Sides

“What? What is it?” Engel asked.

Jente was kneeling at the mouth of the tent, gasping and choking, coughing.

“I - saw something.” Jente clutched at her throat, eyes wide. Engel scrambled to kneel beside her.

“What did you see?”

“It’s almost time,” Jente said.

“Time to what?” Engel asked.

“Return.”

“To Old Master?”

Jente nodded. She dragged her hand across her mouth and stared out at the golden desert sands, at the thousands of tents arrayed beneath the stars.

“How soon?” Engel asked.

“Not until this battle is won,” Jente said.

“Won by which side?”

“That only time will tell.”