Page 155 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Zahra clenched her jaw as they ran throughout the halls. Was she wrong? Was the Pharaoh Queen part of this after all? But the Thoth had shown only one person who remembered. Her eyes narrowed as she remembered her vision at the oldpr-aa.Unless….
“Menes!” The Pharaoh Queen marched toward him with severalmedjaysurrounding her. Waaiz was behind her, and Nubia was behind him. “Zosar has escaped. We must get you somewhere safe.”
Waaiz stepped up beside her. “Pharaoh Queen, the armory is the most secure place near here. He will be safe there.”
“I agree. Menes—” Her gaze focused on Zahra. “Who is this?”
Namir’s grip tightened on Zahra’s hand. “My Queen.”
Shock filled her face. “You have chosen an Ionian for your bride?”
“Yes.”
The Pharaoh Queen pushed past Ramses, stepping up to Namir and Zahra. Her eyes seemed to glow as she studied Zahra. She turned to Namir. “I forbid it. Let themedjaytake her.”
Namir gritted his teeth, moving Zahra away from themedjaythat moved to grab her. “I do not follow your orders anymore, Mwt.”
The Pharaoh Queen gestured to Zahra. “She is dangerous! She has the mark of a foreignnetjerwithin her. She could be behind this all!”
“How dare you!” Namir roared. “She is asibyl, and all she has done is protect me.”
The Pharaoh Queen’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know that word?”
“I have spent longer than you think in the Thoth’s spell. You have no idea what we have gone through to get here. You do not know me. You do not know her. She will be Pharaoh Queen, and you will treat her as such.”
“Thesibylsare priestesses of a corruptnetjerwho will bear false futures to control Re’s chosen,” the Pharaoh Queen spat.
Zahra stepped out from behind Namir. “Thesibylswarned Re’s chosen of a future that will come to pass if we don’t get Namir to safety!”
Namir smiled proudly at Zahra before turning to his mother. “She is right. We must keep moving. He could be here any?—”
A strong gust of wind blew down the hall. Zahra and Namir were knocked off their feet, falling back into Ramses. Themedjayin the hall behind them shouted.
Zahra looked back with wide eyes as Namir pulled her to her feet. “Run,” he said. “Run!”
The Pharaoh Queen gritted her teeth as she motioned at themedjayaround her. “Follow us. Protect the King!”
Namir and Zahra set off toward the military side of thepr-aa. Ramses remained in front of them, with the Pharaoh Queen, Waaiz, and Nubia bringing up the rear. Screams echoed behind them.
Namir’s hand trembled within Zahra’s, and he looked back toward the chaos behind them in horror. Fear built in her chest. What army had Zosar brought with him?
“Through there,” Waaiz yelled, pointing ahead to a door.
A ball of fire shot over their heads, striking one of the pillars holding up the ceiling. Ramses slid to a stop as the ceiling collapsed in front of them. Namir covered Zahra with his arms as a wave of dust and smoke blew back toward them. Waaiz stepped in front of Namir with hiskhopeshdrawn, his stoic face focusing on what was in front of them.
Zahra pulled in a fast breath as she looked up. Zosar approached them. His eyes were like deep pits of tar, and shadows fell from his mouth. His skin was gray, cracked, and dripping with black smoke. He smiled and spoke, Iset and him speaking as one. “Going somewhere, Menes?”
Namir gritted his teeth, pushing Zahra behind him. “Stay behind me.”
Zahra clenched her jaw. Her hand gripped her necklace. “I’m fighting with you, Namir.”
“Do not come any closer, sorcerer,” the Pharaoh Queen warned, raising her hand toward him. “I do not wish to burn you with Re’s light, but I will if I must!”
Zosar laughed. “You are only half of one, Nefertari. Thutmose’s death has weakened you.”
She gritted her teeth. “Re is still with me. You will not win!”
“I have Iset on my side, and I have offered my soul and body to her. I have her power now.”
