spoke to his companions.

It had similar structures to Lox Palace—guarded forecourts, stables, towers—and guards in every direction. She stared up at the huge steps that led to the entrance. Her body ached from traveling on the nnirae for the whole day, and it wasn’t like she’d been in perfect condition before that. She needed sleep and recovery so she could think.

The beast finally stopped speaking and remained motionless for a moment, his arm still around her, pressing her to his chest. Something brushed the side of her head, and she tensed, waiting for a threat or demand. He inhaled, long and deep, then dismounted and strode away, up the huge steps and into the building.

Naya watched him go, exhaling in relief, but the feeling quickly dulled when his guards surrounded her.

Inside the building was just as pretty on the outside with decorated pillars, vibrant artwork, and wall art; woven rugs complemented the earthy colors of the building, but Naya was just glad it was cool.

The guards took her up numerous stairways and along multiple corridors, and forced her to walk quicker than her aching joints could manage. She hadn’t realized how much effort it took to stand now, let alone walk swiftly, but finally they stopped at a door in a quiet corridor and ushered her inside.

It was dark and mellow inside, illuminated by only a few small lamps, but it was certainly not a room for prisoners. The bedroom was as beautifully designed as the rest of the palace, with rich burnished tones and intricate carvings throughout. Tall and short pillars framed the room, giving it a grand, formal feel. Huge artwork adorned the walls, and an area had been carved into the right wall, providing a small, comfortable nook where a large lattice window was framed with pot plants, cushions and blankets.