A Thousand Nights Before Dawn

Chapter 1 The Tawny Eagle

The Tawny Eagle

The moon bled in Zahra’s dream last night. The Pa-sekhemty Feast—the Feast of Two Crowns—had ended in a thousand screams, and the Pharaoh Queen’s soldiers had hunted down Zahra and her father.

Zahra shook the lingering images from her mind as she walked through the crowded marketplace. Her basket rested comfortably on the curve of her waist, and she pushed her dark curls away from her amber eyes as she surveyed the assortment of fabrics at a nearby stall.

Zahra’s fingers stroked the fabrics one by one, admiring their delicate beauty and bold colors. She could imagine how she would cut and shape each one into a beautiful gown, if only she had the funds and resources to do so.

The merchant behind the stall leaned forward. “These beauties recently arrived at the King’s new port. Are you interested?”

Zahra shook her head. “I am only appreciating your selection.”

The man was unfamiliar, which surprised her, as Illahun was one of the less popular destinations for merchants selling foreign goods.

“Where is the fabric from?” she asked.

“Parsa.”

Her hand froze over the fabric. She stepped away and nodded to him. “Your selection is beautiful. Have a blessed Khepri.”

The merchant inclined his head to her and eagerly turned toward the next customer as she walked away.

Zahra followed a familiar path, recounting the items on her master’s list as the marketplace rattled with chatter. Small wooden pendants hung from each stall, depicting the moon netjer—or goddess—Nebthet. Garlands made of red and white flowers were draped around the tables that the merchants used.

“Strengthen Re before the lunar eclipse,” a merchant proclaimed. “Help Nebthet protect our netjer!”

Zahra searched for the fruit stand she often frequented. Riyad’s spot had been claimed by another. She sighed. It would take too long to find his stall in this mess.

A friendly voice sounded from beside Zahra. “It has not been this busy since the King’s coronation.”

Zahra flinched and laughed. She elbowed Aaliyah, who stood beside her with a basket of her own. “Only the King would schedule the second greatest event of the season on the night of the blood moon.”

Aaliyah chuckled, brushing one of her thick braids behind her ear. “I doubt the King could have known that an eclipse would happen tonight of all nights.”

Aaliyah had a point. The hour priests had only announced the eclipse to the public two days ago, and the Pa-sekhemty Feast had been in her master’s calendar for many weeks now.

Zahra suppressed a shudder as the image of the bloody moon filled her mind once more.

Indeed, the moon would turn red tonight, but it wouldn’t be as dramatic as her dream had depicted.

The Aurans would spend the night hosting festivities and selling trinkets while Nebthet fought Apep—the embodiment of chaos itself and the archenemy of Re—for their netjer.

“Did you receive your invite to the Feast tonight?” Aaliyah asked as Zahra led her to a fruit stall.

Zahra turned to her with a furrowed brow. “Only Aurans were invited to the Feast.”

“I heard Ionians were also invited,” Aaliyah said, inspecting some figs.

Doubt of this news swirled in Zahra’s head. “It must have been a rumor, Aaliyah.”

Aaliyah weighed a fig in her hand. “I don’t believe so. An Ionian my sister works with received an invitation yesterday.”

Zahra’s mouth twitched. If invitations to the Feast were sent to Ionians, it was a cruel joke. “The King wouldn’t go to such lengths to gain my people’s favor.”

Aaliyah shrugged. “Perhaps he is different than you think.”

Zahra sighed, muttering to herself as she found payment for some melons. “I don’t believe he can be.”

Aaliyah handed some deben to the stall owner and added the figs to her basket. “Well, if you do receive an invite, I hope to hear of your time there.”

Zahra turned to her in surprise. “Are you not going?”

“My master has required me to work well into the evening. After that, I will be joining my sister in celebration. Besides…” Her eyes became distant, and her hands gripped the basket tighter. She shook her head and grinned at Zahra. “I will see you tomorrow, yes?”

Zahra smiled softly. “Of course. Enjoy your celebrations, Aaliyah.”

Aaliyah nodded. “You as well, Zahra.”

Zahra clutched the handles of her basket as Aaliyah departed. Her eyes lingered on Aaliyah’s left ear, which shone with a dark bronze. Zahra’s fingers brushed the thick bronze hoop that hung on her own ear.

She sympathized with Aaliyah’s plight. It was a pity that Aaliyah was indebted to her master. She was eighteen, only a year younger than Zahra, and the perfect age to be seeking out marriage prospects. Unlike Zahra, she was a beautiful Auran with a fair chance of catching the King’s eye.

A pair of hands shoved Zahra hard from behind as a young boy leaped in her path and tugged on her basket. She fell face-first into the black dirt, holding tight to the basket. She gritted her teeth. The Ur brothers.

The boy grunted as he pulled. “Let go!”

Another young boy jumped over her head, landing beside his brother. He pulled out a brown bag from the basket, which clinked with the sound of deben.

“Hey!” Zahra let go of the basket of fruit as the young boys took off with the bag. Her sandals struggled to find bearing in the dirt road as she chased after the boys.

The brothers laughed as they ran through the crowd. The elder brother—Beb—led his younger brother down a path between the stalls.

Zahra rushed past a merchant’s stall, knocking over some of his totems. The merchant shouted a string of curses before Zahra could apologize. She picked up her pace. Merchants and shoppers moved out of the way, wide-eyed as she and the boys passed.

Madu, the younger brother, knocked over a crate of plums and sent a dog running free from its leash. Zahra leaped over the scattered plums and avoided the rampant animal with one swift movement.

Beb glanced back at Zahra as she lunged forward. She hooked her nails into the bag, tugging the boy to a halt. Beb pulled back. Though he was young, he was already Zahra’s height, and she struggled to pull the bag free from his grasp.

“Let. Go,” Zahra seethed.

Beb shook his head. The bag shuddered from the tension, and with a loud rip, its contents fell to the ground. A small bag with the leftover deben tumbled out, along with a pile of shimmering blue fabric.

Beb dove for the deben, surprised when Zahra reached for the fabric instead. She hugged it to her chest and ran.

Zahra’s heart thundered in her ears as she found sanctuary in the shadow of a small building at the end of the road. She pulled the dress away from her bosom, inspecting every seam and stitch. The dress had suffered no damage from the thieving boys. Zahra’s body relaxed, and she folded the dress.

The basket and fruit were gone when Zahra returned. She asked the merchants at nearby stalls, but none had seen who had taken it, only that she caused a ruckus and scared away their customers.

A scoff sounded from behind Zahra. She turned to see a pair of women judging her from a nearby stall. “The fruit is gone, sobki. Leave our marketplace before you make another mess.”

Zahra turned away and hugged the dress to her chest. Hot bile rose in her throat. She would have to return empty-handed. All of that deben…

Zahra shook her head and pushed away the thought. She sucked in a breath, pushing toward Fukayna’s estate.

The merchant she had passed on her chase scoffed from behind her. “Foolish sobki.”

Crocodile, he meant.

“Savage,” another Auran remarked.

“Bottom feeder.”

Immigrant.

Zahra was accustomed to the names. She lacked the dark skin of the Aurans, and her curly hair, though black, lacked the Aurans’ signature coarseness. She took the name-calling in stride, focusing only on her destination.

The busy chatter of the marketplace faded as Zahra ventured away from the city center.

The air from the east carried sour smells of fish with a hint of sweet jasmine.

Zahra climbed the familiar path to Fukayna’s residence.

The estate sat high on a hill, its glamorous white surface distinct against the bright blue sky.

A sculpture of the sun netjer Re sat by the front door, no doubt the work of Fukayna’s husband.

Zahra knocked on the door, dusting off her white shawl and dress for the third time. Dirt clung to the fabric with stubbornness, and she gave up on her efforts with a sigh.

Faisal opened the door, his white clothes clean and his tight curls cut short. His eyes lingered on the state of her dress, but still he stepped aside with a graceful bow. “Come in, Zahra. We have been expecting you.”

Zahra suppressed a laugh as she stepped inside. “Fukayna may think differently of you bowing to another servant.”

Faisal stood proudly. “My mistress is kind.”

Zahra knew it was true. Though she served a different master, Zahra had done small jobs for Fukayna for a season.

Fukayna heard of Zahra’s abilities through Faisal’s sister, who had asked Zahra to mend her work clothes.

Zahra had spent many nights mending tears and hemming clothing for Fukayna, until she was asked to construct something magnificent: a gown for her daughter Eshe, who would be attending the Feast that evening.

Faisal guided Zahra into the vestibule, which featured a colorful arch with beautiful carvings of the black land of Aur and the red land of Deshret, the desert. He gestured for her to wait by a window. “I will fetch my mistress.”

Zahra bowed her head. “Thank you, Faisal.”

He smiled and turned to walk away. Though there was a small hole in his ear, he did not wear an earring like Zahra’s. Faisal paid off his debt a year ago and chose to continue working under Fukayna and her husband.