Chapter Eleven:
Detention was a misery beyond anything Khepri had known before. The offwhite walls stared blankly at her, while the window beckoned with promises of the outside world. There were no books, no paper, nothing to do but sit and wait. Khepri resolved to never skip class again in that moment, or do anything that might warrant this kind of torture. Besides Khepri, only two others served their time in the little room, guarded by her prim English teacher. When one o'clock finally rolled around, Khepri was ready to burst out of her skin with boredom. Her joy was smothered by her teacher's dry voice following her out the door, "Remember, next Saturday as well, Miss Ehime!"
She went promptly back home, nevertheless delighting in the sunshine and fresh breeze. Rashid would be here by now, she was sure, and while she wasn't necessarily excited to see her blood brother, he might have news of home.
He was sitting on the front step, waiting for her. His jet black hair was ruffled in the wind, and he was squinting his blue eyes against the sun.
"Khepri," Rashid said quietly as she walked toward him, stopping at the steps. She surveyed her brother. She had never seen him dressed so casually, in jeans and a plain white t-shirt. Black Converse covered his feet.
"Brother," she replied. "You've assimilated well, it would see."
"As have you," he answered evenly, sliding into the old language. "You must have had quite a night last night."
Khepri merely scowled at him.
"You are not here to have fun, sister," Rashid continued. In the week she had not heard old Egyptian, the language of her ancestors, it had become foreign and unfamiliar. So quickly, she mused, hardly listening to her brother's bluster.
"I have heard you have seen Seto Kaiba," Khepri heard suddenly, and snapped back to attention.
"Yes," she answered cautiously.
"Stay as far away from him as possible. He knows we have moved the book. I do not want to know what he'd do should he discover it in Domino." Her brother smirked, not unlike Kaiba's normal demeanor.
"Really, Rashid," Khepri said acidly, rolling her eyes and answering in English. "Did you fly all the way out here to tell me that?"
"Khepri!" he growled. "Do not cross me. I can just as easily take over guardianship of the book if Father thinks that you cannot handle the task. Just because your kaa is so special..." He froze, a shade of panic crossing his face.
Khepri did not miss the complaint in his voice, the words he spoke, or the shock he had shown. Twice now, within the space of a day, her kaa had been referenced as being special, even though no one had ever said anything about it within the past seventeen years.
"What about my kaa?" she asked urgently, speaking in the old language to appease her brother. "Awan said the same last night. How have I never heard this spoken of before?"
"It is nothing," Rashid replied sulkily. "You channel a powerful spirit, is all. I'm sure it could be explained when you go home." This time it was he who switched back to English. "You are to stay away from Seto Kaiba. It was a mistake that you were sent so near to him, and why Father does not move you away, I do not know. Stay away from Seto Kaiba."
KbN: My apologies for such a short chapter!! There's plenty of juicy stuff coming up, I promise, romance, tragedy, the works! Hope you enjoyed, and please, if you have time, go to my profile and vote in the poll there! I'd like to know what the readers want. Thanks much. 3