Chapter Nine
"Awaken, Alexandria. We have arrived."
I let out a groggy moan, almost pulling away from Ahkmenrah. His fingers wrap around my wrist before I can pull away too far, sending a zing through my system and turning the world gold for a moment.
"Careful."
I'm still clearing my head, "Sorry."
I crack my eyes open, gazing blearily at him. His smile is awfully endearing.
"You slept very well. Do you feel rested?"
"Yes, I do. Thank you."
His electrifying hand slides down my torso to rest on my waist as I remove a hair tie from around my wrist and brush my dark hair back into a ponytail. The seatbelt sign dings off. The passengers stand and grab their luggage. Ahk and I unbuckle. I climb to my feet, Ahk grabs my suitcase from the overhead bin, and we walk hand in hand down the aisle of the plane. Larry and Nicky are waiting for us by the exit. We walk into Heathrow Airport just as the sun is setting. I've never been to London before, but I never thought it would be for such an unconventional situation.
"The sun is setting, so we need to get to the museum now. I hope no one minds that we don't have a hotel. We have a flight at eight thirty tomorrow morning. Alex, I told your mom you weren't feeling well, so don't worry about calling her for the next few days."
Well, that's not entirely a lie. I'm glad I slept on the plane. I hope Ahk got some sleep, too. Larry ushers us out of the airport, where one of those minivan taxis is awaiting us. We load our luggage in the back. Now I'm realizing why he packed all of that for us. He wanted us to look normal, if that's even possible. We climb in.
"Where to?" the taxi driver asks.
I don't even have time or energy to be a tourist and get excited about the fact that the driver is sitting on the other side of the car.
"The British Museum, please." Larry says tersely.
He opens up his wallet, where he has stacks of British currency inside. I don't remember him exchanging dollar bills. Luckily, the museum isn't too far away. Ahk's hand has been nonchalantly stroking mine, not that I'm complaining, but it's constantly reminding me about the life I'm supplying him. My skin is crawling with fear. If I let go, he dies. Just like at the airport back in New York. I keep thinking about his moment of vulnerability in the museum. The way his eyes burned with anger and pain, and how my stomach sank when I realized that it was me that he hated. Even if he didn't mean it that way, he'll make the connection eventually.
"What are you thinking about?" the pharaoh's voice murmurs in my ear.
"Nothing important." I manage a smile up at him.
He seems to know I'm not telling the truth, but he decides to let it go. The cab driver pulls in to the museum and Larry pays him. We all get out of the minivan and grab our luggage. Larry leads us around to the back of the museum.
"Does Tilly still work here?" Nick asks.
"Yeah, she does. I called ahead."
"Is she that delightful woman that fraternized with that cave man?" Ahk asks cheerfully, a smile spreading over his features.
I can see Larry cringe, "Yep. That's the one."
"Do I want to know?" I lean over to Nick.
He smirks at me, "No, you don't."
"Thought so."
We walk up to the wrought iron gate and accompanying guard office. Larry taps on the glass. For a moment, there is nothing. Suddenly, a blonde head pops in to view, wiping chocolate from her mouth. This woman is rather curvy. Her eyes light up when she sees who it is. She pushes a button, and the gate buzzes as the electric lock clicks. We walk inside with our luggage, and the gate closes. The woman comes out of the booth.
"Larry! Nick! Ack! Girl! So nice to see you all!"
I can't help but giggle at the way she pronounces Ahk's name, but her British accent does muddle some of her words. She pulls everyone into a hug.
"How've you guys been? I haven't seen you in ages."
"Oh, yeah. It's been a while. Sorry to rush things, but we only have tonight and I don't know how long this will take." Larry says politely.
She nods energetically, "Sure thing."
She disappears into the booth.
"So, that's Tilly?"
"Yep," Larry says with an exasperated sigh, "that's Tilly."
Tilly withdraws a key ring, walking us to a side door on the British Museum's version of a loading dock. She unlocks the door. Ahk suddenly grips my arm as we walk inside. I realize why as the gold flashes across my vision, and I fall into him.
"Woah, is she okay?"
"Yes," I hear Larry say, "she'll be fine in a moment."
Sure enough, I manage to push the gold tinge out of my eyes, and I can breathe more evenly. Ahk slowly sets me back up on my feet, letting go of me. Now that we're in the museum, it's safe for us to let go.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes."
"The museum is awake, now." Ahk says.
Larry flashes me a grim smile, and rubs my arm. The slight tinge of static electricity doesn't deter him enough to let go of his niece. Nick unzips his suitcase and takes out the tablet. For once, it doesn't look as bright and magical as it did when I first saw it. Probably because it's not magical anymore. We follow Tilly into the museum's main hall, where the exhibits are beginning to move around. It's been a few months since they've last been awake, I think. Tilly leads us through the museum, ignoring the exhibits that are just waking up as if she's done this before. She probably has.
"Larry!" a man's joyous voice calls.
Our group turns to find a knight making his way toward us. His hair is shoulder-length and dirty blonde, and he has blue eyes that sparkle as brightly as his head-to-toe armor.
"Very good to see you my friends! It's been too long."
He pulls Larry, Nick, Tilly, and Ahk into a hug, and then he notices me. His entire demeanor changes, and I get hit with what I can only describe as "the smolder" straight out of Tangled. He releases them from his grasp, capturing my right hand and bringing it to his lips.
"I, my fair lady, am Lancelot, a knight of King Arthur's round table. What might your name be?"
"Um, I'm Alex."
He straightens, "Well, Lady Alex. It is truly a pleasure to meet you."
This guy is adorable. The utter quintessence of a chivalrous knight.
Ahk clears his throat, "We should probably get going."
"Where are you going?" Lancelot asks.
"Just a visit to Egypt," Larry says quickly, sensing Ahkmenrah's hostility, "let's get moving."
"Well, I shall join you! I could use a good quest, such as accompanying fair Lady Alex to Egypt."
Ahk's eyes spark with annoyance. Is he jealous? What would he have to be jealous of? Lancelot offers me his arm, and I take it. He smiles at me, all charm, and begins to lead me down the hall. Our group makes its way through the museum until we turn a corner into a room full of hieroglyphics. They crawl along the walls and pillars of the room, saying things about the all powerful royal family, the light of Khonsu, and eternal wealth. There are two sarcophaguses in the middle of the room, which have been opened and emptied. There is no one here.
"Hello?" Larry calls.
There is some shuffling from the back of the exhibit, and soon enough a pharaoh and queen step into view. As soon as they see Ahk, their faces light up in identical grins.
"Ahkmen!" the queen exclaims, pulling him in to a hug and kissing his forehead.
The pharaoh stands to the side, observing his wife's affections for a moment, before turning to us.
"Guardian of Brooklyn! Very good to see you. Who might this be?" he asks, evaluating me.
"This is my niece, Alex."
His wife joins us then, wrapping an arm around her husband and flashing me a kind smile.
"I am Merenkahre, pharaoh of the Nile and father to the son of the sun."
"And I am Shepseheret, the glittering jewel of the nine kingdoms."
That sounded like a very well-rehearsed introduction. Very impressive.
"What are you wearing?" Shepseheret asks, narrowing her eyes at Nick's clothes on Ahk.
"Just something to help me blend in. They're actually quite comfortable." Ahk flashes a sheepish smile at his mother.
She returns it with an exasperated sigh, "Can you please change back into your robes? To make your mother happy?"
Ahk playfully sighs, "Yes, Mother."
He makes his way back into the exhibit, probably to find clothes among the artifacts. I have to admit, I'm going to be sad to not see him in a beanie anymore. He looked adorable.
"What brings you back, Guardian of Brooklyn?" Merenkahre asks, clapping Larry on the shoulder.
Nick hands Merenkahre the tablet, and his eyes narrow.
"It has lost its power. How are we awake?"
"That's the thing. It seems that Alexandria has inherited the tablet's abilities."
"She has… what?"
"She touched the tablet, and something happened. We don't know."
The pharaoh slides his gaze over to me, "And now you are the one keeping us alive?"
"Uh, it seems so, Pharaoh."
He halt-heartedly chuckles at my attempt at formalities, but suddenly his expression sobers.
"What is it?" Larry asks.
Merenkahre turns to me, "Do you know the story of the Tablet of Ahkmenrah?"
"No, Pharaoh, I don't."
The older man smiles at me, a bit of nostalgia in his gaze, "Ahkmenrah was born at midnight. I was pharaoh, and I had seen wonders most men only dream of. But when I first gazed upon my son, he was instantly more precious to me than all the wonders of the ancient world. I knew I could never bear to say goodbye. I commanded the High Priest to create a gift for him using all we had learned of the mysteries of the afterlife. Forged in the temple of Khonsu, god of the moon and watcher over nighttime travelers, the Tablet of Ahkmenrah was created. Ahkmen's tomb was designed to channel Khonsu's rays down to the tablet, rejuvenating its powers every night. The moon god bestowed his power upon the tablet, so that as long as it bathed in his light, our family could be together forever, and not even death could part us. The priest gave his life for our family, for Ahkmenrah, so that he could reign forever over our land."
"Father, where is the point in this?" Ahk asks, striding around the corner. He is back in his royal attire: gold sandals, white skirt, golden robe, and many, many beads and gems around his neck. He has chosen not to wear that large crown, which I don't blame him for. It looked heavy. The perk to these clothes is his abs are exposed again. I have to tear my eyes away before anyone catches me staring. Ahk is even more fit than Nick is, and that's saying something. Shepseheret places a hand on Ahk's arm, and smiles at her husband to continue. Ahk almost imperceptibly rolls his eyes, but says nothing.
"So, the priest died?" I ask.
"He used his life blood to give it power. He was the tablet before he died, he possessed all of the powers the tablet displays today. He died for the tablet, and transferred all of his magic into the tablet so Ahkmen could always have it. And now, it has been given to you."
"But… why?"
Merenkahre turns around, striding towards a small pedestal in the corner of the room. I can only assume it was made to hold the tablet. The whole group follows him, crowding around the pedestal. It has a small inscription written on the base.
"A great prophecy delivered by the High Priest himself the day your tablet was created, my son."
He traces a weathered finger over the glyphs, reading them aloud, "When reunited with life blood, power will be restored."
That is the same saying inscribed on top of Ahk's tablet. Merenkahre turns to me, and for the first time, his smile is genuine.
"Egyptologists have, for thousands of years, been baffled by this prophecy. But… I believe it is you. When the tablet is reunited with the blood that gave it life, the power that is rightfully yours will be restored to you. I believe you may be a descendant of the priest, finally come to restore power to himself."
Woah. Woah woah woah woah woah. Hold. The. Phone. What the hell? I'm a descendant of the High Priest?
"But, I don't want that power."
Ahk suddenly looks like he wants to disappear. Merenkahre blinks, "You what?"
"I'm sorry. It's nothing personal. I just don't think I can handle that."
He scoffs, "Nonsense. It wouldn't have been given to you if you couldn't."
"How am I supposed to know that? This could just be an accident. There's no way that I could be descended from an Egyptian priest."
"There is most certainly a way. Besides, there is no stopping this."
"What do you mean? You're the pharaoh. You can give the power back to the tablet."
"The prophecy will not allow that. You are a descendant of the priest. The prophecy states that you will be given his power. There is no way out of a prophecy. This is a great blessing, I don't see how you could be so upset."
I'm starting to get distressed. I don't want this. Why is this happening to me? I just wanted to learn more about a pharaoh, and this man is telling me that suddenly I'm the solution to one of Egypt's greatest mysteries? No. No way. I can feel panic rising in my throat. The hieroglyphs are suddenly jumping off of the walls in perfect clarity. Eternal. Eternal. This is forever. This is going to be my life. I'm going to be held responsible for keeping Ahkmenrah and his family alive and together for the rest of my life. I can't handle that. I don't want to handle that! A hand on my arm distracts me from my terrifying thought process. It's Ahk.
"Would you like to go get some air?"
"I can't. Everyone will go back to sleep."
I don't want to have to kill Merenkahre and his wife, too. I feel miserable. I'm destined to kill everyone, no matter what I do.
"An open window will do just as well. Let's go."
Over half of the room's occupants look as if they want to object, but no one says a word as Ahkmenrah steers me out of the room with a hand on my lower back. We walk down a hallway in silence, me suppressing my tears as well as I can, until he makes it to a smaller, secluded window. He slides it open and a warm breeze blows onto my face, calming me.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry?" Ahk asks.
"I shouldn't have touched your tablet. This never would have happened."
He chuckles, placing a hand on my knee, "You cannot reverse a prophecy, Alexandria, especially one delivered by the High Priest himself. This was inevitable. If not you, your child, or your grandchildren."
"But I can't do this. I don't want-"
I cut myself off. I don't want to tell him about the thought that has been plaguing me this past day, that I am the one that he hates. I am the one responsible for his death every day.
"You don't want what?" he asks.
"Nothing. It's nothing."
"Alex. Please tell me. There's no use keeping secrets. I learned that many years ago."
I heave a sigh, "I don't want you to hate me."
He tilts his head, "And why do you think I hate you?"
"Because the tablet killed you every night and caused you so much pain, and now that it's me, you hate me too."
His smile is tender and warm, "I could never hate you."
"Do you mean that?"
Ahk's eyes are melting me from the inside out, "I really do. I know that the powers have caused me pain, but you… It is not possible for me to hate you."
Before I can stop myself I'm burying myself into his chest, holding on to him as tightly as I can. The tears flow freely and I can't stop them. Ahk's strong arms encircle me immediately. We fit together perfectly, and his warmth surrounding me makes me feel safe.
"I'm scared." I mumble into his chest.
Ahk pulls away from me, using his thumb to wipe the tears from my cheeks.
"I know. But you will be fine. You must embrace this power. If you use it well, you can use it for good. This is a good thing. Try to think of it that way."
He stands, pulling me up with him, and slips his hand in to mine. His large hand engulfs my smaller one, but I couldn't care less. Having him here is a great comfort. Maybe I can do this. We walk back through the museum in silence. I gather my strength for what is to come. Maybe Ahk is right. Maybe this power could be a good thing. Having magic at my fingertips doesn't sound too bad to me. We enter Egypt again, and everyone immediately takes note of our hands. I lead us up to the king and queen.
"I'm ready."
hey there lovely people! sorry I'm a few days late, but happy new year! I hope that 2016 brings tons of new adventures, in my stories and in my life, but more importantly, my stories definitely the stories. anyways, hola and thank you to Apsalar, sansalayne, Las Nekos del Ying-Yang, TheAlleyCat18, 0lovely blossom0, SamuraiNinjaDragon, milano641 (thank you for favoriting/following me!), sourskittles6887, TheWriter'sMistress (p.s. your name is BOMB), ninjagirlA20, Bumblebee1013, High Gaurdian, beautiful-tragics, Cupuffle, WhitePhoenix357, RedApple15, harlotravern (thanks for following me!), and Anvelite! and to all of those who left reviews: virtual cupcakes headed your way. we have chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet, so take your pick ;P SERIOUSLY you guys are amazing your support is positively overwhelming! thanks for being awesome. it makes writing this story one thousand times better, no joke. anyways, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. if you did, please don't hesitate to leave a review! and remember to favorite and follow if you haven't done so already. much love! see ya next chapter :)