Tykota joined Makinna and guided her up a steep slope. She gritted her teeth, hoping she wouldn't fall and break her neck. Through her thin-soled shoes she could feel every pebble and stone. It had been bad earlier; now it was agony. Once she tripped and almost lost her footing, managing to stay upright only by grabbing a scraggly bush.
Tykota turned back to her with a scowl on his face. "Try to step where I step."
"I can't. Your strides are too long for me."
He put his hands on his hips and glanced upward, as if seeking patience. "Then walk in front of me so I can cover our trail."
She swept past him without meeting his eyes. He could be the most insufferable man.
Makinna's chest tightened as she stood on the cliff, the evening breeze stirring her hair. She could smell the sweet perfume of the desert in bloom. Why had she not seen the beauty before?
She was probably as guilty as everyone else on seeing the desert for the first time and looking past a beauty so subtle that it was woven into the tapestry of this land. Could there be more brilliant sunrises and sunsets anywhere in the world? The land was certainly not colorless, as she had thought at first. The colors were of the earth and sky, with blooming cacti and brilliantly hued birds that soared on the breath of the wind. Also, the desert was teeming with life if one took the time to look. Just then, she watched a hawk dive toward the ground, probably in pursuit of some unfortunate prey that had caught its keen eye.
There was life and death here. And renewal.
Makinna hadn't heard Tykota approach her until he spoke. "Do you find beauty in the desert?" he asked.
"Yes, I do. It's unlike anywhere else in the world." She turned her head and looked up at him. "I admit I didn't see it at first, and had I gone on with my journey on the stage, I would probably have been left with the impression that this land was utterly desolate."
He looked pleased for a moment. "Most people do not see with the eye but with the mind. This land offers constant contrasts, a heaven for some and harsh, as well. If a man lets down his guard, the land can easily claim him for its victim."
"You never let your guard down, do you?"
Tykota looked past her at the glowing sunset, knowing he dare not let his guard down around Makinna. Even standing near her was painful. He had never felt this way about a woman before, so he could not put a name to what he was feeling. She was brave and spirited and rarely complained about how hard he was pushing her. It seemed to be in her nature to see the good in any situation. And though she did have a temper, he found he liked that about her as well.
"No," he said at last. "I never let my guard down."
"Why not? Surely sometimes it is safe to do so."
He chose to ignore her question. "Do you think you can continue until the sun reaches its zenith?"
Makinna was bone weary. They had walked and climbed hills most of the night, stopping only occasionally to rest. She wanted to cry out that she could not go another step, but she wouldn't let him see that weakness in her. He expected her to complain, maybe even wanted her to. She stiffened her spine. "I can walk as long as you can."
His lips thinned. "Then let us go on."
She stumbled twice, fell once, and was slow to get to her feet. She glowered at Tykota's back as he walked effortlessly ahead of her.
He wasn't human! Didn't he ever get tired? She looked over the steep edge of the cliff, half wanting to shove him off.
He drove on mercilessly, until at last he halted, pointing at a high ridge. "We will spend the day there."
She drew in an exhausted breath, wondering how she would gather the strength to climb to the top.
He motioned for her to go ahead of him. "I will come behind and cover our tracks."
She set her eyes on the summit and her feet in motion. "This can be endured," she mumbled to herself. "This can be endured." How many times had she spoken those words to keep up her courage in the months her mother had been slowly dying? If she had endured the pain of losing her beloved mother and brother, she could surely get through this.
Makinna sat with her back pressed against a boulder, trying to shade her face against the sun. The mud had long since worn off, and they couldn't use their precious water to make more. Her skin felt as if it were on fire, and she wanted to cry from the pain of it. Her throat was so parched that she could hardly swallow. Her hair was hopelessly tangled, and she was hungry.
But, thanks to Tykota, she was still alive.
Makinna glanced about, searching for him. He'd gone back down the hill some time ago and hadn't returned. Where was he? What if he'd deserted her? What if he'd left her here to die?
She scrambled to her feet and glanced about frantically. She could think of nothing worse than to be left out here to die alone.