" Aren't you afraid that I'll run away? " asked Tristan curious and even a little surprised.
It was the first time in a long time that he was not with his hands and feet chained, and it was good to finally have control over his movements. Still, that was very strange.
Of course, there were soldiers everywhere and it is worth remembering that he was also surrounded by a lot of slaves who hated him, so it would make no difference if he tried to escape or not. Still, curiosity spoke more and he decided to ask.
Niris didn't even deign to turn around to answer him.
"I control the sand, from the smallest and most insignificant grains to the mounds that extend to countless distances. My gift gives me such perfect mastery and such a vast reach that the simple idea of you trying to rebel against me in a desert would be simply foolish " Answered the 'child of the sand, messenger of the gods, daughter of the desert' and a hundred other different things.
Tristan let out a "hum" of agreement and disappointment. In a way, he was still chained, but this time the chains were invisible and more lethal than the old ones.
Not that he thought Niris would kill him, after all Nefertari was very clear when she said she wanted Niris to bring him alive, so he would at most end up buried under the sand just like last time.
All he did was sigh while still riding his camel.
"Explain to me what we should really do? " Not wanting to leave the atmosphere like that, Tristan decided to try to start a conversation with the most random subject he had.
"Didn't you pay attention to the instructions of the goddess Nefertari?! " This time, Niris turned to look at him, just so he could witness his face of fury and disgust with veins jumping from his forehead.
The desire to laugh was great, but Tristan controlled himself because he didn't want to have his lungs full of sand again.
"Yes, I paid attention, but we've been walking for 3 days and as my memory is kind of bad, so I forgot what we should do here" He replied with the most fake face he had.
The truth was that he hadn't paid attention to anything that crazy cat-looking woman had said.
Niris also noticed this, but decided not to make a scene for someone so below her.
"We are looking for a Sphinx"
"A Sphinx? " Tristan asked more to himself than to anyone around.
He knew little about Egyptian mythology, that could not be denied, but he knew what a sphinx was. Lion's body, human head, makes riddles and kills that who doesn't answer correctly...
Well, at least that's what the movies said.
"And why are we looking for a Sphinx? "He asked now more curious.
He could see Niris' face turning red with irritation even though she had her back to him " Because a Titan is approaching us, and the Sphinx may be the only thing that has an answer on how to defeat him "
"I thought your 'gods' were capable of doing anything" Tristan laughed at his own joke.
The next thing that entered his field of vision was a large sand stake pointed directly at his eyes.
"Open your mouth to speak heresies again and I swear by Nefertari that I will tear out your eyes and your tongue" Niris said deadly serious now looking directly at him.
Seeing those brown eyes full of fury staring at him so intensely, Tristan raised his hands in a sign of surrender while keeping his smile.
Niris clicked his tongue and made the stake disappear, with them continuing the journey without exchanging a word with each other.
The rest of the trip continued without many problems apart from the scorching heat of the desert. From time to time, some slaves asked for water and were whipped for bothering, while Tristan drank all the water he could while the slaves looked at him with hatred.
Suddenly, Tristan heard something. It was those voices again, talking to him, instructing him, warning him.
And they told him to look at the horizon.
Tristan looked in that direction confused, but was completely shocked by what was on the other side.
"It's the Sphinx! " Shouted one of the soldiers pointing in the same direction as Tristan was looking.