Page 24 of A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
Zahra swallowed, and her chest grew tight. Her father’s words echoed through her mind.Dark magic.
“This ring—it’s meant to summon one of Nebthet’s servants so that they can offer her guidance and protection to the ring’s bearer.” She paused, fingering the edges of the papyrus. “The next part I can read, but I don’t understand.”
“What do you mean?” Namir asked. “Can you not translate it?”
Zahra shook her head. “The characters are letters I know, but they don’t form real words. It’s gibberish.”
Namir shifted on his feet, panic in his eyes. “There must be some meaning.”
Zahra shook her head, holding it out for him to take. “I am sorry, my King. I can’t tell you what the words mean.”
“Then read it to me in your language,” he pleaded, desperate. “If thesibylshave power as you said, then one of them could help me.”
Zahra clutched her necklace, letting the papyrus hang between them. “We don’t know what this is, or if the sibyls are what the record says. This could be…” She paused, hesitating.
Namir raised his eyebrows, as if asking her to continue.
“Dark magic,”she finished quietly.
Namir stared for a moment before a slow smile stretched across his face. He chuckled. “I do not think there is any of that here.”
Zahra avoided his eyes, gritting her teeth as she answered, “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Come now,” Namir said, taking the papyrus. She turned away, but he followed her and stepped in her path. “If thesibylsserve Nebthet, they cannot be malicious.”
Zahra raised her head, echoing her father’s words. “There are things of thenetjeruwe don’t tamper with.”
Namir’s brows lowered, and he stepped forward, holding the papyrus out toward her. “I only need you to teach me how to say the words.”
Zahra turned away, folding her arms. “I will not do it.”
“Do not forget our agreement.” Namir’s voice came bold and loud.
Zahra clenched her jaw. Her father had warned her of magic. She knew what happened to those that dabbled in magic that was not of Re. But she was not using magic. She was not a sorceress. And Namir was the King. Surely, if she helped him with this, it would be fine.
Zahra sighed, snatching the papyrus from Namir’s hand and walking away. She studied the letters and then turned to him. “I will read it only once, so you’d best listen. Do you understand?”
Namir grinned and nodded. “I am ready.”
“Then let us begin.” Zahra sucked in a deep breath, holding the papyrus near the candle. The words moved under her gaze, crawling across the page toward her fingers. She blinked and shook her head, and the words returned to their proper place. She began to read. As she did so, Namir copied her, trying his best to mimic her pronunciation and syllables. Despite her reluctance, she corrected his pronunciation, until he could say the words properly.
Namir took the papyrus, holding the ring in his hand as he spoke the words. Zahra held the oil lamp and watched in amazement as Ionic flowed smoothly from his tongue.
His black eyes flitted to hers. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” she said, smiling.
His eyes brightened for a moment, and he turned his focus back to the papyrus.
Zahra placed the oil lamp in a small metal holder on the wall, and she turned back to the room. She sighed, walking back over to the chair. She would surely miss her father now.
Light from the fire reflected off of the silver band as Namir slipped it onto his finger, and the moonstone shimmered as he repeated the words she had taught him. As Zahra placed her hand on the back of the chair, Namir’s words echoed in the space. His voice vibrated up her shoulders, penetrating her mind. She stumbled sideways into a shelf, overcome with a sensation that she couldn’t comprehend or explain. Her chest was on fire, and her head felt as if it was splitting open.
A piece of pottery fell off the shelf as she lifted her hands to her head. Voices surrounded her, but she couldn’t tell who was speaking to her or from where. Harsh wind filled her ears, as if she herself was screaming.
The sensations vanished instantly. Zahra kept her eyes closed, breathing in deeply. After a moment, she opened her eyes. She was standing in a different spot in the room, her surroundings out of focus and gray. She whipped around, but all she saw was darkness.
Namir was gone.
