Malachi and his militia led the horses up a steep wall of shifting dunes. The commune of Casen lay just up ahead. Elbi looked at the very crude structure; a far cry from the Palace of Lazar. A circular wall was in the process of being built by men, and watch towers were also being constructed. Barbed wire coiled along the top of wooden pylons, sharpened at their tips. Clearly this commune was preparing for an attack. It didn't look like any paradise, but it would have to be their new home. "Help the women, and get the horses to the stables," Malachi commanded his men. "Rest up for the evening. You did a good job out there. We are lucky to have you on our side." His praise to them seemed welcome as each man approached Malachi with a pat on the back or a shake of the hand before heading off. The women of the harem stood with only Malachi in the entrance of the heavily guarded commune. "They call this a commune," Mistress Tula murmured under her breath.
