The Aegis is delighted by Darian’s order to leave the shield outside my Iory. It’s equally aghast when it learns there’s this thing called sleep I have to do.

  You ’t stay tched to my arm while I’m asleep, I tell it. Hell, you ’t even fit into the tent.

  The Aegis is not vinced. But I would remain so much more protected this way! It will ensure no one will get anywhere near me while I remain prone and pathetid atose.

  It’s not a a, it’s—you know what, never mind. I sigh, rubbing my temple. Quell is already inside aing ready for bed. Just let go of me. I know you . You don’t o be tched to me 24/7.

  The Aegis, of course, is quite offended. It doesn’t o be tched to me. It does not need anything. It is mighty and powerful and above all base instincts!

  Great, the go of my arm, I say.

  The Aegis still hesitates. It doesn’t respond to me, exactly, but I feel it radiating a faint uainty. Mentally, I focus on that of , and its feelings are brought into focus. It’s worried that if it lets go, it might get left behind. It was left behind for a long, long time, buried beh the sand.

  Huh. I guess it’s irely as self-fident as it acts. Even the shield is scared of being abandoned. Maybe that’s why it’s so gy.

  Because I know it doesn’t have to g to me. I remember throwing it when I was in my first Bloodlust. It was like the shield and I were more in sync then: of one will, if not one mind. Maybe that’s why it trusted me enough to let go back then. But right now, our priorities couldn’t be more different, and it must be able to tell that.

  I won’t leave you, I tell the shield. I just o sleep for a few hours. Look, I’ll stick you in the ground right outside the tent fp, so I ’t leave without grabbing you. How’s that?

  The Aegis finds this somewhat assuring, but still wonders if it’s really necessary. I would be so much more safe and protected with it on my arm!

  Now we’re just going in circles. Well, I guess you’ve left me no choice, I think with an exaggerated sigh. I’ll just have to add you bay—

  No wait!

  The red bands of light dissolve, and the shield drops to the ground, narrowly avoiding crushing my foot. I grab its lip before it tip over, then rub my freed forearm in relief. See? This isn’t so bad.

  The Aegis grumbles. It does not like the dark empty pce. There is nothing to fight there! And no oo talk to. Leaving my side is slightly better than being nowhere, but it’s also not an ideal sario. However, even with such a handicap, the Aegis will ensure I am protected. It will not fall to anything!

  Except gravity, I think. I lift up the shield and then sm it into the ground, burying its base until it stands upright. Then I hesitantly let go, and while I feel it struggling with the impulse to sh out with its magic, it doesn’t grab me. Hey, progress.

  It always is making progress, the Aegis thinks as I crawl into the tent. Nothing ever hi!

  Aegis, shut up. I colpse onto my bed mat. I o sleep.

  Yes, the Aegis agrees. It will keep vigint watch while I am senseless and torpid.

  Shhh. I squeeze my eyes shut. Stop thinking.

  The Aegis is the best at not thinking. It be ehoughtless. pletely silent. Devoid of all ition and strategic—what’s that! Oh, it’s a cloud. But if that cloud gets too close, it will rue the day it dared encroa the Crimson Aegis.

  I groan, uselessly stuffing a finger into my ear. It’s going to be a long night.

  I do, eventually, fall asleep, then when I wake I find the shield still mumbling to itself about potential threats in the shape of tumbleweeds and wild rabbits. As we eat breakfast and prepare for the ride, its stant threat assessment bees background noise.

  The star drake provides another ued challenge. As everyone finishes pag up camp, I pause before the lizard. The Aegis is back to riding on my arm, but once we’re rag through the desert, I’m worried it will catch the wind like a kite and rip my shoulder from its socket.

  you grab onto my back while we’re riding? I ask the Aegis. We switch back to the arm when I dismount.

  The Aegis is unsure about this. Resting on my back sounds a lot less useful if something challenges us to a fight.

  Well, if it’s too much for you to handle, you don’t have to, I add.

  Aegis roils with affront. What?! Too much to handle? Absurd. It easily mao a more optimal position. Trivial!

  The red light that’s shed around my arm squirms, crawling its way ulingly up my arm, over my armor, and around my shoulder. Then I feel a pressure ay chest and a weight settles against my back.

  Thanks, I think. Much better.

  The shield beams. Su insignifitly easy act is undeserving of gratitude.

  …Though if I wao show it even mratitude, it wouldn’t object.

  I shake my head with a ugh. “I’ll be riding in back today,” I tell the iven the new position of my oversized shield, no one argues, though Quell does strangely seem a little disappointed.

  When we head out that evening, I have to adjust the shield again to hang sideways ay back, so I’m actually able to sit oar drake. And just as I’d feared, the top and bottom edge catch the wind a bit. But I ter this by leaning in, and the shield even blocks the st hour of sunlight, providing some extra shade. Maybe w with the Aegis isn’t so bad after all. The staal entary is slightly distrag, but I ’t deny that it is a powerful, useful on.

  The Aegis preens at the pliments. Of course! Was there ever any doubt?

  The few days blur together. We wake a few hours before su, ride until the drakes and Xamireb need a break, eat a short lunch, then ride until dawn. The sunlight grows unfortable as we set up camp, then hot as we eat dinner, and finally painful when Darian deems it time to do more sparring sessions. Quell, Ear, and Xamireb have taken to watg us until the sun bees too unbearable; Ear suggests pg bets on how long I’ll st before Darian flips me on my baeither Xamireb nor Quell take him up on it.

  When I go to bed each m, I’m exhausted, sweaty, and covered in bruises.

  But every day I feel stronger and more capable tha.

  “The Coil is in sight,” Xamireb says just after dawn of the sixth day.

  I squint against the rising sun, trying to make out whatever Xamireb see through the waveri of the horizon. Even with the sun low and goggles pulled over my eyes, the desert is still painfully bright, not helped by the sunlight refleg off the baked ground and bato my face.

  The hat we’re finally close to civilization and not long from being out of the scorg heat fills me with relief, but Darian swears. “I thought we were closer. Bze it all. We will not be making camp today; we’ll ride straight to The Coil and search fns of the Bdes there. They must already be iy.”

  “Or already through and moved on,” Xamireb says.

  Darian shoots them a gre.

  They dip their head. “Apologies, Captain.”

  “I don’t think so,” Quell says. “They’re close. We were gaining on Liz’s trail every day. If they arrived anytime tonight, they were probably pnning on spending the day there to sleep and recover. This presents us with an opportunity to find them before they slip out the other side.”

  “And an opportunity to gain intelligence,” Darian says. “Their numbers, their dition, the state of the princess. Ear, I want you to start at the stables and ask around for any groups of six or more individuals retly purchasis of burden—especially if it’s of the faster variety. Xamireb, you go with Ear, keeping a for the Umbral Bde’s trail. I will iigate the marketpce for ret groups of travelers purchasing travel rations. Prince Quell, you’ll be ing with me. We meet up at the South exit of the city four hours after ress if we ’t find anything; immediately tact the other party if we do. Uood?”

  “Yes, Captain,” Ear and Xamireb say in unison, Quell hurriedly following up with a “Yes, Captain,” of his own several seds too te. I stay silent: I didn’t get any orders, and we all know I’ll be trailing Quell, anyway.

  Plus I definitely waited too long, and it would be awkward if I said anything now.

  After another half hour of travel, I make out a silhouette on the horizon. It gradually resolves into a round, dark shape. And as we get closer, details begin to emerge.

  “Holy shit.” Surprise and disquiet flutter through me as I realize what it is.

  The Coil is a colossal snake. I’m not sure if it’s the carcass or just the skin, but either way the coiling pattern of diamonds is unmistakable, its mouth open and dark, weling us inside.

  “Indeed,” Quell agrees, ing around Darian to get a better look. “I’ve read about the city before, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in person. Truly awe-inspiring.”

  “There aren’t really shat big out here, are there?” I ask.

  Ear snorts. “That one didn’t pop out of thin air.”

  I gnce around nervously, as if more three-story-tall snakes might be slithering about. Man, I thought the cacti and wyverns were big, but this retextualizes everything I’ve been imagining about this desert. Quell wasn’t kidding when he said Life arum results in “rown” animals.

  We slow as roach the city, and Xamireb pulls up alongside us, now at more of a trotting pace. They have to be exhausted from all that running (galloping?), but they haven’t even broken a sweat.

  Do spider people sweat?

  “I would suggest removing some of your adors, my prince,” Darian says. “There’s nothing that specifically identifies you as royalty, but any signs of wealth might draw unwatention in the Coil.”

  “ht,” Quell says. He unclips some gold cuffs from his ears and removes several bracelets, tug them away.

  “And Nye, keep your shield out,” Darian says. “It will help reinforce a general air of ‘don’t fuck with us.’”

  My mouth twitches with a smile. Darian might spend most of her time being serious and threatening, but it’s in a way I ’t help but respect. “ do, Captain.”

  The Crimson Aegis catches a glimpse of Darian’s order through my thoughts, and it exudes eagerness. Is there someone we threaten? It loves threatening things!

  “Everyone else, remove any Duneshade insignias you ,” Darian tinues. “Attempt to cover what you ’t. We won’t be able to pass as locals, but no sense in painting a bullseye on our backs.”

  We’re all already wearing shade cloaks, which helps a bit. Quell fastens his down his chest, c the gold insignia there. My armor is more pin, but there’s still the kingdom’s symbol pressed into the leather of the chest pte. At least the colors are muted.

  Darian jumps off Poppy and takes her reins as roach The Coil, leading the way to the mouth of the snake. I have to e my head back to see it all. Fangs like ied trees sprout from the roof of its mouth and hang halfway to the ground.

  “Hold,” a guard calls. “in and business?”

  “Duneshade scouts,” Darian says. “Here to trade for supplies.”

  The guard gives us an unimpressed look. “Duneshade. You are aware The Coil stands ral between the Duneshade and Moonfall flict?”

  “Yes,” Darian says. “We won’t cause any trouble.”

  “We’ve had Moonfall travelers pass through here retly as well,” the guard says, and Quell sits up straighter at her words. “If a fight breaks out…”

  “It won’t,” Darian promises. “We will keep the peace while in your territory. Please, we just want to restock our water a supplies.”

  The guard gives her another long look, then finally steps aside. “Wele to The Coil. The stables are in the first ring.”

  Darian dips her head in thanks aures for us to dismount. She passes Poppy’s reins to Xamireb as the rest of us slide off the drake’s back. Then we follow Darian inside as the snake swallows us whole.