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Chapter 5 of Egyptian fantasy novel Ra's Warrior
Chapter 4
Elise lounged on the couch shaking her head while Andrea ranted on about Adel’s decision to permanently seal off the tomb. The fact that he was knocked out seemed petty to Andrea. She didn’t care about anything else but that damnable tomb. It was a jarring change. It was just as bad as the one in her after their mother died when Andrea went from a fun-loving sister to a detached teenage who immersed herself in studying so she could avoid dealing with it. “I’m pretty sure Dad would agree with Adel on this one,” said Elise.
“I can’t believe this! What right does he have to dictate what I can do? If Father were here I’d have half a chance at persuading him to be reasonable. Getting permission to work on-site was hard enough. Now I’ve a paranoid supervisor talking about myths and curses. Am I the only sane person here?”
“He’s trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
“Yourself obviously,” mumbled Elise.
“Christ! What is wrong with you two?”
“Let’s see: Adel gets clocked in the head, you’ve got a serious case of amnesia, a psychopath followed us through Cairo, and, oh yeah, he makes like a magician and disappears. Adel’s right. We’ve no business snooping around down there.”
“Everybody’s against me.” When her fist struck the table the artifacts teetered.
Elise yelled at Andrea, “Who stayed with you every day after Mom died? Who came when you woke up screaming in the dead of night? Adel. Through everything good and bad he’s been there for us. Neither one of us is against you.”
Andrea crossed her arms, huffed, and fell onto the couch. Her face twisted with anger as images of the Great Pyramid flickered on the television screen.
“How are you, Andrea?” Adel asked, coming inside without knocking.
“She’s still mad. How are you?” Elise replied.
“My head is pounding, but I’ll survive.”
Andrea, cheeks glistening, said, “I’m sorry I treated you so badly, Adel.”
Adel lifted her face. “Your father is proud of you. You know that, right?” Adel knelt. “You discovered the Circle of Gods; only the purest hearts are able to open its doors, but it is still cursed. Some say it means the end of everything.”
“I don’t believe in curses.” Creases bracketed her mouth.
"You do not have to for them to be effective. Besides your safety is my concern. It is best to keep it hidden," Adel assured her.
“Fine,” Andrea agreed with a huff.
“Thank you.” Adel hugged her.
Elise quickly changed the subject, “Coffee anyone?”
“I’m going to bed.” Andrea kissed them and plodded to her room.
Adel pointed to the door with his chin as Elise poured herself a cup of coffee. Steam struggled against the heat of a desert night as they discussed a course of action.
“We need to get Andrea out of Egypt,” Adel said.
“She won’t leave willingly.” Elise blew into her coffee.
“We’ll just have to trick her. I will conceal the door tomorrow.”
“There were fresh flowers inside and no dust. The water was outright weird. Adel, I’m scared.” Elise cradled her cup and leaned against him.
“Me too.”
They enjoyed the night sky for a few moments before Elise said, “I guess we should go to bed.”
“Yes, we should. Good night, Elise.” He kissed her forehead.
“Good night. I’ll see you in the morning.” The moon enhanced the silver in his hair. She waited for him to turn the corner before going inside.
Granted they argued because their personalities clashed, but she loved Andrea and wanted her to get the recognition she sought as long as it wasn’t for this discovery. The hairs on her arms stood like porcupine quills. Something about the tomb’s secrets and the man’s warning told her they were headed down a tunnel with an oncoming train in their path. Sleep was far from standing on her doorstep, but she went to bed anyway and spent half the night staring at the ceiling.
It began soon after her eyes fluttered shut. From the blackness sprang vivid colors as she walked through the nebulous mist. The moon was a black plate against a starry backdrop. A lion-headed Sphinx stood vigil on a jungle embellished plateau. Blue flags, lining the crushed limestone pathway leading to the monument, flapped in the wind. As she approached the opening, burning censers flared. The four poles that supported a palm-thatched roof were aligned at the cardinal points. At the structure’s center was a granite slab covered with candles, fetish dolls, and other items. Elise couldn’t see everything clearly. Nine statues circled the altar. Andrea, dressed in a white kalasiris, knelt before it with arms raised and palms up. Indiscernible chanting grew louder. As if pulled up by a string at the crown of her head, Andrea rose until her feet were inches above the ground. Frozen in place, Elise could only watch as balls of light orbited her sister. She tried to yell for help, but the words failed to escape her throat. Andrea floated higher, and, in a blaze of white, Elise awoke.
Covered in sweat, Elise jolted from bed. Her heartbeat grew louder in her ears as she scurried to Andrea’s room. She cracked open the door and sighed with relief. Andrea was sleeping. Such a realistic dream reinforced her desire to get out of Egypt. Tomorrow, no matter what, she would persuade Andrea to leave.
The next day, Andrea woke to a quiet house. Elise was normally up with the sun, but not today. Stress always did that to her. Walking into the main room, Andrea prepared a pot of coffee to start the day. Strong enough to wake the dead, the pungent smell drifted through the room as the gurgle of heating water slowed. A furry sensation against a bare leg startled her.
“Where did you come from? You’re too small to be wondering from home.” She smiled at the purring black kitten doing figure eights between her feet. “Would you like some milk?” she asked. The starved creature lapped it and then its weak mews begged Andrea to pick him up.
Elise emerged, hair scraggly and dark circles under her eyes. Staggering to the coffeepot, she gripped the table to keep from falling.
“Did you sleep at all?” Andrea asked as Elise sat with her.
“Not really.”
“Why don’t you go back to bed?”
“There’s no sense in sleeping away the day. Who’s our visitor?”
“A stray. Isn’t he adorable?”
“Cute.” Elise yawned.
“I’ve never seen you so tired.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve a lot to do today.”
“Can I help?”
“No,” Elise said plainly. “I need to find Adel; I’ll be back.”
Fighting the growing crowd, Elise headed for the Sphinx and found Adel cementing the door with gypsum mortar. He looked up after hearing good morning.
“Are you okay?”
“I had a disturbing dream,” Elise confided.
“Care to explain?” he asked with a frown tugging at his mouth.
Stopping often to yawn, she explained it as best she could. Finally, she said, “It was so convincing I had to make sure Andrea was still in her room. You were right Adel. We need to leave.”
“I have already called your father. Mark said to tell her he has pneumonia and wants you both home immediately.”
“Does he?”
“Not really,” Adel grinned.
“Always one step ahead.” He was holding something back, but she couldn’t pinpoint what. “I’ll go tell her.”
“Just let me do it. I will be there in an hour. I have to make certain there are no more entrances left for anyone to find. She is as stubborn as your father.”
“They are rather stubborn, aren’t they? I’ll see you at home.” Elise kissed his cheek before leaving.
There was a yellow haze to the air and the mid-morning sun was a curious shade of yellow-orange. As classical music crescendoed and lulled, otherworldly influences slunk in when the door opened. Andrea played with the kitten on the floor. Elise kicked the ball of yarn across the room and then she sat facing Andrea.
“Have you thought of a name for him yet?”
“I was thinking Max,” Andrea suggested.
“I like it.”
“Max,” they called out simultaneously. The kitten looked to Andrea and then to Elise. He meowed.
“He likes it too,” Elise said.
Andrea rolled the ball across the floor. Max scampered after it and slammed head first into the door. It sent the young women into a fit of laughter. He shook it off, picked up the ball, and climbed into Elise’s lap. With a smile, she rumpled the hair between his ears.
They heard Adel outside, “Anyone home?”
“Come in,” Andrea replied.
His deeply seamed face gave away the seriousness of what he was about to say. “Your father called.”
“What’s wrong?” Andrea turned ghost-white.
“He is ill and wants you both to come home. The doctor said he has pneumonia. I would like to see the old man myself, so we are all going.”
“When do we leave?” asked Elise.
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
With a half-hearted tone Andrea said, “We’d best get packing. Adel, can you call the airline and arrange for a pet fare?” She held up Max.
Adel looked cock-eyed at the kitten mewing softly. “I will try.”
“Thank you,” Andrea replied, handing Max to Elise.
Elise knew it was upsetting Andrea because she moped around with her shoulders slumped in resignation.
#
Andrea paced the floor while she packed. Nothing scared her more than knowing her father was getting older and more susceptible to illnesses. Death. He was the one person she couldn’t bear to lose. Andrea received hope and inspiration from him. His presence in her life was the driving force of everything she did. In any case, if she didn’t return home Father would cut off her funding.
Elise was already in bed. Andrea, more worried than tired, decided to seize the chance to enjoy her last night on the Plateau. Grabbing her shoulder bag, she departed into the depths of night.
The new moon hung low; spotlights illuminating the monuments gave her direction. Mewing caught her attention. “Max?” He kept darting away and before Andrea realized it she was at the Sphinx. What a perfect opportunity to sneak inside one last time. She went behind the stele but to her dismay Adel had sealed the entrance.
Tired feet gave her an excuse to sit and relax so Andrea searched for a comfortable spot with a view of Cairo. The bag fell from her shoulder; the ankhs tumbled from the side pouch.
“I almost forgot about those,” she said. Picking up the gold ankh, she let it dangle. As it swayed back and forth, Andrea could hear a low-pitched, resonate hum emanating from it. Her skin tingled. “Could this have once rested around Khufu’s neck?” The temptation to lay it against her throat overwhelmed her, and an impulse made her clasp it.
The silver ankh shimmered in the nonexistent light. Andrea stared at the hieroglyphs as she picked it up. Andrea’s voice grew louder as she read it, “Blessed Ankh of Time, deliver us our great warrior.” She rubbed the pictographs. The hair on her neck stood at attention, and a sublime, almost primordial sensation engulfed her.
Max rubbed against her and she jerked her arm away. Oversized brown eyes harbored secrets Andrea couldn't fathom, but their deceptive softness never divulged the cat’s true purpose. Andrea lay beside him and rubbed behind his ears with her free hand. He purred. Overall it had turned into a beautiful night.
Relaxed by her environment, she watched the stars traverse the open expanse of the cosmos’ palette. Drowsiness, caused by Max’s purring, subdued her and she drifted off with the Ankh of Time clutched in her hand.
Chapter 6
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