Laini stood as close to Nebedtka as she could when he raised his hands and began to speak words she didn’t understand. It was a slow and somewhat arduous task to listen to and she felt the skepticism from before cause her to roll her eyes but she tried to remain as patient as she could stand it. Occasionally, he would mutter something that she thought she recognized but it would be gone just as fast as he said it.

The surface of her skin began to shudder when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Perhaps the man she had seen before? She tried to put it out of her mind and pay attention to Nebedtka as he continued.

At first, she didn’t want to believe anything was actually happening but the wind did indeed pick up just slightly and a small set of clouds began to form above their heads. She tilted her head to watch the billowing mass gather and grow darker with each line of his voice.

On each corner of the circle on the ground lay herbs and representations of the elements with a small stone bowl at the center. It was this that caught her attention the most. The contents in it began to shine just a little as Nebedtka’s words were slowly flooded out by the sounds of whispers around the pair. He was still talking, but a sound like a great number of people began to speak and all of them were different languages.

For barely a second, Laini thought to pull him away but in her heart of hearts, she knew that if she interrupted this ritual now, it could be at his expense. She wasn’t about to sacrifice her brother for any of this.

The sand at Nebedtka’s feet began to whirl around and the contents of the bowl drifted into the little growing cloud of dust. Rocks as well were being pulled into this sphere as it became bigger with each passing moment.

Nebedtka abruptly stopped talking and stared wide-eyed and mouth agape at the orb now within the circle.

Laini took a small step back, her hand on her mouth trying to think through what she was witnessing.

It was true.

“Brother...?” Laini tried to catch her breath, her heart racing. How could she have been so foolish? He leaned back to look at her and she noticed his eyes were alight with the same, soft yellow huh that now existed inside the hovering sphere of sand and rocks. “Nebedtka?!”

He took several paces away from the circle and moved his eyes from her feet to her head and back down the length of her body.

“Why have you called to me?” he and a voice inside the orb asked. Laini furrowed her brow. “You are not the one who usually summons me...where is Pawah?”

Laini cocked her head to one side. With some hesitation, she sighed but straightened her back to appear less agitated.

“We...are his children,” she replied, pointing at herself and then to her brother. “I am Laini and the man is Nebedtka.”

“Is that so…,” it said and turned his face into an amused smirk. “Did something happen to our friend?”

“No, he’s alright,” she said. Laini glared a little and distorted her face. She wasn’t too sure if admitting that they were just curious was a good idea. Lying might be worse. The creature chuckled, the light at the center of the sphere pulsing with each.

“That is good to hear. Our friend is a good and diligent defender. It is a pleasure to aid him when we are able,” it replied.

“Our? Are there more than one of you?” she tilted her head and took a few steps closer.

“We are entities of wind and earth, born here in these deserts. Pawah found us when we were in the service of a wretched man and saved us from slavery. We are glad to help...for now.”

Laini lifted her head and was thinking of something else to say but the sphere moved closer to her, catching her off guard.

“You are Laini...Pawah’s daughter…” they mused. “We have heard much about you...”

Laini furrowed her brow and leaned back as the entity moved her brother in closer to her face.

“We can see it…” it whispered with a voice that she could also hear inside her head. “We admit...we have wanted to meet you for quite a while. Ever since that man told us about you…”

He leaned in even closer.

“We know what you are…”

“What I am...?” she echoed.

“STOP!” A loud and angry male voice shouted from behind her and when she turned was met with a decisive slap in the face. The creature cackled with Nebedtka’s voice that cut Laini to her heart, making the moment worse when she realized the one who slapped her was her father. She stumbled back and into her brother who took her by the waist and planted his head next to hers. She clutched her face, refusing to look her father in the eye.

“Oh, our dear Pawah. How nice of you to join us,” the entity sighed.

“How much did you tell her?” Pawah demanded.

“Not much. But it’s so tempting, isn’t it?” it asked, lifting her by the chin but she refused and lowered her face back into her brother’s shoulder.

“I do not want my children involved in this…!” Pawah stomped his foot but the entity chuckled again.

“You may not have a choice in that, my dear,” it replied before vanishing upward. “They are looking for her…”

Nebedtka was released into his body and he stumbled back and into a rock with Laini holding onto him so he wouldn’t fall. He violently shook his head to bring himself around and then looked up, met with the very angry eyes of his father. Aisha finally came into view far behind him, hands folded in front of her body, a distinct glare on her face.

“Father...mother…” he said, trying to hide somewhat behind Laini. “We just--”

“I warned you both not to go looking for these things. Why did you defy me--?!” Pawah started when Laini suddenly rounded on him, anger in her eyes that he had never seen before.

“WHAT ARE YOU HIDING FROM ME!?”