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When Jade stepped through the door and into the next location, she was immediately too hot. The harsh sun beat down upon her, instantly drying her damp clothes. The warm summer air had been nice at the beach, but here it was like a volcano had just erupted and turned into the sun.
“It’s so hot!” Her neck was drenched with sweat and there was no water or trees in sight.
“Quit your complaining, there’s an oasis just over that rise,” Irvetta remarked, in the cold, clipped tone she used when she was irritated.
Jade stumbled and dragged herself up the sand dune to see a quiet oasis pool sitting at the bottom of the slope. She ran down the hill of golden sand as fast as she could and dropped to her knees beside the pool, gulping down huge mouthfuls of the refreshing water.
“Don’t drink too much,” Irvetta said in a snide voice. “You’ve still got to find the ring.”
She was right, Jade knew she was. But the heat made her tired and lethargic and the water was so nice…
“Or I could leave you here.” Irvetta’s voice cut through Jade’s thoughts and she sat bolt upright. She couldn’t let the desert consume her mind right now.
“No, I will find that ring,” Jade said. She took one more gulp of water and stumbled over to the dune she’d run down.