Page 172 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Doubt filled Namir’s eyes. “How can you be so sure they are there?”
Zahra’s eyes softened. She scooted toward him and took his hand. “I don’t, but I trust that they are. And it is given tousto choose Aur’s fate—our fate.”
Namir wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He placed a kiss on her hair. “What must we do?”
Zahra let out a shaky sigh. “I don’t know.”
Namir held Zahra as the people worked around them. His eyes narrowed as he rubbed her back. “Earlier, you said that thenetjeruwere in Tartarus. Isn’t that mentioned in the prophecy?”
Zahra nodded. “Tartarus’s gate. It was referring to when Nubia allowed Iset back into our plane.”
Namir sat up. “If they are in Tartarus, and Iset was able to communicate with Nubia while trapped there, then…”
“Then we can do the same.” Zahra grinned. “You’re a genius.”
Namir smiled. “That’s why I am here.” He glanced around the village. “How are we supposed to communicate with them if they are trapped there?”
“Through their promises. We saw it when the gifts of the sun and moon combined to save our people. Thenetjeru’sgifts and promises connect us to them. Re gifted the Thoth to the Pharaohs, and Selene protects her people with her promise. If we combine these sources of connection together, we may be able to reach them.”
Namir grabbed the Thoth, and Zahra stood.
“We should sit at the center of the village,” Zahra said. “That’s where the connection will be strongest.”
Waaiz looked up from where he sat nearby. “Where are you going?”
“We are trying to reach thenetjeru,” Namir answered.
The people glanced at each other, moving out of the way as they moved to the middle of the village. They sat down, and the people began to encircle them.
“Are you sure about this?” Namir asked in a hushed voice as the people spoke to each other. “What if it does not work?”
“It must,” Zahra said, “or all is lost.” She placed her hands on the sides of the Thoth. Namir placed his hands above hers, his fingers brushing hers. “Focus on Selene or Re—as long as we can reach one of them, we should be able to reach the other.”
Namir nodded, though doubt marred his face.
Zahra closed her eyes, looking for her connection to Selene. The wall blocked her once more. Namir’s hands moved on top of hers, and she took a deep breath. Somewhere in front of her held a faint, silver light. Zahra focused on it. She could feel Re’s magic from her promise and from the Thoth swirl around her, and the presence of Selene’s protection gave her the last boost she needed.
Zahra and Namir were thrust into another plane. The Duat appeared and disappeared before their eyes, along with many other planes. The darkness shrouded all but one, and it was here that Zahra finally felt the ground beneath her feet.
Zahra and Namir fell, gasping in surprise. Beneath their hands, the ground was rough and cracked. The air was thick and reeked of death, but Zahra and Namir couldn’t look up because of the brightness that surrounded them. The light was blinding, so much so that Zahra couldn’t see more than the obsidian-colored ground below.
There were voices all around them, but Zahra couldn’t comprehend them. Finally, the voice of a woman spoke Auran. “Welcome, little ones.”
Zahra sucked in a fast breath as thick vibrations shot through her body. Namir squeezed her hand as she spoke. “Are you Selene?”
“Yes.” Selene’s voice was soft yet powerful.
Zahra’s mouth went dry, and her throat tightened as she thought of what to say.
Namir spoke up. “We seek Re.”
“He is not with us,” Selene said. “He has taken Iset’s place within the prison here, and her servants are preventing us from reaching him.”
Namir’s brow furrowed. “But you are his protector.”
“And I have done all I can,but Iset has claimed his domain. Half of the sky is hers.”
“Half?” Zahra asked.
