Chapter 25 A Great Pharaoh #2
“Stop it.” Namir’s pain-filled eyes looked up at her. She leaned close, still maintaining pressure on his wound. “You have done many things for this kingdom and for its people. My people can attest to that. And you will do many more things, Namir.”
He scrunched his forehead. “How can you be so sure?”
“Because I have seen it.” Zahra smiled. “I have seen the Pharaoh you will become, Namir. You will unite the people of Aur and the Deshret. Your people will be blessed by your rule, and you will be proud of what you have accomplished. Don’t give such little value to your life when you have yet to see what great things you will do. ”
Namir stared at her with wide eyes. “Were you there?”
Zahra’s smile faded. “No.”
Namir sucked in a pained breath, and he blinked hard. “Is… Is that why you said no?”
Zahra was silent for a moment. “No.”
Namir closed his eyes, scrunching his eyelids as his breathing quickened.
Zahra applied more pressure to his wound, and Namir cried out. The bleeding had slowed, but Zahra did not know if that was good or bad. She just had to keep him alive until the night ended. They were so close.
But she did not know if he would last that long.
Namir’s voice came quietly, wavering as he spoke. “Then why?”
Zahra turned back to him. Her eyes still stung from the tears she had cried when she had thought she lost him. She bit her trembling lip, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she found the answer. “Because I was scared.”
Namir’s eyes fluttered open. “Of what?”
Dawn.
Zahra pressed her lips against his, and Namir stilled. He lifted his hands to her face, pulling her closer. Her tears did not cease, but she did not let them stop her. She pulled in a jagged breath before kissing him again.
“I love you,” she whispered. “You are my own personal star. You light up the darkest parts of me, and I feel warmest when I am with you. I want to be your queen. Your wife. I want to spend the rest of my life by your side.” She pressed her forehead against his, sobbing. “But you must live. Please.”
Namir’s fingers tangled in her hair, and he smiled against her lips. “I will, ib ib.”
Zahra let out a breathy laugh. The heart of my heart.
Her lips found his again, and she cried as she kissed him. She pushed the thoughts of her curse aside, focusing only on her love for him—the love she had for so long ignored. She did not care if it wouldn’t last. She wouldn’t waste the time they had.
Voices came from outside. Zahra pulled away from Namir, whispering, “I must go.”
Namir grasped her arm weakly. “Don’t leave.”
Zahra sniffled and smiled. She slowly took pressure off of his wound and cupped his face. She kissed his lips and then his curls. Then, she took off her seashell necklace and placed it in his fist. “I will see you in the morning, my King.”
Namir reached for her as she pulled away. She grabbed his dagger before running up the stairs. The door closed quietly behind her as she left the building. The assassins were nearby, conversing in Ionic. “There’s a footprint in the soil. Someone came this way.”
The blood moon cast an orange glow on her. The assassins were hiding in the shadows, searching behind barrels and moving toward one of the other buildings.
One of the assassins turned to her, freezing as he spotted her.
“He is here somewhere,” the other said, turning in confusion toward his comrade. “What are you—?” He spotted Zahra, and his grip tightened on his blade.
Zahra gripped the dagger in her hand, staring the assassins down. She could see the keres working within them. Their eyes flickered with a red glow.
“We have to find him,” the assassin growled. His comrade didn’t appear to hear, and the assassin shook his head as if disagreeing with himself. “We don’t have time—”
His comrade leaped forward, his red eyes filled with anger.
Zahra jumped to the side, slicing at his leg. He stumbled forward with a cry.
The other assassin abandoned his task, swinging his axe at her.
Zahra trusted her instincts, stepping back. She gritted her teeth. Her training with Ramses had paid off.
Three more assassins appeared to Zahra’s right. The two Namir had injured were missing.
Pesha stepped between Zahra and the other two, still wearing a medjay’s clothes. “What are you doing?”
Zahra stepped back, breathing heavily as her bloody dagger hung at her side.
“She hurt Alexios,” one of the assassins cried.
Pesha put her hand on her makhaira. “Let me handle her.”
The other assassin motioned toward Zahra. “She is helping the King.”
Pesha’s gaze focused on Zahra’s bloody hands and then landed on her face. She gritted her teeth, speaking in Auran, “You were the girl with him earlier. Where is he?”
“You won’t find him,” Zahra said in Ionic. She stepped back, twisting the dagger in her hand.
Red flickered in Pesha’s eyes, and her hand twitched. “Where is he?!”
Red flashed in the eyes of the other assassins, who lifted their weapons. Zahra was outnumbered. She grinned and ran.
Pesha’s eyes narrowed, and she pulled out her makhaira. “Get her.”
Zahra ran through the night. She turned and skidded down the small walkways between the stone walls, stumbling as the assassins chased after her.
The assassins quickly gained speed, and Zahra gritted her teeth as she jumped over a large rock. Her feet landed hard on the ground, and her ankle rolled as she stumbled forward. She grunted, biting down hard as she turned around.
Zahra lifted her dagger as two of the assassins came upon her. She used her small size to her advantage, dodging their strikes. Her hand moved on its own, slashing at their arms and faces as they tried to hit her. They stepped to the side, and her attacks didn’t hit them.
Zahra ran to the side, limping for a few steps. One of the assassins leaped after her and swung his axe. Zahra let out a cry as she fell backward.
Katerina came from above, grabbing the assassin’s head with her talons. He screamed as he was pulled back, his axe swiping the air inches from Zahra’s face.
Zahra rolled back onto her feet, stumbling forward as two of the assassins tried to get Katerina to let go.
The obelisk chimed in the distance.
Zahra looked back. Two of the assassins were still chasing her, and Pesha was right behind her.
Zahra dropped her dagger as the obelisk continued to chime.
Pesha grabbed Zahra’s arm, forcing her against a wall. She thrust her makhaira into Zahra’s chest.
Zahra gasped, and Pesha blinked hard as the red faded from her eyes. Zahra let out a raspy laugh, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
Pesha dropped her, turning back toward the buildings as light consumed the world. “No!”
Zahra opened her heavy eyelids. Her limbs felt like dead weights, and her head burned. She took in shuddering breaths as she leaned over the side of her hammock. She fell out of it, landing hard on her knees and arms.
Pain hummed up her limbs, and Zahra gritted her teeth. She had to get to Namir. She forced her eyes to stay open as she tried to stand. She rammed into the wall several times before stumbling toward the door.
The voices of her roommates came from behind her.
“Zahra?” Jala asked as Zahra ran out of the room.
The horse was still sleeping when Zahra approached the stable. She unlocked the door as loud shouts came from inside of the house.
The horse neighed as Zahra got onto its bare back, holding its mane.
Bahiti came running out of the house, her hair short and gray. She was still wearing her nightclothes. “Thief! Get off of my horse!”
Zahra took off into the distance, leaving the screaming Bahiti behind.
The kingdom passed by in a blur. Zahra gritted her teeth against the force of the wind.
She barreled through the entrance to the capital city, ignoring the shouts and orders of the medjay stationed there.
The sun rose higher as she made her way up the hill to the pr-aa.
Medjay formed a line as she approached. Waaiz was at the front on his own steed. “Stop!”
Zahra’s horse neighed, coming to a stop and standing on its hind legs. Zahra urged her horse back to the ground. “Let me see him!”
“Get off your horse,” Waaiz demanded.
Zahra dismounted from the horse, letting the medjay grab her arms. “I need to see the King!”
“Release her.”
Waaiz turned around, and the medjay moved aside. Namir was standing on the steps to the pr-aa. He wore a white schenti, and his mark was clearly visible on his bare chest. Sweat caked his body, and he watched Zahra with a stunned expression.
The medjay let go of Zahra’s arms, and she shoved them aside, running toward him. Namir stepped forward, and Zahra leaped into his arms, wrapping her arms around her neck.
Sobs wracked her body as she buried her face in his shoulder. “You’re alive!”
He held her tight, burying his face in her curls. “I am here, ib ib.”