Son of Egypt - The Short Story

Part 12

He said that he couldn't ignore my call. Does it mean he is here because of me? He cares about me? Maybe he isn't as indifferent as I imagine. Maybe there's hope. He could have ignored me; he chose to look for me. This train of thought gladdens me.

His voice breaks my thoughts. "I need your help, Adele."

I stare at him, frustration overwhelming me. He isn't here because of me, he is here because he needs my help. I'm just a tool to help him to accomplish his task—whatever his task is—because he never told me anything about it.

Due to my silence, he goes on, "I can't find my weapon. I can't do anything without it. I returned to museum, I visited many other museums. I came here many times. I can't find it."

I hold up a hand. "Wait a minute. You said that you came here many times? That's how you know I've come here."

He nods. "I saw you. I had to make myself invisible in order not to disturb you. You couldn't notice my presence."

My lips shake when I open my mouth and I whimper, "Why? You saw that I was suffering. Why?"

He approaches and holds my shoulders.

I have an exquisite sensation as if heat comes from his body and fills mine. Is he controlling me again? I escape from his grip and walk away.

"You don't understand," he says. I recognize frustration in his voice.

"No, I do not!" I wipe away some tears that dropped from my flooded eyes. I inhale, when I exhale, I turn to him and say, "What do you want me to do?"

His face lights up. "Help me to find my weapon. Your mother must have found it. Discover where it is."

"Describe this weapon." I cross my arms in front of my chest keeping a defensive position.

"It is gold with a sun shape, inlaid with precious stones." After a few seconds, he adds, "It doesn't look like a weapon, not the ones you know."

"Why do you need that weapon?" I keep the same defensive position.

"Do you want me to tell you about my mission?" He walks back and forth frustrated. He doesn't have any intention to reveal anything, I assume.

"Yes. This is the only way I'll help you." I insist.

There's a moment of silence until Anhuren starts to speak again. "Thousands of years ago, Pharaoh Tutankhamun had to fight a great evil to save Egypt and his people. To win that battle, he borrowed the gods' weapons and powers. When he defeated the evil, he returned them to their places, except the Eye of Horus. He used the Eye to protect somebody he loved very much. I dare to say that he cheated the gods. I must return the Eye to its place before..." He hesitates.

I lean forward. "Before?"

"The nine bows rise," he adds at last.

"Nine bows? What that means." I uncross my arms and walks toward him.

"The enemies of Egypt." He grasps my hand. "I'm running out of time, Adele."

I nod. "Follow me." I walk to the exit of the mountain.

Anhuren walks next to me, our bare arms touch once in a while making my hair stand on end. I sense power emanating from him. Now, Anhuren won't cheat me, I'm in charge. I won't let him control my mind like the last time. Therefore, I step aside gaining distance from him.

At the exit, I look to the sides and then to him. "Nobody can see you. I can't explain a naked man hanging around with me."

He lifts an eyebrow.

"A semi-naked man." I correct myself and point to a tent. "We're going to that tent."

When the people aren't paying attention, I rush to the tent. Next to me, I just see a shadow moving fast. A laugh escapes me. This is my demigod. I move faster, as if the shadow—Anhuren—is carrying me. I cover many feet in a few seconds.

Inside the tent, I see Anhuren's image forming in front of me. I need a minute or two to recover my senses. I'll never get used to it. I shake my head and turn around. There are many boxes here. I helped to pack the artifacts that are inside these boxes. They are ready to go to the museum, except one box and I walk toward it.

I crouch, open the box and rummage inside it. Anhuren stops next to me; he is too close. My hands start to shake; his proximity makes me nervous because I have an uncontrollable desire to kiss him, but he doesn't have the same desire.

Finding the artifact, I push myself to my feet and step backward gaining distance from Anhuren. I lift the gold, not identified object. "This is it?"

Anhuren extends his arm toward me. The object escapes my hand and flies toward him joining to a bracelet on his right wrist. "You had my weapon, even so you forced me to tell you about my mission," he reprimands me.

I shrug. "It is here because they think that it's incomplete. They are looking for the other part."

"They won't find it. I am the other part." He lifts his arm; a bright light blinds me.

I hide my face and close my eyes. Lightand heat come from Anhuren, or his weapon. My body seems on fire; my clothesseem ablaze and I wonder if I'll be naked like him when this light is gone. Ihope not.