The Pharaoh

Chapter 13

A kaleidoscope of colors swirled overhead in the bigger dome. Making the light where we were at a burst of different colors. A beautiful river circled the edges of the dome, creating a mystical moat around a large clay plaster building. A bridge lay ahead of us, making it to where we could easily cross into this brightly covered land. Green grass went along the ground until a few feet in front of the building where stone started to take its place.

Aiden nudged me towards the wooden bridge and I crossed over it. "I can tell because the temperature drops," Aiden told me suddenly.

I turned to face him and I wondered, "What?"

"That's how I know where they are... the illusions. They block out the sun and so the air around it is slightly cooler," he explained.

"So that's why you don't know we're there till we're right in front of it," I pointed out.

He nodded his head and added, "I know the general directions, but they are invisible."

"So you really are the only one who can find these places?" I replied.

He nodded and held his hand out for me so he could help me off the bridge that had a small pool of water at the end. I took his hand and he maneuvered me around the puddle. I looked up at him, ready to thank him when I saw something fly past him overhead. "What was that?" I questioned.

He turned and looked where my gaze was set then answered, "One of Thoth's minions. How well were you able to see it?"

"It?" I inquired.

"So not very well," he said as he urged us to continue walking," His minions are not living objects. They're books and scrolls. Though, they do act rather... human."

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

We got to the stone tile and Aiden quickly knocked on the door that seemed made of gold. he stepped back and answered, "You can ask them yes or no questions and they'll make a nodding notion... stuff like that. It's kind of creepy, to be honest."

They what? They can understand us? Flying books can understand me? I don't know how I feel about this. This is just not natural. Well, none of this has really been natural. The only thing that has happened that has even made sense here is us leaving the camel with Aiden's family to preserve the water that we had to carry with us. Other than that I'm pretty sure the rules of reality were in the trash.

The door creaked opened and the swirling anxieties in my head were frozen. A tall man looked down at us. His eyes were a striking silver color. Not like Aiden's storm cloud gray, but like liquid silver had been injected into his irises. His bald head reflected some pink and yellow colors from the strange sky and he had on the same skirt thing that Aiden constantly wore with no shirt. His silver eyes stayed on Aiden, completely ignoring me. Thank you universe.

"Aiden, what brings you here?" the man asked.

Aiden smiled and replied, "Good to see you too Thoth."

This was Thoth? Not that surprising. Those eyes had to be magical.

Thoth returned the Pharaoh's smile and opened the door wider. "I didn't mean to be rude, my dear friend. Please enter. You know the rules."

Aiden began to remove his dirty sandals and I quickly followed his actions. He then went through the door, Thoth giving him a loving pat on the back as he entered. I followed behind the god and demigod, completely ignored by the god still.

The two continued to walk ahead of me as we went through a hallway that was lined with books. The only lighting came from candles and open windows, which were occasionally obstructed by a book that was flying to another part of the room. I looked on in awe. I've never seen so many books before. So many were destroyed in the war.

"So, how is my dear prodigy?" Thoth asked Aiden.

"Evie is doing fine. She's just bored. She would love you to stop by soon... the whole family would," Aiden answered.

"I planned to at the beginning of next month. They often need someone to distract them from the hole you leave when you take your absence," Thoth informed him.

Aiden frowned at the small accusation and said, "We all know I can't be there as often as I'd like."

We made it into a larger room. A library that I could never have even dreamed of. Walls that were around thirty feet high were all stacked with books. Tables laid about with books open that had pens writing things down on them with no writer to move them. The roof was just a large window and let the kaleidoscope light leak into the room. Books and scrolls flew above our heads into their proper places while others left the room entirely.

"So why are you here Aiden? If your time is so chained to that throne of yours, why are you visiting this dear old god?" Thoth asked gaining my attention.

I fell further behind them and wished that the few shadows in the room would consume me. I'm not ready to truly meet this god!

"A mystery that not even Ra knows the answer of," Aiden prompted.

Shut up Aiden! I'm not ready for this!

Thoth raised his dark eyebrows and said, "Not particularly uncommon... but interesting enough."

Thoth picked up a random book so he could act like he was less intrigued than he was and Aiden continued, "I have no idea what the answer could be. I've traveled with it for days now, yet I have become more confused than I was at first."

Did he just call me it?

"Well, what is it then? What is this great mystery?" Thoth inquired in a lazy tone as he casually look up from the book he was pretending to read.

Aiden looked at me for the first time since the god of knowledge had opened the door. He gestured to me and proclaimed, "Her."

Thoth's silver eyes finally landed on my and he dropped his book. The thudding of the book when it landed on the floor seemed to slow-down time. It seemed like all the books and scrolls stopped their flurry of activities so they too could look at me with their nonexisting eyes. Thoth walked over to me, his jaw ajar. His wide silver eyes went to my bright blonde hair and he picked up a strand of my blonde locks. I felt myself gulp and I couldn't keep the trembles away. Finally, Thoth looked back at Aiden with a large grin and asked, "Is this a present?"