Asp of Ascension (A Nefertari Hughes Mystery #1)

Chapter Forty-Two

After a hot shower, she slipped on a cozy pair of sweatpants and the long-sleeved fleece top she'd gotten with her dad at Old Navy. She didn't once think of her knee. Wearing the asp all the time made everyday activities effortless.

Terry wasn't a fashion expert, not by a long shot, but sometimes she wanted to be the girl who showed up in the beautiful dress that everybody noticed. Her stomach growled again. Instead of drying her hair, she pulled it into a ponytail and secured the stray bits with clips.

Down the hall, she made her way to the door with two bodyguards stationed out front. They simply nodded and let her into Prince Kamal's suite.

Terry took in the sumptuous surroundings; his suite seemed to encapsulate the entire corner of the Plaza. "Hello?" she called out. A waft of delicious, spicy food led her to the dining area. A table covered in white linen had been set for two. Covered platters were arranged on a cart to the side. The pile of dolmas was too tempting. She took one of the stuffed grape leaves and popped it in her mouth.

Through a pair of French doors she saw Prince Kamal watching the big-screen television. The sound was off, but the video of protestors being pushed back by police in riot gear was powerful enough. Cairo had made headline news again. A scene of an emergency centre being overwhelmed with victims was the last thing Terry saw before the television was turned off.

She quickly backed up, pretending not to see. She returned her attention to the platters of food.

"It's good to see you finally eating," Prince Kamal said, his eyes red-rimmed.

He took the covers off the platters, revealing all of Terry's favourites from the restaurant, plus a few new entrées. "I hope you can help me put a serious dent in all this food," he said, handing her a plate. "Baba ghanoush?" he asked. Terry nodded, the news footage still fresh in her mind.

Prince Kamal methodically served Terry and himself until both their plates were piled high. He gathered their silverware and motioned to the room beyond the French doors. "The table is too formal for tonight," he said.

Terry followed him into a sitting room with a huge squashy sectional. They sat with the plates balanced on their knees. She noticed Prince Kamal still managed to be meticulous, while she was constantly wiping up drips of olive oil from her fingers. She was grateful the television stayed off.

He leaned back, careful to keep his tone even. "Are you going to tell me where you were last night?"

The image of Zach falling unconscious in her arms and the horrible gut-wrenching feeling that he'd die before she could reach the hospital washed over her. A cool sweat peppered her skin.

Terry pushed her plate away. "I was helping a friend," she said truthfully.

"A friend from school?" he asked, his tone softer this time. She nodded, unsure which category Zach fit into. Friend? Boyfriend? Ex-friend? The image of Maude's scared face surfaced. Terry rubbed her temples. Her mind wouldn't stop replaying the horrible memories of the last few days.

"I understand." Prince Kamal ran a hand through his dark waves. "I'd do anything for my friends back home." He smiled. "In fact I'd do anything for my home. I love my country. I miss so much about it when I travel." He let out a relaxed laugh. "You have no idea how many tourists come to Cairo, shocked that we are a modern city. They think it's all about Indiana Jones and lost treasure."

Terry leaned back and tucked her bad leg underneath her. "I miss the marketplace," she told him. "I miss shopping there with my mom. I miss..." She bit her lip. 'Home' was the word that came to mind.

"Egypt is close to my heart, but it has its troubles too." Prince Kamal sounded uncharacteristically hopeless. "There's so much political unrest these days. The people need a common goal. Something to believe in ... something to unite them."

Terry pictured him standing on a balcony addressing a crowd, inspiring a new generation. "Maybe you're Egypt's next pharaoh," she said, half teasing.

He smiled, then crossed his hands behind his head and stretched out his legs. "That's why this discovery of your mother's is so important. It's a reminder of how great and strong my country used to be. Maybe that's what the people need," he said. "A modern-day Cleopatra."

"What do you mean?"

If he was surprised by her question, his expression didn't give him away. "Some people believe the last pharaoh of Egypt will reign again through resurrection," he said, matter-of-factly.

Terry couldn't gauge if he was bored by the subject or thought it was bogus. She pictured Ms. Bernard's book. "Do you know anything about the cult of Osiris?" she asked.

Prince Kamal tilted his head. "You're familiar with the legend, I assume," he said. "The cult practices the belief that after their deaths, the gods allowed Cleopatra to live with Mark Antony in another form of existence so they would have eternal life together."

"So they believe their queen is still alive?"

He lifted a shoulder. "In a way, I suppose."

The asp began to pulse around Terry's arm. "Does the cult still exist?"

"I don't believe in such things," he said. "There are all kinds of theories about the afterlife, but I'm more concerned with everyday miracles."

She smiled back at him, relieved to abandon the subject of death and resurrection. Prince Kamal had a way of taking a morbid subject and turning it into something of beauty. "Like what?" she prompted.

He seemed pleased with her question. "Simple things, really," he began. "A spider having the ability to make a web purely on instinct, how a mother knows her baby's own cry, and of course the colours of the sunset." 

He looked across the room, staring into nothing. "And when two strangers smile and fall in love."

Zach's pained expression haunted her memory. It was unbearable that he thought she'd given up on him. "You make it sound like falling in love is easy," she said dully.

"You're cynical for one so young. Men crossing the desert for the smile of a loved one is the stuff of legends."

Terry snorted. "Oh really? Have you ever crossed the desert for someone?"

"Once," he laughed. "She's one of the things I miss most about home."

Terry smiled. "That's so sweet. Maybe next time you visit, you can bring her too."

"I'm not sure Devonshire is big enough, she prefers New York."

"Who wouldn't," Terry joked easily. He made her feel secure. Through every crisis, Prince Kamal had been there to pick her up and give her what she needed. He reminded her of all the things she loved and missed about Egypt. When she was with him it felt like she was home. And she supposed that was why he was the only one she could trust right now. "I need to see the sarcophagus before the unveiling. Can you help me?"

"Of course. I'll be busy most of tomorrow, but I promise to escort you to the museum. I hope you seriously consider staying for the party. We'll be honouring your mother's work. You should be there to represent your family."

Terry had no idea what chain reaction would be caused by her putting the asp into the grooves of the mummy case, but she didn't plan on hanging around to watch the mayhem. "Um...I'll think about it."

Prince Kamal nodded. He walked her back to her room. When she opened the door to her suite, he placed a protective hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry," he soothed, "when the time comes, you'll know what to do. And then everything will fall into place." Then he gave her his regal goodnight smile and bowed slightly.

Terry got herself to bed. The last thing she looked at was Zach's portrait of herself as Cleopatra. She closed her eyes and fell asleep, dreaming of home.