29 CONNOR
Sam was getting ready for us to head out while I played with Lynx in the living room. The little weirdo was almost used to me by now.
“You're strange,” I said, watching Lynx suddenly jump up and dart off.
When Sam stepped out of the bathroom, I was captivated by how radiant she looked in coral. It was like everything around her lit up and came alive.
“You're making that weird face again,” she said self-consciously, going to put on her combat boots.
“I'm wondering if we should really go out, or if I should just keep you under house arrest.”
“First… that was weird,” she smiled, standing up. “And second… we promised ourselves this night off. The bad guys will just have to wait. Come here, help me take this necklace off.”
“I thought it was your favorite.” I held the Eye of Horus pendant.
“It is.” She turned so I could remove it. I touched the delicate piece at her neck. “It was my mother's. Abuela gave it to me the night I left for Cairo. For luck.”
“And you're going to leave your lucky charm at home?”
Sam wrapped her arms around my waist, and I kissed her lips.
“My lucky charm today is you,” she whispered, and I pulled her in for another kiss.
It was supposed to be a light, quick kiss, but as always, it seemed impossible to let Sam leave my arms.
Soon my hands gripped her waist, holding her tight against me. Sam tugged at me, trying to guide us toward the door. I pushed her up against it, pressing her back to the wall.
My hand slid up her thigh, moving under her dress.
“Detective… we need to leave now,” she said before letting out a moan when my fingers reached between her legs. “Or in a little while.”
I pressed a little deeper, feeling my fingers slide in easily. Sam's hands fumbled for the buttons on my shirt.
“Do you really still want to go out?” I growled in her ear, sinking my fingers deeper. Sam gave me better access, hooking one leg around me. As my fingers worked in and out, I stroked her. The more I touched her, the wetter and hotter she got.
Suddenly I pulled my fingers out and stepped back, taking in the sight of her breathless. Flushed face, chest rising and falling.
“Let's go.”
“What?”
“You're too beautiful for me to keep you hidden away here.” I brought my lips close to hers without touching. “A work of art shouldn't stay hidden.”
We walked hand in hand through the streets of Cairo. Sam was radiant, watching the lively crowds, children playing, music everywhere. It was like for the first time in ages, she was fully enjoying her time here.
We bought some trinkets and grabbed refreshing drinks.
The festival seemed to boil over in every street and alley.
The sidewalks were decorated, colorful. Men shouted at the top of their lungs, selling everything under the sun.
Women's eyes sparkled beneath niqabs, and scarves fluttered in the night wind.
Out of habit, I observed every minute detail around us, recording faces and reading postures. When we reached the heart of the festival where small dance circles had formed, Sam wanted to stop and watch a performance.
We found a spot at the edge of the circle and watched the women performing with knives.
“Can you do that too?” I teased in her ear.
Sam looked at me sideways with a graceful smile.
“I'll take that as a yes.” I pressed my fingers into the small of her back. “I'm not going to be able to think straight now.”
Sam moved in front of me, stopping with her butt pressed against me, her body brushing against mine, and I didn't even need to look at her to know how much she was enjoying torturing me like that.
The drumbeats intensified, and a snake joined the performance. It was almost hypnotic watching the woman at the center of the circle move in sync with the snake.
At one point my eyes swept the crowd, and I froze when I met a pair of eyes watching us. The woman of medium height wasn't paying attention to the dance like everyone else. She was staring directly at us.
But it wasn't just her posture that unsettled me. It was her eyes. Bicolored like Ammit's, but only in one iris. I don't know how long we held each other's gaze before the crowd suddenly erupted and I realized they'd added fire to the performance.
My eyes darted beyond the circle, searching for the woman, but she was gone. Then everyone cheered again as the show ended.
“Amazing, right?” Sam looked at me with a smile.
“Yeah.” I slid my hand around her waist, pulling her closer. My eyes weren't just mapping anymore—they were hunting for any anomaly.
“Is everything okay?” she asked suddenly, growing noticeably tense.
I cupped her face and kissed her softly. Her cheeks flushed, that glow returning.
“Come on, I want to show you my favorite street food around here.” She pulled me toward a shawarma stand.
While she ordered, I felt a slight push against my back. I turned to see a group of street performers passing by with large decorative deity figures, probably made of styrofoam. One of them was still swaying after bumping into me.
My attention was immediately pulled to the end of the street, where a man stood—one with features similar to the guy from the antique shop and our apartment.
Sam was waiting for our sandwiches while chatting with the woman who was with the vendor.
“Stay here.” I kissed the top of her head. “I'll be right back.”
I walked fast until I caught up with the group of street performers heading up the road. My eyes stayed locked on the man at the corner, and with every step I grew more certain he was the one I had a score to settle with.
Suddenly I heard a woman scream in panic, setting off every alarm in my head at once. Luckily, it turned out to be just a tourist who’d gotten spooked by a snake moving while she tried to take a photo with it.
When I looked back at the corner, the man had disappeared. I ran to the spot where he’d been standing to see if I could figure out where he went, but it was useless—he was already gone.
I rushed back to the shawarma stand to find Sam, but the vendor was busy with other customers. I looked around, hoping she was just pulling a prank to test my patience.
My attempt to communicate with the vendor couple was pathetic, and I started pacing in circles, checking every corner of the street. And the next streets. And the ones after that—frantically searching until I was consumed by complete despair.
“Sam, if this is another one of your little jokes…” I kept muttering, almost hopeful, until I realized I was truly living a nightmare.
Sam had disappeared.