Soon the waves turn into faces: Izzy, smiling at me over a plate of Rob’s best bacon; Oz, playfully rolling his eyes at my cousin’s lack of MMA knowledge; Shaggy, high as a kite, eager to learn how to fly from a second-story window; Scooby, hiding an amused grin; Aunt V and Rob, bickering over the best TV show ever. And finally, Blaze.
Our last moment still haunts me. His stunning blue eyes had begged me not to go after Izzy. My heart heard his silent scream, but I went after her anyway. I hate myself for the pain my decision caused him, but I had no choice. Izzy needed me.
Eager for distraction, I inspect the rest of the area. Same weird color thing is happening on the shores. The one to my left—a red desert, lined with sycamores, perseas, and date palms—is bathed in a warm orange light, sparkling in the richest golds and greens.
On my right is a dead land of grayish sand and low-hanging, dark clouds. It’s as if the Nile, along with everything else, is split into two different worlds. One sweet and inviting, the other sinister and unwelcoming.
“A perfect imitation of life.” Seth is beside me, arms resting on the golden railing. “Beautiful and warm.” His gaze darts to the dead land. “Yet so very depressing and lonely.”
I say nothing. Mostly because I really don’t want to agree with him on, well, anything. What he just said, though, is true. Those two shores, as different as they are, reflect life perfectly. Some days you feel warm and loved, like you could take on the world and come out on top. Then there are the cold and lonely nights when you find yourself wondering if you’ll be able to make it through tomorrow. Like any human I had both—the good and the bad. Up until I found myself trapped in the Underworld, I dwelled on the bad ones too often and ignored all the beauty that was given to me.
No more. If I make it out of this place in one piece, I vow to focus on the bright side. My family, my friends.
Seth and I watch waves splash against the wood. The boat rocks gently as it sails down the river to El-Bersheh.
“Neb—” Seth quickly corrects his slip. “Nisha?”
I avoid his eyes. “Yes?”
He reaches for his golden leather belt, pulling a small black box from it. “I….” He shifts from one foot to the other almost sheepishly. “I have something for you.” He shoves the box into my hand. “You should wear it.” He quickly leaves, returning to Kherty’s side.
A golden bird is carved into the top of the box. I recognize the hieroglyph right away—the Bennu.
Seth pretends to speak to Kherty, but I feel his heated gaze on me every now and then. He’s impatiently waiting for me to open the box. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.
“Princess,” Kherty shouts. “We’re almost there. Better get ready.”
I nod. Seth’s gift rests in the palm of my hand, feeling heavier than it is.
That’s because it is heavy, a hushed voice whispers in the back of my mind, a treasure filled with the ghosts of the past and the chains of the present.
I open it. It’s not nasty or evil. It’s a golden necklace shaped like a scarab, and beautiful. Two small emeralds form the eyes and its body is a massive turquoise.
Have I seen this before? I could swear I have. Maybe in a book or my dad’s notes?
I take it out of the box, careful not to break it. The instant the warm metal connects with my skin, I’m—
A warm breeze kisses my cheek and plays with my long linen dress. I inhale fresh, hot air, scrunch my toes in the warm sand, and soak in the stillness of the desert. Out here, away from the palace and all expectations, I’m free to be me, I’m at liberty to enjoy the bliss humanity takes for granted.
Any other day, I’d smile at the beaming sun, be awed by the beauty of the mighty Iteru, and find solace in the sound of water. But the weight in my palm obscures joy like a black cloud.
I study the scarab’s smooth surface. I drink in the creature’s blazing emerald eyes, given to it so it may see what is yet to come. I feel the power of the turquois forming its body of protection.
“May you never be destroyed,” I whisper, praying my grandfather may hear the plea and grant me my heartfelt wish.
I frown at my naivety and shove the amulet back into the black box. No one will bless this jewel. Especially not my grandparents. They think it an atrocity.
“Nebt-Het!” I hastily hide the box in my dress as Seth moves toward me. “There you are.” His forehead is sweaty. “I’ve been searching for you for hours.”
It’s easy to wash the desperate expression off my face and replace it with a smile. “Don’t frown. You’ll get wrinkles.”
He drops to the sand beside me. “What are you doing out here all by yourself?”
“I just….” I inhale deeply. “I needed a moment.”
He tilts his head, his amber eyes peering right into my soul, quickly locating the reason for my need of solitude. “Don’t be scared.” Two fingers under my chin, he lifts my gaze to his. “I’ll be back in a heartbeat. Thirteen days is nothing compared to what we’ve already been through.”
It’s not the fortnight I’m worried about. It’s his destination, from which he may not return. The thought makes my heart leap in my chest. “What if you don’t come back this time?”
“Don’t say that.”
“But—”
“Do you believe I love you more than anything in this world?”
I nod.
“Do you know I’d do anything to be with you?”
He’s about to face my grandparents’ Trials. “You know I do.”
He cups my cheeks. “Then you shouldn’t doubt I’ll be back in thirteen days to marry you, my love.”
“And who said I will marry you?” I tease.
“Your heart,” he whispers, gently kissing me.
“Princess.” I almost drop the amulet. “Look”. Kherty points.
El-Bersheh emerges at the shore. A place made of small sandstone houses scattered like fallen dominos, along with fields of crops and cows. “That’s it, huh?”
Kherty nods. “We can’t go farther than this.” He ogles my jeans and sneakers. “I’m afraid, you will have to get wet.”
I face him with a real smile. “Thank you, and I’m sorry I couldn’t finish the story.”
Kherty’s husky laughter roars. “Oh, don’t fret, my lady. I foresee we’ll meet again.”
The crazy thing is I wouldn’t mind running into Ram Man again. “Looking forward to—”
Seth hauls me off the boat and into the water.
“Hey!” I almost drop his gift. “I was talking to Kherty.”
“When you should be on your way,” he shoots back, eyeing the water as if he expects to step on a snake.
We wade toward the village, and despite the sting of annoyance about the stunt he just pulled, I remember my manners. “Thanks for the amulet.” I inspect the precious gemstones once again. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s for protection,” he explains. “I suggest you put it on.”
His coldness makes my blood boil. “I was just trying to be nice.”
“No need,” he replies, deadpan.
“Fine,” I yank my arm away and stalk as far away from him as possible.
“Nisha, come back.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” I yell, rage getting the best of me.
“You don’t understand. It’s—”
Sharp pain jolts through my ankle. Something is ripping through my skin. I try to run and can’t. Something is pulling me farther and farther away from shore. From Seth.
“Nebt-Het,” he screams, his face a mask of pure terror. “You need to….”
Whatever is clamped around my ankle drags me underwater. I struggle against it to no avail. The golden surface gets farther and farther away.
Chapter 10
Absolute darkness.
I am pulled so deep, not a single ray of sunshine reaches me. The water freezes my limbs solid.
I can’t help it. I breathe. Water pours into my lungs, su
ffocating me.
You should have listened to Seth, the annoying voice in the back of my head whispers. He warned you.
About what though?
A burning pain shoots through my ankle. It feels like sharp teeth gnawing my skin. I’m being pulled to a cold grave.
Fight! You have to fight. Be your own hero. No one else is there to step up, and you know dang well you can’t always wait for someone to save you. You spent too much time playing the victim. How about being a survivor for once? Pep-talk from my subconscious while I’m drowning, huh? Talk about timing.
It works though. Somehow I find the strength to move my free leg, kicking frantically. I gulp more water. You’d think it hurts, icy water filling your insides, but I’m too busy trying to stay alive to feel any pain.
I don’t understand how I’m still conscious. The water should have long incapacitated me. Instead, I kick like a girl who has something to live for and hit something solid.
Vibrations ripple through the water. Something’s moving. Something real big. A pang of terror shoots through my chest. Whatever is down here with me is gigantic.
Focus!
And I do. I focus on all the things worth living for: my friends, my family. The energy that caused an earthquake returns, surrounding me like a safe bubble. My skin is on fire, my lungs somehow filled with oxygen. I continue kicking. Eventually my ankle is free. I command my arms and legs to move, to push through the darkness back to the light.
How I manage to get to the surface, I’m not sure. I don’t have time to dwell on it either. My body demands oxygen, and I intend to give it plenty.
By the time I coughed out the whole dang river and filled my aching lungs with air, I realize I’m so far from the shore, I may not have the energy to swim back. The energy that kept me alive fades, too, and whatever had its teeth in me, hauled me to the middle of the river, where the azure fights the muddy brown.
Stop whining and swim!
Ignoring the blood trail, snaking behind me, I push through the hurt and move toward the shore.
Seth is a tiny figure far away, but I can tell he’s looking for me. He isn’t the only one. Kherty, the ram-headed ferryman, has waded into the Nile. In his boat, even his ghostly rowers stare into the water.
“There,” one of them yells, head turned in my direction. “I can see her.”
“Go get her,” Kherty orders.
The boat floats my way, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I’m going to be okay.
“Princess!” Kherty waves. “You have to keep moving. There’s a c—”
A blood-curdling hiss rings in my ears. I should swim as if my life depends on it, but I stop look over my shoulder.
Grave mistake.
Mere inches away, bronze-colored scales emerge from the water. My heart drops when I recognize the yellowish-green flanks with dark patches arranged diagonally.
Holly Mother of Christ, I’m face to face with a monster crocodile. All I see are lime green, predatory eyes and sharp, long teeth, which I have no doubt can bite my head off in a heartbeat.
“Move!” Kherty shouts. “You have to swim, Princess.”
I execute flutter kicks. On every alternate armstroke, I swallow a whole lot of water. But I keep going, desperately trying to outswim the cunning predator behind me.
It’s a lost cause. The croc lives and breathes in water.
I’m nowhere near the boat or Seth when I catch sight of the croc’s bronze tail. With a force that knocks the air out of my lungs, it slams against my ribcage.
I forget to move my arms and legs. Forget to breathe, too. The pain radiating through my chest pushes all the oxygen out of my lungs.
I’m going down.
Again.
The croc is now in front of me. Its gaping mouth appears to smile wickedly. It says, “This is a battle you won’t win. Do us both a favor and don’t even try.”
Giving up is not an option.
I swim faster than I ever thought I could, determined to get to shore without missing limbs. I don’t stop to look. I am on a mission: Survive the Nile Crocodile.
“Faster.” Kherty urges me on. I’m close enough to see the utter horror in his eyes. “It’s right behind you.”
Even without him telling me, I’d known how close the croc is. Kherty shouting out a you’re-almost-dead warning isn’t helping. It just makes every stroke harder.
“Lord.” Kherty faces Seth. “You have to help her.”
“No” was his sharp reply.
Kherty gapes at his boss with a clenched jaw. “But she’ll—”
“Enough!” Seth’s gaze meets mine. “You can do it.”
Do what? Be devoured by a gigantic crocodile or reach the shore?
I don’t have time to consider his statement. A large shadow falls over me. This time, I have no choice. I turn.
Too late.
The croc’s mouth is about to come down on me. All that’s left for me to do is raise my hands in a desperate attempt to shield my head from its razor-sharp teeth. The amulet, still in my palm—Jesus, how did I hold on to it while being chased by a monster crocodile?—digs into my skin. I feel soothed. It’s something I can hold on to while being eaten alive.
I shut my eyes, wait for pain. For death.
What comes next isn’t at all what I expected. My palm pulsates. The amulet is hot against my chilly skin. I open my eyes and find myself under a dirty yellowish belly illuminated by turquoise light.
What the—
A light emerges from the scarab’s body and cuts through the soft belly of the monstrous thing. Like a light saber, it slices the croc in half.
With a bone-chilling cry, the crocodile dies. Its bisected body vanishes in the depths of the river.
Treading water, I look at the amulet in my palm. It’s for protection. Seth’s words echo in my head.
“Princess.” Kherty cups my elbow and pulls me into the shallow. “For a moment, I thought you—” He stops, but we both know what he was going to say.
“Me too,” I whisper.
Seth’s arms are crossed, his brow furrowed as he assesses me. “Are you okay?” He sounds bored, like folks who ask you how you are but don’t wait for a reply.
I straighten my spine, ignoring the sharp sensation in my bleeding ankle. “Good, no thanks to you.”
Seth lifts his chin with an arrogance that boils the blood in my veins. “I’m your guide, not your guard. Besides”—he shrugs lazily—“I told you to stay close.”
The nerve of this guy! He kills, abducts, and blackmails me into doing those stupid Trials, then acts as if he’s not the reason I almost ended up on the menu of a larger-than-life crocodile? I meet Kherty’s worried eyes. “Thanks for everything.”
“Anytime, Princess.”
If I wasn’t tired and hurt, I’d probably smile. All I manage is a lame nod. I limp to shore.
Seth is beside me. He doesn’t say anything else. Good. I might forget I’m a pacifist if I have to endure one more, self-righteous comment from him.
El-Bersheh is like a small town out of Disney’s Aladdin. Clusters of dwellings, consisting of circular huts, reed shelters, and houses of wickerwork make up most of the outer city. Pigs, sheep, and cattle move about freely. Men and women in simple linen clothes go about their daily routines of feeding their livestock and working in their front yards.
As we head deeper into the town, we pass several narrow, twisting alleys, passages, and squares with little open space. Some of the houses have two stories. Everything looks unplanned and random, but I can’t shake the feeling there’s order within the chaos.
A couple of women, holding their kids with one hand and wicker baskets in the other, stop in front of us. They take in my soaking wet clothes and drenched hair, then stick their heads together and whisper.
Seth frowns. “You stick out like a sore thumb.”
I’m still mad at him, so I ignore him.
We take two steps before a group of boys about seventeen, block our
path. They wear simple, Sarongs belted at the waist. Their eyes are circled with black kohl, making their light brown irises pop.
One of them shoves a plate under my nose. “Some loaf?”
The scent of warm, fresh bread makes my tummy groan. “Sure.” I reach for the plate.
“I wouldn’t eat that,” Seth says.
I barely keep my contempt in check. “And why’s that?”
“Look,” he says, pointing at the bread.
There is no bread, only dozens of scorpions, snapping their claws.
I stumble back. “What the—”
“Have some.” The boy laughs, his light brown eyes now a dark shade of dirty red. “It’s delicious.”
“No, thanks.” I try to move past them.
They won’t let me. “Oh, come on. Don’t be impolite. You must try one.”
“No!” I repeat louder. “I don’t want any.”
“Take it,” he commands, pushing the plate against my chest.
I barely escape the claws of one of the dang scorpions.
The boy’s eyes glow redder. “So rude.”
The amulet, which is now around my neck, sears my skin. It’s so hot I have to reach under my shirt and pull it out.
The turquois glows like a nuclear blast, beaming through the alley.
Whispers break out around us. The group moves away. “I’m sorry,” the boy says. “I didn’t recognize you.”
Huh?
One of his pals grabs him by the shoulder and hauls him away. The moment they’re gone, the turquoise light extinguishes. “What was that?” I ask.
“I told you to trust no one.” Seth pulls me toward a small, one-story house. “Come on. We have to get you some decent clothes.” He looks over my soaked jeans and shirt. “Those fabrics are criminal.”
“They’re called jeans,” I clarify.
He snorts. “They look terrible.”
“Says the guy who wears a skirt,” I murmur through clenched teeth.
He casts me a sidelong glance, rolls his eyes, and shoves me into a small store full of linen clothes.
Book of the Dead (Gods of Egypt 2) Page 6