by Amy Marie
“I suppose so,” I say, glancing around the tomb assuming the setting inspired her question. “Why?”
“After we read that, the teacher took a poll in class. She asked everyone to write down what they would pick if they only could have one thing in life: money, power, or love. I remember it specifically because of you. I think a few people chose money, most everyone else chose power, and you were the only one to choose love.”
Now that she mentions the incident, I do recall being singled out.
“Everyone thought you were silly. I remember being embarrassed for you. I knew you always looked up to me, and when you answered that way I can remember looking down to my paper. I, of course, had written power. I was smug about it, thinking I was so much smarter than you. The other girls teased you behind your back about how hard up you must’ve been for a boyfriend… and I never said anything to stick up for you because I was actually mad at you for giving such a stupid answer.”
I face away from my sister. She’s not telling me anything I didn’t know. I wasn’t popular in school. The two of us got along great, but there were times that I suspected I was a nuisance to her popularity. So why bring it up now?
When I turn back her way, her eyes well up as they meet mine. “I can see now how stupid I was. How stupid we all were. We’re the shattered souls. Fundamentally driven by selfishness and greed, blind to something greater. Something that’s been a part of you all along. Your soul has been here since the beginning, you’d know more than anyone what’s truly important. The fact that you chose your answer in the face of everyone’s scorn shows me exactly why you were chosen for the light you bear after Talbot, or Lucifer, or Atum’s fall. You’ve never wanted power a day in your life. You are the epitome of self-sacrifice, Nora. That’s your real power. It’s the truest form of love. You’ve taught me that. I was such a silly girl back then. You may have always looked up to me, but I will spend the rest of my life looking up to you.”
Char’s words leave me speechless. My mouth pops open and closed a few times, but I’m not able to get anything out.
She smiles through her tears. “I know. That came out of nowhere, but something about this place,” she glances around, “and seeing you here. I feel like we’re so close to finishing this. It just needed to be said.”
I move to hug my sister, really embracing the women we’ve become. When we pull apart, I take a deep breath. When I let it out, there’s an accompanying hiss nearby.
Char and I turn to find a single snake reared up from the ground, hissing in menace. The snake’s deep brown scales are sprinkled with black diamond patterns and the head is framed by a hood that distinguishes its breed — the king cobra.
Char draws in her breath to scream, but before either of us can even move, the snake spits its final warning, launching in attack. As I twist to shield my sister, my arm slices horizontally in front of me. The dagger in my hand cuts the head clean from the body of the snake. In my adrenaline, I use my glowing power to sear the writhing body to ash.
“Nora!” Char’s voice shakes along with her body.
“I don’t think that was a coincidence. C’mon, let’s go figure out how to bring down the real snake for good.”
Chapter 24
Back in the sunlight, we find the others arguing over the book of Apophis as they remove their safety gear. Rashidi wandered off to gather some information for us on other tombs and digs nearby.
“How are we supposed to find more people and a magical cat?” Dylan asks, not bothering to hide his irritation. “Big surprise, more riddles. This book can’t have any information that the Statera doesn’t have.”
“Broderick’s book did,” Rafe points out.
“Even if it does, we still need to figure out how to find the sun temple,” Inigo says as Rashidi rejoins us.
“Oh, have you heard about the sun temples?” Rashidi asks his friend as he approaches, paperwork on other digs in hand.
“What do you mean?” Inigo asks.
“The sun temples. All across the globe. They’ve all been destroyed by natural disasters. It’s easy to miss it with all the catastrophes in the news, but there are still plenty of sun worshippers around this area. They’ve taken it very seriously. They’re convinced this is the beginning of the end.”
That’s strange coincidence.
“Inigo tells us there are rumors of an ancient sun temple here in Heliopolis, but the location isn’t known,” Rafe says to the man. “Is there any merit to those rumors?”
Rashidi’s eyes shift from his friend to each of us, one by one. “Why do you ask?”
“We want to find it,” I say.
The man gives me a long stare before replying, “You come creeping through tombs, asking about the book of Apophis, and now you want to find the Temple of the Sun?” He laughs. “You’re chasing ghosts. The temple is a myth.”
“What about Senusret’s obelisk?” asks Inigo.
“That was the marker for the temple of Atum-Ra. You know very well that temple has been destroyed,” Rashidi says.
“Still, it might be worth going to check out,” Inigo suggests.
Rashidi turns on his friend so fast it catches us all off guard. “Sacred markers are not toys, and the open-air museum is not your personal playground.”
“Easy, friend. We’re here for research. We mean no disrespect,” Inigo assures him.
“My apologies,” the man says, composing himself. “Let me make a quick phone call, and I will drive you to the museum myself.”
Rashidi drops us off around Midan al-Massala, in the heart of the Al Mattariya district in northeast Cairo. There’s a rancid stench in the air from a nearby garbage dump that borders the once sacred ground. It’s heartbreaking to see the remnants of treasure surrounded by such filth. Countless birds are drawn to the area to scavenge the refuse. Their cries fill the air, masking the everyday sounds of the surrounding city.
A few tourists trickle out of the gates in the late afternoon sun. As we enter the open air-museum, there’s an imposing red granite obelisk that’s situated as the centerpiece of the park’s treasures.
Approaching from the eastern entrance, I’m drawn closer to the obelisk. As we near the monument, the hum of the necklace and dagger grows stronger in my bag.
I scan the carved inscription, recognizing so many symbols that have led me through this journey: the sun, the moon, balance scales, a snake, an ankh, the bennu bird, and just above my arm’s reach if I climbed the platform, is an all-seeing eye. Inside the eye, there are four directional points that stand out slightly in relief, while the four cross sections in between are carved inward. The embossment may be meant to portray the detail of an iris, but to me it just looks like the directions on a compass.
“This is Senusret’s obelisk?” I ask Inigo.
“Yes, he was one of the Pharaohs of Heliopolis in the Middle Kingdom. This is the oldest obelisk that still stands in its original location,” Inigo tells us.
“How old is it?” asks Dansé.
“Over four-thousand years. It marked the entrance to the temple that Rashidi was talking about. The temple of Atum-Ra. This is all that’s left of it.” He gestures around at the remains surrounding the monument, glancing in distraction toward the museum entrance where a group of men have wandered into the park. “They’ve done some digs, but the temple was destroyed by Persians when they invaded Heliopolis and burned it to the ground,” Inigo’s says, tapping into his knowledge from years of study here in Cairo.
“Wasn’t Atum-Ra a version of the sun god? Wouldn’t this be the sun temple we’re supposed to be looking for?” Rafe asks.
“Atum was the first sun deity, like the first light. He was then reborn as Ra. This temple of Atum-Ra was an homage to both gods in the Middle and New Kingdoms. The legend refers to that of an older sun temple. The temple of creation. That would be from the time around the fall of Atum, or the creation of Ra.”
“Egyptian history always confuses me,” says Char.
“It’s so contradictory,” she adds, glancing up to the obelisk.
“If the temple we’re looking for is older, maybe they built the new temple right on top of it. What if it’s deep underground?” asks Tara.
“A sound theory, but there’s too much water below this area. It’s why they’ve had trouble digging around here. Actually, this platform was added around the base in the 1970s to protect the stone from constant flooding.” Inigo points to the platform at the base of the monument.
When I circle around the obelisk to get a view of the entire platform, I notice more men filtering in through the gates, as well as a couple of security guards.
“Is the museum closing?” I ask Inigo, gesturing to the approaching guards.
Inigo turns to speak to the men in Arabic. They go back and forth a little bit, remaining stone-faced.
“The guards say we shouldn’t be here. They’re getting ready to close the gates,” Inigo announces.
I point to the large groups of other men. “Other groups just walked in!” I argue, stepping to Inigo’s side.
“They’re men,” Inigo whispers. “They want the women out of here.”
“That’s nonsense!” I say louder than I mean to. It seems like the cries of the birds are getting louder as well. They’ve begun to swarm in the trees that make up the boundary of the park.
Dylan and Joe stiffen in reaction to the change in atmosphere, but Rafe and Besim are too distracted looking at the hieroglyph carvings on the obelisk to catch on.
“You are trespassing on sacred ground,” one of the middle-aged guards says, surprising us with his English. He and his partner place themselves between us and the exit.
“I was under the impression that this is a public park,” Inigo says calmly.
“It was, but that was before,” the guard remains assertive, attracting the attention of the other men in the park.
“Before what?” Joe asks.
“Before the signs that have marked the end of days,” another man in traditional Egyptian robes steps forward from the crowd. He’s taller than most of the other men, maybe a few years younger than Inigo, but much more muscular. “Surely you have seen the signs,” he says, as the rest of the men draw together behind him.
I glance toward Inigo, fearful of the gathering mob.
Is this some sort of cult?
“We’ve just come to research and pay homage. We mean no disrespect,” Inigo insists for the second time that day.
The man in the robe seems to be in charge of the throng, flanked now by the two security guards. As I scan the crowd, I recognize the face of our guide, Rashidi. I wonder if the little weasel warned the cult we were coming.
“By all means, let us see how those of the western civilization pay homage,” the old man sarcastically raises his hands in the air to a round of laughter. One sleeve of his robe falls to his elbow, revealing a tattoo on his forearm:
It’s a symbol I’ve seen before, long ago when I met the Potawatomi Shaman. I hear Dansé draw in her breath behind me, recognizing the symbol as well. The Shaman described it as the morning star and the sun combined. I always thought it looked like an iris or a compass.
“You don’t belong here,” the man continues. “This sacred ground is reserved for those who are favored by Ra, to welcome his return.”
“Rafe, get the stone,” I whisper. When he returns my request with a blank look, I whisper again, frantic, “The stone the shaman gave us! It’s in the briefcase with the Statera.” He nods and sidesteps closer to Professor Besim, who holds the briefcase in his grasp.
In an instant, there’s a deafening round of clicks as an awesome array of weaponry is cocked and pointed in our direction.
Chapter 25
“No, no. We’ll have none of that,” the leader of the solar cult says.
“Please,” I argue. “The symbol on your arm. We have something that matches it. I think it was meant to lead us here. Maybe even lead us to you. Perhaps you can help us?”
“We offer no help to those who have not pledged their lives to the one true Ra,” the frantic man insists. “Seize them!” he commands his radicals. The men close in to roughly detain us.
“What do you plan to do with us?” Inigo asks.
“It is the end of days, my brother. What better way to kick that off then with a little sacrifice?” the leader says. The crowd of followers laughs in reply, sending chills up my spine.
The men of the cult take their time to tie each of us up, ripping cloth from their robes to create fabric binds.
“Guys, now would be a good time to show them the elements,” Rafe whispers, jerking his head towards the armed cult leader.
“No, I’ve got this,” I mutter, already feeling the glow of my hands burning the cloth that was used to tie back my arms. The air almost stands still, humming with the gathering energy as I concentrate on channeling my light. The swarm of birds in the trees squawk in reaction. As I stand, arms unbound and glowing, the birds jump from their perches and swirl overhead. Hundreds of them, screeching like an old Hitchcock movie. Some of the birds swoop down and nip at the men from the cult. Only my group is left untouched.
The leader of the cult stands frozen in fear, facing me. “Wh-who are you?” the man cowers.
The crowd looks up in awe as a large bird circles down, swirling from above my head. When it lands, the bird perches next to me and glances up my way. The creature could be straight out of a myth. I’d swear it was a heron if it weren’t for the yellow-gold plumage covering its body. All except for the head. The bird’s crown is black as night, calling to mind the images of ancient hieroglyphics.
“Bennu!” one man in the middle of the crowd yells. It doesn’t take long for the others to join in, “Bennu! Bennu!”
The bird meets my glowing eyes, turns toward the pillar, seems to bow its head, and then takes off into the setting sun. The whole thing is so surreal, it’s like time stopped just for this dream.
My glowing gaze turns back toward the crowd of men. One at a time, they all take a knee and face the ground, afraid to meet the light in my eyes. Even my friends and the elements bow their heads. The only one to look up in awe is Rafe. It’s like he’s looking at me for the first time, realizing the magnitude of what my soul truly represents.
A month ago, I would’ve recoiled from using my power.
Not anymore.
The leader snaps out of his trance and looks around at his men. “Get up, fools! It’s just a girl! This is some sort of trick! This is no Ra!” he yells.
I give a quick wink to Rafe, knowing this guy set me up for the perfect show.
“You’re right. I am No-Ra,” I announce, voice full of compelling authority. “I am the definitive light, brighter than the morning star and the midday sun. Where they have burned before, I will shine. Leave this sacred place, or face my wrath!” My glowing hands stretch toward the crowd of men, seemingly ready to bring down my fury upon our attackers.
“Nora, no!” Char screams, afraid that my power has taken over.
Ignoring her, I send out a pulse of blinding light that flashes through the mob of men. The park is filled with shrieks of pain as the men reach to cover their eyes. The attack has the desired effect as the group runs screaming out the gate.
“Holy moly!” Inigo says when the park clears out.
I turn to my friends with a sly smile. “They’ll realize once they’re safe at home that they’re no worse for wear and the light was only a temporary blinder to scare them away.”
“Jesus, Nora, you scared me! For a minute there, I thought you were going to blast them!” Char says.
“They needed to think that too. It was the best way to get rid of them,” I shrug.
“That was amazing! Your power is magnificent! And did you see that giant bird? Was it the Bennu? I’ve never seen anything like it!” Inigo practically squeaks.
“Good show, No-Ra!” Rafe slaps my back with a laugh.
“A show indeed! You are an imposter!
” The robed leader pops out from behind the towering pillar, surprising us all. He looks a bit roughed up from the bird attacks. “No mere woman can hold the high powers of Ra!” he spats.
“Excuse me?” Tara sends a small rumble through the earth as she and Dansé edge closer to the man, glowing with power.
“Run. Now,” Dansé instructs the man, igniting the lighter from her pocket and cradling a ball of fire menacingly.
The look of fear that crosses the man’s face is almost comical as he backs toward the exit. Just when I think he won’t be a bother any longer, the leader’s face contorts with a feral scream as he lunges to attack Tara with a long golden dagger, shaped like an ankh at the handle.
Before Tara can turn to defend herself, the man is struck down with a bolt of energy ten times more powerful than any taser. His body gives a couple twitches in reaction to the electric shock.
“You might be able to move again by morning,” Joe says to the man before putting a protective arm around his wife. “Try that again and the next one will stop your heart.”
“My hero!” Tara leans up to kiss her husband.
Almost in response to our show of power, the sun disappears behind the clouds as they roll in from the west to announce a coming storm.
“What should we do with him?” Rafe asks, nudging the unconscious man with his foot.
“Pick him up,” I instruct. “We’re not done with him.”
Rafe takes hold of the gold ankh dagger for safe keeping before he and Dylan hoist the cult leader up by his arms. I lay my hand on his chest, and it begins to pulse with healing light to bring him back to consciousness.
“W-What?” the leader stammers in confusion as he comes to. When he notices my glowing hand, he yells, “Remove your hand from me, treacherous woman!”
“This light will heal you. Look at your arm.” I nod toward a cut on his arm from the bird attack. Like magic, the cut seals together and disappears, leaving no trace.
“Evil sorceress!” he sneers.
“Misogynist!” Char counters from behind me.
