The afternoon air inside the stone palace felt static. Inside her room, Entya lay on a thick carpet with geometric patterns while staring at the finely carved stone ceiling.

  "Boooring... Gerel, is there really nothing else I can do?" Entya rolled over with her long charcoal hair messy against the carpet. "My only job lately has been gardening. I miss riding horses across the grasslands."

  Gerel was tidying some pieces of deel fabric in the corner of the room and simply offered a knowing smile. "Be patient, En. You know it is at its hottest outside right now. Besides, your plants need your attention, don't they?"

  Just as Entya was about to reply with another grumble, a steady knock sounded at the heavy stone door. Soon the door slid open and a tall figure stood there.

  Entya blinked. It was Nashr, but he was not wearing his usual luxurious maroon and purple robes. The Lion of the Desert was now wearing simple and loose ivory cotton clothes typical of the local Talrakian people. Without his flashy gold accessories, he looked more grounded, though his broad shoulders and wild maroon hair still radiated an undeniable aura of dominance.

  "Hey, little nomad," Nashr greeted her with a casual tone and a slight smile on his firm face. "Want to come to the city with me?"

  Entya’s larimar eyes instantly brightened as if all her boredom evaporated in a second. She stood up nimbly. "Oh, of course! Where are we going? Is there a festival?"

  "Just a small inspection," Nashr answered while leaning his shoulder against the door frame and folding his arms over his chest. "I want to see the condition of the market and a few districts personally."

  "Wait for me, I will get ready as fast as lightning!"

  Gerel immediately approached Entya and pulled the girl to sit in front of a small mirror. With skilled fingers, Gerel began to comb Entya’s charcoal hair and braided a portion of it in the signature Salkha style. While she worked, Gerel’s amber eyes occasionally glanced at Nashr who was still waiting patiently at the doorway.

  There was something unique about this sight, Gerel thought. Before her was a great and feared ruler, yet when he looked at Entya, the amethyst gaze softened. Given that Entya’s body remained frozen at the age of twelve, they did not yet look like a future husband and wife. Instead, they looked more like companions, perhaps like an older brother taking his younger sister out to play.

  "All done," Gerel said softly as she set down the comb. She took an ivory white cloak to cover Entya’s pastel clothes. "Don't forget to wear this cloak, En. It is to protect you from the desert heat."

  Entya grabbed the cloak and ran toward Nashr. "Let's go! Thank you Gerel, I will bring back a souvenir for you later!"

  Nashr chuckled softly as Entya’s hand naturally reached out to grip Nashr’s sleeve before they stepped through the stone corridors toward a secret palace door.

  They walked along small streets in a corner of Talrakia that were rarely visited by large caravans. The buildings here were carved directly from the cliff walls to create an exotic stone labyrinth. Nashr walked with calm steps while Entya was busy looking here and there and admiring how the locals used the available space.

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  "Oh, Lord Nibras! It has been quite a while since you stopped by this area."

  A middle aged man in desert clothing greeted them from the front of a small shop. Entya furrowed her brow and looked at Nashr with confusion. Nibras? That was a name unknown to Entya.

  "You brought someone today, I see. She looks like... someone from the East?" The man squinted while observing Entya’s facial features which were softer and brighter compared to the brown skinned desert dwellers.

  Nashr’s expression softened as he placed one hand on Entya’s shoulder. "Yes, she wanted to see the city. How are the people here, Old Man?"

  The man noticed the change in tone from Lord Nibras. The lord was usually firm, but now, he was slightly more relaxed. However, the man's face quickly turned serious. He let out a heavy sigh.

  "Not very good, Lord. After the earthquake last month, several houses in the back alley collapsed. We are still focused on recovery. Many trade goods are buried so we cannot trade as usual."

  Nashr fell silent and his jaw tightened for a moment. "Any casualties?"

  "Two elderly people in the southwest area, one child, and three adults who were crushed by pillars," the man answered with a hoarse voice.

  "I see. My condolences," Nashr said with a low voice as he looked down slightly. "I will relay this situation to the palace authorities so that aid can be allocated immediately."

  "Thank you, Lord Nibras. Your help with the trade dispute the other day was very useful. We are deeply in your debt."

  "It was just my duty," Nashr answered briefly before saying goodbye to continue the journey.

  Once they were away from the crowd, Entya pulled Nashr’s sleeve. "Nashr, do earthquakes happen often in the desert?"

  Nashr shook his head while holding his chin and thinking hard. "As far as I know, it has never happened while I have lived here. I need to ask Elam and the scientists to investigate. I worry this is related to the expansion of the Dead Lands or the miasma starting to ruin the soil structure."

  Entya went quiet and looked at her two small hands. A sense of frustration grew in her chest. "My power is still not enough to fight something that big, is it?" she whispered. "I can only grow plants while this land is being destroyed."

  Nashr stopped walking. He turned fully toward Entya and looked deep into those larimar eyes that now seemed dim. He reached out and stroked Entya’s head gently.

  "Developing power takes time, Entya. It did even for me," Nashr said reassuringly. "Do not underestimate the life energy you carry. For now, my shield is still strong enough to hold back the miasma."

  Entya looked up at Nashr’s amethyst eyes which sparkled with warmth. Nashr never pressured Entya or blamed her for not being strong enough. He believed in her, and that made her more excited to prove herself. She wanted to be more useful. She had to be.

  A playful idea suddenly popped into her head. By the side of the road, there was a small garden made by the residents where the plants looked miserable and half withered from the sun and the lack of water after the earthquake.

  Entya smirked mischievously. "At least I can do something for these poor plants in the city, right? Please?"

  Nashr looked around to ensure no citizens were watching them directly. He nodded with an amused smile. "Do it secretly, little nomad."

  "Alright!" Entya half ran toward the plants.

  She crouched down as if she were only observing the withered flowers. Slowly, she placed her fingers on the cracked earth. A blue-green light that was almost invisible under the hot sun flowed from her palms.

  In seconds, the leaves that were previously brown and drying began to turn a fresh green. The buds that were nearly dead started to stand tall and bloom while radiating bright colors in the middle of the barren city stones. Entya smiled with satisfaction.

  Nashr stood not far from her. In his eyes, the small Entya in the middle of the green plants looked like the most precious jewel in all of Talrakia.

  "Come on, before anyone realizes those roses are blooming out of season," Nashr said with a quiet laugh.

  Entya stood up cheerfully and grabbed Nashr’s hand and walked with him along the city streets. All the way home, Entya secretly stretched out her fingers to touch every plant they passed. While they walked, the citizens resting at the shops behind them felt something different. Even though the sun was scorching, the air in the desert land felt cooler than usual that day.