What will happen tomorrow?
Jumanna left the tent and looked upward at Jumann Khayat (Pearl Deposit), a star cluster after which she had been named. With her fingers, she felt the chain on her neck that carried her talismans a big pearl bought by her father at the market of Bandabaze on her memorable birthday, and a golden key that unlocked secret locks in the Amatt Estate.
In the Common Language, Jumanna meant pearl and Inaiya meant golden.
The big pearl and the golden key were all that remained of her father.
Help me, oh stars, whispered Jumanna, looking at the night sky, Take the troubles away from me. Help me, Father.
4
A sleepless night was making itself known, as morning turned out torturous and getting up had been a feat. Lamis rose first and went to get some water. When she drew back the canopy, stuffy air swept in as though the tent had been mistakenly put into a giant oven overnight and now burned ferociously. Jumanna quickly realized that today would be even hotter than yesterday.
The rest of the caravans population was coming around even slower than the children. The feeling was that there was no need to go anywhere today and a two-hour passage (probably at the peak of heat) would be far enough.
Breakfast passed in silence. Despite the sluggish actions of the caravanners, everyone understood they faced a tedious passage ahead of them. There was not a single person inside the tent who looked pleased at the prospect.
After breakfast was finished, some of the children parted. As usual, Makacash, typically the most energetic, ran away to kill scorpions, Astramed went to explore nature, and Calif took three strong boys with him to teach them fencing.
It is only he that brings me joy!
Looking around the tent, Mulaf collapsed onto the blankets and continued his morning sleep. Another younger pupil, looking at his older and lazier comrade, followed his example. Jumanna didnt say anything. Several girls whispered quietly in a corner. Lamis took a book and began to read. It was meaningless to send them all out of the tent and pack it up without the command of the caravan.
Jumanna opened her diary. She took a feather and opened a jar of ink. Having dipped the sharp tip, she brought it over the paper and froze.
What should I write about?
She did not wish to talk about the fact that the caravanners, the warriors, and even an astronomer believed that a woman did not belong on such a journey.
What else can I write about? My sleepless night? About the responsible Calif? The lively Makacash? The inquisitive Astramed?
Jumanna was sinking into a reverie when suddenly the earth shook beneath her. A thick drop of ink fell onto the page and spread over it, distracting her thoughts.
What is happening?
The answer came in an instant.
A scorpio angler! The air was filled with a piercing shriek.
Dropping the feather, Jumanna raced out of the tent as chaos ensued the camp. Camels bleated and floundered wildly as the ground shook. Sand flew in different directions, and beneath it the black body of a scorpio angler had already emerged. It was absolutely enormous!
Once before Jumanna had seen a scorpio angler, when she was young, and even that was from afar. Father, who would always protect her, had been nearby and quickly led her away. Although Jumanna had not seen the battle with the filthy creature, she knew what a small and a big scorpio angler could look like from the stories told by her brother and old campaigners. This one was probably the largest that could exist in the world.
I thoughtscorpio anglers arent found in the north of Kay Samiluf.
But he appeared before Jumannas caravan! Her premonition had not deceived her.
Her brothers stories hadnt been told in vain. Jumanna knew that when a scorpio angler attacked, you had to urgently look for elevation, or even better, a stone ridge. These monsters didnt have eyes and felt the movements made on the sand. But if you found firm ground, you were saved! She looked around and to her joy, she saw one some two hundred steps away! Everything developed rapidly after that.
Quick, get out! She pulled the tents canopy aside, but quick-thinking Lamis was already pushing Mulaf, his companion, and the girls towards the exit. To those stones! Run for all youre worth! Jumanna ordered, pointing at the ridge with her finger.
The boys ran fast by themselves, while Lamis literally dragged the girls along with her.
Jumannas eyes found Calif, who was driving about a dozen more kids toward the tent. She pointed him towards the stones. The young man understood her from first glance and nodded.
The scorpio angler was now fully emerged, smashing people and camels with its deadly sting. Its terrible weapon circumscribed the arc and pierced Khatum Tangut. Jumanna immediately felt a lump in her throat as just yesterday she wished for some malicious incident to happen to him. Though she wished for something, she could never have imagined such a thing.
I must pull myself together! I can grieve for Tangut and reproach myself for damnation against him at some other time, not now!
In the chaos of the panic-stricken caravanners, Jumanna saw the young Makacash holding his childish sword forward, frozen in a fighting posture. Her heart sank. She believed he was about to charge at the scorpio angler with the same rapidness he lashed out at its younger brother scorpions. But fortunately, at that exact moment, the student turned toward her.
Run! There, where the stones are! Jumanna shouted at the top of her voice. Her cry merged with the roar that reigned around her. However, the boy understood his caretaker and with his usual speed, rushed to the other students.
Jumanna looked again at the ridge and quickly counted the people.
Twenty two with Lamis one is missing! Who? Astramed! Of course, Astramed!
For a long time, her eyes searched the surroundings where fear and panic triumphed, resting on a pile of white bales. Astramed was bent down under them, his head clasped in his hands. It was impossible to reach him with a cry so Jumanna rushed to the bales with full force. Two strong men, the soldiers of Khallan, fled towards her, nearly knocking her over. The warriors rushed away from imminent death while she ran directly toward it; to where a deadly sting was dissecting the air. Jumanna grabbed the childs hand as he instantly recovered from his petrifying fear. She pulled him to the grey ridge of rocks with all her might, as an inner voice prompted her to duck. Jumanna pushed the boy forward and then fell to the ground herself. The tail of the scorpio angler whistled right above her head and met the body of a fat camel. The animal roared with pain and immediately fell silent. The torment didnt last long. Holding Astrameds hand, Jumanna rushed forward to the lifesaving stones. She had a stitch in her side, her breathing was uneven, and hot air burned her lungs. Astramed breathed even more heavily as the scorpio-angler was finishing off the caravan amidst the sounds of retreating battle.
Jumanna gave the student a leg up and then climbed onto the rocks herself as Califs strong hands grabbed and lifted her without a problem. After that, she fell limply onto her back, inhaling several deep breaths.
She closed her eyes and sank into a trance. Maybe she lost consciousness. But not for long.
She closed her eyes and sank into a trance. Maybe she lost consciousness. But not for long.
The young woman shuddered and woke up. After a while she was able to raise herself on her elbows and see what had become of the caravan. The commotion had subsided, but Jumanna could not see a living thing.
Where are the people who had wanted to escape by fleeing?
No one could be seen only the corpses of caravanners and camels. The scorpio-angler himself had also fallen to his side. Near his jaws lay the carcass of a desert elephant. Lamis said that the animal had either become mad with fear or, on the contrary, having gained courage, simply took off and rammed itself into the scorpio-anglers head. The elephant was dead, but whether the scorpio-angler was actually dead was a big question. Jumanna knew that these monsters were incredibly tenacious. Perhaps it was just tired and resting. Perhaps it had decided to postpone its planned meal for the evening.
Silently, they sat on the rocks under the scorching sun and when it seemed safe, moved into the shadow which roamed around the ridge. A malodorous stink whiffed from recent battle scene.
Finally, dusk had fallen. Dew fell on the boulders, which had saved the lives of the Academys students. Jumanna showed everyone how to collect moisture from the rocks using ones lips, just as Father taught her. If it hadnt been for him, with all probability, Jumanna and her students were destined to have died of thirst that very night.
Darkness fell. The stars were luminous in the sky. Darkness reigned near the gigantic silhouette of the scorpio-angler. The monster did not ignite the deadly light on its tail. This meant only one thing the scorpio-angler was dead!
Jumanna descended from the rocks and overcoming her fear, went around the terrible place. Her head was spinning, and she felt a lump rising in throat. But she had to hold on. Dead camels Dead people And then Jumanna heard a hoarse voice! She rushed to the sound. The astronomer Umal Al-Dassay lay crushed under the corpse of a camel. The young woman tried to get him out, to no avail. She thought of calling Calif and a couple more of the boys, but the old man stopped her.
Leave it, it is needless I dont have long Jumanna was silent. She didnt know what to say.
Forgive me Forgive all of us! Al-Dassay continued. We were wrong. Experienced caravanners have been killed Warriors And you survived and saved the lives of your students. You You are a wonderful caretaker.
What should I do now? Jumanna asked almost inaudibly. You are in charge now, so you must decide " the old man croaked and rolled his eyes upward. Look! His tone changed dramatically. The constellation of the Lion!
Jumanna lifted her head upward. Indeed, just above her shone the constellation of the Lion.
The constellation of the Lion. The Marawie Star, which pointed the way to the migrants from the north during their dangerous passage from the Valley. But what did the astronomer mean?
And then it dawned on Jumanna! How could she? She was so proud of her knowledge of astronomy, yet she hadnt noticed the elementary changes in the sky! Even yesterday, when she had been fascinated by Jumann Khayat.
Perhaps the increased attention from the male-caravanners and the reminders that this journey had no place for a woman had confused her and forced her to forget the basics of astronomy for a while.
Of course. After all, there was another astronomer a real astronomer!
But he had been mistaken!
The month of the Camel has already come and, relative to the road from Kay-Samiluf to Ayno-Suf, the constellation of the Lion should have been significantly more towards to the east!
Have we gone off the track? though it sounded like a question, it was actually a statement.
Forgive me forgive me once more, The astronomers voice began to weaken again. Ah, anility I confused the cards. I killed everyone! On the road to Ayno-Suf there are no scorpio-anglers, and I took you into the depths of the desert
Damn it! Thats all there is to life experience! All the wisdom!
Jumanna was no longer worried about the fatal error of the scattered astronomer. She ran her finger along the starry sky, measured the way to the north of the constellation of the Lion, where the Star of the Marawie, the brightest in the constellation, sent its rays.
But if we go to the northeast we can reach Muo. Wed find ourselves in the Valley by coming out onto the Dalaal path!
You are a good astronomer. You will manage to lead a caravan better than I have. It was the last thing Umal Al-Dassay said.
5
Jumanna returned to her students about half an hour later. Everyone was asleep, even Lamis. Only Calif had waited up for her. Jumanna handed him a few flasks of water and a saber.
She had unbuckled the flasks from the belts of the dead. It was terribly disgusting, but she had to restrain her feelings, for one cannot survive in the rough desert otherwise.
Jumanna had taken the saber from the belt of Khallan. He hadnt even had time to take the weapon in his hands. A sting had pierced him from the back as he was trying to flee. Even touching his stuff felt nasty! What a truly unworthy person! But the steel of the blade was painfully good, and a weapon was a necessity.
Jumannas father hired a fencing master for her in Min-Mirif. Later, while studying at the Observatory, she took lessons herself. But that had been more for the sake of interest. She never imagined that one day she would take the handle of a saber in traveling conditions.
It will be a blessing if on the road to the Valley I wont need to use Khallans blade!
Jumanna counted the corpses. Khallan, ten of his warriors, fifteen caravanners, and seven merchants, including Khatum Tangut and Umal Al-Dassay. No one else had survived. She found the two warriors who fled and nearly knocked her over a little farther from the place of slaughter. They had managed to distance themselves from the deadly sting, but, like the astronomer, were crushed by the body of a camel that collapsed on top of them.
By now she no longer felt any disgust while retrieving their weapons. It is necessary! Jumanna thought, searching the lifeless bodies.
After returning to the rocks, she immediately fell asleep. Surprisingly, this time, dreams struck her in an instant; no nightmares haunted her. Everyone awoke at sunrise. The sun began to bear down, or, to be more precise, burn up the air.
Jumanna, along with Lamis and Calif, returned to the place of slaughter. They began to search the surviving trunks. Calif found a saber for himself and parted with his harmless training weapon. Jumanna decided it was too early for the other children to look at such scenery. However, a few minutes later, Makacash could no longer resist the temptation and rushed to help them. The sight of the corpses of people and animals did not frighten him at all. Nothing was left of their tent. However, on the spot where it had stood, Jumanna found her diary and the only surviving book the first volume of Travel to the Skies by Azir Amunjadee.
They managed to save a solid piece of dense fabric, from which the boys made a canopy on the stones to hide from the sun. Without any superfluous conversations, everyone got busy working; even Mulaf did not shirk. By noon, all the useful belongings were transferred to the stones. Their food supplies would last them a week or two, but their water supply was not sufficient. Jumanna counted the empty flasks and gave the students the task of collecting dew from the stones in the evening, so they could fill everything.