Jalia on the Road (Jalia - World of Jalon) by John Booth Read Free Book Online Page A

cooling down Jalia’s horse. He rubbed the animal down and fed it some of the precious oats he kept as a treat for the donkeys. He lit a fire with practiced ease and soon had a stewing pot on the fire and a pot of tea brewing next to it.
    Jalia collapsed against the boulder Daniel had used earlier to protect his back. He approached her with a cup of tea and a plate of stew. He nearly dropped them in shock when he found her knife pressing against his throat. Her reaction speed was almost super-human.
    “I’ve brought you food,” Daniel said slowly and carefully. He felt the razor sharp edge of her knife cutting into his flesh.
    “Sorry about that,” she said sheathing the knife, “You startled me. I was dozing.”
    Jalia sat again, accepting the plate and cup from Daniel’s hands. She thought the food he had prepared tasted wonderful. ‘The boy has the gift of cooking’ she thought as she tucked in and ate every last morsel. She then fell properly asleep for the first time since leaving Bagdor.
    Daniel killed the fire. The desert was warm enough at this time of year not to require the extra warmth and there were thieves and worse who could locate a fire at night from five miles away. He cleaned up his dishes, but decided against touching those that lay besides the sleeping girl.
    ‘She’s a she-wolf,’ he thought looking at her face, which he thought was even more beautiful as it relaxed in sleep. ‘She is magnificent.’ It was going to be difficult for a teenager with raging hormones to sleep this close to such a woman.
     
    Jalia was awake before Daniel the next morning, brewed tea and cleaned her dirty dishes before he woke. She thought about offering him money for the meal. Jalia had embarrassingly forgotten the boy’s name. She was so exhausted when they met the night before that she had not paid attention to what he said. She wasn’t sure how to ask him without sounding rude.
    “How far are we from Enbar Entar?” she asked to break the silence. Jalia had no idea where the city was, accepting that if she followed the trail long enough she would reach it eventually.
    “About two days, if we break camp soon.” Daniel answered awkwardly. He had never had much opportunity to talk to girls. If Yousef caught him looking at one he would be sent off on a chore. “You could get there in a day if you were to ride your horse the way you were yesterday.”
    “He needs a rest and so do I. We will travel the rest of the way with you, if that’s all right?” Jalia wondered why it was important that the boy respond with a yes. Road etiquette demanded she should leave if he did not invite her to stay.
    “I would be glad of the company. I’m not used to traveling alone.” Daniel said to Jalia’s considerable relief.
    “Who do you normally travel with?” Jalia asked, though it was hardly surprising a boy as young as this one had not been traveling alone for long.
    “My older brother, Yousef. He suffered a serious accident some time ago and can no longer travel. It is up to me to make a living sufficient for both of us.”
    “You are a trader?”
    “Yes. I’m carrying ironmongery from Delbon.”
    “I thought the real money was in silver and jewelry?” Her father had traded in such things from Delbon and they fetched a fine price. What the boy was carrying would sell well enough, but his profits would be slim.
    Daniel looked away from her. “It is. But my brother’s illness consumed most of our money and he has to have enough money to live until I return. We could not afford to buy expensive goods.”
    Jalia decided to change the subject.
    “What is Enbar Entar like?”
    “It is a caliphate and the Caliph rules the city with an iron and. You must be careful how you behave in the city. Women are not usually seen without a man at their side and those that do are thought to have low morals. It is usual for women to hide their faces behind veils.”
    “Do the people gamble?”
    “Is there a place where