The Mirror

Anck-su-namun looked at Jendai. "Oh my God..." She whispered.

Jendai couldn't resist it, "Becky, look at her butt!"

Anck-su-namun slapped her. "Shut up! This is serious!"

"Sorry."

The girls felt like they needed to help with something because of Anura's death. "What can we do?" Anck-su-namun asked.

"All that can be done, Princess, is to go to the Temple of Anubis and pray for her soul to pass the test and move on to the afterlife." The maid answered.

"But that's over 50 miles away!" Jendai cried. She was not sure how she knew that.

"Then the next best choice would be the Temple of Osiris." The maid replied.

"Right. Thank you." Anck-su-namun said to the maids and she and Jendai headed out to the Temple of Osiris. Once they were out of the palace, though, they had no idea where they were going. They tried to ask some people, but everyone who saw them quickly walked away from them like they were contagious.

"Why are they avoiding us?" Anck-su-namun wondered.

"Did Anura not tell you?" Came a male voice from behind them.

The girls spun around to see a man of about 28 wearing black robes. He was about six-foot-one and his head was shaven clean. His face was weather-beaten and friendly-looking. He was muscular and handsome with a nice smile.

"Tell us what?" Jendai inquired, wondering why this man did not flee from them as the others did.

"That royal women are untouchable."

"Untouchable?" Anck-su-namun asked, confused, "Like literally?"

He nodded. "Any man... besides physicians who have special permission from the Pharaoh... who touches a royal woman is sentenced to death. It's so you stay faithful to the Pharaoh."

"That's kinda harsh." Jendai commented.

"It works." The man replied.

"Umm, pardon me, but who are you?" Anck-su-namun asked the man.

"Oh, yes. I am Imhotep, the High Priest of Osiris."

"Osiris?" Anck-su-namun asked.

"Yes, why?"

"We were looking for the Temple of Osiris, to... to pray for Anura..."

"Ah, I'm surprised you don't know where the Temple is, but all right. I'll lead you there."

"Thank you, Imhotep." Jendai said.

"You're most welcome." Imhotep smiled and led them through the parting crowd.

"Umm, Imhotep?" Anck-su-namun asked.

"Yes, Princess?"

"Did you know Anura?"

"Yes. She told me about your world and you. She said the two newest concubines were… not of this… time period."

"And... you believed her?"

"Of course."

"Wait a second. You know where we're from yet you say we should know the location of the Temple." Jendai questioned.

"Well, I would've thought she'd have shown you the locations of all the temples in Thebes."

"You... you won't tell anyone, will you?" Anck-su-namun asked, worried.

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Not unless you want me to."

"Uhh, no."

"Imhotep, why did you not back away from us like everyone else?" Anck-su-namun questioned.

"I can trust myself not to touch you."

"And they can't?"

"They call it precaution."

"Oh."

"Some precaution." Jendai mumbled under her breath.

Anck-su-namun still had questions. "But can we touch you? Like can I put my finger on your arm without getting you killed?" She held one finger dangerously close to his robes.

Imhotep looked a bit uncomfortable and tried not to flinch. "Umm, I'd rather you not experiment with that." Anck-su-namun giggled and lowered her hand. Imhotep relaxed.