Curse of the Scarab King

by Wend Petzler

  Thinking the strange woman crazy, he rose to his own feet and dusted the sand from his dark robes. “Woman, what are you spouting about?” Setti demanded, irritated by her odd quirks.

  Forcing herself to calm down, she hated the fact she had to tilt her head way back to look up at him, hating the way Setti haughtily looked down his nose at her. “If we can find out what year it is, I'll know where to begin our search. If we're lucky, the Black Book will still be there in the pyramid, and we can retrieve it. After that, you can send me home."

  Arching a dark eyebrow at her, Setti scowled, “If what you say is true, we need to hurry. I would not be surprised if the Shedty try to send someone here, preventing us from claiming the Black Book. Let us hope they do not have anyone powerful enough to use it.” Glancing about, Setti plotted their course. “Our first priority is to find the nearest town. We need to change our clothes and ask questions about SobeKnefru.” He started to walk away, grimacing as he forced stiff muscles to move, throbbing from being bound so long in his sarcophagus.

  Trotting to catch up, she asked breathlessly, “Why do we need to change our clothes?"

  "In your present clothing you do not fit in my world, and I am still in my burial robes. We must lay low and not attract attention to ourselves until we know more of where we are and the year."

  "Oh. What about your belt and shawl necklace? Is it not your defining station as the Scarab King? Won't you be recognized?"

  Setti came to a sudden halt, staring down at her with an arrogant arch of an eyebrow, annoyance in his dark eyes. “Why do you call me the Scarab King?"

  "Is it not what your people called you?” She stopped, too, looking up to see his harsh features in the pale light of the full moon.

  "I am Setti, full brother to Pharaoh Amenemhet the Fourth. I am General Commander of the Great Egyptian Army and soon will be crowned Regent Pharaoh. Never have I been called the Scarab King!"

  A look of understanding crossed over her expressive features. “I see. The people loved you so much they left the symbol of the scarab with the Double Crown in your honor when they were forbidden to speak your name."

  Confused by her words, he asked, “Why were they not allowed to honor my name?"

  "SobeKnefru ordered your name stricken from all books, statues, monuments and threatened death to any who spoke your name. I do believe you were given the name Scarab King because of the jeweled belt and necklace you wear, and the fact you were to be the next pharaoh of Egypt.” Pain of betrayal flashed on his usually closed, granite hard features. Tilting her head, she frowned when the moonlight caught on his amulet, making her wonder about the curse set upon her companion.

  When he noticed she stared at the amulet hanging from the thick chain around his neck, Setti asked, “What is on your mind?"

  "It is something James said about SobeKnefru finding Sabni in the fourth year of her reign and executed him herself. If we find Sabni and the Black Book, we might have a shot at ending the curse they placed on you.” Kate worked the details out loud as she started walking again, not really seeing where she went. The desert floor under her feet suddenly gave out, drawing her straight down.

  A short yelp from her made him look back. “What in the name of Ra?” Setti dove for her, landing on his stomach with a grunt. He grabbed her frantically waving hand before the shifting sand sucked her under completely. Calling on the reserves of his waning strength, he pulled with all his might, hauling her back to the dark surface. Rolling away from the cascading sand, he cradled her limp body close to him and waited until the sand grew quiet. Leaning back to see if she was all right, adrenaline surged in his veins. He felt his heart skip a beat looking into her wide eyes. The spell broke when the woman blinked, wiping away the crusty sand covering her face.

  He jumped to his feet and extended his hand to aid her ascent. “You must be more alert when in the desert. The sand has many treacherous ways to make corpses of us all.” Awkwardly, he tried to help dust off the sand from her shapely backside.

  "Th ... thank you for saving me,” Kate was able to stutter out, startled when his large hands swiped the rest of the sand from her behind. A rare glimpse of smile curved his firm lips when he bowed graciously to her astonishment. She tried hard not to notice how his bottom lip was fuller than the curved upper one, or how tempting his mouth appeared, how kissable it looked. Disturbed by the surprising bent of her wild thoughts, she turned away in embarrassment, brushing the sand from her bare legs. Why did I have to wear shorts today, she grumbled, suddenly self-conscious of her weight around the incredibly handsome man—Pharaoh, she reminded herself.

  "It is I who should be grateful. If not for your ingenious resourcefulness, I would still be a prisoner inside my sarcophagus.” When a shy smile made her rounded features radiant in the moonlight, Setti felt a flush creep up his neck, unsure about this woman whose sweet voice possessed a foreign accent. Walking resumed, he hoped they were close to a town for they had no water or food. Curiosity made him ask the pressing question of her heritage. “Your accent is strange. Where are you from?"

  Surprised by Setti's question, she thought about how to explain the United States to him. “Well, about twenty-five hundred years from now, a country will be founded across a great, vast ocean. It's called America. I was born in the year 1980 A.D. and was raised in a state called Montana."

  "I knew there were few limitations to our world but a land so far away? And the name is so strange, this Mon-ta-na?"

  "You would, or will, be amazed at what wonders were created, the marvels and the disasters.” she replied sadly, knowing if they were unsuccessful in ending the curse, Setti would see it all and much more than she. Looking up at the night sky, she was awestruck by the striking clarity, seeing the pure beauty of the brilliant stars above. No smog, no damage to the ozone layer, no global warming affected the atmosphere. In a sharp, blinding instant she knew they really were in Ancient Egypt.

  Setti grew more disoriented when he looked around them, seeing only more sand. “When I awakened, the High Priest said we were in Memphis. Am I wrong?"

  "No, you're not.” Puzzled, too, it was obvious they were in the middle of a desert with no signs of water or a city. “Where is the Nile?” Kate rubbed her arms from the cold, night air.

  "We mustn't be far from the Nile.” Setti gazed up at the stars, searching for any familiar markers to show him which way they should head. Relief flooded him when he recognized the star, Sepdet, low in the sky, preparing to slumber. Pointing at it, “Look, Sepdet is on the horizon. We must walk in that direction, the Nile flows under it."

  "Sepdet? Isn't that Sirius?"

  "I am not sure about your Sirius, but our Sepdet announces the Shemu, time of the harvest, the month of Mesore."

  "Harvest season means the Nile will soon flood?"

  "Yes.” Finding he wanted to talk, something before his curse, he avoided, Setti went on, desperate for the contact. “We, Egyptians, believe the floods are caused by the tears Isis, Great Mother of all Gods and Nature, shed when she found her husband, Osiris murdered by his brother, Seth."

  Smiling up at him, Kate was awed by his poetic recital of his beliefs. “What a beautiful way to describe the floods."

  Setti flushed in embarrassment but continued on, “Egypt overflows with a beauty and mystery unlike any country I've seen. There is no other land like my home.” The pride in his voice was unmistakable at how much he loved Egypt.

  "Yes, I believe you are correct. Nothing on Earth compares to Egypt.” Tying her long hair back with the white scrunchie she dug out of her pocket, Kate's thoughts turned to their dire situation. Somehow the whirlwind back in time had placed them a goodly distance from Cairo. If her worries proved to be true, the journey to retrieve the Black Book would take much longer than she anticipated. Cold and dirty, she trudged after the determined Egyptian, the hiking boots she wore growing heavier as the sand pulled and shifted her off balance.

  Hours passed and still no sign of a town or
life, dawn not far away. Bone tired and wrung out from the last few days, Kate stumbled and fell, unable to rise. Setti kept walking, not realizing she was no longer following him.

  When he happened to glance over his shoulder, he saw her crumpled on the sand and whirled around, rushing to her side. Gently turning her over onto her back, he brushed the long cinnamon-colored hair away from her drawn features. Setti gave a sigh of relief when her eyes fluttered open.

  "What happened?” Kate asked, confused she lay on the ground and Setti loomed above her, an anxious look in his wide eyes.

  Placing an arm around her shoulders, he helped her sit up, worried about the dark circles under the woman's pretty eyes. Setti sat down beside her, refusing to give into his own exhaustion. The rising sun peaked over the rolling dunes of the desert. Soon the unbearable heat, compounded by their lack of water, will take its toll on them both. Taking in the wild, savage landscape, Setti knew he needed to get the woman under shade before the sun reached its full potential. Resolved, he climbed to his feet and lifted her up in his arms, carrying her toward the rocky hills to his left.

  "No,” Kate protested feebly. “I can walk.” She tried to push at his broad shoulders to put her down, miffed when he ignored her and kept on walking. Defeated, she rested her head on his shoulder and looped her arm around his sturdy neck for balance, too tired to fight him anymore.

  A small smile curved his lips when the woman gave up and accepted his help. He drew her limp body closer to his, trying to ignore how good it felt to hold her in his arms. Setti set his mind far from the warmth of being with another person again. After many years alone, he had to laugh at the irony Ra placed a foreign woman in his path of Life.

  Egyptians believed to be intimate with a person not of their race unclean, marriage condoned when it pertained to peace treaties or trade bargains. As always, he led his life as an example for the men who served him, exhibiting honor and dignity. In all his thirty years, he never crossed the laws adhered by his religion and those belonging to his royal family, except once. The one and only time he wanted a woman of another race, he ended up cursed with immortality and placed in a tomb for three thousand years! Thinking it a wiser course, Setti vowed to keep their relationship platonic and bury the ever growing desire for the softly rounded woman in his arms.

  She must be a test from Amun Ra, he thought wearily before stumbling to a halt between two boulders. Setting her down on the hard ground, he made sure there weren't any occupants like snakes or scorpions under the rocks. Shedding the burial robe, he felt the searing heat of the sun bearing down on his bare back. Setti used his robe as a tent, providing protection from the glaring sun while they rested.

  "Here, use my shirt to protect your back from the ground.” Kate shrugged off her backpack, then the long sleeved shirt. Offering it out to Setti, he stared at her, frowning at her attire underneath.

  His gaze warmed considerably viewing her ripe, full breasts outlined by the strange, tight, white garment she wore. His breathing quickened, remembering the feel of her soft body pressed against him. Resigned, Setti accepted the garment with a brief nod. “Come, we must rest.” Spreading out the tunic, he reclined, feeling utterly wrung out by the tolls he endured in the last hours. Motioning for her to lie beside him, Setti scooted over to make room for her in the cramped space.

  Kate rolled on her side, away from Setti, nervous about being so close to a man, let alone one renowned to be the Scarab King. Tired beyond anything she'd ever endured in her life, Kate relaxed until he shifted onto his side and pressed against her. Startled, her head whipped around to stare at him, questioning his actions.

  "What are you doing?” Kate demanded.

  Setti shifted closer, wearing a smug, sexy smile, his darkening eyes sultry and hot, knowing full well the effect he had on her. “Use my arm as a pillow. I am more comfortable than the hard ground we sleep on.” Setti tried to keep a straight face when she glared at him, distrustful about his real intentions. His entire body curved behind her, overshadowing her smaller form. Setti stretched his arm out for her to lay her head on, draping his other arm over her waist, drawing her back into the shelter of his larger frame. “Relax and go to sleep,” he gruffly ordered, trying to think of other things than his manhood pressed intimately against her shapely bottom.

  Shutting his eyes, he suppressed a groan of agony. What hell had Ra condemned him to endure? Thankful Kate gave up her struggle to keep distance between them and snuggled up to his warm body, the cold ground making her shiver. Pulling her tighter to him, he gave up the struggle as well, seeking rest, unsure where the battle of survival might take them next.

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  Chapter Twelve

  The cloying heat made it difficult to breathe. Batting away the bothersome flies, Kate forced herself to move, her clothes soaked with perspiration from the blazing heat. Groaning, she sat up, mindful to watch her head from bringing down the makeshift tent. Twisting at the waist, she popped the kink in her back, wincing at the sharp pain. Rubbing her aching legs, their walk in the deep sand had definitely taken its toll on her.

  Silence suddenly alerted her of the absence of her companion. Scrambling frantically out of the makeshift tent, Kate shielded her eyes from the bright glare, searching for Setti.

  Alone!

  Terror slammed her. Her worst fear had just transpired—all alone in the desert, with the exception of spotted brown hawks flying lazily circles above her. Crumbling to the ground, she wrapped her arms around her legs dejectedly, trying hard not to cry. It seemed her lot in life to be abandoned. First her parents died in a car crash, the last of her living relatives. Why was she destined to be alone? A huge shadow loomed over her. Frightened, Kate looked up and met Setti's amused expression.

  Squatting down, Setti cocked his head to the side, seeing her fear turn to relief. “Did you think I left you?” When she flushed at his question, he held out half of a large, wild cucumber. “This will help until we find water."

  The juicy pulp nearly made her faint in anticipation of eating it. “Thank you.” Kate gratefully accepted the offered meal. Wincing, the pulpy flesh made her dried lips sting when she took a bite. It required major effort not to gobble it all up, knowing food scarce until they found a village or town. “Do you recognize anything familiar to where we are?"

  Sitting beside her, he nodded with a relieved smile. “Yes! I believe a village is not far from here. If you are ready, we will leave.” Setti rose, holding a hand out to help her up.

  Heaving a disgruntled sigh, Kate accepted his hand and stood up, dusting the sand off her backside. “What time is it?"

  Setti grabbed his robe and shook it out before donning it. Peering up at sun, he calculated its angle in the blinding sky. “I believe it to be before the eleventh hour."

  Alarmed, Kate stared at the scorching sand. “We're going to walk when it's so hot?"

  "We must, if we are to find water.” Setti removed the elaborately designed gold bracelets fastened on his wrists and biceps, handing them over to Kate. “Put these in your bag,” he ordered, growing confused when she made no effort to take the items.

  "Do I have ‘slave' written on my forehead? No, I don't think so! If you want me to do anything for you, ask nicely.” Kate glared at him, placing her balled up fists on her hips.

  Rearing his head back as if struck in the face, Setti arched an eyebrow. The woman glared at him as if he had insulted her? Growling at her, he imperially ordered, “Woman, mind your place and do as I command."

  Growing incensed by his arrogance, Kate stepped right up to Setti, leaning her head back to see his face better and poked him hard in the center of his bare chest. “Let's get something straight right here, right now, I'm not your packhorse. If you want something carried, do it yourself!” She whirled around and grabbed her backpack and shirt, getting real tired of being called ‘woman’ by the arrogant beast.

  Speechless, he placed the arm bands back on. Grabbing his burial r
obe, he grumbled about mouthy women, especially the one who traveled with him. Setti resentfully hurried to catch up with her, unsure how to handle a woman who spoke without respect of his station, treating him as a commoner.

  They spent the next couple of hours walking in complete silence. Checking on her often, he fast became worried by the increasing sunburn on her bare legs and arms. Without water, he was unable to make a mud mixture to cover her skin. Earlier, she had taken her long sleeve shirt and tied it around her head, covering her lower face from the burning sun. She carried the satchel slung over her shoulders. Still, she continued to trudge after him, uncomplaining. Stopping, he handed over the last of the cucumber, checking to make sure her sunburn wasn't blistering. To his shame, he realized she should be wearing the protection of his burial robe. Shedding it, he tenderly placed it around her slumped shoulders, urging her to put her arms through the half sleeves, which for her shorter stature went to her wrists.

  "Thank you,” Kate whispered past dried and cracked lips. Taking a small bite of the cucumber, her entire body was numb with the need to rest. Kate called on hidden reserve to keep standing. Legs trembling, she did her best to keep up with the Egyptian but came to the swift conclusion the man was inhuman. He walked along the burning sand, his feet clad in thin-soled sandals, appearing not at all affected by the brutal, furnace-like temperatures.

  Setti could have kicked himself in the backside for not taking better care of her. “We shall find something soon, I promise.” For her sake, he prayed to Ra for mercy in finding water at least.

  The miles passed, and his admiration for the small, softly rounded, foreign woman grew as she valiantly kept up with him. Night mercifully set upon the land, along with it came relief from the heat. The woman stumbled to a halt beside him. A brief smile of gratitude curved her dried lips when he placed a steadying arm around her hunched shoulders, urging her to lean against him.