Opening my eyes I found myself staring at the ceiling far above me and I frowned, unable to understand why I wasn't looking at the inside lid of my sarcophagus. It wasn't until I finally pushed myself up by my elbows that I realized I was lying on the bed Presley usually used.
"How did I wind up here? Must have been some night last night?" I muttered as I climbed off the bed, rubbing at my eyes once I had both feet safely on the floor. Once I saw Rath leaning over his table I forget all about my confusion as I headed his way.
"I've been studying this amulet and I cannot sense any dark magic coming from it." Rath muttered as he held the amulet between his fingers. "It may not have come from Scarab."
"What didn't come from Scarab?" I asked as I wandered over and Rath quickly hid the amulet he had been checking over under his bandages. "Seriously? I just saw you hide something in your bandages, Rath." I added as I stared at him one of my eyebrows raised when he gave me a smile.
"I do not know what you are talking about, Jade." Rath asked and I rolled my eyes at him with a snort, darting forward as I tried to find whatever he had hidden in between his bandages. "Stop that!" Rath shouted, chuckling when my hands slipped in between his bandages and I sniggered as he tried to duck away from my hands.
"You're not getting away until you tell me what that thing is." I replied, pulling him back by a loose hanging bandage and Rath started to laugh when I started to run my fingers across the skin just under his bandages, him hoping he would give up. "Come on, Rath tell me what you hid or I'm not letting up." I laughed and he just snorted, unable to control his laughter as I tickled him mercilessly.
We were still laughing when Ja-Kal, Nefer-Tina and Armon decided to check out where all the noise was coming from only to find me with my hands under the bandages covering Rath's chest. Ja-Kal cleared his throat and I turned to see them staring at us, Nefer-Tina trying very hard to contain her laugher behind her hand.
"This is...we can explain. Just give me a few minutes to think of a logical explanation." Rath coughed as I slid my hands out of his wrappings, a faint smile on my lips.
"I would like to hear it as well, Rath." Ja-Kal answered and I winked at Rath, who raised an eyebrow at me.
"I was trying to find something Rath lost." I explained after a pause and Nefer-Tina laughed as Rath's other eyebrow shot towards his forehead. "But I couldn't find it."
"Apparently not." Ja-Kal said, giving us both a slow smile. "Did you manage to figure out where that amulet came from?"
"What amulet?" I asked and Rath cleared his throat, staring at their leader who just shrugged. "Rath, what are you keeping from me?" I said as I turned to see Rath slowly making his way towards the archway. "Oh no you don't, Rath. You can't keep secrets from me!" I called out chasing after him when he shot towards the entrance.
"Jade, this is most unladylike!" Rath called out as I chased him through the entrance and outside only to skid to a halt when he stopped, nearly knocking the wizard over.
"Hmph. You're the one whose keeping secrets, Rath." I grumbled, arms crossed against my chest as I stared at him. "I thought we could share anything."
"Jade, it is for your own good." Rath sighed placing a hand on my shoulder but I shook him off standing several inches apart. "Please understand that some secrets are best kept secret."
"Yeah right. We had a great night last night until Chontra showed up though the rest of the night's a blur." I replied and Rath shook his head at me, frowning when I looked down at the ground. This time when he set his hand on my shoulder I turned my head enough to stare staright into his green eyes.
"Jade, I couldn't tell you about the amulet as much as I would like to. Not until I can be sure Scarab didn't have a hand in creating it." Rath explained his eyes widening too late once he realized what he'd just said.
"S you are hiding an amulet from me? Rath, how could you?" I snapped at him, not even looking at him when he cleared his throat. "So much for not keeping secrets from me."
"Chontra gave me this amulet last night after she knocked you unconscious. I've been using my own magic to detect if any of Scarab's magic is present but so far I have had no luck. All that could mean is that he used a spell to hide his presence." Rath answered after an awkward pause, taking the amulet from under his bandages and once he held it out I darted towards him snatching it up.
"It has Anubis on it, Rath. Maybe It was meant for me. You know it could be true." I insisted and he sighed as I looked at the amulet now lying in my hands. Rath didn't answer and I shook my head tossing the amulet back to him. "Trust is a two-way street, Rath."
"Come back inside and we can talk about this, Jade." Rath suggested and with another eyeroll I started to head back inside the sphynx, followed by Rath. "That's better." He said as we walked past the entrance though once inside the sphinx I paused, turning fully around and he frowned at the way my eyes narrowed at him.
"I trust you, Rath but when you keep secrets from me it really hurts." I told him, rubbing at my eyes. "I'm not Chontra. There's no magic spell keeping us together. It's just two people who are supposed to care about each other."
"Jade, I never thought I would care about another woman after Chontra but now I find myself falling for you. Once I am completely sure that this amulet isn't a clever trap set by Scarab I will hand it to you but not until then." Rath told me and I nodded, chewing my lip as he gently took my hand in his. "You can trust me."
"You weren't feeling very well last night so I gave you a potion to help you recover. I am sorry about what Chontra did to you. She just won't leave me alone." He said and I gave him a tiny smile, forgetting all about being angry with him as he held my left hand.
"I really can't remember much after you brought us home. Everything's a blur." I answered as he reached up and I winced as his fingers touched my forehead. "Think I have a bump there."
"That too will fade in time. Maybe you should be resting in your sarcophagus and not wandering around getting worked up." Rath suggested and my lips curled into a smile only to frown as I used my right hand at scratch at the bandages on my waist. "Is something wrong?"
"My bandages are itchy." I complained and he chuckled gently tugging me back towards the sphyinx. A little confused I followed him and once we entered another room I hadn't checked out yet he released my hand, walking over to a folding screen and as I stared at him he stepped behind it.
Once I saw him start to drag out a bathtub of all things I shook my head and he stopped dragging it enough to stare at me. "Would you mind helping?" He asked with a sigh and I quickly hurried over helping him drag it into the center of the room. "There, that's much better."
"Why exactly is there a bathtub in the sphinx?" I asked him as he starighted, stretching his back and he fixed me with a faint smile. "Hey I honestly didn't realize we could bathe." I grumbled and he chuckled, patting my head and I snorted.
"It is true that you learn something new everyday, Jade. I do bathe even as a mummy and so should you. I can show you how to clean and press your own bandages if you would like." Rath explained and I nodded, still trying to get my head around being able to bathe like a normal human.
"You were right about the sand thing. Bandages and sand are not a good mix." I told him as he picked up a bucket. "Now where are you going?"
"To fill up the bathtub of course, Jade." Rath replied as he left the room and I shook my head at my own mistake, moving towards the folding screen. Once I finished pulling towards the bathtub I crossed my arms, waiting patiently for Rath to return.
"There we go." Rath muttered to himself, filling the bucket with water from the moat surrounding the sphinx. "Now all I need to do is heat it and this will be perfect." He had just set it down when he felt a tap on his shoulder and he spun around to find Nefer-Tina staring at him.
"Why are you getting water from the moat, Rath? We do have drinking water you know." She asked and he pressed a hand to his chest narrowing his eyes as the shock wore off.
"I'm not going to drink this, Nefer-Tina. I'm going to heat it up and give it to Jade." He explained, kneeling so he could reach the bucket.
"Not the best gift to give Jade, Rath but it's your choice." Nefer-Tina as she followed him back into the sphinx and he sighed, shaking his head as he headed back to Jade.
"Jade managed to get sand under her bandages, don't ask me how," He said when Nefer-Tina opened her mouth, "So I suggested that Jade take a bath."
"Okay I guess that makes sense. Though what are you going to do when she gets out of the bath?" Nefer-Tina asked and Rath slowed so they were walking alongside each other. When he gave her a blank stare Nefer-Tina rolled her eyes. "How will Jade put her bandages back on?"
"I had not considered that." Rath replied and Nefer-Tina shook her head to him as they returned to the room with the bathtub. "That is a problem but I'm sure I can come up with a solution by the time Jade finishes bathing." He added and Nefer-Tina just snorted, heading back to the main room as Rath made a stop in his labratory.
"Did you have any trouble?" I asked Rath when he returned holding a bucket with steam rising from it. He gave me a smile and I grinned, moving aside so he could reach the bathtub and as I looked on he filled the tub. "Thanks, Rath. This will be perfect."
"Is the water temperature alright?" Rath asked me and I gave him another nod, reaching for the linen cloth covering my waist. As Rath looked on eyes widening I unwrapped it leaning over so I could drap it over the folding screen before I turned my attention to the bandages covering my waist and chest. Though as I slowly started to unwind them I heard someone let out a breath and I turned my head, finding Rath staring directly at me.
"Rath, are you just going to stand there and watch me bathe?" I asked with a sigh and he blinked his cheeks darkening as he spun around, hurrying out of the room though as he reached the doorway he couldn't help giving me one more quick peek.
"Where's Jade?" Armon asked when Rath returned to his scrolls though when he didn't answer Armon frowned at him. "Is he okay?" He asked Nefer-Tina who just gave Rath a smirk, tapping him on the shoulder and he turned around blinking.
"Yes? Did you want something, Nefer-Tina?" Rath asked and Nefer-Tina just smiled at him as Armon climbed from the couch.
"Why are you smiling?" Armon asked, curious as Rath cleared his throat looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "Ohhh I get it. You're in love with Jade." He teased and Rath's cheeks darkened as both Nefer-Tina and Armon sniggered.
"I am not in love with Jade." Rath shot back, crossing his arms against his chest as Ja-Kal walked in staring as Rath whirled around, facing the wall. "Well I am not."
"What exactly is going on, Rath?" Ja-Kal asked with a sigh as their wizard shook his head, not turning around until Nefer-Tina and Armon managed to stop laughing.
"Rath won't admit he likes Jade." Armon answered and Rath just snorted, his attention moving to the scrolls on the shelf above him. "But he really likes her."
"I do like her just not the way you two seem to think I do." Rath grumbled, selecting a scroll before he carefully unrolled it. "Now can we please talk about something else?"
"Of course, Rath. What would you like to talk about?" Ja-Kal asked still confused as Rath pulled out the amulet that Chontra had given him. "Have you figured out where it came from?"
"Nothing so far but I won't give up. Right now I'm keeping it away from Jade just in case." Rath replied, setting the amulet down on the table.
"You found an amulet? When did that happen?" Nefer-Tina asked, snatching up the amulet before Rath could react. "Hey it looks kind of like Anubis."
"Yes and that is why I am keeping the amulet away from Jade. I still don't believe that it is harmless." Rath explained once Nefer-Tina handed the amulet back.
"If Chontra gave it to you it can't be harmless." Ja-Kal answered as Rath slipped the amulet beneath his wrappings. "You should find another hiding place for that."
"Until I do this will have to do despite how uncomfortable it is." Rath sighed, scratching at the bandages over the hidden amulet. "Now I should check on Jade."
"Maybe you should give her a few minutes." Nefer-Tina suggested though Rath didn't pay her the slightest attention, heading back to where he'd last left Jade.
"Now this is perfect. Never thought I'd get sand in my bandages." I muttered, leaning my head back against the tub. "Huh I never thought I'd have bandages to begin with."
Shaking the water from my hair I looked around the room for something to dry myself off though after I couldn't see anything I sighed. "Great. Guess I'm going to have to go looking for one. Wonder if they even have towels in the sphyinx." I sighed to myself as I started to rise from the bath, water dripping down my bare skin.
I barely made it towards the folding screen when I heard footsteps and I turned my head enough to see someone heading my way. "They're not going to..." I trailed off when Rath appeared humming softly to himself only to freeze, nearly stumbling over his own feet when he saw me standing there.
We just stood there and as I blinked at him, shocked that he'd just walked in on me, Rath finally cleared his throat. "I can explain, Jade." He quickly said and I snorted, covering myself as best I could with my arms. "This is not what it looks like."
"It looks to me like you walked in on my bath." I pointed out, thankful that I'd kept some bandages wrapped around my waist and chest. "Now is there something you needed?"
"O...oh of course, Jade. I brought you a towel." Rath satmmered, holding out a folded towel towards me and I just shook my head holding out my hand. As he handed it to me he couldn't help staring at my body his eyes traveling and I rolled my eyes at him, snatchung up the towel. "I am sorry but I did not mean to intrude. I forgot to bring you something to dry yourself with."
Once I wrapped the towel around my body he cleared his throat, looking directly at my face this time. "Jade, are you angry with me?"
"Why do you ask?" I said, crossing the room so that we were standing face to face. "If it's about the amulet I understand why you won't let me wear it." When he raised both eyebrows at me my lips curled into a smile. "If it was made by Scarab it could hurt me and you don't want that."
"Of course I don't want you getting hurt." Rath replied and I sniggered at the way he raised his arms above his head. "I just want to be sure that that amulet is not connected to him or Chontra." Rath added, freezing in place when I grasped his hands.
"I appreciate that, Rath. I wouldn't want you to get hurt either." I told him and he smiled at that forgetting that we were holding hands until I looked down at myself. "Now don't take this the wrong way but could you please leave so I can finish getting dressed?" I added and he quickly released my hands, cheeks dark as he quickly headed towards the archway.
Rath hurried away not realizng he'd dropped something as I finished my bath, drying myself and as I folded the towel I noticed something shining on the floor a few feet away. Setting the folded towel down on the tub I headed over to pick it up, instantly recognizing the dropped item as the amulet Rath had shown me once I knelt beside it.
"Rath must have dropped this. I should probably bring it back." I muttered as I straightened, moving to the folding screen. Draping the amulet over it I headed over to retrieve my bandages and as I bent over the amulet glowed. I didn't even see it glowing and the light faded as I turned back around.
I tried a few times to get my bandages right but each time they started to slip and I sighed, wondering if Nefer-Tina would help me. I started to head out of the room when I saw the amulet and I blinked, my eyes widening as it glowed a second time. "Okay that is really weird." I muttered as I gently picked up the amulet staring at it in silence.
When I felt a complusion to wear it around my neck my own inner voice told me to give it back to Rath, that it could be dangerous but another voice I couldn't place told me to try it on. I draped the amulet around my neck and I smiled at how perfectly it fit around my neck only to feel lightheaded and I fell to my knees, tugging at the rope holding the necklace.
No matter how hard I tugged the amulet wouldn't come off and I groaned, instantly wishing I hadn't worn it as a jolt of pain made me dizzy and I slumped to the floor.