Chapter Thirteen
Ardeth slowly opened his eyes to the morning sunlight streaming through the small portal. As he had suspected, he slept little after Najya's hasty departure from his cabin. He quickly tended to his needs before swallowing the breakfast that had been left for him while he slept. He dressed swiftly before approaching the door that joined their rooms. His hesitant knock was met with relative silence. He slowly moved away from the door and left his room. Again he knocked, this time on the outside door to her room and still received no answer. His hand rested on the doorknob for a slight moment before he tested it. The door was not locked. Upon entering, he found it empty, as if no one had ever slept there.
Najya had awakened hours earlier from a tortured dream in which she had carried out her duty. It left her frightened, shaken, and physically ill. She had no desire to return to the nightmare; instead, she had sought out Kyle. He accompanied her to the kitchen where she prepared a modest breakfast that she asked be sent to Ardeth's room. She nibbled on her own portions; she had no appetite, but had not eaten the previous day. Would she not need her strength to fulfill her damnable mission? Yes, she would need every ounce she possessed.
Kyle had informed her he was not able to stop at Philae for them, but instead had prepared one of the small man-powered launches that were kept onboard the riverboat in case disaster struck. It was filled with supplies – food, bedding. Anything else she thought they might need, she had but to let him know and he would see that it was done.
She wandered the deck alone, awaiting Ardeth's imminent arrival. She still had no idea what she would say to him. She could not tell him what had been revealed to her by her mother. However, she felt he would see her betrayal in her eyes. She was lost and she had nowhere to turn for answers.
Spying Kyle at the stern of the riverboat, Ardeth strode quickly to the Captain's side. Kyle turned to face him as soon as he heard the soft footsteps approaching. "Good morning, Ardeth," he greeted with a cheerfulness he did not feel. Although Najya assured him that Ardeth had not hurt her, her obvious discontent happened only after a night spent with the dark robed man. Ardeth was a relative stranger to him, whereas Najya was someone he had known for years. He knew where his loyalties lie, and the only reason he was not throwing Ardeth over the side of the boat was due to Najya's assurances. Still, he had no clue why she had become so sullen and brooding; she would not share her pain.
"Good morning," Ardeth answered. "Have you seen Najya? She was not in her room when I awakened." As he spoke, his eyes wandered the deck, but he did not catch one glimpse of his Egyptian beauty. He did, however, take notice of the magnificent Temple Island of Philae.
Kyle nodded. "She is waiting for you. Come with me."
He followed Kyle to where the small boat he and Najya were to use was secured. Najya stood, facing the water, her back to him. She wore the tan slacks and button down shirt again, and it amazed him how she made the clothing appear feminine. Her hair was pulled back, braided, and held with a thick band. As he neared her, he reached out to touch it, just a light stroke over the back of her head before he rested his hand on her shoulder. "MaHabbi, we must talk," he whispered into her ear.
Najya shivered, feeling his warm breath fan the shell of her ear. Her eyes closed upon hearing his endearment. It caused a thousand butterflies to dance in her stomach, even as she felt the dread of their situation envelop her. She loved him; she knew this without a doubt. She suspected he loved her in return. She wanted to stop the world at this point in time. Although she had fulfilled her destiny within her nightmare, she could not truly imagine going through with it. Swallowing hard, she turned to face him, her eyes never quite meeting his. "We will talk, but we must go now." Without another word or look, she stepped over the side and into the small launch.
Ardeth followed, settling onto the seat directly opposite, facing her. She had yet to meet his eyes and that puzzled him. Perhaps once they were on their way she would open up to him. He gripped the oars firmly and waited while Kyle untied the small boat. Ardeth nodded silently to Kyle as Najya called out her thanks and a hearty farewell.
Less than halfway to their destination, Najya focused her attention on Ardeth. He rowed the oars with ease, as if the exertion was no more strenuous than taking a breath. The only telltale signs that he put forth any effort were the tiny beads of sweat that had developed on his forehead and above his upper lip. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "What happened last night...should never have," she finally managed to say.
He stopped rowing momentarily as he locked eyes with her. He saw clearly by the expression on her face she did not mean what she said. She had wanted him as much as he wanted her. That was not the issue. "It was right. You cannot deny it."
She turned her face away, gazing up at the glorious temple that loomed before them. "We have only just met. It was wrong," she insisted firmly. "We are from separate worlds. We will never belong together."
Ardeth's eyes narrowed as his anger built. He stabbed the oars into the water with force, drawing them ever closer to the Isle. "What happened last night...was born from love. Do not deny it, Najya. You love me, as I love you." Her eyes returned to his and in them he read a deep sorrow. "Tell me I am wrong and I shall leave you forever."
A small cry leaped from her before she could stop it. In such a short time, he could read her so well. Again, she pulled her gaze from his and cast it toward the temple. "Leave me now, before it is too late," she whispered. She knew he would not leave her; he would see this thing to the end, even if it meant his end.
Ardeth strained against the sound of the water lapping against the boat to hear her softly spoken words. He had only been able to make out the words "leave" and "late". He had not heard the words "I do not love you". "You cannot tell me, can you? You love me." He was growing frustrated. He longed to be on solid ground so that he might sweep her into his arms and show her his love. She would not deny it then. "Admit it to yourself. To both of us."
Her head snapped back toward him, her eyes locking onto his steadily. Would the tortures never end? She was so very weary and wanted to close her eyes and sleep for eternity. "I...love you. I have always loved you." Noting the confusion that entered his features, she tried to explain, "I believe in destiny and fate. My entire life had been empty until I saw your image in a vision. I knew then, that without you, I was somehow incomplete."
Nearing the shore, he made the remainder of the distance in two quick strokes of the oars. Leaping from the boat into the shallow water, he pulled it fully from the water and beached it on the sand. She grasped the hand he held out to her as she stepped from the boat. Not giving her a chance to pull away from him, he held her firmly in his embrace with one arm. Tilting her chin with his fingertip, he forced her to look up at him. "MaHabbi, you love me and you know I love you. What has you so torn?" He could feel her trembling within his embrace and he was not ignorant enough to think it was from desire.
Najya's thoughts churned rapidly. What could she tell him? How could she explain? There were more earthly problems connected to their relationship. Things she had thought about, but had been buried by the untimely visit from her mother. "I can never be with you. Your people would never allow it."
Ardeth frowned as he caressed her cheek softly. "I am their chief. They would not turn you away." He kissed her closed eyelids tenderly and sighed longingly when her arms twined about his neck.
"But I am...impure. My parents...I was not raised conventionally. I am not like the women of your tribe," she cried softly, burying her face against his neck. She felt as if the betrayal had already begun, telling him these half-truths. But for now, it was necessary. When the time came, nothing would matter. Not their love, not the lies, not even the Sphere. It would all be dead.
Hugging her tightly, he smiled against her hair. "You are pure of heart and spirit, my Najya. It does not matter that you are unlike other women." His hands traveled her back tenderly. "That is part of your charm. You are unique...you are mine."
"I am, as you are mine," she whispered her agreement. She melted against him when his lips captured hers in a heated kiss. Although she wished for nothing more than to stay in his arms forever, she pulled away from him gently. "Forgive my doubts. We have other matters that must be attended to."
He watched her for a moment while she gathered supplies from the boat and headed off toward the temple. Although she had explained away her sullen reaction to his confession of love, he found that his thoughts were still troubled. Gathering the remainder of the supplies, he followed her to the temple courtyard. For now, he had no choice but to accept the things she told him as what was truly bothering her.
He carefully set the supplies down when he reached her. She was gazing intently at the entrance to the Mammissi, the Birth House. Was that where they would uncover the Sphere? He took her by the elbow as they walked toward the opening. His worry for her was mounting; she had yet to say a word and her eyes had glazed over.
Once inside the imposing structure, Najya broke away from Ardeth and headed directly for the larger-than-life statue of Isis. The Goddess sat, straight-backed, her feet planted firmly on the ground. Her palms faced downward and she held something folded within her right hand. The large horns that shaped her headpiece held a sun disk. Najya stood before the likeness of the Goddess, transfixed by the connection she felt to it.
Ardeth watched, spellbound by the sight, as Najya knelt before the likeness, lowering her head in a silent prayer. After several moments, she stood and reached out, touching the hand of Isis that clutched something unknown in its grasp. He was shaken physically by the sound of stone against stone as a large opening formed in the statue just in front of the folded hand.
Najya held her hands over the opening, mentally searching within the darkness for its contents. She felt it almost instantly. It was powerful, more powerful than anything her mind had ever touched before. Concentrating fully on the shape and size of the object, she surrounded it with mental fingers, lifting it from its resting place.
Clear crystal, it had the slightest hint of a blue aura surrounding it. Ardeth judged it as being perhaps eight inches in diameter. His eyes followed it diligently as it floated from its hiding place of untold thousands of years. It hovered above Najya's hands as if she were frightened to touch it. He was fearful to even breathe; afraid he might break her concentration, causing the Sphere to tumble to the ground.
Najya backed away from the Goddess, her focus solely on the Sphere that hovered above her hand. Its powerful magic radiated from it and she wanted no part of it. How was she to protect something she was afraid to touch? Her mother had yet to tell her how to proceed once the Sphere was located. She only knew of the impending horror she would have to face.
Ardeth approached her cautiously as she moved away from the statue. He gently laid his hands on her shoulders when she backed up against him. "What is it, MaHabbi?" he asked, seeing her face pinched in concentration.
"I...I don't know what to do," she admitted frantically. "Mother..."
"Let me tell you what to do," a strange voice declared from behind them.
Ardeth felt the cold metal of a gun barrel shoved against his temple as Najya spun around, still carefully balancing the Sphere above her hands. What she saw shocked her -- a gun to Ardeth's head and countless men surrounding them. Before she had a chance to react, a hand thrust forward and snatched the Sphere from her grasp. At the same time the butt of a gun was brought down against her head, rendering her unconscious.
Realizing it would do little good to go for his weapon, Ardeth allowed the man holding the gun to his head to take it from its sheath. That same man was the one who now possessed the Sphere. After his hands were bound, he was shoved to the cold floor alongside Najya. He was thankful to find her breathing evenly. He took that as a good sign that she was not seriously harmed. If only he had not been so engrossed in what she had been doing, his senses would have been more in tune to what was happening around them. Now the Sphere was in the hands of a stranger and he had failed in his duty. He could only pray to Allah for a miracle. It was their only hope.
***
To be continued...