Previously:

Bonnie and Carol made to the bus just in time. Everyone had fun on the way over, singing along to the songs on the radio and chatting about what they were looking forward to about the trip.

"Wow… The Abu Simbel temple…" Carol said dreamily. She was really looking forward to it. 'Even though, after this trip is over, Bonnie and I will have to leave for America this weekend…' she thought. 'But I must immediately come back to Egypt!'

Bonnie smiled wryly. She could easily tell what Carol was thinking from the look on her face. She was glad Carol had decided to enjoy her last trip with her friends while she still could. Hopefully the danger here in Egypt would be resolved soon, and they would be able to return before the end of the summer.

Chapter 14: A Trip Through Time

They reached the Temple of Abu Simbel and disembarked from the bus. While Professor Brown did a head count and took roll to make sure everyone was where they were supposed to be, Bonnie, Carol, and her friends started looking around. Bonnie quickly realized she and Carol appeared to be a little overdressed compared to the others. Carol was wearing a lovely pale yellow dress with a pattern of purple and green grapes with purple trim on the hem of the skirt, sleeves, and collar. She was wearing a pair of purple sandals with a modest heel. On her head she wore a broad straw sunhat with a pale yellow ribbon and a scarf with a matching grape pattern was tied around her neck. Bonnie wore a gauze summer dress with long sleeves, which had a predominantly purple tribal pattern with faux tassels printed on the hem in in indigo. The dress was cinched around her waist with a leather belt that had a big silver buckle and she wore a long scarf with the exact same pattern as her dress wrapped around her head with most of her long red hair tucked inside. She wore a broad black sunhat over the scarf to keep the sun off her face and neck. On her feet she wore black boots that had a small, feminine heel and went up over her calves. Around her neck she wore a necklace with a silver Tuareg cross pendant and a thin, gold chain with a gold and silver Scorpio charm. Small gold and silver drop-earrings shaped like leaves, and on her finger, she wore a vintage bloom-styled ring with eight pointed sapphire petals and an opal set in the center. As always, she carried her handy leather satchel with floral tooling.

Everyone around them was too excited to keep quiet. They had to raise their voices to be heard over the chatter of the crowd. The enormous temple's most noticeable feature from the outside was the four carved pharaohs. Two were seated on each side of the entrance, towering over all who approached. "Whoa! The temple looks so big and grand! This is Ancient Egypt's King Ramses, sculpted from the mountain," said Carol.

"It's so amazing!" Maria exclaimed.

"This was constructed around 1300 B.C., right?" said Bonnie.

"Right! Each pharaoh's total height is twenty meters, and even the ears are one meter long!" Jimmy explained.

"Hahaha! Everyone, you're all so lucky!" the professor declared proudly. "Because you can all touch and feel the living history, the Temple of Abu Simbel…"

"There goes professor Brown's little saying!" Carol said with a grin, elbowing Jimmy in the side, while a few of their classmates laughed. Bonnie smiled.

"Grandpa must have hit his head somewhere!" Jimmy said, embarrassed.

They split up into smaller groups to explore with strict instructions to meet back at the bus in three hours. Naturally, Carol's group was comprised of her friends and Bonnie. They started up the path carved into the side of the mountain. Carol was so excited. First, she wanted to take a look around the Aswan River's dam. And then the little shrine. Being able to visit them one by one made Carol feel so happy! There were things worth seeing everywhere. "Eh?" Carol said, pausing abruptly when she realized she was alone. "Where is everyone?"

Bonnie turned to ask Carol where she wanted to go first and stopped short when she realized her cousin wasn't behind her anymore. She couldn't see her at all. A sinking feeling of unease crept over her. Something was wrong. "Where's Carol?" She asked the others, alarmed.

"Huh? Wasn't she walking with you?" Jimmy asked, confused. Without another word, Bonnie took off running back the way they came. "Ah! Hey!" he called after her.

"Don't worry, Jimmy," said Maria. "I'm sure Carol's fine. Bonnie will find her."

"Yeah, let's wait for them here," said Harry.

Carol called out for the others. "Bonnie! Jimmy! Maria! Harry!" She thought she heard Bonnie call her name. As she approached the turn in the path ahead, Carol heard more voices. "Everyone's already up there, they're so fast." She shielded her eyes against the sun and noticed a dark figure was approaching her. "Ah! Bonnie, is that you?" The brief moment of relief she felt faded as the figure drew nearer. She gasped. She could now see that the person approaching her was a beautiful a beautiful young woman with black hair wearing Ancient Egyptian clothing and gold jewelry. At her side was a large black dog. "Ah! You are… Isis!"

"Carol…" Isis said sadly as she stood before her. "I came to guide you…"

"Eh?" Carol was surprised. Guide her? Guide her where?

A tear fell down Isis' face. "Ever since you disappeared from Ancient Egypt, Memphis has been searching frantically for you. He's stayed up late every night…"

"Isis… What are you saying?" asked Carol.

"Even though I am his sister… he still doesn't listen to a word I say…" Isis continued.

'Mem… Memphis…' Carol thought, trying to place where she had heard the name before. A cold dread began to creep over her. Her eyes widened in fear as something about the name clicked. "Memphis!" she gasped. No, not him!

"I'll kill you and show Memphis the corpse, and then he'll definitely have to give up on you!" Isis concluded darkly with a murderous rage in her eyes.

Shocked and horrified by what she had just heard, Carol paled as the blood drained from her face. "What? My… My corpse!? What are you saying?" She cried incredulously. She took a step back as Isis began to move closer.

"Come here…" Isis said with an eerily calm expression on her face.

"Isis… What are you trying to do!?" Carol asked anxiously, backing up against the outer edge of the path, where the side dropped off in a steep cliff.

Isis continued to move closer. "Behind us is the precipice of the Nile… I'll kill you, and take your corpse back to Ancient Egypt!"

"No… No!" Carol shrieked in terror.

Isis's hands shot out in front of her to wrap themselves around Carol's slender neck. "I'll make you unable to breathe! Die! Carol!" she yelled.

"Stop! Isis! Ah!" Carol screamed.

At that moment, Bonnie caught up to them and sprang from around the corner. Without stopping, she sprinted straight for Isis and swung her fist, landing a mean right hook on the side of her face.

"Ah!" Isis cried out in pain as she spun from the force of the blow and fell to the ground, forced to release her deadly grip on Carol. Unfortunately, this was not enough to save her cousin, because Carol had been pushed over the cliff.

"Ahhhhh!" Carol screamed as she fell.

"Carol!" Bonnie cried in alarm, shooting forward to reach for her outstretched hand. Her eyes widened in horror when her cousin's fingers slipped through her grasp, and before her brain could process whether or not it was a good idea, her body was already leaping from the precipice to follow after her. "Carol!" she yelled, reaching for her hand again.

"Bonnie!" Carol cried. Her eyes were squeezed shut, but she felt Bonnie's hand close around hers and grip it tightly.

"I've got you, Carol!" Bonnie said, wrapping her other arm around her. "I've got you!"

"I'm still falling! We're falling!" Carol screamed, terrified that they were plunging to their doom. "Now I remember! I remember, Bonnie! I remember everything now! I've been to Ancient Egypt before! And I was also beside that cruel pharaoh, Memphis!"

Bonnie's eyes widened in shock. "What!?" She barely had time to close her mouth as the water rose up beneath them and they plunged beneath the roaring surface of the Nile. She struggled to hold onto Carol as the water swirled around them. Carol was coughing, choking as water flooded her lungs. She was making gurgling sounds, as if she was trying to say something. They needed to find the surface, fast! At the end of the swirling vortex they were caught in, Bonnie could see beams of light shining down. That must be the surface! She held on tightly to Carol and swam toward the light with all her might. Her lungs were burning, but she didn't stop. Both girls coughed and gasped when their heads broke through the surface of the rough water, and gasped desperately for air. "Help! Someone help!" Bonnie yelled, hoping their classmates would hear and get help to rescue them.

"Help us!" Carol shouted in between coughs.

They heard an unfamiliar voice call out. "Ah! There's a girl floating in the water! Two of them!"

"Where?" asked another.

The girls turned their heads and saw a boat was headed their way. "Help! Over here!" Bonnie yelled, waving the hand that wasn't holding onto Carol, as they struggled to stay afloat in the strong current.

Carol called out to them, too. "Help us… Ahh!" she gasped in alarm when she saw how they were dressed. 'It's not possible… Those people… They are… Ancient Egyptian soldiers!' she thought, so frightened that she immediately dived back under the water, pulling Bonnie with her.

Bonnie was startled and barely had time to hold her breath. She kept a tight grip as she fought against Carol to get them back to the surface. She didn't know why Carol was panicking. She did think it was strange for the men to be dressed as Ancient Egyptians in an equally antiquated boat, but she had figured they must be part of some reenactment. The torrential current of the Nile pushed and pulled them again, carrying them away from the boat. It felt like a futile struggle to swim. It hurt and her lungs were burning, screaming at her for more air. She began to panic when she felt Carol's body go limp and struggled to find the surface again before it was too late. Her vision was starting to go dark. In a few more seconds, she would pass out from lack of oxygen, and they would both drown. There, to her left! Bonnie summoned the last of her strength in a desperate race to reach the surface. She gasped for air the second she saw sky and filled her lungs until they were ready to burst. She saw land and did her best to paddle toward it at a diagonal while keeping Carol's head above the water.

When she reached the bank, she pulled Carol ashore and stopped among a cluster of short palms to check on her. "Carol. Carol!" she called, concerned when she didn't wake. Bonnie leaned down to check her vitals and was relieved to find that she was still breathing. There was no need for CPR. Carol should wake up and recover soon on her own. Now that she was no longer afraid for their lives, Bonnie took a moment to observe their surroundings. She was stunned by what she saw. Not only were they actually on higher ground because the Nile had somehow managed to flood the valley, but they had been washed all the way down to an area full of ancient buildings. Some she recognized, some she had only known as ruins. For a moment, Bonnie just sat there in shock, wondering if she had hit her head. This couldn't be right. An area like this simply didn't exist in modern Egypt. If they had built a replica of an ancient city of this size and scale, she would have heard of it. And it was far too real to be a temporary movie set. And how could the valley flood like this? Did something happen to the dam?

"Ah!" Bonnie whipped her hear around when she heard a gasp. She found herself facing a mother and child clothed in ancient garb. They were carrying clay water jars. The child stared at her and Carol in wonder, while the mother looked shocked and taken aback.

"Um… Excuse me," Bonnie ventured carefully, trying to be polite so she wouldn't startle them. "But can you help us? My cousin…" She trailed off as the woman grabbed her child's hand and ran away, shouting about girls with gold and copper hair. Again, Bonnie was shocked. Not because of the woman's behavior, but because she realized that even though she had understood it, the language the woman spoke was neither English nor modern Egyptian Arabic. From the times she had heard demonstrations given by Professor Brown and other Egyptologist, Bonnie knew the language was none other that Ancient Egyptian. A language she had never been able to speak before had come from her lips as naturally as if it had been her first language. She was starting to get scared. This wasn't normal. What in God's name was going on? Her eyes widened as something occurred to her and she recalled Carol's last words as they fell into the river. "I remember everything now! I've been to Ancient Egypt before!" Bonnie took another look at their surroundings. The flooded valley. The ancient buildings. "It… It can't be…" she said, shocked as the implication behind her cousin's words began to sink in.

Meanwhile, word about their arrival had spread like wildfire. The people were shouting in the streets.

"Hey! There's a girl drowning in the river!"

"She was pulled from the water by a girl with hair that shined like copper!"

"Yes! The copper-haired girl saved the golden-haired girl!"

These words were overheard by none other than General Minue, who, along with everyone else in the royal palace, had been searching for Carol for their pharaoh ever since she fell into the Nile and disappeared. When he heard the news of the appearance of a mysterious golden-haired girl, he swallowed his shock and immediately left to verify the truth of the matter. He ordered the soldiers he took with him to spread out and search the area near the river again. He found a leather bag washed up along the bank. Intricate floral motifs had been traced into the leather. The craftsmanship was so fine, it was hard to believe that it had been done by any human hand. Looking inside, he saw that it contained many strange items that he did not recognize. "General Minue!" one of the men called to get his attention. "There is a golden-haired girl! And there's a girl with hair like copper, too!"

"Really?" Minue asked urgently.

"Yes!" the soldier answered dutifully.

Bonnie looked up in alarm when she heard a great amount of splashing and looked up to see a group of men dressed like Ancient Egyptian soldiers sprinting towards her. It was too late to hide. Their eyes were already trained on her and Carol. Bonnie cradled her unconscious cousin protectively in her arms as they came to a stop before her. The man with dark curly hair and lighter eyebrows, who was wearing a gold collar and cape over his tunic appeared to be the one in charge from the way the others followed him.

The words that came out of his mouth surprised her. "Oh! It really is Carol!" he exclaimed with excitement, looking incredibly happy to see them. "Carol!" He reached for Carol, and Bonnie shifted position to put herself between his outstretched hand and her cousin.

"Who are you? How do you know my cousin?" She asked warily.

"Cousin? Oh!" Minue gasped when he took a better look at Bonnie. The moment he spotted Carol, all of his attention had immediately been focused on her, but now he could see that this young lady was equally beautiful. One glance was all you needed to see the strong family resemblance. They both had delicate, white skin and sparkling blue eyes. However, where Carol had short hair the color of gold, this girl had long hair the color of polished copper. "Forgive me, I am General Minue. Don't worry, we're not here to hurt you. In fact, we appear to owe you a debt of gratitude. The two of you are welcome to rest in my home," he said politely, noticing her protective posture and the hint of fear in her eyes. "I wish to help you. Our pharaoh, Memphis, has fallen head over heels in love with Carol."

At this point, Bonnie felt that she really must have hit her head. She blinked and stared at Minue, not quite sure how she should respond. It was all so strange that it didn't even seem real. She didn't understand how something like this could happen. Could she really trust these people? The general seemed kind enough, but what about the pharaoh? She could have sworn she had heard Carol call him cruel. But she knew they couldn't stay out there all day under the sweltering Egyptian sun. They had no money, no food, and no shelter. Carol was weak and still recovering from their near death experience. She couldn't fight off such a large group of men on her own unarmed. They were all experienced fighters. They would most likely kill her before she could defeat them. She saw little choice but to go with them for now.

She silently watched as General Minue turned aside to address one of his soldiers. "Quickly! Report to his majesty, Memphis, at once!" he ordered excitedly.

"Yes, General Minue!" the soldier said and quickly mounted a horse to ride off and find the pharaoh.

"Thank you for bring her back to us," Minue said, turning back to Bonnie with a smile on his face. "His majesty will be very happy! Here, you look tired. Please, allow me to carry her for you." He held his arms open before her in an offer to take Carol. Bonnie was reluctant to relinquish her hold on her cousin.

"I don't want to be rude, but you, your men, and this land are strange to me. But if you help me get Carol onto a horse, so that I may take her myself, then we will go with you. But I will not leave her side," she said, doing her best to sound polite despite her obvious hesitance to trust them. Fortunately, the general seemed to find this compromise agreeable. He admired her loyalty. Bonnie mounted the horse they provided for her first, and then general Minue carefully helped her situate the sleeping Carol in front of her on the saddle. He noted how well Bonnie carried herself. Her posture and balance on a horse was excellent, the mark of an experienced rider.

"It's unbelievable…" Minue said as he was helping her. "She was drowning inside the Nile River for such a long time and yet, she's still alive!"

"From your perspective, how long would you say she was in there?" Bonnie asked.

"Over three weeks," he said.

Bonnie stared at him. Three weeks. That was about the same amount of time that had passed since the day Ryan found Carol. "I see…" she said quietly, making note of that for future reference. As they headed to the general's home, she could hear the soldiers gossiping around them.

"Wow! Drowning in the Nile River…"

"Shining golden hair… She must be the Nile River Goddess Hebe's daughter!"

"That girl is the goddess's daughter!"

"And do you see that brilliant copper hair? That girl with her must be a heavenly handmaiden!"

"They both have blue eyes, just like the Nile!"

Bonnie was slightly irked that she had been demoted from family to servant, but whatever. It was then that she noticed one of them was carrying a very familiar leather satchel. "That's mine," she said without thinking.

"Ah!" Minue said, following her gaze. "I see, so it belongs to you… I found it along the bank of the river while we were searching for Carol. I'll make sure it is returned to you when we reach the palace."

Bonnie gave him a polite smile that made the general's heart flutter. "Thank you," she said.

It didn't take long for them to reach the general's home. She was surprised by the sheer number of people that had crowded the streets to catch a glimpse of her and Carol, pushing in from all sides to get as close as possible. She was glad the soldiers were there to keep the crowd from swarming them. They dismounted when they reached the steps of the mansion. Her bag was returned to her, and she reluctantly let Minue carry Carol inside. Flowing curtains of sheer gauze fabric moved slightly in the light cross-breeze that traveled through the airy building. She followed him to a private room, where he laid Carol gently on the bed. Then he moved aside to let her be next to her cousin.

Minue watched while Bonnie checked Carol's vitals again. What beautiful golden hair Carol had… What delicate white skin… It was no wonder even the fierce Memphis loved her so much. No one could hold a candle to Carol, except perhaps, her mysterious cousin. That beautiful copper hair… That delicate skin that was even whiter than Carol's, like fresh milk… Blue eyes as deep as lapis lazuli… They were both such delicate girls, blooming like the Nile lotus. Any man's heart would waver. Minue realized he had yet to learn the lovely cousin's name. He was just about to ask, when Carol stirred and slowly opened her eyes.

"Carol!" Bonnie said urgently, clasping her cousin's hands in her own. "Thank goodness, you're awake."

"Ah… Bonnie? Where are we…?" Carol asked, feeling disoriented.

'So, her name is Bonnie…' Minue thought.

"That's what I'd like to know…" Bonnie said. "We appear to be in Ancient Egypt."

"What!?" Carol exclaimed, startled wide-awake. She paled when she saw the general peering at her over Bonnie's shoulder. "Ah! General Minue! Aah! I'm really back in Ancient Egypt again!" she cried as she shot out of bed, so distressed Bonnie immediately crossed over to the other side of it to comfort her.

She wrapped her arms around her cousin in a warm embrace and leaned close to whisper in her ear. "You mean, it's really what I think it is? Time travel?" Bonnie asked urgently. "How is that possible?"

"I don't know! I don't know! But it is! It is!" Carol sobbed, clinging to her for support. "I don't know why I couldn't remember until now, but this is where I was while I was missing! And you mustn't mention Isis—she's a queen here! No one would believe us, and it would only make her angry. Isis is really dangerous!"

"No way!" Bonnie gasped, shocked. That must be why the general and the others seemed to know her, but still. The mere idea of having traveled through time so suddenly was so far out that she had trouble swallowing it even after having seen this place with her own eyes. If they really were in the past, then that put them in a very dangerous and precarious situation. If they weren't careful, their actions here could end up changing the future. And not necessarily for the better. And, on top of all that, they still had to deal with Isis? Unbelievable!

"Carol! His majesty will be here soon!" Minue informed her with a smile, oblivious to her fear of the pharaoh. He thought she would be happy to return to the palace.

"What? General Minue, please let us go! I'm begging you, please let us go!" Carol pleaded. Bonnie was worried when she saw how anxious her cousin was to get away. Apparently whatever feelings the pharaoh had for her were not requited. Was coming here a mistake?

"Carol, why are you acting like this?" Minue asked, confused. What woman would refuse a pharaoh, especially after everything he had done for her?

"Bonnie and I, we're not from ancient times! We're just ordinary girls from the 20th century who love archaeology and ancient history! Bonnie is studying to be a doctor! Plus, I've already made a promise with Jimmy, so… I don't want to go back to His Majesty Memphis!" Carol cried anxiously.

"Carol!" Minue said, clearly disappointed and taken aback by this development.

"Uh, Carol…" Bonnie said warily, trying to get her cousin's attention when someone who looked extremely important entered the room. But Carol was too worked up to notice.

"I'm really afraid of Memphis, please! Minue…" Carol begged.

"What…? You don't want to be with me?" asked the young man who had just entered the room sternly.

"Ah!" Carol gasped and flinched in alarm. That voice!

"Your Majesty!" Minue gasped.

'Crap!' Bonnie thought, biting her lip, as Carol turned to look and and they both realized the pharaoh had just heard her badmouthing him. Bonnie noticed that he bore an eerie resemblance to Ryan as a teenager beneath the eyeliner and long hair. She gasped at how roughly the young pharaoh grabbed Carol as he pulled her to him. "Hey!" she shouted indignantly on her cousin's behalf. Carol's face showed nothing but fear and pain. Pharaoh or not, Bonnie moved to stop him, but General Minue blocked her path before she could get herself in trouble.

"Your Majesty, please don't be so cruel!" said the general.

But Memphis was in no mood to listen. He was far too hurt and angry for that. "Where is this boy who you've promised to marry?" he demanded.

"Whoa, no one said anything about marriage…" Bonnie said, but again, he wasn't listening. He didn't even seem to care that she was there.

Memphis tightened his grip on Carol's delicate arms. "Where is this boy! Tell me, now!"

"You're hurting her!" Bonnie yelled. She tried to stop him, but Minue and one of his soldiers held her back.

"No! He's not here!" Carol cried, wincing in pain. "He's in the 20th century! He's in the future!"

"What? I don't understand what you're saying!" Memphis said angrily.

'If this goes on, what will happen to me? To Bonnie?' Carol wondered, worried for their safety.

'Damn the consequences! If he doesn't stop hurting Carol, I'm going to knock his block off!' Bonnie thought angrily, gritting her teeth as she struggled to break free.

"Come! Carol!" said the pharaoh, dragging her away with him.

"No! I don't want to go back to the palace!" Carol cried, struggling uselessly against him. "I don't want to go back to your side, Memphis!"

"Come! Carol!" He said again, ignoring her pleas, as he pulled her up onto his horse with him.

"Release me! Memphis!" Carol said anxiously. "Bonnie!" she called for her cousin.

With a burst of strength, Bonnie twisted out of her captors' grips and chased after them. Minue and the soldier were shocked. "Carol!" She quickly fell behind, until she hopped back onto the horse she rode there to continue following them.

"Stop, Memphis!" Carol cried.

"Do not call me by name! I am the king of Egypt!" Memphis said proudly. "I am the 'son of the sun god'. You can no longer run away from me anymore! You can never run away again!"

Carol gasped. A sinking feeling crept over her as she recalled the words she had heard from the people at the academy. "A curse has been placed upon you by the royal family! You cannot escape!"

"Carol!" Bonnie called as she pulled her horse up beside Memphis', surprising the pharaoh.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Carol's cousin! Now, can you please stop this? Can't you see you're scaring her?" Bonnie said sternly.

"You would dare order a king?" Memphis shouted.

"I said 'please'!" Bonnie pointed out.

"Bonnie, you mustn't speak to His Majesty that way!" Minue yelled as he came up behind them on his own horse. "Your Majesty, this girl is the one who pulled Carol from the water!"

"She what?" Memphis exclaimed, looking at Bonnie again in a new light. She had that same, strong look in her blue eyes as Carol. They really were related. But she was not innocent and naïve like his Carol. He could tell there was an air of shrewdness about the girl with copper hair.

"Bonnie!" Carol cried. "Bonnie, we've been cursed by the royal family! That's why we're hear!"

"What?" Bonnie said, frowning with concern and confusion. They were there because of a curse?

'I'm sure I heard it right!' Carol thought. Those who disturbed the pharaoh's eternal sleep would be plagued by the curse of death. 'Because Dad dug up the tomb of the pharaoh, and because I am his daughter and Bonnie is his niece, we were both forced to go back to ancient times again—this really is the curse of the royal family!'

Memphis did stop, but only because they had reached the ridge that overlooked the valley below. "Look! That shrine was built especially for you, Carol!" he said, pointing it out to her. Carol and Bonnie stared down at the construction site below in amazement. The temple was massive. Statues of the gods, the tallest of them being Amun-Rah, towered over the people that had built them. "Carol! I prayed to the gods that, if you returned safely to my arms, then I would then offer this shrine to the greatest of the gods of Egypt, the god Amun-Rah!"

Carol and Bonnie gasped in astonishment. Amun-Rah was the highest, most worshipped deity in Ancient Egypt. For Memphis to dedicate such a grand temple to Carol was…

"The gods answered my prayers and returned you to me once more!" Memphis continued, staring longingly into Carol's eyes. "This is the gods' doing! They must have sent your cousin to bring you back to me!"

"No! Memphis, it's not like that!" Carol said anxiously.

"It's a coincidence! We just… got lost!" Bonnie added, for lack of a better explanation.

"No! You are mine!" Memphis told Carol, holding her close. Bonnie gapped at him. What was he, deaf? He was more stubborn than Carol and Ryan put together!

"No! Memphis!" Carol cried. His embrace was so tight that it hurt. The reason why they were there was the royal family's curse!

"When I lost you in that whirlpool… I was filled with guilt… You are such an adorable girl…" Memphis told her with great affection and passion. "Carol, no matter what you say, I'll never let you leave my side."

"No! I've already made a promise with Jimmy!" Carol protested.

"Carol, you're talking nonsense again!" said Memphis.

"Even if I am far away from him, I cannot betray Jimmy!" Carol insisted, determined to remain faithful to her boyfriend. "I love Jimmy! Can't you understand, Memphis!?"

"No, I don't understand! I'll capture this boy named Jimmy and kill him!" Memphis declared furiously.

"Memphis!" Carol said, shuddering in fear. 'Ah… What a scary look on his face…' she thought.

'It's a good thing for Jimmy that he's still in the future…' Bonnie thought. There was murder in the pharaoh's eyes. She had no doubt that he would've killed Jimmy on the spot if given the chance. This guy was really dangerous. She made a note to be more careful around him from now on. With Carol in his clutches and an armed escort surrounding them, Bonnie knew attempting to escape now would be foolish and impractical. So she resigned herself to following the pharaoh and his guard to the palace for now.

Bonnie could easily see how large and grand it was even from a distance. The people of the palace came rushing out to greet them as they dismounted when they reached the steps of the royal palace. There were many cheers of joy and admiration about Carol's safe recovery and her golden hair. And more than a few puzzled exclamations regarding Bonnie's unexpected presence and her red hair.

"Imhotep! Carol is alive! Prime Minister Imhotep, she is right here!" Memphis called out to one of the men who came to meet them. He was older, with graying hair, wore long robes, and carried a staff. He had sharp eyes. Bonnie could tell he was an intelligent man.

"Hohoho! This is great, Your Majesty. She was able to survive for such a long time, even when the Nile River had flooded. And now she returns with a new companion. It is truly remarkable indeed…" the man named Imhotep marveled.

"It's a miracle!" said the high priest.

"Maybe they aren't ordinary people…" said Minue.

"Let me go! Memphis…" Carol pleaded.

The fact that she still didn't want to be near him upset the pharaoh. "Naptera! Head Servant Naptera!" he shouted. "Bring Carol and her cousin to the queen's palace and take care of them. Carol looks tired."

An older woman stepped forward to answer his summons. "Yes, your majesty!"

"How am I going to escape this place?" Carol whimpered.

'Well, it might help if you didn't talk about it out loud where they could hear you…' thought Bonnie. But the curse of the royal family… Carol said that was the reason they had come to Ancient Egypt. Her uncle and Ryan never did believe a word of it. Bonnie knew that there were still some things in this world that were beyond the explanation of science, but to think that there really existed a curse that was powerful enough to disrupt time! It was unbelievable. But what she understood so far was, that somehow they had managed to travel between space and time to the distant past, and now she and Carol were stuck in this fleeting history of three thousand years ago until they discovered a way to escape and return to their own time. Surely there must be a way. After all, Carol had done it before, hadn't she?

"Hum, they've found Carol?" Isis asked her most faithful servant, Ari, when she heard the commotion.

"Yes," Ari answered.

'Preposterous!' thought Isis. "She's still alive after drowning in the Nile for three weeks?" She shouted incredulously.

"Is she protected by the gods?" Ari asked. "They said she was pulled from the water by a divine handmaiden."

"Hum! There's nothing divine about that witch!" Isis huffed angrily, rubbing the side of her face at the memory of Bonnie's punch. It was a good thing it didn't bruise, or that would have been difficult to explain. 'I don't believe it,' she thought. 'Which god would protect either of those girls!?' But then again… "Or maybe so…" she said aloud. "I fail every time I attempt to hurt Carol. And Bonnie always seems to see right through me…" Perhaps they had an uncanny power that she did not know of? "Ari, do you have any plans that can help me eliminate those hateful girls?"

"Is it true that she was saved from the river?" Imhotep asked Minue again.

"That's right, " said Minue. "She was in the river for three whole weeks. There are witnesses who saw Bonnie pull her up from the bottom. And the bag they had with them contained so many strange items I've never seen before."

Imhotep stroked his beard. "Hmm, this incident is really miraculous, I just don't understand…" he said, taking time to think it over.

"The soldiers are say to each other that Carol is the daughter of the Nile goddess, and Bonnie is her handmaiden," Minue added.

"There's also a rumor that those girls are ferocious demons in human disguise," said the high priest.

"Still, I do not believe that they are bad," said Imhotep. 'Because I can see through those blue eyes hearts that are full of kindness and mercy."

"They really are beautiful…" the high priest said, in a bad mood because he could feel Carol and her golden hair slipping through his fingers again. He didn't care what happened to the girl with copper hair, but he wanted that golden hair for himself.

'They have an innocent and saintly beauty that can make tyrants bend their head in submission,' Minue thought with a fond smile.

Bonnie saw the inside of the palace was even more splendid than its outside. The walls were covered with ornate motifs and carved reliefs, painted and inlaid with gold and gems. Flowing banners and curtains of sheer gauze fabric were everywhere. Head Servant Naptera showed Bonnie and Carol to the room they would be sharing, since the girls refused to be parted from each other. There, they were both relieved of their damp modern clothing and dressed like Ancient Egyptians. Bonnie made sure to hold onto her own jewelry. The other women were shocked when they saw Bonnie's scar. They had never seen anything like it before. When Bonnie tried to explain it was from when she was struck by lightening, and that it wasn't a big deal, the servants were beside themselves with awe. In their minds, this seemed to cement her status as a divine being, as they couldn't believe that any mere mortal would ever be able to survive being struck by the power of the gods. Eventually, Bonnie and Carol got tired of trying to correct them and just decided to let it go for the moment.

The moment they were left alone, Carol grabbed Bonnie's hand and started leading her back out of the palace. "We can't stay here! We're in danger!" Carol said urgently.

"Whoa! Wait, where're we going to go?" Bonnie asked. It was dangerous to run around like this without a plan. What if they got caught? "Do you have a place in mind?"

"I… I don't know!" Carol said anxiously. "But we must run away! If we don't, and he forces me to marry him, it'll be the end."

Seeing how scared and desperate her cousin was, Bonnie made her decision. "All right," she said, giving Carol's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'll follow whatever you want to do, Carol. Where you go, I go."

"Bonnie! Thank you!" Carol said with tears of relief in her eyes. She could always count on Bonnie to come through for her. She was so glad she had her cousin with her this time. Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one with her.

They were spotted by Naptera. "Carol, Bonnie, stop!" the head servant yelled, chasing after them.

"Oh, no!" Carol cried as the older woman grabbed them.

"Let go!" Bonnie said, yanking her wrist free. She delivered a swift chop to the back of the hand Naptera was using to hold Carol. Not enough force to seriously hurt her, just enough to startle her and make her let go.

"Ah! Wait!" Naptera gasped before they could run again. "Carol, Bonnie, I advise you girls not to do anything rash. If you anger the pharaoh, your lives will be in danger."

"Maybe so, but we don't belong here," said Bonnie.

"That's right, we can't stay here," said Carol.

"But you won't be able to run away, because there are soldiers everywhere." Naptera argued.

"Mrs. Naptera, we're not Egyptians… or… slaves for the pharaoh…" Carol tried to explain. Naptera's face began to pale. In an instant, Bonnie sensed danger and turned her head to see the pharaoh standing behind them. Her eyes widened as his hand shot out to grab Carol's wrist. "Ah, let go of my hand!" Carol cried in alarm.

'Hum… I can see in her eyes, hatred and contempt…' Memphis thought, feeling hurt and betrayed as he gazed into Carol's beautiful blue orbs. Bonnie stayed frozen where she was. She could tell from the look in his eyes that they had really done it this time. She tensed her muscles, preparing to react to whatever was about to come next. "Seize her!" Memphis ordered the soldiers as he started dragging Carol away.

Bonnie gasped as they charged at her. She managed to flip the first with an over-the-shoulder throw that stunned and intimidated the rest long enough for her to slip past them and lunge toward Memphis and Carol. Minue and Imhotep gasped astonishment. What strength! It was then that Isis arrived on the scene. "Catch her!" she yelled. "Don't let her touch the pharaoh!"

"Bonnie!" Carol cried, horrified when her cousin was tackled harshly to the ground by several men, all of whom were at least twice her size.

"Ouch! Geez, calm down!" Bonnie told the soldiers as they held her pinned to the floor. She thought five guys for one skinny girl was a little overkill. Contrary to the impression she had given the Egyptians, Bonnie was not especially strong, she was just very fit and skilled at using an opponent's own strength and momentum against them. "I'm not trying to kill him, I just didn't want to be separated from Carol!"

"Then you can share her punishment!" said Memphis.

"Ah! No, don't hurt Bonnie! Let us go!" Carol cried, still struggling to break free from his grip.

"Carol, who are you to show me that scornful look?" Memphis demanded angrily. "If it's like this, I'll let you return to your life as a slave, and your cousin can join you!" Bonnie's bag was confiscated and the girls were dragged down into the lower levels of the palace.

"Ah!" Carol and Bonnie gasped as they were thrown into a dark dungeon with enough force to crash into the floor.

"Your Highness, please calm down!" said Minue. Naptera was horrified.

"Starting from now, you'll work in hard labor, daily. Just like the other slaves…" Memphis ordered the girls. "You'll go hungry and cold. The sunlight in Egypt's desert will burn will burn your skin until you succumb to me, then I'll spare your life. Remember that." The door was slammed shut in Carol and Bonnie's faces and locked. "You, guard carefully. Forbid all interactions. I want to mistreat Carol until she surrenders to me completely." Memphis ordered the soldiers as he stalked away.

'Surrender to you? Never!' Carol thought, feeling determined and angry after the way they were being treated. "That tyrannical pharaoh!"

"If he thinks this will make you like him, he's got a lot to learn about women," Bonnie said.

"I'm sorry you got dragged into this Bonnie, but I'd rather die than admit defeat. Ah… it hurts." Carol said, touching her sore head.

"No worries. Now, let me see," Bonnie told her, squinting in the dark and moving her hand gently over her cousin's head to examine it. "You'll probably get a small bump, but nothing major."

"Oh, that's good… but we haven't eaten anything," Carol said glumly.

"True. No offense, Carol, but maybe I should be in charge of the escape plan next time," Bonnie said wryly. "Ah, I wish they hadn't taken my bag. I still had some snacks in there."

Carol stood up and tried to take a few steps forward. "It's so dark, I can't see the way," she complained. "Ah!" she let out a small yelp of surprise when she tripped over something.

She was caught by a pair of strong arms. "Be careful, or you'll fall," their owner warned her.

"Who is it?" Carol asked, startled.

"Carol?" Bonnie called, trying to find her again in the blackness.

"I'm over here!" Carol called.

Bonnie carefully finished making her way over to them just as the young man who had helped her introduced himself. "I'm Unas, a slave just like you..." In the dim glow of a dying fire that was farther back in the room, they could just make out hints of his features.

"Thank you, Unas," said Carol.

"Yeah, thanks," said Bonnie. "Judging by the poor air circulation, I'm guessing there isn't a window in here?"

Unas shook his head. "There is a small one, but it is heavily barred. You must learn to adapt to the musty air in here… In the morning, everyone labors heavily under the hot sun."

"Poor them!" Carol exclaimed.

'And poor us!' Bonnie added silently. They were all in the same boat now.

"And they are never allowed to bathe," Unas added. Bonnie scrunched her nose up at that. Now that was just mean. No wonder it smelled in there. Didn't they realize poor hygiene could be the cause for any number of illnesses? "You should go to sleep early," he advised them. "You'll need your energy for work tomorrow."

"Yes, that's a good idea," Bonnie agreed, giving him a small smile.

"That's right. I need to sleep, to have the energy to fight back," said Carol as she leaned against the wall.

"Be careful, there's bugs in there!" Unas cried.

"Ah! They're crawling out!" Carol shrieked when one of the black things skittered onto her shoulder. "Get it, Bonnie! Get it!"

"Got it!" Bonnie said. With deadly speed and accuracy, she used the back of her hand to swipe the bug off and immediately followed through with a stomp of her foot to crush it on the dungeon's floor. "Ugh, it's stuck to my shoe…" She said calmly, scraping the sole of her sandal on the ground until it came off.

The bug was dead, and she was fine, but Carol was beside herself. "Oh my God! Disgusting!" she cried, doing a strange little dance that was almost comical.

Her squeals were so loud that they woke the other slaves and earned them a whole round of complaints like "So noisy!" and "Keep it down, we're trying to sleep."

"Sorry…" Unas apologized on behalf of the girls, while Bonnie calmed Carol down, reassuring her that there was nothing on her.

"That was a surprise," Bonnie told her. "I thought you weren't afraid of bugs."

"But… I've never seen them so big before…" Carol said, embarrassed now that the danger had passed.

'Then, I guess it's a good thing Uncle didn't let her come to the Amazon with us…' Bonnie thought. She had tried to beg her way into an expedition Bonnie and her parents went on in South America when they were younger, but Carol would not have done well there. She would have totally freaked when she saw the bird-eating spiders. Bonnie smiled sadly at the memory of her deceased parents. She was brought back to the present when she felt Carol cling to her like she was a human security blanket.

"They're crawling everywhere. What to do? I don't think I can dare to sleep like this," Carol cried while holding onto Bonnie. She could just see Memphis' gloating face as he taunted her, saying she would surrender soon. "Never!"

"It's all right, Carol," Bonnie said soothingly, giving her a hug. "I don't think they're interested in us. They only came out because we disturbed them. They'll settle down soon."

"You may lay down on my spot," Unas said kindly, showing them the mat he slept on. "There's no bugs here."

"What about you?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes, where will you sleep?" asked Carol.

"Don't worry about me. I know these bugs, they won't bite," he reassured them.

"Oh, in that case, you can have the mat to yourself, Carol," said Bonnie. "It's too muggy in here to sleep together."

"Thank you. You're both so kind to me," Carol said, extremely touched.

Bonnie smiled and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. "No problem. Let's get some sleep, okay?"

"Yes, I must sleep to have energy to fight against Memphis. I want to be the victor," Carol said as she lay down on Unas' mat. 'Brother Ryan… Jimmy… Mother…' She thought sadly. "Bonnie… I don't think I can get out of it this time."

"You're tired. It's been a long day," Bonnie said, sitting down next to her to stroke her blonde hair. "We'll figure it out tomorrow. Just remember, Carol, whatever happens… I'm with you." Carol looked up and gave her a grateful smile before she closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep.