❝death is only the beginning.❞
Mara El-Masri's fascination with the long-ago world of ancient Egypt started with the stories her stepfather would tell her when she was a child. Her brother Talib El-Masri is missing, left after their mother's funera...
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☾ ☽
IF ALEX AND IMHOTEP AND THE CULTISTS had made it to Karnak before them, there was little doubt that they would make it to Philae and beyond before them. It was a small setback when they had planned on rescuing Alex as soon as possible, but he was a smart boy. Leaving them sandcastles in the shapes of historic sites in Egypt to tell them where the bracelet was guiding him next was an ingenious idea, and now that they were at Philae, there was another one waiting for them to find somewhere on the island.
The routine now had quickly become clear—Rick, Evy, Jamil, and Ardeth would be going to find the sandcastle, four sets of eyes searching for the next clue; Izzy would be at the wheel with the maps, prepared when told where they were going next; and Mara and Jonathan would be doing hardly anything more than waiting until there was actually something for them to do, which probably wouldn't be until they reached Ahm-Shere itself.
Jonathan was sitting in the chair beside Mara's, eyes on the others on the ground as he inquired, "So, where do you think Alex's sandcastle is going to lead us this time? Assuming he's left us one, of course, which he probably has if they've already been here." His words were only half registered by her. She'd felt nauseous since she woke that morning and was trying to focus on lessening it by pressing against the spot on her wrist Evy pointed out, but it didn't seem to be working as well as it had before. He glanced at her, brows furrowing. "Mara, that question's supposed to have an answer."
"What? Oh, sorry," Mara murmured, shaking her head. She kept pressing her thumb against her inner wrist, but even as she answered the question she could feel herself getting sicker. It came through in the way she spoke, stilted and paused. "Um...given where we are and how far into Egypt we are, maybe Abu Simbel? Any further south and we'd be going into Sudan, but at the time the Scorpion King allegedly lived all of this was Egypt. I wouldn't be surprised if Ahm-Shere lies in Sudan or Ethiopia—"
Like it had a few days ago, talking made her feel even worse, like she was going to throw up any second. Not wishing to be sick on the dirigible again and actually having a choice this time, seeing that the ship was grounded while the others were searching for the sandcastle, Mara made the hasty decision to get off the dirigible via its ladder before she threw up and managed it by mere seconds, making it only a few feet from it before she was keeling over.
"Mara!" Jamil yelled, pace picking up when he saw her. So did Ardeth. Jonathan got off the ship as well and, just like he had before, held her hair back for her and looked over her with growing concern. Behind them, Evy came to a stop and gave a light sigh, Alex's blazer in her hands, while just ahead of her Rick stopped, too. "Mara."
Izzy folded down his map and glanced over the side of the ship. "At least it's not on my ship again."
"Again?" Jonathan repeated, turning to him and then back at her. By that time she'd finished and was trying to catch her breath, still leaning over. She had been afraid he'd find out she'd previously been sick and hadn't told him. It would have only made him worry more. "You were sick before?"
