Alanna was speechless. She felt very sorry for Warren about his past. For some reason, however, she felt that he didn't want sympathy, and didn't try to comfort him. Instead, she talked about sorcery.
"You know, Warren, tonight I could look in the fire and try to see who Kastriel is."
The boy looked at her, astonished. "You would do that?" his face lit up. Immediately after, he looked crestfallen. "I should really find him on my own."
Alanna nodded understandingly. "Well, I could contact Halef Seif, and ask him about the time you met him."
He stared at her in disbelief. "You know Halef? How?"
She laughed. "We are very good friends, from when I lived in the desert. I never met a man named Kastriel, though. Will you show me some of your sorcery?"
Warren smiled to cover up his dejected look, and lifted his hands, guiding Kastriel with his knees.
Alanna heard nothing, but suddenly a huge crack in the ground appeared in their left, engulfing a tree and a bush. It then closed immediately. They showed each other several other reaches of their magic before they retired for the night.
The next day dawned bright and hot. The sun beat down on the two riders as they approached the vast stretches of sand and dunes that was the Bazhir desert. As the sun set, casting red light over the scene in front of them, Alanna and Warren could see the tents of the Bloody Hawk. They also could see a man on a horse in the distance.