Chapter 7
When Rick woke up, Malik was putting a wet cloth over his forehead.
" Welcome back." she whispered
Rick winced. He had a major headache and remembering Evy's pale face, the face he had seen once before... began to silently cry.
* Cheer up O'Connell.. I'll protect her sprit so that he can't take over it.* came an all to familiar sweet voice
Ricks eyebrows raised.
" Mariana?" he asked confused
* No, its the pharaoh daughter... of course its me.. now just trust me... okay?Ardeth will help you get her back and I'll protect her spirit* Mariana's voice said
Rick, still puzzled nodded his head.
" What about Malik?" he asked
* She'll help... but for her own reasons... well partly* she explained
Rick smiled.
" That's comforting." he muttered.
He smiled as he heard a fading chuckle in his mind. He sat up.
" I'm glad you're awake.. Ardeth and Jonathan have been fighting for hours." Malik said.
" Jonathan...fighting? Man my head must really hurt.." Rick said as he sighed..
" No not fighting, fighting.. just arguing with Ardeth." Malik answered
" Oh." Rick replied
" Some things never change." he mumbled
" Ain't that the truth.." Malik said
Rick got up and stalked over to Ardeth and Jonathan.
" We have to worry about Evy before we worry about your precious Medji girlfriend!" Jonathan was saying
Ardeth was seemingly arguing with himself with something before he could answer.
" She is not worthless! And we are saving both of them together, not individually!" Ardeth retorted
Rick jumped between both of them.
" Whoa! Ardeth! Jonathan! Arguing is not going to bring either of them back here safe. So quit arguing otherwise I'm going to get involved and you wont enjoy it!" Rick yelled glaring at both of them.
Ardeth, being disciplined, begrudgingly backed down. Jonathan, still drunk, sat down. Malik scooted over to him and picked him up on his feet... Rick had begun to slowly notice how Malik had attached herself to Jonathan over the past few days... but didn't say anything.
" You know O'Connell" Ardeth started " You should be the one who is upset about all this. If it weren't for Mariana.. Evelyn would still be here." Ardeth finished
Jonathan looked at him and snickered with the kind of snicker that said " That's exactly right.. if it weren't for her."
" Yeah, well, your right, but we would have been here anyway." Rick replied with a choke in his throat. " She would have been here anyway because she loves to dig." Rick said as he turned from them, trying to hide a tear. " Besides, I heard Mariana.. say that she would protect her spirit." he finished
Ardeth looked at Rick studying him.
* How can he be so scared, but so strong and showing no feelings at the same time?* Ardeth thought to himself.
" Rick." Ardeth said.
Rick still did not turn towards them.
" I know and you may not believe me, but I know that Evelyn is the first priority. Mariana, can fend for herself.. even if she is dead... besides, I owe Evelyn that. She trusted Mariana for me.. fighting her own feelings." Ardeth said
" Thank you." Rick said again with a choke in his throat. " But they both come first." he finished
" No, Rick, Evelyn comes first because she is not dead." Ardeth said
Rick turned around at the very sound of what Ardeth had just said.
" What?" Rick said.
" She is not dead, my friend." Ardeth answered
" How do you know?" Rick asked
" Because, she was just knocked out when Kurai took her away." Ardeth answered
" But I saw her.. I have seen her like..th.." Rick started
" She is not dead! O'Connell, you must trust me.. he would not kill her if he needs her." Ardeth interrupted
" Needs her for what?" Rick asked more seriously
" Just trust me my friend." Ardeth replied
" Ardeth, if you know something and you are not telling me... it could be very dangerous!" Rick said grabbing Ardeth and looking him in the eyes.
" Alright... we think..." Ardeth started
" We? What we?" Rick interrupted
" Malik, Mariana or her spiritual self, and I." Ardeth answered.." But we think he may want her for her previous life..for who she was in the past." Ardeth answered
" What does that had to do with anything?" Rick asked
" He may use her to get what he is seeking... and possibly.. for.. a weapon." Ardeth said.
Rick was getting an angry look, the look he got when Evy had been killed at Ahm Shere.
" Yeah.. well I'm going to get her before he gets the chance." Rick said letting go of Ardeth.
" I will come with you." Ardeth said
" So will I!" Malik yelled
" Fine, get ready." Rick said as he walked over to Alex.
" I want you to go with your uncle back to the fort and wait." Rick said to his son.
" I always have to stay.. I never go." Alex whined
" One day Alex... one day soon.. you and I will go and I will teach you some things.. but not now." Rick said " I promise you will get a chance, but not now." he finished
" Dad...I..." Alex started
" Don't worry Alex.. I'm gonna get your mom back." Rick said as he hugged Alex and stood up. Jonathan walked over and stood beside Alex, putting a hand on his shoulder.
" Take care of my son Jonathan." Rick said.
" Don't worry Rick.. I wont let you down." Jonathan said almost seriously
" Thanks, Alex.. behave for Jonathan.. and keep an eye on him.." Rick said
" Don't worry dad.. I will." Alex said with a little grin.
" I love you Alex." Rick said.
" I love you too dad." Alex said smiling.
Rick walked away and got on his horse where Malik and Ardeth were already on theirs waiting for him. The rode off.
Meanwhile, back at Hamunaptra.. Evy is just now starting to wake up and Kurai is standing over her.. looking at her and his men are standing around the room. Evy is chained to a wall with her arms up.
" Welcome to Hamunaptra... the " Kurai started
" I know what this bloody place is!" Evy yelled at him angrily while she was fettling with her chains.
" Oh, that's right.. you have been here before." Kurai said smiling
" Oh, well I'm glad you are smart enough to figure that out." Evy replied in an angry sarcastic manner.
" Yes.. but you have also been here in your previous life... Princess Nefertiri." Kurai said still grinning
Evy looked at him..she was horrified, but did not show it.
" Yes.. how do you know that?" she asked trying to cover her fear.
" Easy.. I was looking for someone with a strong history, present and past.. and you came along." Kurai answered.
" How did you know that I had a so called history?" Evy asked
" Well, the night I caught up with you... after you went to sleep I put my hand over your forehead and saw all the memories that you have that are most important to you or the ones that are a key to your very own being." Kurai answered
" Well, that's interesting, but what do you bloody want with my and why did you kill Mariana?" Evy said getting angry again
" Pleas, Mrs. O'Connell, one question at a time. I killed her simply because she was there and I needed the body." Kurai said.
" And what about me?" Evy asked
" I think I'll wait.. you just stay here.. oh that's right, you cant go anywhere.." Kurai said and laughed as he turned and walked away..
" You just wait..you will regret everything you just said!" Evy yelled
* I have to get out of these chains.. I have to find out why he needs me.* she thought to herself.
Mariana, spiritually, had been watching Evy. She watched as the thing in her body walked out of the room. She floated over to Evy.
* Evy?* she asked
Evy looked around the room, questioning what she had just heard.. but recognizing the voice.
" Mariana? Where are you?" Evy asked
* You cant see me.. listen, I need to take your soul for safe keeping before he performs the ritual.* Mariana explained
Evy looked at the air with a puzzled face.
" Ritual? What do you mean ritual?" Evy asked
* He is going to make you evil.. but if I take your soul for safe keeping, then he will only be making your body evil.* Mariana answered
" My body? Oh, so I wont be in it?" Evy said sarcastically
* We don't have..* Mariana started
" I get the point. You can do it." Evy said still looking at the air.
Mariana nodded.
* Good.. then I will come back right before he turns you evil.* Mariana said *Rick... he... he did very well choosing you for his wife... I'm ... I'm sorry that I misjudged you... but I'll keep your soul safe till Ardeth and Rick can free us... okay.. later* she finished without waiting for an answer and she left.
* Malik will be coming too... I hope* she thought.
" This... just keeps getting more interesting.. and.. confusing." Evy said to herself.. still messing with the chains.. " Such a good girl.. and yet I still can't figure out what it is about her." she said to herself.