Star of the MorningChapter 11
Floating above his body… he was always floating above his body… always when the nightmare gripped him, but it had been so long that he had thought himself free of it.
Crushed hope threatened to choke him as his lips moved, as the creature he had become mimicked his voice.
"Ardeth?"
He watched as Ardeth tensed and pushed his future wife against the obsidian wall of the temple.
"Stay here," his Medjai friend's voice held a note of mistrust. In silent desperation Jonathan urged him to listen to himself; to trust in his instincts, but as always, Ardeth turned and watched as his light brown head peep timidly from within the alcove.
"Jonathan…" the relief in the voice was palpable.
"No, no, no," he whispered wordlessly, squeezing his ethereal eyes tightly.
"How is he?"
Jennifer looked up as Evelyn came quietly into the shared room where Jonathan lay on the couch. Her hand did not cease its gentle caress through his hair even though she gave her attention to her would-be sister in law.
"Resting now, at least," she answered.
Evelyn nodded. "It really was bad, Jenny," she said, "you shouldn't judge him too harshly."
"Ardeth, old boy, am I glad to see you!" He came out of the alcove then, a wide smile on his visage… apparently shaken, a singular deception. Not for nothing did they name Seth as they did, "There are these… things wandering around."
Ardeth smiled as the creature inside him waved his arms vaguely. It was a convincing act – had convinced Ardeth in any case – that the man before him truly was as he appeared.
"Hundreds of them," his voice was strained as he finished. Why hadn't the Medjai warrior listened?
Ardeth started back up the stairs toward him.
"I don't judge him, Evy. I never have," she snapped just a little, and at last letting Jonathan be, she hauled herself to her feet, rubbing first at her back, and then passing a hand over her pregnant belly, a fond smile on her face which faded as she finished, "I know how bad it was for him; what it did to him."
"I think you exaggerate, my friend," Ardeth said. "My people will have taken many of them out of the camp. We will be safe, you need not worry. Come."
"No, really," the creature told the Medjai. "You have no idea how long I've been trying to find the way out of here before I found that little hole, or how bloody glad I am to see you."
"I'm glad you were there for him," Evy came to her and put an arm around her shoulder, placing her hand on top of where her own lay over the restless child. "I don't know what I would have done without him."
Smiling just a little and with a soft, "Me either," Jenny shifted her hand from beneath Evy's to press the other woman's hand against the place the baby kicked in its movement inside her.
Evy smiled, "I know I've said some things that were uncalled for, Jennifer, but really… you make Jonathan so happy and this baby…"
"I know," Jenny whispered. "He'll love the baby so much."
"Oh he already does," Evy corrected her, "both of you." Without another word about it, Evy drew her into a close embrace.
Even in the dream, as he had in the moment of it happening, Jonathan fought as the creature moved, to throw a brotherly hug around Ardeth. As he had then, he failed to stop the inevitable passage of destiny.
"I do. You said alrea—"
His hand punched forward, heat bathed his hand as Ardeth's blood spilled over his fingers that held the knife which he turned, twisted upward in an attempt to find the Medjai's heart.
"Jonathan?" Ardeth's incredulous voice pleaded with him for an explanation.
He cried out in horror as the memory of every single torment he had suffered flooded through him… the hot blood on his hands… the ashen taste of death in his mouth… the pain in his heart at knowing what he'd done to a friend…
He cried out again, but still couldn't wake.
"Jonathan!" Jennifer gasped and pulled herself quickly from Evy's arms as her lover cried out in torment. "I'm here, Jonathan," she sat and quickly began running her fingers through his hair – trying to soothe…
"Now all is as it should be." The voice that came from Jonathan's lips was not that of the gentle Englishman whose life she had saved those years before…
"Jenny get away from him!" Jenny was knocked away from him as Evy barrelled into her, sending her tumbling heavily to the floor. Stunned she tried to sit up, only to see Evy almost straddling her brother, slapping him hard around the face while she hauled him from the pillows. "Jonathan! Wake up! Wake up, you have to fight… you have to—!"
Jennifer shuddered as Ancient Egyptian poured from Jonathan's lips and bit back a cry as pain twisted in her heart. How? How could this be? Her heart contracted in another pain, this time from panic. How could she lose him so quickly?
**
She had been a fool, arrogant and careless; heedless of all the signs that must have been around him all the time. She should never have allowed him to come with them to Egypt this time, much less to bring Jennifer.
Jonathan… she could barely even think his name, let alone force it from her lips again. Now it was even more vital that she get everyone to safety, and that they find Ardeth and the Medjai… for if Seth had already become incarnate – which must mean that there was far more going on than they already knew about – then they, as protectors of Egypt and Warriors for God would be the only ones to oppose the eternal gods… their enemies.
"Jenny, go!" Evy managed to call a warning to her, and somehow push her toward the door at the same time, ignoring her protests. Jenny finally gave in and stumbled ahead of her toward the door then finding her balance and holding her arms ahead of her, without looking back, the women, herding the children ahead of them, all but tumbled out of the door and into Rick's surprised arms.
"Honey, whacha doin?" he questioned as he drew her upright, the children around him wailing in fear.
"Jonathan…" she said, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible and find a way to explain, but the words would not come. Instead she said, "We need to leave… now."
"But what about…?" he said.
"He's not Jonathan," she took a deep breath and held in the tears of heartbreak that threatened against Jenny's sudden sob. "Please, Rick."
Rick frowned deeply and pushed her to one side as he threw open the door.
"Wha-- what's going on?" her brother's sleep befuddled voice broke over her like a wave and she turned to see him sitting, looking very confused in the middle of the couch, the blanket a heap around his middle.
"That's what I'd like to know." Rick answered, turning to look at her.
"Evy?" Jonathan's voice appealed to her for an answer she couldn't give. Had she panicked; over-reacted?
Jennifer pushed past her and flew to wrap Jonathan in her arms, to hold him tightly. She watched the colour drain from his face as understanding began to creep over him. He moaned softly.
"It's all right," Jenny whispered against his cheek, and Evy turned away, hearing the words even as she gathered the children into her embrace. "It was just a dream… a bad dream…"
**
Rick held out his arms and then drew Evy into his lap as she returned from putting the children to bed. It had taken some time to get them down after the incident of his brother-in-law's nightmare, if indeed that had been what it was… and the way Jonathan gripped the whiskey tumbler in his hand, he was beginning to wonder.
As if she sensed what he was thinking, Evy looked over at her brother.
"Honestly, Jonathan, I'm sorry… I thought—"
"It's all right, Old Mum," he looked up from the brown depths in which his thoughts were evidently swimming to give a weak smile over toward the both of them, "I was dreaming about that time," he shuddered, "or remembering is probably a better word."
"You were talking in your sleep," Jennifer told him, "that's what scared us."
Jonathan sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair and visibly leaned in to her touch. Rick looked away for a moment, the only way he could give them privacy in their enforced close quarters.
"Well I think," Evy piped in, "that the sooner we find the Medjai, the better."
"Ever the optimist," Jonathan quipped, though without much conviction, it seemed to Rick.
He sighed. "Well," he said on the end of it, "that might take us a little longer than any of us anticipated."
"What do you mean?"
He felt Evy's eyes boring into him and apologetically explained, "The authorities have this place locked down tighter than a miser's wallet. The only way in or out of Cairo is by river, and the next boat doesn't leave until noon."
"But what about the camels?"
"I couldn't hire any camels, Alex," he told his son, "I said… that Cairo authorities won't let anyone out overland. The guy I spoke to said that there's disease and god knows what in many of the inland villages and settlements."
"You don't think—" Evy began, and he could tell from her expression that she feared the Medjai might have fallen to the same evils that oppressed the rest of the country.
"It had crossed my mind, yeah," he said with yet another sigh.
"Nonsense, Old Chum!" Jonathan exclaimed, more cheery that his expression dictated. "Not the Medjai."
**
In spite of himself, Ardeth pulled Miranda in behind him, drawing his blade and adopting a protective stance as he spun round to face the girl, and then more slowly turned in the direction of her horrified stare.
Forming there, creeping over and around the body of a recently deceased patient, the sands of the desert slowly built a leonine form of one of the supernatural warriors of Sekhmet.
In morbid fascination, Omran crept closer to the transforming corpse.
"No!" Ardeth called an urgent warning, "Stay back!"
"What is it?" the hostel worked almost moaned in fear, "damned sand… gets everywhere."
"It is the sand that gives it life." Ardeth told him, "A warrior creature belonging to one of the ancient gods of this place. Sekhmet, the Avenger. She will tear this place apart looking for what she perceives as the evil of man."
"What can we do, Sayiidi?" one of his warriors asked.
"Protect the people. Take her head if she comes close," he ordered, then to Omran he said, "How many more?"
"More what?"
"How many more have died here?"
"Two… no wait, three," he said "three."
"Where are the bodies?" Ardeth looked right and left, trying to spot where they might be.
"There," Omran pointed, his face white with sudden terror replacing the fascination on his face as his hand shook toward the corner of the room, "Over there… we haven't had time to bring them to the authorities for burial."
"Quickly!" Ardeth's returned his focus to the figure transforming before them, "Close the windows… the doors… we have to stop the sand from—"
"Too late, my brother," Tarek whispered, nodding to the corner. Ardeth turned, still keeping Miranda behind him, and there, taller and more powerful than the biggest of warriors he had ever faced, stood three Sisters of Sekhmet.
Even as he looked in their direction, the three opened their fanged mouths and hissed a roar of anger in his direction, before beginning to stalk toward him, clawed hands wielding deadly khopesh.
"What did you do?" He threw the question over his shoulder.
"I don't—" Miranda began, "I didn't—"
"She has done nothing," a new voice from the doorway caught Ardeth's attention. "And in the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and all His Prophets you must defend this woman."
"Imam…" Ardeth acknowledged the man's arrival, if not his authority.
"Give us… the girl, Medjai," The transformation of the last remaining corpse was complete. The Sister of Sekhmet rose from the cot and joined her sisters in stalking toward Ardeth and his charge.
"You heard the Priest," Ardeth challenged, even thought he did not necessarily believe the words he spoke, he continued, "she has done nothing."
"We do not recognise this man's god," she said. "It has no dominion over the Land's of Ra."
"The girl has done nothing," Ardeth repeated.
"She is the instrument of the Serpent God and his bitch wife."
"She was used!" The Imam called from the doorway, "unwilling! All that she seeks to do is to atone for the sins of her past."
"Death…"
"…will cleanse…"
"…is the only way…"
"…is only the beginning…."
Each word brought the Sisters of Sekhmet closer. The Medjai warriors drew their blades and moved to defensive positions, each of them between the supernatural creatures and Ardeth.
"No… please!" the woman gripped the back of his robe tightly, the fear tangible in the tremor passing from her body against his spine.
He raised his own blade, ready to defend, needing to know more than he did, and knowing he would have no answers from a dead woman. He had no choice but to defend her.
"Medjai," he commanded, "hona!"
Each of his warriors raised their blades and stepped toward the Sisters of Sekhmet answering his call without question.
One of the leonine warriors swept her long, clawed hand before her, meeting the attack of the Medjai warrior she faced. Caught of balance, a glancing blow with the strongly muscled arm, Emir flew to land heavily, crumpled against the far wall, dazed into immobility.
Tarek and Mahmoud both took advantage of the momentary distraction to launch attacks of their own. Blade met blade in a ringing, spark filled clash as the warriors loyal to Sekhmet answered the attack in a blurring defence of khopesh against scimitar.
Ardeth saw that his Medjai were hard pressed to stand against them. "Heads!" he roared, launching himself forward into the fight, "Take their heads!"
**
Anas stood transfixed by the deadly dance until a soft moan from the side of the room broke the mesmerism over him. He turned his head to see the semi conscious Medjai struggling to pull himself upright. Quickly Anas went to him, offered him what assistance he could.
"Gently now," he pulled out a clean cloth and held it against where the warrior had cut his head on the sill of the window.
"I have to help my brothers," the man argued, trying weakly to push him away.
"You will help no one like this," Anas told him. "You were stunned in the fall, give yourself time."
"The others do not have time. They need me." The Medjai growled.
Glancing over at the fight, Anas found himself hard pressed to argue, but neither could he allow the warrior to throw himself into a needless death if he attempted to fight in his current state.
"You cannot help them if you kill yourself," he said harshly, "look at yourself, Medjai. You are hurt… likely a concussion. I'll warrant you cannot even see clearly."
He felt the Medjai deflate somewhat against his restraining arms.
"Trust in Allah, brother warrior," Anas urged, trying to be a comfort, "pray with me."
**
Ardeth's arms ached, and he fought to keep himself in position between the Sisters of Sekhmet and even with the prayers he could hear he found his mind descending closer and closer into a dark spiralling pit that pulled at him from the sand that lay scattered across the floor.
They'd not even taken a single Sister, despite outnumbering them at least two warriors to one. Already tired from a long and frantic ride, the stress of Suhayl's kidnap weighing heavier still on his heart, it was little surprise that he felt tendrils of despair beginning to wind around his heart.
**
"Ardeth…" Meiri turned her head against the pillow caught between waking and dreaming, beads of perspiration like gemstones against her brow.
"I warned you…" the voice held such regret that Meiri's heart twisted and tears came to her eyes.
"Asru…" she called for the other woman as the room spun around her.
"I warned you of great danger; told you what you must do." The woman gripped her by the forearms, her fingernails digging into her flesh as she shook her and in quiet desperation demanded, "Why do you remain!?"
"I cannot leave." Meiri's voice trembled, "My people are here, my children… they need me."
"The Son of the son I carry needs you. Needs Usert's blessing and you must be the one to bring it to him." Asru shook her again, "You and no other."
"Even if I wanted to," she told her, "The sistrum isn't here."
"Only you can give him protection against the rising power of the gods."
"How?" she demanded, sitting and then pushing herself to stand, and then to move, stumbling, toward the entrance of the cave.
"Meiri?" Ashna sat up from where she slumbered, wrapped around the twins.
"I have to…" she answered Ashna vaguely indicating a need of her body. She knew the other woman watched her as she walked from the cave; knew that her time alone would be short before her sister-wife would come looking for her. She followed her stumbling intuition as her steps brought her to a beach sheltered by thick vegetation.
"How?" she repeated, her voice a soft breath of wind over the water.
"Call to Her," Asru's otherworldly hand brushed across the back of her neck, sweeping her hair to one side as she all but lay against her back to whisper against her ear, "Summon Her to your heart…"
Tears came to her eyes. For years, as many years as she had known Ardeth she had resisted calling on the power of Usert. The power of the heritage; the knowledge of the goddess she had denied because Medjai and Usertim could not be.
"I don't know how," she confessed tearfully.
"Then trust in me…"
She had no time to answer – felt only the short sharpness of pain as the woman out of time that was her ancestor, and the antecedent of the Medjai line joined with her – Asru became as one with her soul.
**
"Tired Medjai?"
Ardeth growled, refusing to let the supernatural creature he battled taunt him. It did not matter how tired she was, he would prevail. He had to.
"Doesn't this prove to you, Beloved of Isis, that you are wrong to defend this woman? Even your divine strength has flown you… passed you by."
"The girl is innocent!" he growled, and to his surprise, found that he believed the words this time. Whatever crimes this woman had committed, she was not the one that had commanded Suhayl be taken from him. The realisation strengthened his resolve, lent strength to his failing arms… though not enough… and nothing that would help his warriors.
Growling, he came on, renewed in his fight.
**
"Har-ya Usert, all that I am… my breath, my body… my soul… come to me, daughter of you heart."
Arms raised high toward the starlit, moonless sky Meiri stepped into the shallows at the edge of the oasis. As her naked feet touched the water the stars began to move in the sky, swirling and spiralling until it left her feeling dizzy, nauseous and faint. She swayed and took another step.
"All that I am," her voice lower… resonant against the surface tension of the water called out into the night, "my breath… my body… my soul… come to me, daughter of your heart. Har-ya Usert!"
The stars dipped, one by one, like falling molten light toward the water, toward where her steps carried her. She felt began to feel weightless in her dizziness, step by step advancing on the light filled water.
"My breath," the air came out of her in an almost ecstatic sigh, "my body… my soul… come to me, daughter of your heart. Har-ya Usert, all that I am!"
Onward she walked, her footsteps barely disturbing the mercurial ripples of silver on the water. Her flesh, her raised arms began to take on the same silver sheen as she stepped into the pool of light… aroused by the mere breath of the wind, weightless as though she could touch the very sky from which the stars descended.
"My body… my soul… come to me, daughter of your heart. Har-ya Usert, all that I am, my breath."
She lowered her arms, palm forward, fingertips reaching for the water that waited, poised beneath her feet. Water of Life… Her life, given to the barren desert.
"My soul, come to me, daughter of your heart. Har-ya Usert, all that I am – my breath, my body…"
Everything spun around her, nothing made sense except the terrible, dislocated feeling… she was everywhere and nowhere… could see everything and nothing.
"Come to me, daughter of your heart. Har-ya Usert, all that I am – my breath, my body, my soul!"
Heat… Light… Eternity pulsed through her veins, rushing through her hard and fast as she cried out.
"Har-ya! Come!"
**
Barely asleep, the sudden scream made Ashna sit upright with a cry of her own. Instantly she looked over toward Meiri's bed, and seeing it empty she threw back her blanket, and raced for the entrance to the cave system and out to the sands beside the oasis water.
Skidding to a halt, she desperately tried to run back the way she came, to call for help – Sharrad, Nazir, anyone – to help her bring Meiri back from where she flailed in the deepest part of the waters.
"Nazir!" She screamed; shrill against the night, and hardly caring that the sound would carry, before without a thought to her own weakness, she began to wade into the frigid water.
**
The universe turned around her as she faced the terrible might of the golden, shining goddess Usert.
"Priestess…"
"Goddess… Mother… Usert…"
"Speak."
"He needs…" The swirling stars coalesced into the vision of him locked in combat, fierce and desperate, and sudden fear for him stabbed at her, stealing all her strength.
"I have never left him." Usert's fingers played through her hair, "what makes you believe I would do so now? I am the life… the water in heat of the desert that sustained him through his trials at manhood. I am the light… the love in the depth of winter that brought you to him… my Husband… my son… why would I desert him now?"
"Then…?" Meiri tried to turn, to keep the circling goddess in sight.
"I will be protection against the rising power of the gods, for him… for all the faithful."
"Then why…?"
Usert's voice was a terrifying whisper as she faced Meirionnydd and took her hands. "You and I… we are one… have always been and now will always be. Once… the others gave us aid, support against the Lord of Chaos, Lord of darkness now. Soon… they will demand… payment."
"Anythi—"
Usert's cool touch against her lips cut her off. "Do not speak so hasty, daughter…"
Meiri shook her head, moved her mouth from behind the goddess' hand. "It doesn't matter. Anything. Save them. Save him!"
"Loss…? To be alone…? Even… death…?"
"Yes," Meiri whispered, "Even that."
Usert walked around her again and Meiri stood, weeping a silent farewell to all that had been before that moment; weeping in acceptance of her destiny.
"So be it, brave daughter." Usert leaned down to gently kiss her lips. "One last time, breathe my breath… speak with my voice… bring me… to life in that one… last… death."
**
Under the sudden onslaught of blows from the warrior he battled, Ardeth slipped, one leg giving out beneath him and he was forced to roll aside as the heavy khopesh came down beside his head. He fought to try and regain his feet, but the floor beneath him was slick with sand and all he could do was barely manage to keep the blade from slicing into his skull.
A sudden flash of light all but blinded him. He raised his hand to shield his eyes from the radiance that seemed now to be racing around him. Perhaps he had missed the parry. Perhaps the blade was even now slicing toward his heart and this was what death was like…
"I go round about thee to protect thee, O brother Osiris. I have come to be a protector unto thee."
The words had a strangely singsong, achingly familiar tone that struck his heart both with love and loss together. A breeze, gentle as a morning, swept the sand that kept him prone from beneath his feet.
"My strength shall be near thee…"
Power surged back into his tired limbs and he thrust himself up from the floor of the room. "Now, my warriors," he called authoritatively, "take them now!"
"My strength shall be near thee… for ever."
**
Almost frantic, Nazir turned Meiri again and pressed against her back… willing the water out of her lungs.
"Bring Asiya!" he paused only long enough to push Ashna, exhausted as she was, to send her scrambling back toward the cave, before turning Meiri once more to her back, and leaning down to breathe as into her mouth.
"Breathe!" he gasped as he came upright once more, to press against her chest. "Meirionnydd, BREATHE!"
**
"Ra hath heard thy cry and the gods have made my word to be truth. Thou art raised up… Thy foes are overthrown, and thou art Horus."
Growling in rage, the Sisters of Sekhmet paused in their assault on the Medjai, and to a man the warriors took full advantage of their hesitancy.
"Fight, my warriors!" Ardeth called and launched himself forward, his blades blurring in the fading light as an intense silence and darkness began to descend on the room as the candles dimmed. The Sisters' resistance was stilted, weak at best and soon the silence was broken by the hissing fall of sand as one by one, he and his warriors took the heads from the supernatural warriors, who fell to piles of barely glowing golden sand in the darkness until even that crept from the room, as though licking its wounds.
Ardeth could barely see, hurt and still holding his breath, waiting to see if the battle were truly at an end; praying that it was.
"Trust in my love."
The words echoed round and around in Ardeth's brain. He hadn't moved. He hadn't breathed and now that the sand had gone, blown away on a non-existent breath of air, all the lights had faded, adding to the tension in the room.
"I have always been with you, my warrior."
The aches in his arms and from his wounds faded and then were gone and the blue of his tattoos seemed to shine in the darkness where they were exposed on the back of his hands, and on his cheeks and forehead.
"Isis," he whispered, "Divine Mother…"
"As I have always told you, I am the beauty and life in the green oasis, the white moon among the stars that gives light on the darkest night; she that is with you; who watches over you but is apart from you. Trust…"
"I do not—"
"The path… is set. The Journey… is written."
The voice of Isis faded from his mind, like that of someone passing from life, and with its fading, the candles once more flickered into life. Light stabbed at his eyes, filling them with stinging tears that matched those of the sudden feeling of loss that flowed into his heart. A trembling started in his legs and he stumbled toward one of the cots, meaning to sit. Suddenly he was fighting for breath, almost panicked as his head started to spin and he watched the floor slowly coming up to meet him.
**
"Supposing we do that?" Jennifer asked him after obviously contemplating Rick's plan to go by river-boat, and then jump ship just as soon as they were far enough from Cairo to avoid the authorities. "What then?"
"Then we—" he stopped, and held up his hand to stop the others from asking questions. The soft sound came again, nothing obvious, and it would probably have been missed by anyone else, but Rick was used to the unexpected happening around him, and listening for the slightest warning clue had become second nature to him. After a moment or two of listening he beckoned to Evy to come away from the patio windows. At the same time he pulled his pistols from his canvass weapon roll.
As she came to him he pointed to the far corner of the room, and carefully flattened himself against the wall beside the window he'd drawn her from. He nodded as Jonathan took out his own small weapon, and gathered Jennifer close.
"Dad!" Alex hissed at him, and when he looked over, Alex raised his eyebrows at him meaningfully glancing toward the adjacent bedroom, where the younger children slept. After only a moment or two of frowning thought, he checked the safety on one of the pistols and tossed it to Alex.
"Rick…" Evy started to protest.
"Not now, Honey," he said softly as Alex crossed the room to slip silently into the children's bedroom.
Barely a moment after his eldest son had closed the door behind him a slow creaking movement of the handle on the patio door drew his attention back to the room's defence. At least it was human, for which he thanked heaven for small mercies. The supernatural in this place seemed to have little use for door. However that did not rule out trouble.
With the current unrest in Cairo there were any number of other dangers it could be. Robbers, bandits… He gripped his gun more tightly as the patio door began to slowly open and on the incoming breeze the corner of a dark swath of fabric blew in through the opening door.
Medjai…
As soon as he could, and hoping that the element of surprise would lend him the strength he needed, Rick grabbed the incoming figure and dragging him fully into the room began to charge toward the nearest solid wall, the pistol underneath the man's chin.
"O'Connell… peace!" the Medjai warrior raised his hands and offered no resistance.
"Abdul Rahman?"
"Aiwa," the warrior answered, and he began to let go, "Yes. I am come at the behest of Nazir to warn y—"
At the mention of another warrior than Ardeth, Rick slammed the man back against the wall and once more pressed the pistol under the Medjai's chin.
"Please…! O'Connell, allow me time to explain…"
"Talk quickly!" he ordered, not letting up the pressure from the pistol one little bit.
"Ardeth is on a mission of great importance. He has left Nazir in charge…"
"Nazir…?" Rick frowned, but walked away, letting the warrior compose himself. "The horse master?"
"Aiwa… the Horse Master of First Tribe is third in line of command."
"What happened to Rashid?"
"O'Connell, it is a long story." Abdul Rahman sighed and Rick did not miss the sad tone in his voice.
"I think maybe you better sit down," he gestured to one of the couches with his pistol, "and tell me everything."
Rahman shook his head, but sat anyway. "My father has been mortally wounded in trying to battle against those who kidnapped Suhayl. Ardeth searches for them even now. It is why he cannot be here to speak with you himself."
Rick waved at him to continue, before going out onto the balcony and looking down into the darkened street below, where he knew there must be other Medjai waiting though he could not see them.
Returning, and since the Medjai had not continued he said, "So Nazir sent you to bring us to your Oasis."
Abdul Rahman shook his head.
"No? What do you mean no?"
"If I bring you to Al-Kharga, I bring you to certain death. The Elder Mohammed has rallied a good portion of the Medjai against Ardeth and attempts to overthrow him as First Medjai. Even now he has sent his own warriors here to Cairo to carry out judgement on you for returning to Egypt."
"What's going on?" Alex' voice piped up as he led a rather sleepy looking Sam into the room, followed by an equally somnambulant Kat.
"I think we're in trouble." Rick told him absently.
"Nazir sent me with a patrol of warriors to ensure your safety. To protect you until—"
Faster than Rick would have thought possible Abdul Rahman spun round and had his blade in his hand and ready to fight as two figures came in through the open patio.
"Captain Khalifah…" Rahman relaxed once he saw they were his own men, but not for long against the announcement. "They are here."
Barely had the words left his warrior's lips than the door to the suite burst open and first one and then another Medjai warrior rushed in.
"We're in trouble!" Rick repeated to Alex as Evy screamed, and the two Medjai loyal to Ardeth Bay swept forward to meet the false warriors.
"Go!" Rahman ordered as he pushed past him, "Take your family and get them out of here! We will follow." Rick hesitated. "Go!"
**
Ardeth sighed softly as the Imam Anas finished his tale. As the story had unfolded it became clearer to him that whatever was happening in the desert was connected somehow with the disappearance of his son, and likely with the trouble among the Medjai. It truly chilled his blood to think that any among the Medjai, for any reason, could stoop to ally themselves with such evil.
"I understand that it is hard to accept, First Medjai," Anas said softly, "but everything I have seen and heard in my meditations, every word I have received from the Prophets, peace be upon them, every vision that my daughter has relayed to me, all lead me to the conclusions as I have explained to you."
Ardeth nodded slowly, "Then it is no longer a simple matter of finding those who took my son."
"Sadly… no." Anas agreed.
"And we cannot remain here," he added, looking up to include Miranda in those he meant must move.
"I… I can't go with you," she stuttered fearfully, "I—"
"You have no choice," he said, trying not to sound cold. "The things that are occurring here revolve around something that was done to you when you were a part of the Cult of Nephthys. If someone has somehow reawoken those forces, we will likely need your help. You have no choice but to come with us." He paused and then turned to Anas, "You too, Imam."
"I will come, gladly. I have sent my daughter and my wife out into the desert, to the fort of the Christians, but I doubt that will keep Meren in place."
Ardeth frowned. "Surely your daughter would heed her father."
Anas shook his head, "It is not that she would not heed me, First Medjai, but that she seeks to find one who comes to her in her visions. The two have become somehow connected, and perhaps have some task to perform that only the Prophets can reveal."
Ardeth got to his feet and began to ready himself for the journey back into the desert still listening to Anas even as he gave the order to his men to find suitable desert wear for the woman and the Priest.
"In the last of her visions there was some kind of warning… some kind of danger he…" he paused and Ardeth glanced his way, saw his eyes full of remembrance.
"Omran," he took the opportunity to give instructions to the one that he must leave behind to guard those at the hostel. "If you lose anyone else, do not wait… burn the bodies at once. Try to keep the sand from coming inside."
"Aiwa, First Medjai."
"She fears for him," Anas said at last, with a sigh, "her Star of the Morning."
Ardeth spun around to stare in mounting horror at the Imam. The distance between them seemed to stretch, to elongate until the room, chilled, was almost twice as long.
"Suhayl…" he whispered as Anas looked and they locked gazes, "my son."
**
Rick peered over the edge of the balcony, down toward the sounds of metal against metal that came from below, and realised they were caught between two fights. Quickly he looked round for an alternative escape route. The adjacent balcony was not so far. If they could get across to it there was a pipe, and the corner of the building that they could use as a ladder of sorts to reach the ground, but the jump would be too far for the children… and perhaps for Jennifer, heavy as she was with child. Still… it was the only way.
"Jonathan!" he called and nodded to the next door balcony.
His brother-in-law nodded and set off at a run toward the low railing. Rick protested, and then winced as Jonathan launched himself from balcony to balcony, barely reaching the other side. It wasn't what he'd intended at all. Now he had to make the best of it.
"Alex… you go next. Help your uncle. We'll throw Sam and Kat to you."
Alex nodded, and as his uncle had done set off at a run for the balcony. His vault was by far the more athletic and Rick found himself suddenly appreciating the value for money of private education.
"Nice one, partner," he smiled as Jonathan clapped Alex on the back. This might just work.
Aware that time was growing shorter by the moment he scooped Sam up into his arms and ran to the edge of the balcony. Before Evy could protest he launched his son through the air toward Jonathan and Alex.
Evy screamed, and buried her face in his shoulder. She need not have worried as Jonathan easily caught the young boy and handed him to his brother. Easing Evy away from him, Rick turned to pick up Kat. She was older… heavier…
"Evy, you have to help me."
"Rick I can't I…"
"With two of us there's no way she'll fall short." He fixed her with a meaningful, but loving gaze. "Arm and leg each…"
"Leg and a wing," Evy whispered.
"Yeah," he said, equally as quietly and leaned in to give his wife a desperate kiss. Together then held their daughter, swung her between them as they stood on the edge of the balcony.
Katharine laughed as she sang the rhyme with them, "Leg and a wing to please the King with a one… two…"
"Three!" Rick called and he and Evy let go of Kat at the apex of the swing sending her tumbling through the air toward Jonathan who waited with open arms. She hit him with such force that the two of them fell backwards to the concrete floor of the balcony next door. Rick turned and wrapped his arms around Evy, squeezing her tightly. "You next."
She shook her head. "We go together," she told him, "always."
**
Ardeth turned his head slightly as he felt the movement beside him. Tarek reached out the help him, fastening one of the buckles between saddle and rifle sling.
"Where will we go with them, brother?" he asked softly as he stroked his fingers over the soft side of Marhana's neck. "Taking us all out to the desert sands is all well and good but there is no more safety there than in any other place we have been."
"Ninth." Ardeth answered simply, his voice clipped. He knew Tarek was speaking truth but did not need to be reminded of the danger they all faced; did not need to hear of all the troubles and trials of the land and the peoples he was sworn to protect.
"And risk that Tamim remains loyal to Mohammed?"
"It is a risk we will have to take!" Ardeth raised his voice and, straightening up from tightening the girth strap fixed Tarek with an uncompromising stare. More apologetically he continued, "There are records in the vaults of Ninth Tribe that I must consult. My own knowledge…" he shook his head as his voice trailed off.
"I do not mean to anger you, Ardeth, only to voice the worries I have in my heart."
Ardeth put his hand onto his brother-in-law's shoulder. "I know, Tarek. And I promise you, if it is in my power I will return you safely to my sister's arms." He sighed then, wondering if it were a promise he would be able to keep. "But this is greater than all of us… these troubles embody the words of our vows as Medjai warriors. To protect those in need, and to keep the lands of Egypt safe as we have vowed we need to use every resources we have to hand. And if that means I must battle with my own Commanders, to make them see the true nature of the viper they nestle at their bosom, then I will do so, or what chance do we have?"
"What chance do we have," Anas joined the two warriors, his gaze firmly fixed on Ardeth, "When the ancient gods of this land choose our world, our lives as their battle ground?"
Ardeth nodded, warming still further to this strange Imam. "You speak truly, my friend."
"I have felt it rising for some time, First Medjai. I have tried to shield the ones I care for, and the ones I love from it all, but I fear my efforts were in vain, since I did not understand the nature of my own daughter. She has seen the cursed creatures that stalk the woman," he nodded over toward Miranda, "and because of them we must be on our guard wherever we go, but I pray you do no blame her, for she suffers also. If you knew of her life…"
"I know only what she once was, Imam," Ardeth sighed and leaned against his horse, which shifted nervously, "Priestess in a sect that worshiped the dark aspect of the goddess Nephthys, sought to bring her, and her evil husband Seth into this world. That she has turned her back on that is commendable but," he gestured around them, "it would seem, too late."
"Even if," Anas put a hand onto his arm, "one closes the door to the stable after the horse has bolted, does it not prevent the others from escaping? Does it not mean that once the horse is returned, he will be safely contained?"
He left him then, turning to go back to the woman they were speaking of, who stood with her arms wrapped around herself in fear. Ardeth sighed and looked over to her, watching for a moment, his mind awash in all the many factors they would face in trying to bring peace once more to the desert.
"Brother," Tarek's soft voice broke in on the darkness in his thoughts, "we must ride. It is many leagues to Ninth Tribe."
Ardeth turned and gave him a smile. "You are right, my brother." He clapped Tarek on the shoulder. "Have the woman ride with Ismin. Let the priest ride where he will. Perhaps on our journey we can acquire new horses so that the burden will not be so great."
**
Jennifer hugged the wall as she teetered on the top of the balcony railing. It wasn't so far to jump, but it may as well have been a vast chasm. Her balance was all wrong, and it was so high…
"It's just a big step, Jenny. You can do it." Rick stood on the opposite railing, waiting to catch her.
"I can't," she wailed, and then started and held the wall more tightly as a gunshot sounded from the room behind her.
"There's no more time, you have to jump!" Evy called, running from where she was watching Alex and Jonathan carry the children down to the ground of the narrow street to the railing beside her husband.
"I got it, Evy," Rick said to her, "You go down to the others."
She watched as Evy, glaring at her husband just once, ran to obey… watching for a moment longer as she began to scramble between the drainage pipe and the corner of the building. Jenny took a deep breath as she watched courage lend her would be sister-in-law strength. Evelyn was right there was no more time, she had to jump, but she simply couldn't. She yelped as a black clad figure hopped up on the railing beside her.
"We will go together, Sayiida," Abdul Rahman took her arm in one hand and put his arm around her back, drawing her away from the wall. He continued softly, "Mrs O'Connell speaks the truth. Mohammed's men are right behind us, but trust me. I will not let you fall."
She did not have the chance to debate the matter with him. The pressure of his arm across her back began to tip her forward. She had one choice, jump or fall, and with a scream of terror she threw herself the long step across the gap between the balconies.
**
As soon as he could, Rick caught hold of Jennifer's flailing arms, pulling hard to make sure that she would not fall short.
A single shot rang out; echoing across the street… the whine of a ricochet was followed by the sickening sound of a scream.
"Evy!" Rick let go of Jennifer and turned to watch in horror as Evelyn tumbled from where she held against the building, climbing down. "No!"
Suddenly released, Jennifer began to topple backwards, her foot slipping from the balcony rail and as best he could, Rahman kept a hold of her, but he too was starting to slip.
"O'Connell!" he called, grabbing the railing with one hand and keeping the other wrapped around Jennifer's shoulder, under her arm, the two of them dangling precariously from the railing.
Jennifer screamed, and dug her fingers, claw like, into his arm.
"O'Connell!" he called again and this time the American leaned down to help. The two of them worked to pull the woman to safety. Behind them the sound of battle erupted out onto the balcony. "Hurry."
The three of them raced toward the other side of the balcony, to where the pipe and the corner would allow them to climb down. Jennifer's face once more paled in fear.
Thinking quickly, Rahman began to unwind his Indigo from around his shoulders, and to remove the sash from his waist. He tied them together and made a foot sized loop in one end.
"I will lower you down."
"It isn't long enough," she argued, almost in tears.
"My men below will catch you at the end."
"No," she wailed.
"Yes," he commanded. "It is the safest way for you and the child you carry. Now do as I say!"
Rick raised an eyebrow at the young man, but said nothing. Only came to help him with the makeshift rope.
**
Ardeth frowned as the sound came again, and this time he was certain that it was gunfire. He glanced at Emir and saw that he too had reached the same conclusion. In an unspoken agreement the small Medjai band turned their horses in the direction of the sound. Those carrying passengers on the backs of their horses fell back to the rear of the party as they thundered toward the battle.
He knew he should have been surprised, even shocked when he rounded the corner of the narrow street and saw O'Connell pinned down behind a water butt by the warriors in front of him, but he wasn't. It made perfect sense to him that O'Connell should be in Cairo, given the troubles.
"Yallah!" he called out as he urged Marhana forward toward the warriors, undoubtedly sent by Mohammed against his friends. His sudden cry distracted the warriors, who turned to face the incoming danger and fell quickly to unconsciousness against the sudden assault.
**
As the gunfire ceased, Rick ran quickly to where Evy lay, propped against the wall, with Jonathan fussing at her side.
"Rick," she whispered as he reached her.
"Evy, I—"
"I'm all right. It's just a graze… and I'm a little winded from the fall, but I'm fine," she told him, and gripped his arm. "We have to get out of here."
"No, you rest. Catch your breath."
"Mrs O'Connell is right," Rahman came behind him, leading horses he had taken from the unconscious warriors. "Our First Medjai is heading to the desert, and to Ninth tribe. It would be best if we went with him."
Rick looked up at Abdul Rahman. He didn't want to think about Ardeth right now, but what the younger Medjai said, did make sense. Getting out of Cairo seemed the better way to keep safe, and presumably wherever they were going would be loyal to his one time friend. Finally he nodded and started to help Evy to her feet and onto the back of a horse.
He knew that sooner or later he would have to deal with the fact of seeing Ardeth again, but right now the sudden flight into the desert lent a welcome delay to that moment.
**
Cairo was a good distance behind them before Ardeth slackened the pace of the ride. He led the band without turning around, trusting in his subordinates to ensure that the O'Connells and the others were safe. He knew that sooner of later he would have do deal with his feelings on seeing them again; seeing Rick again, and facing Evelyn, knowing how badly he had betrayed them both, and he could not imagine how he would begin to make reparation for that terrible day…
She moved closer and straddled him, leaned down and breathed hot kisses against his neck. She pressed herself against him whispering words of passion, words of power to awaken him to life… words of an ancient power… of an ancient and forbidden love.
He gasped, feeling the intensity of it rising in him. He felt as though he was drowning, fighting to breathe, fighting against the strength gathering in his limbs… drowning until he moved his hand, lifting his fingers to bury them in her long hair and guide those torturous kisses toward his lips.
She teased him, moving away, resisting his kisses and keeping the heat of her waters away from the need she had kindled in him.
He wrapped his arm around her waist and rolled over, so that he was over her, so that he could claim her as the power demanded, as he knew she wanted. His dark curls fell over her face, and he gave himself to her in the wake of the passionate emotion that consumed him.
A gasp and the arms around him became tense for all of a heartbeat, before they relaxed, before they pulled him again toward her and she moaned as he claimed her, joining with her in unmatched fiery passion. He possessed every inch of her body until they were dizzy with it – drunk on shared touch, and on the force that moved them both… powerless against the pulse of his life inside them.
"Osiris and Nephthys…" he whispered.
"First Medjai?" Abdul Rahman had ridden up beside him as he was lost in the terrible memory of what he had done, even if he had not been himself. A shiver passed over his spine as he wondered, not for the first time, if Evelyn remembered as he did… if O'Connell knew…
He shook his head, "Thinking aloud. What is it?"
"The others are tiring," his nephew told him, "and we are far from Cairo. It should be safe to make our camp."
Ardeth nodded, "Of course. Forgive me for driving us all so hard."
Holding up his hand he drew the band to a halt in the lee of a rocky outcropping. "We will make our camp here and take our rest," he explained to them all, and without waiting for agreement or dissent, he pulled his small saddle pack from its place and began to move to a space where he could erect his shelter.
A hand gripped his shoulder and spun him around. He found himself face to face with the friend he had been forced to banish from the deserts of Egypt.
"O'Connell," he began, but whatever else he might have said was driven from his mind as the balled fist connected heavily with the side of his jaw.
