“Well, turn it off so I can finish getting dressed.”
“The image is gone. You may clothe yourself now.”
Though he assured me he wasn’t peeking, the corners of his mouth were turned up in a small smile. Deciding that modesty was the least of my worries, I quickly slipped my pants on and rummaged under the bed for my sandals.
“How did you configure it to see, anyway?”
“You misunderstand. I cannot see. The Eye merely showed me an image like the one you demonstrated to me on your…phone.”
“Well, congratulations on your little going-away peepshow. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to see if there’s any food left.”
“Lily.” The way he said my name stopped me in my tracks. Amon rose, reaching out his hand until he touched the wall. Then, feeling along it, he made his way to my side. His nostrils flared when he was within a foot of me, and he paused.
Tentatively, he reached his fingers out until they made contact with my hair. “I did not intend to embarrass you or cause you discomfort,” he murmured. “The Eye responds to the wishes of the person in possession of it. This is why Dr. Hassan suddenly knew the answers to the many questions he had in his mind.”
“So you were wishing—”
Amon ran his fingers down my hair, golden light spreading across the strands, adding more highlights to my dark brown tresses.
Stepping back, Amon let out a sigh. “To see you again before I departed this world.”
I waited a heartbeat or two, giving him time to add to that comment, but he didn’t. Lily and Lilliana fought a war inside my mind. In the end I didn’t know who won. Was it the weak side of me that wanted to repair and forgive, or the strong side? Did Lily have unresolved business with Amon, or was Lilliana desperately clinging to the hope that she could be something more, mean something more to someone like him?
Either way, I decided to let him off the hook. He was saving the world, after all. The least I could do was not obsess over him like a typical teenager.
“Can I see? Your eyes, I mean?”
He considered for a moment and then shook his head. “It is not the image of me I’d like you to remember.”
“You don’t think I can handle it?”
“You balked at Asten’s raising.”
“Well, yeah. It was my first mummy revivification, you know. You should have seen me at Ahmose’s. I handled it much better.”
Amon smiled, and I sensed that he, too, did not wish to part on a bad note. “Perhaps you should tell me about it.”
“Have you eaten?”
“I was hoping to feast with you a final time,” he said.
“I suppose that’s the least I can do. We’ll call room service and order up a farewell feast. I wonder if they serve breakfast at this time of day.”
“Do you think they will have some of those circular breads filled with sugared fruits?”
“Danishes? I’ll check.”
We fell back into our familiar companionship, yet there was an unspoken tension that lingered between us. I overanalyzed every word for hidden double meaning. Each touch burned my skin as if I had pressed a hot poker to it. My emotions were all there just beneath the surface, bared, raw, and prickly.
Once our food arrived, Amon’s spirits seemed to lift. We ate together, him pushing plate after plate toward me, often cocking his head to listen for the sounds of me eating, while I told him about the quicksand and finding Ahmose’s sarcophagus. When I couldn’t eat another bite, I moved my plate away and sipped a glass of sparkling water.
I groaned. “I feel like I ate a rhinoceros.”
“Impossible,” Amon said as he took the last date-filled Danish and cut it in half, offering a piece to me. “If you had, there would be a horn protruding from your body.”
Laughing less easily than I once had now that I knew our separation was imminent, I said, “How do you know there isn’t one?” I immediately felt sorry that I’d said something like that to a person who’d just lost his eyes.
Amon took my comment in good stride. “I may not know, but I know a way to find out.”
“Oh, really. How?” I eyed him suspiciously.
Reaching out, Amon took hold of my arm, pulling me to my feet, and ran his hand slowly up my arm. Pausing at my elbow, he rubbed it with his fingers. “Hmm, this piece feels as scaly as a rhinoceros, but a horn would be much sharper.”
I smiled, making a mental note to pack a bottle of very expensive lotion the next time I went on an Egyptian holiday. Amon ran his hands over my shoulders and up my neck. He spent a moment prodding at my cheeks and tweaking my nose, and we both laughed. Sobering, he swept his warm hands down my back.
When he got to my waist, his fingers found the side slit on my tunic and caressed my bare skin. His thumbs drew little circles before his fingertips trailed over my quivering stomach to my belly button.
Tiny warm pulses shot into my belly and I sucked in a breath.
“So soft,” Amon whispered, his hands moving to my back again as he drew me closer. My hands slid up his chest and my arms wrapped around his neck.
I relished the feel of his arms and looked up at his face. It was startling to see the dark sunglasses, with my own reflection staring back at me, rather than his lovely hazel eyes. Though I lifted my head, waiting, hoping for the kiss I’d long imagined, he pressed his lips against my forehead instead.
“I will miss you, Lily.”
Something broke inside me. His soft words carried more power than all of the amazing things I’d seen him do. The gracious gift of those six syllables was a kindness I’d sorely needed. But until that moment, I didn’t know how much.
“I’ll miss you, too,” I said, my eyes filling with tears. I had been more inclined to weep this past week than in my entire life. No wonder there were so many songs about love. What I’d been through with Amon would make an epic one.
He must’ve heard me sniffle, because he cupped my cheeks, wiping the tears away with his thumbs and replacing the wet trails with his golden warmth.
“Lily?”
“Yes?” I answered, blinking to clear my vision.
“I am reluctant to inform you that there is absolutely no evidence that you have consumed a rhinoceros.”
I laughed and then cried harder. Amon smiled. “It is time to wake my brothers. Dr. Hassan will take you to the airport and then meet us at the pyramids after securing our transportation. I am sorry I cannot send you back via sandstorm as I promised. If I had more power at my disposal, I would draw the weeks together so your parents would not know you were missing.”
Nodding, I answered, “It’s okay. I understand.”
“Dr. Hassan said you would need paperwork?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll call my parents. They’ll take care of everything.”
“Will they be angry with you?”
“Let’s just say this situation is pretty much as epic a rebellion as any teen could accomplish.” When he tilted his head in confusion, I added, “Yes. But I’ll survive.”
“Good. It will ease my mind to know that you are safe. I am sorry, for everything, Young Lily. I did not mean to draw you into our cause so completely.”
“Don’t apologize.” Daring a final touch, I cupped his cheek, slowly moving my hand down to his shoulder and squeezing. “Despite my ragged emotional state, it’s been the time of my life.” Amon took my hand and brought it to his lips. After he pressed a warm kiss on my wrist, I cleared my throat. “Now let’s go wake up your brothers.”
Lacing my fingers through his, I guided him to the other side of the suite. Asten was already awake and having a serious conversation with Dr. Hassan. I left Amon with them while I sought out Ahmose.
The incarnation of the moon slept with his cheek pressed against his hand. The other bedroom was parallel to mine, so the rays of the nearly full moon fell upon his face, giving his skin a silvery sheen.
“Ahmose?” I said quietly. “It’s time to wake up.”
Twisting the ends of my tunic, I answered, “It was thanks to your healing and many, many hours of sleep.” He leaned up on one elbow and the sheet slipped down to his waist. Though I’d been around him when he was bare-chested before, it somehow seemed a bit more intimate now. Ducking my head, I said, “We’ll wait for you outside.”
Quickly, I vacated the room and took a seat next to Asten. He gave me a long look and then glanced at Amon. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m all right. I’m actually more worried about the three of you.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
“Well, the fact that Amon is sending me packing means I won’t know if the three of you are going to make it through the final ceremony. I suppose I would know if you failed because then the world would end, darkness would reign, et cetera. Still, it would be nice to know that you, you know, survived to return another day, so to speak.”
Asten frowned as if trying to fully understand my speech, and then he looked at Amon, who sat with his sunglasses aimed at nothing. Amon’s expression was unyielding, his jaw tight.
“I see,” Asten answered slowly. “I thought we talked about this.”
“Lily is under my care,” Amon said. “I will decide the level of risk that is acceptable. She is returning to her life in New York and that is the end of the conversation.”
“The end of what conversation?” Ahmose said as he entered the room, tugging a too-tight shirt that said I ♥ EGYPT over his head.
After stifling a giggle that made all three brothers turn in my direction, I sat quietly, curious to hear what Amon would say.
“I was telling Asten that my wish is to send Lily home,” Amon said.
Ahmose sighed. “You know that the odds are not in our favor.”
“It does not matter. I will not risk her life.”
“Should she not be able to weigh the risk on her own terms?” Ahmose continued.
“It is not fair to use her for our gain. Lily goes.”
Asten joined in. “Brother, we are not saying we wish her harm. On the contrary, we, too, would wish to protect her from the perils of our world, but should the need arise—”
Furious, Amon spat, “Should the need arise? We have served the gods for millennia, acted as their sacrifices time and time again! Perhaps, in seeing our failure, they could deign to manage their own affairs for once. I, for one, refuse to compromise this innocent mortal girl simply to grant more leisure to those who have long been silent.”
“The gods have blessed us,” Ahmose started.
“They have cursed us!” Amon countered. “Abused us. Bled us dry. And for what? To stop a problem they allowed to fester in the first place. Why is it that we must continue to act as their cosmic gatekeepers?”
I bit my lip. Apparently, the information Dr. Hassan had shared with me about the gods protecting the brothers from Seth was not common knowledge. The Eye had shown him much. I felt a twinge of jealousy that I hadn’t been able to access it as well.
How nice it would be to have instant answers to any question. I glanced at Dr. Hassan, who gave a slight shake of his head. Evidently, he didn’t want to share that information with them just then. I decided to wait and question him about it later before I brought it up to the brothers.
“Brothers,” Amon went on, “we agreed to this bargain to serve our ancestors, but they have long since entered the afterlife. We protect the world, but the world fears us, or worse, does not care. We exist, but have no life. We do our duty, but there is no joy in it, at least not for me. I will not steal the precious opportunity to live, to be mortal, and to be free, from Lily. She deserves more. I will not take from her what was taken from us.”
Quiet descended, and finally Ahmose reached out and placed a hand on Amon’s shoulder. “Very well. We will respect your decision.”
“But—” Asten began, then stopped when Amon raised his head. Asten muttered unhappily, “We will respect your decision.”
“Good,” Amon answered as he rose. “Now, let’s get this over with. Dr. Hassan?” Osahar stood quickly and moved next to Amon, who placed his hand on the vizier’s shoulder. “Take us to the airport.”
“Yes, Master.” This time Amon didn’t protest the title.
In a matter of moments, Dr. Hassan and I had gathered our meager belongings and we were in a taxi before dawn, headed to the airport. After we arrived, Dr. Hassan purchased tickets for the three brothers on a tour bus headed to the pyramids of Giza. He told them he would join as soon as possible.
Ahmose and Asten held me close as they hugged me goodbye, wishing me well in life. Amon merely took hold of my shoulders and planted a brotherly kiss on my cheek. “Farewell, Lily,” he said stiffly.
“Is that the best you can do?” I teased, though the pain of knowing I’d never see him again had risen to the surface.
He misunderstood my comment, or maybe he didn’t. “I will do my best not to need you,” he replied.
Wordlessly, I nodded, and before I could formulate another reason for him to stay with me a moment longer, he was stepping up onto the bus. Ahmose and Asten waved from a lowered window, but Amon, who sat just behind them, stared straight ahead, an undecipherable expression on his face. I sensed nothing from him and realized he must have completely cut off our connection as easily as he had dismissed me from his life.
Taking a shaky breath, I turned to Dr. Hassan as the bus rounded the corner and disappeared into traffic. “Okay, so I guess we should call my parents first.”
“That will not be necessary.”
“No?” I asked, confused. “They’ll need to know that I’m okay and send me the papers I need to get out of here.”
“Yes, yes. We will call them, but not today.”
“Why not?”
His eyes sparkled as he spoke. “Because you aren’t going home yet, Lilliana Young. You are coming with me.” Darting a glance around, he read an overhead sign. “Yes. It’s this way.”
Quickly, he wound through the many people around us, heading toward a ticket agent.
“Where are we going?” I asked after he finished his conversation with the agent in his native language.
“The pyramids.”
“What?”
Stopping momentarily, Osahar explained, “Despite Amon’s insistence that your presence is not necessary, both Asten and I believe that the fate of Egypt, nay, of the world, might rest in your hands. The question I must now ask you is, what would you sacrifice to ensure Amon’s survival?”
There weren’t too many people in the world I would give up anything for.
Those I sketched who were truly in love saw only each other. It was clear in their eyes. These were the people who would die for one another. Who would rather put themselves through suffering instead of watching a loved one be in pain.
That depth of emotion was missing in my life. Except for my grandmother, I wasn’t sure there was anyone who’d be willing to die for me, who loved me that much. More than anything I craved a deep connection with another person.
When I met Amon I thought I’d finally found it. Here was a person who understood what it meant to sacrifice something for someone else. Now I knew exactly what my type was. It didn’t have to do with eye color, or height, or how muscular his frame was. It was that elusive quality, so difficult to capture. I wanted someone who loved me so much he’d be willing to die for me.
I believed Amon was that person. He was willing to die for the world, anyway. And even though he’d turned me away, I was still pretty sure he’d sacrifice anything for my safety. Perhaps it was his sense of duty that kept him at a distance. Perhaps he wanted to die and be finished with his celestial calling. Or perhaps he just wasn’t as interested in me as I was in him.
Regardless, I decided that even if the feelings I had for Amon weren’t mutual, he deserved my support. He was a man worthy of love, and if I
was ever going to be the kind of person who might be worthy of someone’s attention in return—not that I really believed I’d find someone else like him—then I needed to be willing to sacrifice myself for something outside of my own wants and desires.
I had to take a leap of faith and see where it led me.
“Anything,” I replied after letting out a deep breath. “I’d sacrifice anything to help him.”
“Excellent. That is all I need to know. We must hurry to beat them there. It shouldn’t be too difficult. The bus will get them there in time, but the two of us will get there faster.”
“How?”
He smiled as the agent handed him a set of keys. “We’re driving.”
It was normally at least a ten-hour drive to Giza from Kom Ombo, but Dr. Hassan made it in eight, stopping only after I insisted it was absolutely necessary. When we entered Cairo, instead of continuing on to the pyramids, he asked me to wait in the car while he entered an outdoor market. He returned twenty minutes later, arms loaded with bags, which he threw carelessly into the backseat.
“What’s all that for?” I asked.
“You’ll see.”
He’d been cryptic about this top-secret vizier plan for the entire drive, skillfully evading my many questions. I only knew that I was an important part of his plan and that he’d arranged everything with Asten.
When I reiterated Amon’s desire for me to leave Egypt, Osahar said that if all went according to plan, Amon would never even know I was there, which suited me fine. Maybe my rejected heart would heal just a tiny bit if I knew I’d helped save the world, and if it also meant I could avoid being spurned by Amon once again, then all the better.
It wasn’t long before the pyramids came into view. Dr. Hassan wound through the busy crowded streets until he arrived at the edge of the pyramid complex. Tour buses were lined up on the hard-packed sand. A few white-shirted men wearing hats policed the area on camels. I was surprised to see tourists climbing up the sides of the pyramids.
“Aren’t the sites under protection?” I asked.
Dr. Hassan waved his hand in the air. “Don’t get an archaeologist talking about site preservation. It would take weeks for me to come down from my soapbox, and frankly, I don’t have the time right now.”
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