The boat docked and Rick and Aredth got Rick's family off.
Ariela attracted every eye when she came down the gangplank.
Alex saw to the delivery of the luggage.
And Aredth and Rick went for the horses. They returned a few minuets later with seven large black horses. The horses where stamping, ready to go.
They rode slowly through Cairo. When they reached the outskirts, they stopped. Before them lay the great expanse of the desert. Just over the next three dunes, lay Hamunaptra. Before the Dead City, was a small town, which was where they where bound for.
Ariela swallowed hard. "You're sure he's awake?"
"Yes," said Aredth. "He's probably already got all his skin back on. Three men where dead when Amir and I left. And that was four days ago."
"Not good," said Rick. "I hate this place," he muttered.
"Let's get this over with," said Ariela. And she dug her spurs into the horse's flanks and let go of the reigns.
The horses took off and began galloping hard across the desert. They where on there way.
After about an hour, they slowed the horses and Amir rode forward until he was next to Ariela.
"What do you think of the desert?"
Ariela dimpled a smile at him. "I have never seen so much sand. Or felt the sun so hard. But other than that, I think it's beautiful."
"Beautiful?"
"Yes. The gold color of the sand blends with the blue of the sky and then meets with the gold of the sun. It's like a precious necklace. Layers of gold with sapphires in between."
"I have ever heard anyone give my home such a beautiful complement." Amir bowed his head. "But than again, we have never had such a beautiful English delicate flower in our midst either."
"English I may be, but delicate I am not!" said Ariela with a half smile.
"Indeed?" asked Amir with a surprised look on his tanned face.
"What should I do to prove that to you?"
"Race me?"
"Where too?"
Amir looked up ahead. "See that tree?"
"Yes." Ariela pulled her gun. "Let's go." By then, her and Amir had dropped back and where at the back of the pack.
All heads came around when Ariela pulled the trigger and dug her spurs into her horse's flanks. Her and Amir shot off with Ariela whooping loudly.
She flashed past Rick and Aredth.
They went neck and neck until about fifty feet from the tree, then Ariela dropped the reigns and clung with her knees.
Amir's mouth dropped open when he saw the reigns fall and he hesitated. That cost him.
Ariela flew ahead and stopped the horse with her knees beneath the tree.
Amir rode up as she was reaching down and gathering the reigns. "You are far to reckless for a girl!"
Ariela laughed. "My father taught me that!"
"He has taught well then!"