Page 21 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
The name surprised Zahra. She had not thought much of it, but now she recalled that the King’s name was Menes. Why, then, did he introduce himself as Namir?
Nubia picked up the rest of the scrolls and returned them to the shelf. Zahra blinked in amazement. She stood and bowed. “Thank you for your help, Vizier.”
“It is my pleasure. I love to see Ionians. I hardly see your people around the capital anymore.” She said it with sorry eyes, as if she knew the reason but could do nothing about it.
“What are you looking for among these shelves?” Namir wondered.
“Nothing,” Nubia answered cheerfully. “I was reading when I heard you had arrived. I was surprised. I thought you would be preparing to find your bride.” Her eyes narrowed with a teasing smile. “Or have you already chosen?”
The Vizier knew of the day repeating? Zahra opened her mouth to speak, and Namir’s face filled with panic. He quickly grabbed a scroll and stuffed it in Zahra’s mouth. “I need this one, too.”
Zahra coughed, spitting out the scroll onto the pile in her arms. Her eyes watered from the sudden taste of ink.
“It is the first night, Nubia,” Namir said in a hushed voice, as if this would prevent Zahra from hearing. “I am allowed to rest, too, you know. I have an unlimited amount of time to choose the future queen.”
Nubia narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing every inch of Namir’s face. She pursed her lips. “I suppose so.” She smiled and patted his shoulder. “Choose well, will you, brother? I would love another woman to converse with at home.”
Namir smiled softly. “I will do my best, Nubia.”
Nubia grinned and turned her gaze to Zahra, who was still getting the taste of papyrus and ink out of her mouth. “It was so nice to speak with you…”
“Zahra,” she managed, swallowing a flake of papyrus in the process. “It was an honor to speak with you, Vizier.”
Nubia nodded to Zahra, winked at Namir, and disappeared down the stairs.
“She is nice.” Zahra tilted her head when Namir’s shoulders slumped and he turned back to the shelf. “And she knows about the day repeating.”
Namir shot her a look. “Hush. If anyone hears?—”
Zahra lowered her voice. “I was only curious why you wouldn’t let me speak to her. Does she also remember?”
“Of course not.” Namir sighed. “She knows of the Thoth and the power it wields, but only the center of the spell—king or queen—can remember what has happened in previous versions of the day.” He regarded her with suspicion. “As well as you, for some reason.” He pushed more scrolls onto her.
Zahra let them fall. “My hands are full.”
He looked disapprovingly at her mess but did not fight her. His hand brushed the back of the stone shelf, his fingers latching onto an invisible edge. Using both hands, he pulled out a slab of stone, which revealed a small opening. His hand disappeared inside.
Zahra stood on her toes, trying to see better. After fishing around for a moment, Namir pulled out a small scroll. He replaced the slab and unrolled the papyrus. It was blank, but a key sat within it, tied down by string.
“What is that?” Zahra asked as Namir began stuffing the scrolls in place.
“A key.”
Zahra stared at the ceiling, gathering her patience. Frustration laced her tone as she turned to him. “A key towhere?”
Namir leaned over her with a smirk, grabbing the scrolls from her arms. His breath was warm, and heat rose in her cheeks. “A place no Ionian has seen.”
Below the first floor sat a cold area littered with scarab beetles, wolf spiders, old stone tables, and an assortment ofrandom junk left to collect dust. Namir grabbed a small oil lamp and led the way.
Zahra rubbed her arms, an uneasy feeling working its way into her chest as she followed Namir into the darkness. The oil lamp was dim, and there were no windows to light the space. A soft squeal left her throat as something darted by her foot. She imagined the patterned scales of a cobra in the darkness and walked faster to stay on Namir’s heels.
“S—So,” Zahra began, desperate for anything to keep her mind off of what could be lurking in the darkness. “Is Menes your real name?”
Namir glanced back at her. “It is not my true name, but it is what I am called as King.”
Zahra remembered the Auran tradition. While the Aurans believed in Re, they also believed in othernetjeru, such as Nebthet or Djehuty. The worst of thenetjeru, the one that Re trapped in the deepest part of the world, was Apep—a malevolent serpent with a craving for chaos and destruction. Namir’s people believed that if Apep were to know their names, he could control them and use them against Re. Each Auran was thus given two names: a public name and a true name.
Zahra quickened her pace, struggling to keep up with Namir as he turned a corner. Strangely enough, he had three. “Why did you introduce yourself as Namir?”
