Chapter 15 The Old Pr-aa #2
The sounds of music drifted into her ears, and she turned away from the building.
She followed the music until she found a large clearing filled with people.
Several buildings made of stone stood around the clearing.
There were a few hundred young men conversing, drinking, eating, and showing off.
At the front of the crowd was a young woman.
She wore a cream-colored dress, and a crown of brass sat on her head.
Zahra slowed as she approached the woman. She recognized the girl’s beaded braids and brown eyes. This was Asenath.
A few young men moved in Zahra’s path, trying to get Asenath’s attention.
Zahra tried to see around them. “Hello? Asenath?”
One of the young men moved toward her, and Zahra gasped as his arm touched her. His skin turned to sand as his arm passed through her. He became solid once more, and Zahra stumbled back.
This was a vision. This was not real.
Asenath was able to leave her conversations and headed back toward two seats where an older man and woman sat, with high crowns on their heads. The first Pharaohs.
Asenath grinned at her parents. “Mwt! Jt!”
The Pharaoh Queen stood, embracing Asenath. “Have you chosen someone, Asenath?”
Asenath shook her head. “Not yet. There are so many choices.”
Asenath’s eyes drifted over the crowd, and the Pharaoh Queen elbowed her teasingly. “It seems you still have your sights set on that boy.”
“It better not be that foreigner,” the Pharaoh King barked.
“We invited them to the Pa-sekhemty Feast, too,” the Pharaoh Queen argued. “He and his family were the ones that painted the pr-aa for us. They are no longer foreigners in my eyes.”
“They are different from us,” he grumbled.
The Pharaoh Queen sighed, rubbing Asenath’s arms. “Ignore your father. It is your choice who is King, not ours. All we ask is that you choose well.”
Asenath smiled. “Thank you, Mwt.”
A voice cut through the air. “You all must leave!”
Gasps and murmurs filled the space as the music and dancing stopped. A woman stood on top of one of the buildings, wearing clothing much different than the Aurans. The moonlight shimmered.
Zahra stood in awe. This was a sibyl.
“I have been sent by the one you call Nebthet. The blood moon will bring with it much tragedy, and your young Queen will die at the hands of her people.”
Shouts of objection came from the crowd.
“Blasphemy!”
“Foreigner!”
“I implore you, listen,” the sibyl cried. “I have sailed and traveled for many days from my homeland. Nebthet has taught me your language so that I may use it to warn you of what is to come! There will come a great war if you do not all leave this place!”
The Pharaoh Queen held Asenath in her arms as the Pharaoh King stepped forward. “Nebthet does not have servants in this world. She herself is a servant of Re.”
“All of your netjeru have servants,” the sibyl said. “You can find Nebthet’s servants in the sky, where she resides. It is Nebthet who speaks when I say that if you ignore this warning, much destruction and mourning will follow.”
“Lies,” someone from the crowd cried.
The Pharaoh King studied the sibyl. Then, he waved his hand. “Bring her down and bind her tongue.”
“No,” the sibyl cried. “Please!”
Zahra stumbled back as the crowd moved forward. The sibyl continued shouting her message, even as she was pulled down from the top of the building and cloth was shoved in her mouth.
Zahra hugged her arms, breathing fast as the crowd carried the sibyl toward her. The sibyl’s blue eyes passed right over her before moving back to her. She stared at Zahra as she was hauled away.
Zahra stepped back, digging her nails into her arms. The sibyl reminded her of her mother moments before her death.
Zahra turned and ran. Katerina cawed from behind Zahra, but she did not listen. The moon overhead turned red, and sounds of fighting came from around her.
Zahra’s foot caught on a rock, and she fell hard to the ground, gasping as pain shot up her leg.
She turned around, a small scream escaping her mouth.
There were several Auran men on the ground, either dead or severely injured.
Those that were still alive had eyes of fire, the keres in them telling them to stand and attack.
Their fury did nothing, as they were all too weak to stand.
The red faded from their eyes as the keres moved on to different hosts.
The old pr-aa stood next to her, its steps bloody. On the steps lay the sibyl from before, her sea-blue eyes still as she stared at the sky.
Zahra remembered the sight of her mother on the ground, motionless, the light of the fires from her village illuminating half her face. She let out a cry, standing and backing away.
Asenath’s scream came from inside the building, and Katerina’s voice came as if she was right beside Zahra, echoing Zahra’s memories.
“Rhodopis. Rhodopis!”
“Zahra!”
A hand grabbed Zahra’s arm, pulling her away from the old pr-aa and the past.
Zahra stumbled backward, gasping as sunlight found her eyes once more.
Before her lay what remained of the old pr-aa.
Its painted columns were gone, and only one wall remained, bare and covered in weeds.
The stairs and the body of the sibyl had vanished, and the swirling pattern of the stone floor was hidden by dirt and sand.
“Zahra,” the voice came again, and hands turned her around.
Zahra blinked hard as Namir stared worriedly into her eyes. “Can you hear me?”
Zahra put her hands on his arms, pulling in deep breaths as she regained her bearings.
Acid crawled up her throat, and Zahra pushed away from Namir, turning and vomiting on the ground.
Namir continued to hold her up by her arm, bringing his other arm to his nose.
He let her arm go as soon as he was sure she could sit up on her own.
Zahra wiped at her mouth, groaning as the nausea settled in her stomach.
“It has happened again.”
Zahra froze, glancing back at Namir.
He stood at a distance, his cupped hand hovering near his nose and mouth. “This time I did not have the ring, but I did not need to have it. That eagle is a symbol of Nebthet, is it not? That is why it always follows you.”
Zahra’s heart leaped into her throat, and she looked away. “I… I thought it was carrying someone’s possession. That’s why I ran after it.”
Namir stared at her incredulously. “You don’t need to lie to me, Zahra.”
Zahra turned toward him. “It wasn’t a lie.”
“Then why did you not respond when I called your name?” Namir questioned. “It was as before. You could not hear me. You could not see me. If I had had the ring, that mark would have appeared on your head again.”
Zahra’s mouth went dry. “Namir…”
“I am not your enemy, Zahra,” Namir argued, “but I can’t stand by while you continue to lie to me.”
Zahra pushed herself to her feet. “Then I will not lie. But don’t ask me for the truth when I don’t know it myself. Please, Namir. All I ask is that you leave this matter be.”
Namir studied her face. He sighed. “If that is what you wish.”
“It is.” There was a moment of silence before she found her voice again. “I should go to the river and wash off.”
Namir stepped away. “I will find Ramses and wait for you by the necropolis.”
Zahra watched as he disappeared into the trees, trying to erase the image of the fallen sibyl from her mind.