“What do you mean I can’t go? You certainly aren’t going to leave me here with these strangers, are you?” Katy stood in her familiar pose of arms akimbo as she attempted to stare down her brother.
“Katy, don’t you think you have caused enough trouble?” Rick asked, tugging on the saddle of his horse to make certain it was tight enough.
“Why does this get blamed on me?” she demanded. “Can’t a girl earn an honest living? Without having to be looked after by some male?”
“Look.” Rick turned to his sister. “I left Evy and Alex back home because I don’t want to see anything happen to them, and I would have left you there too if you weren’t the main reason we are here! For now, I believe you will be safest under the protection of the Medjai until Jonathon and I find that urn and we can all meet in Aswan.”
“Your concern is touching,” Katy replied sarcastically, as she turned to glance at the group of warriors who sat atop their horses behind her. None of them appeared friendly, that was for certain, and definitely not as interesting as the dark and handsome Ardeth Bay. She turned to him then, sitting on his black stallion beside Jonathon, who appeared as if he might be sick at any moment.
During the trip to Egypt, Ardeth had not said one word to her, and she figured he had formed a less than pleasant opinion of her due to her part in the current situation. Well that was just fine by her! He could ignore her all he wanted to. The problem was she did not want to spend even an hour with an entire group of his people who obviously blamed her for this spirit of Seth or whatever it was.
Turning back to her brother, she snapped, “I should be able to go with you. I don’t see how it is particularly safe or smart leaving me with a bunch of strangers who appear as if they would just as soon behead me to rid themselves of this… this…situation.”
Rick followed her gaze to the row of immobile warriors behind her. She had a point. He turned back to Ardeth. “Look, maybe you should stick with my sister.”
Ardeth raised a dark eyebrow. “The Medjai are honorable.”
“Yeah I know but…” He shrugged. “She’s my sister and, believe it or not, I would feel safer if you were protecting her –”
“I don’t believe this!” Katy exclaimed. “Are you not understanding me, Rick? I don’t need a protector! I can take care of myself! Just let me go with you, please?”
“Yeah, let her go with you!” Jonathon piped in. “I’ll stay with them.” He made a move to get down from his horse.
“Stay where you are,” Rick told him, shaking his head. He glanced at Ardeth again. “I mean this. Jonathon and I can find the man that Katy sold the urn to. I know him and have dealt with him before. I doubt he has even sold it yet. But if he has, I will get it back. Then we can all travel back to the tomb and get this taken care of. Meanwhile, we need to make certain this spirit of Seth doesn’t find my sister and take her soul… Not that I don’t think she deserves it.”
Katy turned away at that, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reply.
Ardeth seemed to consider what Rick said before finally nodding. “Very well, O’Connell. I will watch over your sister, as you have requested. One of my warriors will ride with you, to come for us when you have achieved your goals. We will meet you at El Kab. Djau.” A young warrior rode forward. Ardeth spoke to him in their language for a moment and then the warrior moved his horse to stand beside Jonathon, prepared to ride away with them.
Rick nodded, mounting his horse, and moved over to his sister. “You, be good.”
She frowned. “But Rick –”
“I mean it, Katy. I know how you can be. Ardeth and the Medjai are here to protect you, and to stop whatever it is you have – unwittingly or not – unleashed upon Egypt. Don’t try to run away or give them grief. I swear I’ll give Ardeth permission to beat you.”
Katy huffed at that and turned away angrily. Her brother watched her for a moment then rode off. Jonathon rode up beside her, leaned down.
“Look at it this way, Katy old girl.” He flashed her a less than pleased expression. “I’m the one stuck with your brother -- and I don’t even know how I got suckered into this!” That said, he rode off to catch up to Rick.
And there she was. Left with them. And him. She wondered if she suddenly took off at a run, how far into the city she would make it before they caught her. They must have known her intentions for one of the warriors rode up beside her, holding out his hand for her to climb on beside him.
“You will ride with Kahma,” Ardeth told her before turning his stallion the opposite direction her brother and Jonathon had just rode off in.
Katy was about to tell him she most certainly would not and demand a horse of her own when she realized the man beside her appeared decidedly impatient and no more pleased about the situation than she was. She had no doubt he was more than willing to pull out the scimitar that was strapped to his back and use it on her then and there. This was supposed to be protection? Katy sighed and took his hand, pulling herself up onto the horse behind him.
It was well past midnight two days later, that the group of warriors finally rode into camp, greeted by their sleepy families exiting their tents. Katy had long ago abandoned any pride and allowed sleep to consume her, unable to further stand the rigorous pace that they had set.
Ardeth dismounted, handing the reins to a young boy named Hamid, then walked over to Kahma’s mount and pulled the sleeping woman into his arms. The other warrior rode off as he stood there holding her. She continued to sleep undisturbed and Ardeth could see by the dark circles beneath her eyes that she had stubbornly pushed it off long enough. He had yet to understand O’Connell’s sister, as she often appeared as a contradiction to him. One moment she was feisty and strong and demanding and the next she was like a child that needed to be watched and cared for. She attempted to be fiercely independent at the same moment needing those around her. Though the other warriors had obviously been mistrustful of her, she had done nothing to attempt to calm them, instead casting all those around her dark glares as if she were the injured party. At the same time, she had willingly given them her trust, relaxing once they had moved away from Cairo, enough that she had finally been able to sleep.
Knowing that he alone was responsible for her safety, Ardeth carried her into his tent where he gently laid her against the pillows that lined the floor in the back. She moved restlessly for a moment before finally down and falling into a deep sleep once more. While she slept, Ardeth gave in to his curiosity and reached out to touch the strands of her red hair. They did not burn him but instead felt like the softest silk against his fingers. He continued to smooth his hand against her hair before bending down to smell it and smiling. So it was her hair that was the source of the cinnamon smell. What strange concoction did she put on it to achieve that, he wondered. He started when she turned, her face now only mere inches from his. Ardeth took the opportunity to study her more closely; her full lips and flawless pale skin, the smattering of tiny freckles across the bridge of her nose. He wondered what she would do if she woke up now and found himself close.
The warrior found himself smiling. He now understood why it was said that women with red hair were unpredictable and fiery.
“My Chief, I did not know you had returned.”
Ardeth turned to see his second in command, Menes, enter the tent.
Menes stared down at the sleeping woman with a frown. “Do you believe it wise to bring her here?”
“I have no choice. I gave my word to O’Connell.”
Menes nodded.
“Have there been any attacks?”
“Not among our people,” Menes told him. “But I heard of three women killed in Nehasy’s tribe. The Medjai grow nervous, my Chief. We must bring this to resolution. This unseen phantom breeds more fear than Imhotep, who we could see and know was coming.”
Ardeth stood, not wishing to wake Katy, and directed his second in command outside the tent. Once there he rubbed a hand over his eyes, staring out across the camp. It was hidden from prying eyes deep within in oasis in a small valley of the Sahara. There was plenty of grass for the horses and goats and a nourishing spring to provide fresh water. His tribe – the tribe of his father and his father before him and so on – had been in that location for hundreds of years, awaiting the foretold coming of Imhotep. Now that the prophecy had come and gone, they remained, locked in their beliefs and culture, turning their attentions to the protection of Egypt itself. Many other dark secrets lay beneath the sands, waiting to be roused from their slumber. One of which was currently murdering their women.
“O’Connell is currently retrieving the urn needed for the ceremony to be conducted, but it was sold and this may take time. Seth will soon gather enough power to occupy a human body. When that time comes, we will at least be able to see our enemy.”
“But his High Priests will continue his work – “
Ardeth held up a hand, silencing him. “Enough. We cannot worry about what is to come. We must focus on now. I have given my word to O’Connell that I would protect his sister from harm and I mean to do so.”
“The scout who rode ahead said she was the one responsible for unleashing this terror onto our Land!” Menes spat. “I say we hand her over to Seth’s spirit –“
“Then you think unclearly, my friend,” Ardeth told him, laying a calming hand on his shoulder. “For you know that it is written, should Seth win his bride she will rule in evil at his side for all eternity and the Demons of the Underworld will be leashed upon us all at their command. We have no choice but to return to the Tomb of Isis and call forth the god Osiris to defeat his brother.”
Menes cast a dark look toward the tent but nodded, knowing that his Chief was right. Though Ardeth was young, his leadership the past eleven years had been strong and true. The elders believed in him, his peers respected him and the younger ones looked up to him. But even Menes was not so blind to see that Ardeth had grown restless after Imhotep’s first rising. When the tribe had been called upon again last year to defeat Imhotep once more, the Medjai Chief had not appeared so happy in a long while. Even when he was staring eye to eye with Death itself, he had seemed stronger, somehow, more alive. Over the years, they had urged him to take a wife, start a family, and continue his proud bloodlines. But again and again, Ardeth had refused, causing the tribe to speculate as to his reasons. Were the old ways dying? Would Ardeth be the one to bring about their demise? After all, without the need to protect the secrets of Hamunaptra, what was the purpose of the Medjai? During the past decade, Ardeth had sought to provide his tribe with that purpose but it quickly became apparent that while his tribe accepted the changes, he remained restless.
“I need your help with this,” Ardeth told his friend. “I need to know that you will be there should I fail.”
“Of course, my Chief. My word is my bond,” he said without hesitation.
“Good. Now, I will meet quickly with the elders and then prepare our guest something to eat. Will you watch the tent for me?”
Menes nodded, stepping back as Ardeth moved away. He would watch the tent and protect the woman as his Chief had directed but he could not help but wonder if perhaps this may be the first time his Chief had made the wrong choice.
…She was walking down the same corridor once more, her trusted guards on either side of her. Out into the courtyard she moved, where birds of prey flew through the warm air and the soft cadences of the surrounding conversations met her ears. She smiled at those she passed, those she knew and trusted, but the smile was reserved, joyless. She knew that. She understood that unhappiness surrounded her. That her life was filled with pain and uncertainty. But once she stepped through that door… Once she entered that room, happiness could find her once more, if only briefly.
She patted the tiger beside her as they approached the door. Her guards turned, forming a semi-circle between her and the courtyard, blocking all prying eyes from her entrance through the door. The tiger sat to the side of the door, as if guarding as well. He yawned, his sharp teeth glittering in the sunlight before nudging his head against her hip, begging for more attention. She knelt beside him, scratching his furry cheeks, behind his ears, placing a kiss on his wide nose.
She stood. The door was before her. There was no one watching. No one to see. She pushed against it, and it opened.
She stepped inside.
A small fire burned at the wall -- an alter to Ra. In the center of the room stood a small fountain that cascaded into a shallow well. Lit sconces hung on the walls, providing a shadowy light. In the corner there was a statue of Ra and before it stood the Captain of the Pharaoh’s guards. It was to him that she moved, her purpose in coming suddenly clear to her. His face hidden by the shadows, she knew he was no stranger to her…
Katy sat up quickly, breaking free from her dream. That had never happened before! She thought, her heart pounding in her chest from excitement. Finally! Another clue to the dream! There had been a man, and though she could not see his face, she knew he was somehow familiar to her. A chill coursed through her and she rubbed at the goose bumps that formed in her arms, suddenly realizing she was no longer atop a horse.
Looking around the tent, she discovered that she was alone, though the structure was obviously occupied by someone other than her. Her stomach rumbled and she was glad there was no one else there to hear it as it echoed loudly through the stillness of her surroundings. Scrambling to her knees, Katy crawled over to the tent flap and peered outside. More tents stood all around her and outside them were many tiny fires where warriors crouched, cooking their meals. Her stomach grumbled again and she frowned. The least they could have done was offer her some jerky during their mad ride to camp, she thought. Here and there she spotted the occasional woman scurrying in and out of a tent, bringing food and water to the warriors. She relaxed a bit. At least she wasn’t the only female in the desert.
“Are you hungry?”
Katy started at the voice, falling back into the tent to see Ardeth come in after her, carrying a couple of bowls and a small sack. He raised a brow at her prone position on the tent floor, causing her to glare back. She was tempted to throw his food in his face but another rumbling of her stomach forced her to rethink the idea.
“Yes,” she admitted. “Although I was beginning to think you were just going to starve the necklace off of me.”
Ardeth sat before her, crossing his legs beneath his robes. “The idea has merit.”
“Oh ha.”
He allowed a small smile at her reply. “Here. I have water and bread. There is also goat cheese and dates.”
“What? No steak?”
Ardeth ignored her sarcasm.
Katy figured she should take what she could get and ate the food set before her quietly.
“Once O’Connell finds the man with the urn, it should take us no more than a day’s ride to El Kab. If you can find your way back to the tomb – “
“I know where it is,” she replied confidently.
“If the desert has not already swallowed the location,” he continued, ignoring her. “Then we can perform the ritual.”
“So you’re telling me that this ritual with nothing more than a few spoken words its just supposed to send this evil spirit back to Hell and everything will be fine? Poof! Just like that?”
Ardeth sighed, thinking that the woman before him had no respect for the gods of Egypt. “Something like that,” he replied.
“And you actually believe this stuff?”
He stared without replying.
Katy grew uncomfortable under the expression and turned her gaze to her food, wondering if the entire world around her had suddenly lost their minds. It was one thing to be superstitious, and quite another to believe that some ancient spirit was awakened and terrorizing the land. It figured that the good-looking one also had to be insane.
A cry from outside brought both their heads up and Ardeth quickly jumped to his feet, moving toward the tent flap. “Stay here,” he directed, disappearing into the night.
Leaving her alone.
“I don’t think so!” She replied to no one, climbing to her feet and pushing through the flap where she searched for her protector. She saw him ahead, moving toward a separate cluster of tents.
Pushing through the crowd that was quickly gathering, Katy made her way over to the sounds of sobbing and wailing just ahead. There was a tight group of warriors formed that seemed determined not to let anyone through their circle. Peering through two arms, Katy saw Ardeth bent over something on the ground but the warriors in front of her shifted and her view was blocked before she could see more. Determined not to have secrets kept from her, Katy pushed her hands between the men in front of her and squeezed her way through, knocking them aside. She entered the circle, ignoring the scowls of the warriors around her, her gaze moving to Ardeth who quickly stood in front of her, blocking her view from what lay behind him.
“I told you to stay in the tent,” he said.
“No one is going to tell me what to do, least of all you!” At his darkening expression she added, “Besides, I was alone and there is so much going on. What happened? What is it?”
“Seth has attacked one of our women.”
Katy raised her eyes to his. “I don’t understand. How? You are all guarding – “
“Seth is a spirit, he can go where he wants when he wants without detection. He has not yet manifested fully into form. He is still gathering strength for that. Afterwards, his minions will continue his work until they find the soul of Isis.”
Katy shook her head. “Then what protection are you to me?”
Ardeth glanced away for a moment before meeting her gaze once more. “As long as I am by your side at every moment to watch you, I will be able to recite the incantation to force the spirit away when he has entered you.”
“You can’t be by my side all of the time,” she said pointedly, her cheeks flaming at the thought.
He did not reply.
She sighed. “So why didn’t he move through the rest of the women here? Why stop at one?”
“He must rebuild his strength. He will be back.”
That was reassuring. Katy tried to glance around him, to see why he still hid the woman from her but he moved with her, continuing to block her view.
“I suggest we return to the tent,” he told her, grabbing her arm and turning her to lead her out of the circle.
She moved with him for a moment without resisting, then yanked her arm from his grasp, turning and hurrying back to the spot she had just departed. Katy came to an abrupt halt, a gasp escaping her. The woman that lay before her had obviously been in terrible pain when she died, from the expression on her face and the way her hands were curled painfully before her. Blood oozed from her ears, mouth and eyes – eyes that were open in terror and staring ahead, seemingly focused on Katy, accusing. Her skin already held a bluish tint, as if her body were already beginning to decompose. She lay curled in a ball, as if she had attempted to fight whatever had entered her, before losing the battle.
Katy took a step back, as if to escape the truth of what lay before her. Ardeth moved behind her, placing his hands reassuringly on her shoulders, holding her steady against the tremors that were suddenly racking her body.
“Is that…?” Ardeth had to lean forward to hear the whisper she spoke. “Is that going to happen to me?” Her voice shook with her words and there was very real fear in the tone.
“No,” he assured her softly, still holding her against him. “I will not let it.”
She turned to face him, her eyes searching his gaze for the truth. “You can’t – I mean, there is nothing – “
Ardeth stopped her. “Upon my honor, I will protect you, O’Connell. You must trust me.”
She trembled for a moment then pushed herself against his chest, seeking comfort from the warrior because she had nowhere else to turn. Instead of pushing her away, as she had expected, he wrapped his arms around her and held her in a protective embrace. Instantly, Katy felt safe. She relaxed against him, saying nothing as he lifted her into his arms and carried her back to his tent.
Ardeth entered the tent the following morning with a glass of goat’s milk and a bowl of dates that he sat before Katy. She remained unmoved from where he sat her last night after the death of Anka. She had refused sleep, saying little, staring blankly out of the tent. He worried that her guilt over her possession of the necklace would consume her.
“You must eat,” he told her. “You have not slept but a few hours. You will lose your strength.”
Katy turned her gaze to the man before her, blinking for a moment. “You must think me terribly materialistic? To steal a necklace from a tomb that has been sealed for thousands of years?”
Ardeth shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze and looked away.
She pursed her lips. “I knew it.” Taking the glass of milk, she drank it down quickly then focused her gaze on him once more. “I doubt I can make you understand, but the fact of the matter is, I’ve never owned anything like this before, as my brother pointed out. I’ve never wanted anything like it. But this one… when I saw it… I don’t know, it just felt like it belonged to me or called to me or something.” She considered what she was saying for a moment, glancing down at her fingernails, circling her thumb around the tips of her other fingers. “I was raised to want for nothing more than the clothes on my back and I do fine just that way. I can ride well and shoot straight, and for me, that is pretty much all I have ever needed. Well, maybe the occasional kindness of a total stranger.” Katy flashed a small smile.
Ardeth nodded, an idea coming to him to hopefully get O’Connell’s sister to relax. “Would you like to go for a ride?”
“A ride?” Her brow furrowed. “I got the impression you didn’t want me within ten feet of one of your horses.”
“I did not know you could ride.”
“Been riding since before I could walk,” she told him proudly.
He smiled. “Is that so? Then only the most spirited of mounts will suit you.”
Katy laughed, her face becoming animated once more. “Damn straight! You wouldn’t let me ride that black stallion you were on yesterday, would you?”
He considered that. “No.”
She chuckled. “Damn.”
Not that she was disappointed. The stallion that Ardeth presented her with appeared just as fiery and powerful. His coat was a dark chestnut color, his mane and tail flaxen. He danced in place as she climbed onto him, his impatience to move clearly visible. Ardeth was about to suggest a direction to ride in when the woman beside him suddenly kicked her mount into action, speeding away from him across the sand.
Katy let out a laugh as she felt the stallion lurch into action beneath her, the animal’s muscles gathering and expanding as his legs worked him into a fast gallop. She clutched to him tightly with her thighs while her calves relaxed, pushing her deeper into her seat. She bent forward, gathering locks of the thick flaxen mane into her hands and holding on tightly as she urged her mount to even greater speeds. Tears streaked from her eyes as the wind whipped past her, beating at her face, singing through her ears. Casting a quick glance over her shoulder, Katy saw that Ardeth was fast gaining ground on his stallion, a dark scowl hovering over his features. She laughed. He was actually worried that she might injure herself! She bent forward once more, whispering into the stallion’s ears for even greater speed and she felt it burst from him, his long legs stretching out into even longer strides, carrying them swiftly across the desert sands. She gave him his head completely, allowing him to take her where he may, knowing that Ardeth followed closely behind, not allowing her out of his sight.
Ardeth soon rode up beside her and when she flashed a smile at him, he visibly appeared to relax, enjoying the ride as much as she was. He took the lead, angling them to the west where he knew a canyon and small river led off to the Nile. Katy stayed beside him, sometimes moving into the lead, while at other times she allowed him to guide her. They rode for over half an hour at the break neck speed until the sand gave way to rockier ground and the dunes turned into rising cliffs around them. The Medjai warrior slowed his stallion until he finally stopped before the shallow creek and Katy pulled up beside him.
“Woo!” She laughed, shaking her head to rid herself of the sand that seemed to collect all over her hair and face during the ride. “Now that was fun!”
Ardeth smiled, sliding down from his mount. He let the horse wander away while he moved over to Katy and offered to help her dismount. Deciding to allow chivalry a turn, Katy accepted, leaning into his embrace as his hands wrapped around her waist, lifting her from the stallion’s back and setting her on her feet before him.
“You ride well,” he told her as she moved over to the creek.
“You sound surprised,” Katy called over her shoulder, crouching down to dip her hands into the cool water. She lapped it over her lower arms and washed her face.
Ardeth watched her before walking over to kneel beside her and cool himself with the water as well. “You are a Westerner,” he replied, as if that were the answer to everything.
Katy laughed. “I’m an American. Ever hear of the old West? We wrote the book on riding ‘hell bent for leather’, no matter how many thousands of years y’all have been riding horses.”
Ardeth flashed her a disbelieving expression that she ignored. The woman before him was as much an arrogant braggart as her brother was; yet somehow on her it was almost adorable. He had not been lying when he had told her she rode well. It was a compliment rarely bestowed upon Westerners, who were usually too heavy-handed with their horses and rode sloppily. Katy, on the other hand, had been an extension of her mount, immediately conforming to the behavior and movement of the stallion even though she had never before ridden him.
Cupping his hands, Ardeth dipped them into the water, catching it in a pool between his palms and holding it up to Katy. “Here, drink.”
Katy glanced up at him, for the first time noticing how near they were to one another. His dark eyes watched her, almost curiously. Their mad ride had left the long waves of his hair in tangles around his shoulders. Her fingers suddenly ached to smooth those tangles out. Again, he offered the water to her and she realized she had no recourse but to accept. Tucking her hair behind her ears, Katy leaned forward and placed her mouth against the cool water, drinking it slowly from his palms.
Ardeth watched as the woman before him gathered her trust around her and accepted his offer. He stared at the muscles in her long neck that worked as she drank the refreshment, his gaze moving over her face – her cheeks flushed from their ride, a light covering of dust over her lashes. He did not understand his attraction to O’Connell’s sister, what it was about her that made her different from so many others. He had sworn his life to the Medjai; to protecting Egypt and mankind from the Evil that lurked in the sacred rites of the past. His Ancestors had been the sworn protectors of the Pharaohs, giving their lives willingly for the life of their King. He could do no different. And yet, he found his thoughts focusing less on his duty and more on making this woman laugh, on being near her, close to her. During the trip from England he had kept to himself, considering the trials ahead and what must be done to end Seth’s reemergence from the Underworld. Occasionally he had glimpsed O’Connell’s sister walking the deck of the ship, staring out at the sea. More than once he had considered going to her and then quickly pushed the thought aside, focusing once more on his duty.
At a young age, the women of his tribe had begun to notice Ardeth. Early into his teens, they began to press him for marriage. His father had warned him to listen to his heart, to not marry simply because it was expected of him, but after his father’s death, when the leadership of the tribe had fallen to him, those nearer to him began to press that he must marry. It had only become worse after the last arising of the One Who Shall Not Be Named, when many of the Medjai warriors died in battle, and his people had turned to him to rebuild his tribe. The Elders told him that he must marry and raise a family, bring children into the world to carry on his proud bloodlines and lead his people into the future. And it was not that he did not wish to marry – the need to have someone to grow old with him burned deep inside. And it was not that none of the women in the tribe were beautiful enough or strong enough or enticing enough. Many of them were perfect, and many of them he had loved for years. But not as his heart and soul demanded. They were all willing – too willing – to become his bride, to give him children and grow old beside him. The more he thought about it, the more he came to realize they were not challenging enough.
He thought about that aspect for a moment. Why did he want a challenge? Was it because the danger of the One Who Shall Not be Named no longer threatened? There was still a use for the warriors, to guard against the dangers that lurked beneath the sands – such as that which they were now facing --as well as the threat from rival tribes. He had sworn his life to protecting Egypt, as his Ancestors had sworn to protect the Pharaohs, and now he was expected to simply bury his head into the sands, raise a family and allow old age to creep up on him. To watch himself, and everything he had been raised and trained to believe in, whither and die as the pyramids around them slowly receded into the sands from which they came. It wasn't enough. He wanted something more, he needed something more.
And for some reason, the woman before him seemed to offer to this need.
Now that she was under his care and protection, he could not escape Katy O’Connell or the thrill she sent through him each time she looked at him. She had a reckless nature, that much was certain, and though this fact alone should have warned him, he found it only drew him to her more, like a moth to a flame. Life with such a being would be chaotic at best; she was more like her brother than he had first realized. And O’Connell had been party to bringing about the end of the world twice.
Katy lifted her head, wiping the drops of water that clung to her lips. “Thank you,” she told him, suddenly shy.
Ardeth nodded, cupping his hands into the water once more and taking a long drink. Without thinking, Katy reached out and ran her fingers through the nearest tangles of his hair, over his left ear, gently pulling the strands apart as the warrior stilled beneath her touch. When it occurred to her what she had just done, Katy yanked her hand back and promptly began worrying her lower lip nervously.
“Sorry about that,” she said quickly. “I… well, the tangles were bothering me.”
Before Ardeth could respond, she jumped to her feet, moving around the area, pretending to explore, her movements a little too quick and disjointed, reflecting her sudden anxiety. Seeking to relax her once more, Ardeth stood and began speaking:
“In ancient times this small creek was simply another branch of the Nile, flowing just as deeply and dangerously. It served to flood the plains that my people once lived and thrived upon. And it carved out this canyon before dwindling to what you see now. Another few thousand years and the desert will claim all of this.”
Katy raised her eyebrows. “As pretty as it all is, I don’t see how you can live your entire life here in the sand. I mean, there are so many glorious climates to explore! And there’s nothing quite like falling into a mound of fresh snow.”
Ardeth smiled, sitting down on a protruding boulder. “Please, describe snow to me. I have never had the pleasure…”
“Well… “ Katy wrapped her arms around herself and gazed up into the sun, squinting as she thought. She turned to him, a smile tugging at her lips. “It’s really cold and it’s really wet and sometimes it’s soft on your skin and at others it is very sharp and painful. It can come down in big, fluffy flakes that melt when they touch your hand or small, hard ones that seem to pierce right through your skin. The fluffy stuff is the best! Although, it doesn’t make very good snowballs.”
Ardeth appeared perplexed.
Katy laughed. “Snowballs. It would be like taking a handful of sand and being able to press it together into a ball and then you throw it at your friends… Or perfect strangers if you are daring enough.”
“Why in Allah’s name would anyone want to do such a thing?”
“Because it’s fun, silly. Don’t the Medjai ever have fun?”
“No. We cannot laugh, cannot smile. We tell no jokes. We just sit around our fires and ponder the end of the world.” He could not contain the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Katy rolled her eyes at his sarcasm. “Very funny.”
Ardeth laughed as he stood. “Come. We should return to the camp.”
“But,” Katy protested. “We just got here!”
“Yes.” He grabbed hold of both horses and led them over to her. “And because of the pace you set on the ride here, we are far away from the tribe. As Chief, it is my duty not to remain away for long. We certainly cannot keep the same pace back, so it will take us more than double the time to return.”
“I didn’t hear you complaining any,” Katy pointed out as he adjusted the saddle on her horse. “Unless perhaps it was your grumbling that a girl was beating you.”
Ardeth looked at her over his shoulder. “Your mouth is liable to get you into trouble, O’Connell.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” She moved over to the stallion where Ardeth waited to help her up. Once he lifted her onto the animal’s back, she glanced down at him. “By the way, Ardeth. My name is Katy. You pronounce it KAY-TEE. Say it with me… KAY-TEE.”
He made a face. “I know. I have heard your name before – “
“Yes. But you have never used it.”
He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, turning away finally to climb onto the black stallion that stood beside him. “I did not wish to be overly familiar,” he explained finally.
“Ardeth.” She moved her stallion beside his. “You were the one who said you had to be near me twenty-four hours a day. I don’t think people can get any more familiar than that.”
“You have a point, Katy.” He smiled. “But, I only fear reprisals from your brother in the end.”
“Who, Rick? Don’t worry. I can handle him.” Urging her stallion forward, Katy commented over her shoulder, “By the way, I like hearing you say my name.”
Ardeth did not know what to make of that.
The next few days seemed to blend in to one another. Katy rarely left the tent except to accompany Ardeth on afternoon rides over the surrounding region. He never allowed her to stray as far from the camp as he had the first day, but they rode for just as long, talking, sharing with one another stories from their lives. Ardeth explained the way of the Medjai to her, how they have always pledged their lives to the protection of the Pharaoh and Egypt, how they lived and their culture. He also shared with her the past adventures with her brother, the rising of Imhotep as well as the Scorpion King. Though Katy’s first reaction was to scoff at the tales, she had recently seen enough to quell her innate skepticism. She had quickly grown comfortable within the presence of the handsome warrior and found she missed him when he left her for brief periods to speak with the tribe elders.
During those times, his second-in-command Menes, would stay with her, watching over her but saying very little. She had tried a few times to get him to speak to her but he had continued to ignore her, turning his back to her to end the conversation. Not wishing to be rude, Katy made no mention of this to Ardeth, though she had the distinct feeling that were the spirit of Seth to attack her, Menes would continue to pretend that he had simply not heard her cries.
Katy was doodling on a piece of paper that Ardeth had supplied her with just before leaving for another meeting with the Elders when the warrior entered the tent with more force than usual. The flap fell back with a large whack! causing Katy to jump up from her position on her stomach. She blinked up at Ardeth whose expression was tense and controlled.
“What is it?” she asked, wondering how she had come to know someone so well, so quickly. It seemed she could sense his every mood long before he could.
“I must go,” he told her tightly, reaching for his turban and beginning to wrap it around his head. “Menes will stay with you.”
“But why?” She climbed to her feet, moving over to stand before him. “What’s happened?”
“One of the neighboring tribes has been attacked. It seems Seth’s strength has increased. The duration of his inhabitation… well, it was longer than expected.”
“I don’t understand.” Katy watched as he strapped his scimitars around his chest. She worried her lower lip for a moment, waiting for him to continue.
Ardeth sighed, knowing that she wished a full explanation, whether she truly wanted to hear it or not. He turned back to her, taking her hands into his own. He did not want to leave her, afraid that she would be vulnerable without him, but it was his duty as Chief to respond to the other tribe’s call. “You mustn’t worry. I do not believe Seth will attack again in this area so quickly after this last. You will be fine until I return.” He caressed her palm softly with his thumb, willing her to relax. “Trust me. I would not leave you if I did not believe you were safe.”
“I know.” She straightened her shoulders, attempting to appear braver than she felt. “I just… Please tell me what happened.” Could she not simply accept what he gave her? Ardeth thought silently. No, his heart answered. Like her brother, she preferred the truth, no matter the terror it might instill. “As I said a neighboring tribe was attacked. The attack lasted for over ten minutes, during which four women were attacked and died.”
Katy pulled her hands from his and turned away, walking to the back of the tent where she sat once more upon the carpet. Ardeth knew his men were waiting for him but knowing he could not leave her like this; he followed her, kneeling before her and lifting her chin to meet his gaze.
“Katebet,” he said softly, calling her by the nickname he had recently placed on her; an Egyptian form of her name. “You must stop blaming yourself for what has occurred. The Prophecy was foretold long ago. Anyone could have entered that tomb; you were simply the first. Perhaps it was written in your destiny long ago. We cannot turn away from our fates.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” she replied. “You protect people. You aren’t the one causing their deaths.”
Ardeth stroked her cheek gently. “And neither are you. You must continue to remind yourself that it is the spirit of Seth that must be blamed.”
“But if I –”
He placed a long finger against her lips. “No more, Katebet. Promise me you will not dwell on this while I am gone.”
“Please don’t leave,” she pleaded.
“It is my duty as Chief –”
“But I’m afraid.” There, she admitted it. Never once in her life had she admitted to being fearful of something but now she was. Because it wasn’t something she could see as long as there was a light on, because it wasn’t something that would go away when she closed her eyes. For the first time in twenty-four years, Katy found herself looking forward to the future, and was frightened of its approach.
And she had seen what had happened to that woman in Ardeth’s tribe.
Ardeth smiled gently and leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. “Do not be afraid, Katebet. I will not allow harm to come to you.”
The warrior stood and moved toward the tent door when Katy jumped to her feet and hurried after him. “Ardeth?”
He turned, their eyes meeting. What had she wanted? To kiss him? That was silly. She hardly even knew him and yet… she understood him better than she had anyone else in her life. She reached out and began playing with the silver braid on his tunic, her knuckles briefly brushing against the skin on his chest. “I… don’t be long. Hurry. Please?”
Ardeth smiled, touched her cheek. “I promise, Katebet.”
And then he was gone. She watched as he stopped to speak with Menes, no doubt asking him to watch her, protect her, and she knew his assistant chieftain would, because of honor and duty. But what was she supposed to do while he was gone? She missed him already.