Page 166 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Zahra and Namir glanced at each other.
Namir stood. “I will go.”
Zahra pulled on his hand. “I am coming with you.”
Namir did not fight her. He wrapped his arm around her waist, helping her walk.
Zahra looked up in awe as she left Heba’s house. Around the village was a dome of silver light.
“There were others we passed on our way here,” Namir said, watching Zahra’s face. “Only we can see them.”
“It is Selene’s promise to my people.” Like Zahra’ssibylmark in the Duat, Selene’s power still existed in her servants and in those she protected.
Zahra’s gaze shifted to a crowd of people coming into the dome. Among them were injured Aurans or those seeking shelter from the smoke that hung in the air. She froze as she recognized a face in the crowd, pulling Namir to a stop.
Pesha was carrying a child in her arms. She handed the child off to an Ionian, glancing at Zahra.
Namir stepped back. “Is that…?”
Pesha motioned for those next to her to follow, and she approached Namir and Zahra with the other Naqada Ionians. Waaiz stepped up beside Zahra and Namir, but Zahra raised her hand toward him. “Wait.”
Pesha stopped in front of them, looking between Zahra and Namir.
Zahra’s eyes widened as Pesha bowed. The other four with her followed her example. “We are at your service,sibyl.”
“Who is that?” an Auran asked.
“It is the King!”
“The King! The King is here!”
Pesha and her comrades stood as a crowd began to form around Namir and Zahra.
Zahra removed her arm from Namir, doing her best to stand on her own. She looked up at Namir hesitantly, who watched the crowd grow around them with cautious eyes.
“My King, what are we to do?” one of the Aurans asked. “That monster is consuming our homes with fire and ash!”
“Yes, what should we do?!” another wailed.
Namir and Zahra shared a hesitant look. Namir turned to the crowd. “For now, take care of the wounded. We have limited resources here, so help those that need it the most first. I will confer with my Queen and advisors to determine our next steps.”
Shouts of protest came from the crowd as Namir turned away. Waaiz stepped in front of the crowd. “We have our orders! Let us get the wounded taken care of.”
Namir led Zahra toward one of the houses. Ramses was inside. Bandages were on his bloody leg, and he was gray and covered in sweat. He smiled at Namir and Zahra. He put his hand on his chest, leaning forward to bow, though the effort pained him. “My Pharaohs.”
Zahra took a seat as Namir came to Ramses’s side, putting his hand on his shoulder before signing. “How is your leg?”
“The bleeding has slowed,” Ramses signed in the dim light from the rushlight.
Namir’s forehead creased.
Ramses glanced at Zahra before looking back at Namir. “How long will we remain here?”
Namir let out a heavy sigh. “As long as we can, but we must leave at some point. Iset will come this way eventually.”
Zahra clutched her chest as another wave of pain hit her and Namir. She pulled her hand away from her chest, the soft golden glow hitting her fingers. She considered the dome of light that surrounded the village.
“But where will we go?” Ramses asked. “The land is hers now, and we don’t have enough boats to take all of the people out to Sea.”
