Page 101 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Zahra smiled and ran toward him. “Patér.”
She hugged him tight. Though she did not want to admit it, she had missed him.
Omar pulled away. “They said you were with the King.”
“I was.” Ramses dismissed themedjay,and Zahra motioned for Omar to follow. “But I need your help with something.”
Zahra explained the Thoth’s spell to him once more as they journeyed downstairs, Ramses guiding the way with a lamp. “I am the only other person who can remember, and I am helping the King end this day, but there’s someone working against us.”
“I heard about the assassins,” Omar said. “Have they been captured?”
“No, nor have we discovered who sent them.”
Zahra unlocked the door, and Omar’s eyes went wide. He put his bag to the side, looking around the space. “What is this place?”
Zahra thanked Ramses. “You can wait upstairs.”
Ramses nodded, leaving the lamp for them to use before he closed the door.
Omar had already begun looking over the shelves. “Some of these records must be centuries old.”
Zahra nodded. “There are some that are as old as Aur itself.”
Omar looked around in astonishment. “Incredible.”
Zahra moved toward the shelf with the scroll about the Thoth, and she pulled it out. “Patér, what can you tell me about the letter you received?”
Omar was taken aback by her question, but he answered regardless, describing his experience as he had many days before. The contents of the letter were similar to how Geb described his letter, but Omar did not share any new information.
Zahra sighed. “Thank you, Patér.”
Omar looked worriedly at Zahra. “Is there anything else I can do?”
“Perhaps.” She rolled out the Thoth’s scroll on the table, telling him about it, Geb’s confession, and the assassins after Namir’s life. “There’s something I am missing, but I don’t know what to look for.”
“I see why we are here now.” Omar picked up the papyrus and looked at it.
Zahra nodded, standing and moving over to one of the shelves. She took out some records of Asenath and the Thoth. “I hope there will be answers here.”
Omar set the papyrus on the table. “Then I will help you search.”
Zahra smiled. “Thank you for your help, Patér.”
He inclined his head to her in reply, his curious eyes studying the shelves as he walked toward them.
Zahra sat at the table and looked through the records she had pulled. Each one was familiar to her, but she pored over them once more, in case there was something she had not seen. She was close to the end of the pile when she sighed, rubbing at her eyes. Perhaps this was pointless.
“Zahra.” Omar motioned for her to come. Zahra left her work and joined his side. He was looking at the papyrus of Re’s journey through the sky and underworld.
A sharp pain formed in Zahra’s head, and she rubbed her temple as she turned from it. “It tells us nothing new.”
The pain grew sharper, and she winced as she walked back to her seat. Her vision was foggy, and the pain made it difficult to think.
“Zahra. Zahra!”
Zahra looked back as Omar grabbed her arm. “What is it, Patér?”
Omar eyed her hand on her head. He held the scroll in his hand. “Did you hear anything I said?”
