The Pharaoh

Chapter 3

"It's for your hair. Did you not understand me from literally five seconds ago?" She answered as she rolled her eyes.

I blushed as I realized how dumb I was. Keeping my eyes away from Nyra's I put some of the orange-smelling water on my hair. I immediately rubbed it in then rinsed it.

"Here," Nyra said as she held her hand out for the bottle, "Let me."

I immediately placed the bottle in her hands and turned around. Her strong fingers quickly began to weave themselves through my dirty mane. Feeling a bit more at ease with the situation, I made a gut instinct decision to trust Nyra. "Have you ever seen somebody that looks like me? Perhaps a young girl?" I asked with hope.

Her fingers stopped moving for a split second and she asked, "Why do you want to know?"

"My sister," I replied, "I've been looking for her. Every time I see her or get close to her something happens and we're separated all over again."

Nyra stayed silent for a few seconds, taking in what I had just told her. "I haven't seen anyone like you're describing except for yourself. I could look into it though," she said.

"Please do! She's all I have left," I begged.

Nyra let out a sigh and inquired, "What's her name?"

"Serena Bell," I quickly answered.

"And yours?" She asked as she acted disinterested.

I couldn't help but smile as I replied, "Alison. Alison Bell."

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"Don't slouch! Especially not in front of the Pharaoh," Nyra scolded me.

I immediately straightened my back causing my now straight hair to fall from over my shoulder. "I know the Pharaoh is like the big guy but do we really need to be this nitpicky?" I inquired.

"The Pharaoh is the son of Ra. He's the most powerful demigod on the planet. One bad move on your part and you could become blind... or worse," she informed me.

I gulped and suddenly felt a lot more scared than I was before. I nervously adjusted the white crop top I was wearing as I chewed on my bottom lip. "Maybe I should just go back out in the desert?" I suggested nervously.

"Not after all the work I did! I don't think you understand how bad my fingers hurt right now!" She complained as she held up her hands.

I glared at her and grumbled, "I don't want to be blind!"

She tossed her black hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms. "Don't do anything stupid, Heathen, and you won't be blinded," she said.

I threw my arms down and asked, "What counts as stupid?"

"A lot of things," she hissed.

"That isn't any help at all!" I retorted with a hiss.

"Wow," a masculine voice said behind us, "Nyra, is this how you get people ready to see the Pharaoh?"

We both turned around and faced the voice. It was a tall tan man with dirty blonde medium-length hair. His eyes were gray and seemed to stare into my soul.

Nyra tensed up and mumbled, "Byron... What are you doing here?"

Byron turned his gaze from me to Nyra and replied, "Another attack. This time at the old temple."

Nyra let out a worried sigh and said, "You're here to tell him that."

He nodded and remarked, "I'm the only one he won't kill."

My eyes went wide and I looked at Nyra. "Kill?" I questioned worriedly.

"I'm the Pharaoh's brother, Byron Ra," the man introduced himself to me as he held his hand out for me to shake.

Timidly, I placed my hand in his and shook it. "Half brother," Nyra grumbled to me.

"Hey... blood is blood," Byron defended, "Even if it's half."

"Just go tell him the bad news after she's introduced. I'd prefer not to sweep up ashes," Nyra told him.

I glanced back and forth between them and asked nervously, "Ashes?"

Byron gave me a dazzling white smile and said, "Don't worry about it cutie. He wouldn't incinerate someone that looks like you."

"He can incinerate people?" I questioned frantically, "As in fire and gore incinerate?"

"Don't worry about it," he comforted with a dismissive wave of his hand. He then put both of his hands on my shoulders and turned me towards the large doorway. The doors hung from the ceiling and were made from dried leaves that were woven together.

I shuffled backwards against him and muttered, "I don't want to."

"You'll do great," he promised before pushing me forward.

I stumbled through the doors and nearly collapsed on the floor from the force of the push. My eyes stayed on the floor and my body froze. I heard the light footsteps of Nyra walk until she was beside me. She shoved her elbow into my side and whispered, "Stand up straight!"

I forced my back to be straight and slowly lifted my eyes. I gasped at the scene in front of me and took a few involuntary steps backward. In the middle of the room was a large throne made from mud-brick. Black smoke swirled around the bottom making me wonder if I would suffocate from lack of oxygen, and sitting on the throne was a giant of a man that had the head of a falcon.