Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Mummy or The Mummy Returns.

Author's Note: I'm sorry it's been so long. I have a good excuse. But you'll have to wait to hear it because I've forgotten it. No, I've been very, very busy. Not a good excuse, I know. Sorry, I hate it when people don't update and look at me! Pitiful!

I hope you'll all forgive me after this chapter. Things are finally starting to happen. Although it's short it had a lot of meat to it…so no complaining!

Thank you all for your reviews and though I can't promise the next chapter will be out very quickly I shall endeavor to make it so.

Raven (Siren's Muse)

Chapter Seven: A Single Grain of Sand

I awoke with Alex's face hovering over me. My entire body ached and I was no longer in the room I had previously been in. "Oh god, Sekhet! You're awake!" he cried hoarsely as his arms encircled me.

"What happened? Where am I?'

Alex couldn't answer. Luckily for him, Giles stepped in at that moment, followed by a man who looked like a doctor. "You were bit by an asp." the doctor informed me. "Quite luckily, a young fellow had enough sense to siphon most of the venom from your arm."

"Who?"

"Talib." Giles replied.

Talib? He saved my life? I made a mental promise to kiss him when I saw he again.

"You boys best leave, Ms. O'Connell needs her rest."

Alex was reluctant, but the doctor promised that I was quite safe here. I drifted asleep not long after that.

"Good morning, Ms. Sekhet."

"Talib?" I muttered opening my eyes to see his not-not-all-ugly mug staring down at me. There was concern written in his eyes…and that other something else that I couldn't and didn't want to place.

"In the flesh and I'm very glad I can still greet you like that."

My promise. Without thinking or saying anything, I grabbed the back of Talib's neck and pulled his face down to mine, covering his lips quickly. It was a short kiss. Mostly because Talib was too shocked to respond.

"Try not to think about that." I said quickly.

Awkward silence ensued. After which Talib nodded and walked out.

"Well that was anti-climatic." I mumbled.

Naturally, I spent the rest of the day in bed. Ida visited me for awhile and we talked of pointless girl-things. She said nothing about Talib and I was nearly disappointed as I had been wondering where he went after leaving my room. I was also wondering how he was feeling. I mean, he did siphon asp poison out of my arm…that has to be highly unpleasant. I wondered why he had done it. Normally you don't save the life of the people who annoy you. Although you don't exactly wish death upon them, you certainly don't go out of your way to help them. I know I annoyed the thief and he annoyed me. He probably saved me because he knew Alex would kill him if anything happened to me.

Sometime after Ida had left and my own thoughts had ceased their course, I grew horribly restless. Pulling my sore arm against my stomach I swung my leg over the edge of the bed and paused. Fear seized my heart and I glance about for any sign of snakes. Oh god…now I was paranoid! Shaking my head wildly I banished all thoughts of snakes and other un-pleasantries and threw on a robe. It wasn't exactly modest attire, but it hurt just putting my arm through the robe sleeve, I didn't even want to consider attempting to dress one-handed. Tying the robe closed in a messy knot done with one hand—behold my amazing one-handed prowess—I exited the room on light feet. If any of my fellows caught me I'd be back in my bed before I could cry, "Bloody Chauvinists". Consequently, I struggled to be as quiet as a mouse. Halfway down the hall, I heard voices. They were raised, which is why I heard them from where I was. They sounded as if they were coming from Alex's room. Which made sense after listening for a moment and recognizing my brother's voice. "You can't help us! How many times do I have to tell you? Someone is trying to kill my sister and here you are with your false bits of subterfuge pretending that you actually care what happens to Sekhet! Get this straight, thief. I don't trust you and I've never trusted you. For some odd reason my sister seems to think you're a fair chap, but then she's a woman. I know better. I don't want to see you around any of us ever again or I'll kill you with my bare hands!"

I frowned. Alex was always over-dramatic. There was a noise! Someone was coming! I ducked into the nearest doorway and closed the door just as footsteps echoed down the hall. "Eavesdropping can be classified as a sin, you know."

I spun about to find Giles sitting on his bed. Oh hell…I had stumbled into his room. Damn. "Tell Alex and I'll make you wish you were dead." I hissed, quite without feeling…I wasn't as dandy of an actor as my brother.

To my great consternation and utter surprise, Giles—shy, stuttering, bookworm, homely Giles—laughed. "I don't understand why Alex is so worried about you. You can take care of yourself quite well. Try not to look at me like that. I'm not going to tell him and if you'll just calm down I'll explain why."

Against my better judgment and indomitable pride, I obeyed. He gestured to the spot beside him on the bed and meekly I went over and sat. Giles cocked his head slightly and observed me silently for a moment. "Did Alex ever tell you why everyone was so against you coming?"

"No. Did he tell you?"

A slight smile spread across the man's thin, pale lips. "He didn't have to. I figured it out. Although he did fill in the bits and pieces."

"Explain."

"I will, if you'll just be patient!"

Crossing my arm indignantly I waited…not very patiently, mind you…in hopes of annoying him. But the man was obvious made of tougher stuff than I expected and was not annoyed by my antics. Bloody hell. "That's better." he said with a wider grin. "Apparently you were very nearly murdered one your last trip here. By an asp if I've got the story right. I'm not sure how you survived as he said you were bit, right on the wrist too. But quite obviously you were saved as you're now sitting beside me."

"So he's worried about a murderer?"

"Aye and his worries are no long unfounded."

"The snake-bite…so someone is still trying to murder me? How in heaven did they find me?"

Giles shrugged. "I'm not terribly sure. I suppose that's what we have to find out."

Suddenly something hit me. Not anything tangible, mind you, rather a thought. "Alex thinks Talib tried to kill me!"

"You're quick on the uptake, aren't you?" the bookworm asked sarcastically.

I blinked. I wasn't expecting Giles to possess a sarcastic bone in his body…well, I had never expected him to actually hold a conversation with me without stuttering madly. "But he saved me!"

"Yes…yes he did. But to what end?"

"What are you insinuating? That there's an ulterior motive here?"

"Possibly." Giles said offhandedly. "But I don't really think so. I think Talib is quite innocent in the whole matter. Although I do believe at one point he wasn't."

"When he first tried to kidnap me?"

"Indeed. He was working for someone. I think he's figured things out by now. He's quite a smart chap. Although I fear his former employer might not be too happy with him."

"We have to warn him!" I cried, standing quickly.

Giles grabbed my arm and pulled me back down. "I'm sure he realizes the danger he's in. Although he's probably still fool enough to try. Sekhet…I must ask you. Why do you think anyone would want to kill you?"

"Because of my parents, I suppose. I'm told they have many enemies."

Giles shook his head. "From what Alex has told me, all the undead enemies are quite properly dead by now. No need to worry about them."

"Do you know anything I don't or should know?" I asked suspiciously.

"No, I've told you all I know. But if you would think on what I asked you, I would be most obliged."

I nodded. "I shall."

I stood and walked over to the door before stopping and crying, "Oh!"

"What?"

"Alex just sent Talib away! We have to get him back!"

Giles nodded. "Go find him, I'll talk to Alex."

I left Giles room in remarkably better spirits Though the weight of what Giles had told me was heavy, it was nice to know the quiet man was a friend. Well, as they say, a single grain of sand can tip the scales…although the oceans of desert that weighed against me were enough almost too much for that one…pitiful…and now not terribly comforting thought.

Alex knew more than Giles. Giles—even though he assured me he'd told me all he knew I was high doubtful—knew more than Talib…everyone knew more than me. That thought didn't sit well with me at all. Nevertheless, determined not to be left out of the plot to find out who was out to kill me, I stormed back to my room, dressed in a flurry (heedless of the burning pain in my arm and the sudden waves of nausea), looked for Talib in the inn, realized he had already gone, and went out into the hot afternoon to search for one grain of sand in a desert of people. Oh lovely.