Page 37 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Zahra stepped forward. “Patér, please, you must tell me now. Who?—”
“Go to Rhakotis. I will distract them.”
“Patér!” Zahra cried as he returned the Thoth to the bag and got on a horse. “Patér, no!”
The voices of themedjaycame from outside.
Omar readied himself. “May Re protect you.”
Zahra ducked to the side as Omar and the horse charged forward, breaking down the stable house doors. Themedjayshouted and chased after him. Zahra sat in the darkness, waiting for them to leave, before she ran out of the stable house.
The obelisk chimed five times as she returned to thepr-aa, her head swimming with confusion. Someone was making her father steal the Thoth. Who? For what purpose?
The ramifications of the Thoth falling into the wrong hands flooded her mind. At the very least, whoever had placed those papyri in her father’s bed knew of the Thoth’s importance to the Pharaoh Queen. They had access to ancient papyri with images of the Thoth. What more did they know, and why would they have her father of all people steal it?
As Zahra wandered the grounds of thepr-aa, she found maidens lounging in and outside of the building. As she passed, there were whispers of disappointment that the King had not been seen at all. He was still at the front, then. Was Ramses on the hunt for her?
For a moment, she thought of telling the King the truth. If what she suspected was true, ending this day would only result in Aur’s most secret treasure being stolen.
Zahra pushed the thought aside with a shake of her head. He couldn’t be trusted. She needed more information from her father, and she couldn’t get that information until tomorrow night. Her next goal was to find Ramses and explain her absence. Hopefully, Ramses and Namir would believe her.
Zahra’s gaze caught hold of a maiden in the distance. Outside of the crowd and near the path to the chariots walked a young Auran maiden. She looked back at thepr-aabefore turning away from the festivities entirely.Could it be?—?
Zahra picked up her pace, following the maiden. “My lady, wait!”
The girl spun toward her, and Zahra came to a fast stop. Before her stood Fukayna’s daughter, the young Eshe. She wore a tawny gown instead of the dress Zahra had made for her. Her braids were tied neatly back, letting the light from the lamps in thepr-aareflect off her brown eyes.
Zahra realized in horror that she had forgotten to give the dress to Fukayna that morning. She had thought Eshe wouldn’t come to the Feast, but here she was.
Eshe frowned at Zahra, her eyes red and puffy. “What is it? Who are you?”
Zahra remembered herself and bowed. “I apologize. I thought you were someone else.”
It would do no good to remind Eshe that she was the seamstress commissioned to create a dress that never arrived.
She looked through her curls. “I must say, however, that you look beautiful tonight.”
“Oh.” Eshe held her hands in front of her, her fingers a tangled mess. “Thank you.”
Zahra rose. “If I may ask, were you leaving the Feast for the night?”
Eshe turned away. “Yes. I do not believe the King will choose me.”
“He may.” Had the King’s bride been right under her nose all this time?
“He will not,” Eshe responded, her eyes determined. She opened her mouth to say more, but she hesitated. She rubbed her arms. “I simply want to go home.”
“What is going on here?”
Twomedjayapproached. One was far closer than the other and held an oil lamp. He scrutinized Zahra’s bruised eye and turned his attention to Eshe. “Is she bothering you?”
Eshe shook her head. “No, she was complimenting my dress.”
Themedjayregarded Zahra with an uncertain expression before motioning toward Eshe. “I wish to speak with her. You may go.”
Eshe hesitated, her eyes lingering on Zahra’s face. She nodded after a moment and walked away.
Themedjayturned to Zahra, his hand on hiskhopesh. “Why are you not at the celebrations with the others?”
