Page 83 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Zahra swallowed. “Did she see Ahmose?”
Namir hesitated. “Eventually, yes.”
Tears pricked at Zahra’s eyes once more. She pulled the cloak around herself, hiding her face in her hair. Namir’s warmth was still upon the fabric. He had seen all that she had seen and more. She was thankful that he was there. She did not know what would have happened if he had not been.
Namir was silent for several minutes. Then, he took a deep breath. “I gave an order to have your people’s lands protected during the celebrations tonight.”
Zahra looked at him through her curls. “What of the assassins?”
Namir’s eyes narrowed on the stream. “I will deal with them.”
“What if they find you?” Her voice was hoarse, and she was ashamed of her red and puffy eyes. “You need to be protected. If they?—”
“They will not.” He turned to her. “I will stay ahead of them, and Ramses will be with me. What happened last night will not happen again, I promise you that. Your people deserveto worship and celebrate in peace, and the attackers will be punished—every last one of them. Your people will not suffer tonight.”
Zahra held his gaze, stunned by his words. Her lip quivered, and she looked down. “Thank you, my King.”
“Namir.”
“Thank you, Namir.”
He opened his mouth as if to speak more, but he did not say anything for another minute. “There is something else, Zahra.”
Zahra looked up at him.
There was silence for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. “Before the attack, something shook you—something I could not see.”
Zahra gripped the cloak, and her knuckles turned white.
Namir watched her out of the corner of his eye. “During our time apart, I researched Nebthet. Eagles were often associated with her and her servants.”
Zahra opened her mouth, desperate. “I?—”
“Before you deny it,” Namir said, turning to her and meeting her eyes, “you must know something. I trust you, Zahra. I have seen your goodness, and I am ready to stand by you against the law or the Pharaoh Queen.” He paused. “But I need you to trust me as well.”
Her lip trembled, and she turned away, fighting tears. Many moments passed as her heart fought with her mind on what to say. Her voice finally came out small and hoarse. “You are right.”
Namir blinked slowly. “I…am?”
“Yes.” She took a deep breath, brushing the tears from her eyes. “I can deny it no longer.”
“Did you know before we met?”
Zahra shook her head. “No. I did not know I was asibyluntil that day in the library.” She took a deep breath. “But I knew I was different long before then.”
Namir leaned back, waiting patiently as she gathered her thoughts.
Zahra buried her chin in her folded arms, releasing a breath. “I used to have these dreams. Some days, I could recall the right words to say to my mistress or which spot would be the softest near the river.” Her grip on the cloak tightened. “Other times, I would know when something awful was coming, like a robbery at my master’s estate or a particularly bad storm. I used to have them more often, but my father said such dreams were the work of a dark and evil magic, so I tried to forget them. Eventually, I stopped having them altogether.” She glanced at Namir. “Until this day started.”
He listened quietly, and his silence prompted her to continue.
“Before I noticed the days repeating, I thought that my dream from the night before was coming true. I don’t know when the dream turned into memories, but at some point, my memories were only that—a dream.” She rubbed her right arm. “Sometimes when I die, I wake up in a place I do not know. A place filled with horrible creatures that have the cruelest of eyes.” Her voice cracked, remembering the red, glowing eyes of the man who killed her the night before. “When morning comes, I can still feel the golden sand between my toes. Sometimes, I can feel the cold wind on my neck even if the air is still.”
Namir considered her words. “This place—is this where you went when I wore the ring?”
Zahra nodded. “I have gone there again since then. A servant of Selene has spoken with me, but I refused to believe what I was. I tried so hard to believe as my father had taught me, but I was wrong.”
“It is clear you have gifts from thenetjeru,” Namir said.
